Date:         Sun, 5 Jun 2011 14:35:26 -0400
Reply-To:     David Beierl <dbeierl@ATTGLOBAL.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         David Beierl <dbeierl@ATTGLOBAL.NET>
Subject:      Re: A little OT - old soviet passenger van photos.
Comments: To: Alan Felder <dieseldoofus@GMAIL.COM>
In-Reply-To:  <BANLkTikaZyftq4sx_7b8cpyDps3O9MDPvQ@mail.gmail.com>
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At 01:50 PM 6/5/2011, Alan Felder wrote:
>For V content, I really like the Vanagon utilitarian image.  It is a work
>truck.  The fact that it'it was adapted for various domestic uses is a
>tribute to the VW engineering spirit.  Because its a truck it is relatively
>easy to work on.

Along with that, though - put it alongside the Home/Start
monstrosity.  *It* looks like two different vehicles combined, then
run into a wall.  By contrast the Vanagon is a paragon of clean
integrated *functional* design.  I personally think it's a handsome
vehicle but handsome or not it hangs together.  As did the T1/T2
which is a more fair comparison chronologically.

I think it was in '63 that even Mercedes gave in and put discreet
little tailfins on, just in time for Chevy's weird design where the
entire trunk was tailfin.  I would have been twelve.  At the time I
thought that the Chevy showed how stupid it had been, 'cause
everybody quit right after.  Point being, I give VW a lot of credit
for not falling for such stuff.  The Mercedes fins I thought were
pathetic.  This went along with taillight wars - Ford at least made
them look like rocket exhausts for a while.  Huge glaring eyes.

Yrs,
David