Vanagon EuroVan
Previous messageNext messagePrevious in topicNext in topicPrevious by same authorNext by same authorPrevious page (June 1994)Back to main VANAGON pageJoin or leave VANAGON (or change settings)ReplyPost a new messageSearchProportional fontNon-proportional font
Date:         Fri, 3 Jun 94 18:55:12 CDT
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         Randy <thewoz!wort!randy@netcom.com>
Subject:      Happy roadtrip story

With all this talk about what the "best" VW van is, I thought I'd post something about my first roadtrip in The Whale, my white '76 Bus FI.

3 of us went from Washington DC to Charlotte, NC, about 425 miles for memorial day weekend. We all had a weekend's worth of luggage plus some stuff for my brother (wedding cake, etc). Everything fit easily in the bus, including all my spare parts and tools.

The 2000cc FI engine ran extremely well all the way there and back. I averaged about 72mph all the way there, and that includes going over the mountains in central VA. I stopped halfway there to fill up the tank and rig the heater vents open with a coat hanger (haven't gotten around to fixing the cables yet). The built-in cooler held a 12-pack of beer and food for the trip which came in real handy.

In Charlotte we used the bus as a utility vehicle, hauling blinds, lumber, mulch, and that sort of thing. No problem with accelerating with 150 lbs of mulch, a van full of garden tools and 3 adults. It was over 80F in Charlotte and we definitely didn't need an A/C with all of the vents and side windows open (plenty of fresh air).

My average MPH was about 20.2 which I think is excellent. At a rest stop about 3/4 of the way back the starter decided not to work, which was easily remedied with a push-start but I need to look at it.

Overall I can definitely recommend the later-model (i.e. post-'71) buses, and in particular anything with a 2000cc FI engine!

Randy


Back to: Top of message | Previous page | Main VANAGON page

Please note - During the past 17 years of operation, several gigabytes of Vanagon mail messages have been archived. Searching the entire collection will take up to five minutes to complete. Please be patient!


Return to the archives @ gerry.vanagon.com


The vanagon mailing list archives are copyright (c) 1994-2011, and may not be reproduced without the express written permission of the list administrators. Posting messages to this mailing list grants a license to the mailing list administrators to reproduce the message in a compilation, either printed or electronic. All compilations will be not-for-profit, with any excess proceeds going to the Vanagon mailing list.

Any profits from list compilations go exclusively towards the management and operation of the Vanagon mailing list and vanagon mailing list web site.