Date:         Tue, 12 Apr 94 16:13:40 CDT
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         Joel Walker <JWALKER@ua1vm.ua.edu>
Subject:      Sportsvans: the saga continues ...

>climbing up into the bus ...

kinda depends on your shape and height, i guess ... but that's why i added
the extra pull-up handle on the driver's side (so i didn't have to keep
grabbing onto the steering wheel ... like i did in my old 'bread-loaf' buses).

and speaking of bread-loaf/bay-window buses, why don't you guys jump in?
surely someone with a 1968-1979 has considered a vanagon or eurovan? what'd
you think?  i found the vanagon to be not as good for running out through
the woods (but i never got stuck in my 1980 vanagon ... it just didn't have
the ground clearance of my 1973 bus. the 88 water-boxer, on the other hand,
is really bad out in the woods: the torque curve is wrong or something).

>brake-slamming butt-dropping **Cool** feeling ...

yeah, but how many of your passengers have actually screamed when you did
this? :)  i mentioned it as something John and Mary Q. Public, Average
American Buyers, wouldn't like.

>1920's style garage ...

HA! i'd forgot about those ... yeah, they're still around, but only in the
older houses. now the rage is the California style double enclosed-carport
with huge single motorized door. all the new houses have them.

>foot problems with the Chevy ...

that is one of the things i really like about the vanagon: foot room for the
driver and passengers. and being about to walk into the back from the driver's
seat ... i almost don't like those armrests on my 88 because they make the
passage-way smaller (big butts like big passage-ways!). almost.

turning radius: :) that's where the vanagon is really neat! Amaze Your Friends!
Surprise Your Relatives!  but the air-cooled vanagons will outturn the water-
cooled ones. if you park it with the wheels turned to lock in one direction,
it looks like the wheels are broken. :)

and another thing i like (which is good, because of the engine) is that great
big hatch in the back over the engine. i don't know of any other car that has
engine access as good ... except maybe the XK-E or Austin Healey Sprite ...
maybe the Triumph Spitfire (all those brit cars with front-tilting hoods).

did you guys know about that Porsche factory vanagon with their own 911
engine ... and four-wheel disc brakes?  they did it a bit different from that
guy in california: they raised the rear deck about 4 inches to make room for
an oil tank and more air intake holes (in the side).  they used it as a chase
car (carrying parts and mechanics) to prototype testing.  then some of the
executives found out about it and started using it to car-pool to meetings. :)
i can just see some Porsche factory executive trying to show off to his
buddies as he zips down the Autobahn!

joel