Date: Fri, 5 Feb 2021 23:23:18 -0700
Reply-To: OlRivrRat <OlRivrRat@COMCAST.NET>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: OlRivrRat <OlRivrRat@COMCAST.NET>
Subject: Re: Bogus engineering
In-Reply-To: <CA+r=JhqBtnMtG-j-Ny2LLEWZ83t1+siQHS1v1uWkYYxXhoBhxw@mail.gmail.com>
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That which They Did Do Right, whether consciously or not, was create a vehicle that has
a bunch of attributes that Those of Us Who Love Them, Love & They made them Simple enough
that Those of Us Who Love Them are able to keep Them Functioning the way that We Love ~
I can’t say that there is really anything Special about the “German” Engineering that went
into Them but that being said I think there are a few attributes that make them Special for Me >
Ground Clearance, Turning Radius & Interior Space all make for a Go Almost Anywhere Compact
Home On Wheels ~
ORR ~ DeanB
> On 5 Feb , 2021, at 8:07 AM, Larry Alofs <lalofs@GMAIL.COM> wrote:
>
> Of course they did many things right in the overall design of the Vanagon;
> otherwise we would not be so devoted to them. However,anyone who has
> fooled around with these vehicles for 20 years or so has sometimes asked
> themselves "What were they thinking?"
> A few things come to mind easily, the most serious in my mind being the
> idea that you could just wrap a cooling jacket around an air cooled
> engine. Then we have an oddly shaped fuel tank with about 10 openings,
> many electrical and ground connections placed where they are exposed to
> leaks from the corner of the windshield, a byzantine and difficult to bleed
> cooling system with its "tower" and unique and troublesome pressure cap,
> etc.
> Of course hindsight is always easier, and as someone already said, many
> of these and other problems resulted from cost driven compromises.
> But...we cannot assume that any given "feature" is present just because the
> VW engineers were more wise and knowing than us.
>
> Larry A.
>
>
> On Thu, Feb 4, 2021 at 8:00 PM OlRivrRat <OlRivrRat@comcast.net> wrote:
>
>> RK
>>
>> Just to clarify > My Bogus response was not pointed @ VW
>> Engineering,,
>>
>> It was an answer to David McNeelys question >
>>
>>> “is my thinking that the VW engineers might know more than the rest of
>> us completely bogus?”
>>
>> & I purposely left out the word “completely” because He used the word
>> “might”
>>
>> & I was not trying to imply that We might know more than the VW Engineers ~
>>
>> But Indeed Some Of Us Actually Just Might ~
>>
>> Also, I DanNs answer was well said ~
>>
>>
>>
>>> On 3 Feb , 2021, at 4:55 PM, Richard Koerner <rjkinpb@SBCGLOBAL.NET>
>> wrote:
>>>
>>> In my opinion, the original Vanagon engineers did FAR more right than
>> they did wrong. It's like any occupation...you make mistakes, you learn,
>> you correct. That is why on the bottom right corner of every engineering
>> drawing or document on the planet....you will see a Block titled as "REV".
>> It starts out, once released, as "A". Then it proceeds to revision "B".
>> And so on. I have seen it go to multiple letters.
>>>
>>> Yes...I am an engineer. Now retired.
>>>
>>> Of course, the other saying "Hindsight is 20/20" is also very valid.
>> Just the way it goes. Hence, our forum here.
>>>
>>> But, do you want to drive a Model T? Or fly in a DC-3? It's all about
>> progress. One learns far more from their mistakes than from their
>> successes. Experience builds.
>>> Those Vanagon Engineers did a pretty cool job. In my opinion, with all
>> the constraints they had to deal with. Most of the time, they were
>> correct. Not always though. And so, we all slug along.
>>>
>>> Rich
>>> San Diego
>>>
>>>
>>> On Tuesday, February 2, 2021, 9:50:47 PM PST, OlRivrRat <
>> olrivrrat@comcast.net> wrote:
>>>
>>> You asked the ? >
>>>
>>> “is my thinking that the VW engineers might know more than the rest of
>> us completely bogus?”
>>>
>>> I Answered > Bogus ~
>>>
>>>> On 2 Feb , 2021, at 10:19 PM, David McNeely <davmcneely40@GMAIL.COM>
>> wrote:
>>>>
>>>> Hmmm.... . Meaning? You seem pretty sure of SOMETHING. What are you
>>>> saying is bogus?
>>>>
>>>> On Tue, Feb 2, 2021 at 9:05 PM OlRivrRat <OlRivrRat@comcast.net> wrote:
>>>>
>>>>> Bogus !!
>>>>>
>>>>>> On 1 Feb , 2021, at 12:10 PM, David McNeely <davmcneely40@GMAIL.COM>
>>>>> wrote:
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Am I stupid, or is my thinking that the VW engineers might know more
>> than
>>>>>> the rest of us completely bogus?
>>>
>>>
>>
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