Date: Wed, 6 Mar 2013 15:58:57 -0800
Reply-To: Scott Daniel - Turbovans <scottdaniel@TURBOVANS.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Scott Daniel - Turbovans <scottdaniel@TURBOVANS.COM>
Subject: Re: 1991 digital clock
In-Reply-To: <024f01ce1ac4$0dbe98b0$293bca10$@gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed
hi ..
wasn't commenting on Eurovans ..that's a whole other animal. I own one ,
a 93 5 speed manual trans MV poptop.
Vanagons are very nice to work on compared to that thing.
I am quite sure a major factor in the end of vanagons and the beginning
of a whole other genre of VW Van ..
namely front engine FWD, has to do with crash standards.
I'd say the whole design of the Eurovan is to get all the mechanicals
forward..
and the front occupants sit high and behind the front wheels....all for
safety reasons in a crash.
that the front torsion bars are attached to the upper front suspension
arms is totally bizarre.
Every car ever made with torsion bar front springs, such as Jag XKE,
Porsche 911, even Honda CRX has that bar on the lower arm to keep center
of gravity down.
When you look at the packaging in a Eurovan ...it's obviously got
different thinking in it , compared to a Vanagon ..
was is nice about the Vanagon is ..
it's the final version of the original VW Van/Bus concept ..
rear oppossed four cylinder engine ..
and the front occupants sit on top of the front wheels rather than
behind them.
Plus great ground clearance ! ( which eurovans don't have ..not our US
model FWD ones anyway )
I have a white 91 GL ( tiico engine conversion, I would sell it , but
I'd rather sell my very good running earlier vans first ) .
I also have a white 87 GL..
somehow, the 91 looks long and skinny with a narrow track ..
the 87 looks short and strong and wide.
91's have the most features in them of course.
'afford' .? ....I didn't pay much for my 91 GL ...pretty heft discount
for that blown rod in the tiico engine.
I wouldn't say 91 is my favorite year either.
85's are great.
The 'one thing' they don't have is the later fuse box and wiring. The
ceramic type fuses the 85 has ..that dates directly from VW's of the
late 40's/early 50's. That fuse box 'works' ..but it's totally a mickey
mouse thing compared to the later spade type fuse box that starts in
86. Converting over would be possible but not practical.
85's also have the better round headlights.
but it's 87 that really has 'all' the upgrades..
better AC .. aero mirrors,
available fiberglass bumpers etc.
fortunately, the bodies are all the same ..so you can always 'build'
anything you want into any year . ( though it's pretty hard to get the
better sliding door in an 84 or earlier . )
what vanagon fun.
On 3/6/2013 3:40 PM, Stuart MacMillan wrote:
> Absolutely. Only a fresh, high quality properly sized alternator can deliver
> the desired 14 to 15 volts that are ideal. It will charge the battery as
> long as it's over 13 volts at all times. I agree with your last comment,
> which is why I would have bought a '91 if I could have afforded one! So,
> I'll do the next best thing and upgrade my '85 over the years and spend even
> more money!
>
>
>
> I'm not sure your comment applies to the Eurovan though. When they reduced
> the price by over $4000 in 2001 to try to stay in the US market you got a
> more powerful engine but they had to take out some other things, like
> quality!
>
>
>
> Stuart
>
>
>
> From: Scott Daniel - Turbovans [mailto:scottdaniel@turbovans.com]
> Sent: Wednesday, March 06, 2013 3:15 PM
> To: Stuart MacMillan
> Cc: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
> Subject: Re: 1991 digital clock
>
>
>
> I'd say a lot of waterboxer vanaogns are not getting 14 volts to the
> battery.
> I'm checking an 85 right now ..
> it's got 13.8 at the alternator, only 13.4 at the battery.
>
> on m own 85 I added an extra battery cable ...that helped get
> measured-at-the battery charging voltage closer to the voltage measured at
> the alternator.
> VW made the main battery cable bigger in 86 of course ..bad habit of theirs
> ...upgrade to what it should have been in the first place as the year models
> progress.
>
>
>
>
> On 3/6/2013 3:09 PM, Stuart MacMillan wrote:
>
> It is low, but not unusual if measured off the cigarette lighter in our rigs
> with all the old connections. Best to measure voltage right at the battery,
> where it should be at least 14v (with engine running of course). If less,
> your alternator isn't up to snuff for the work it's being asked to do.
>
> Stuart
>
