Date:         Tue, 8 Nov 1994 02:20:08 -0500 (EST)
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         ringo@aerodyne.com (Chris Getschow)
Subject:      Diesels (IMHO), 'Da Trip', Winter Driving

Hello all -

I'm a Vanagon Digester -- since I can't reply in Real Time
I'll package several responses in one - that's the Digester Way...

Forgive the time lag.  And also the length.  I get several thousand lines
from you folks every day, so here's my return...

Diesels:

Sorry.  I drove one three times with the intention of buying it - despite
its shit-brown-under-diarrhea-beige color scheme.  The price was right but
(and this may border on VW Bus Heresy) I just couldn't handle 'zero to
sixty ... maybe'!  Hell, my '66 bus with the 1300 (yes, *1300*) was a hotrod
by comparison.

Just so you'll understand my lust for performance :{)  --
I live in the Boston metro area, where it's recommended that one's vehicle
be ugly and/or quick in order to survive.  Now, I'm one of those fools
(and you-all are too :{) ) who  *likes* the way my Vanagon looks.  But it's
not so quick.  If it were a diesel it would be dead.  I don't see (or
smell) many diesel Vanagons around here but I do see (and hear) lots of
the air-cooled beasties.  Mine's neither of these, but I'm inclined to go
back to the latter if I could be assured of adequate heat in the winter
(an old topic - yes I'll check the FAQ if and when I make the switch).  As
it happens, my '85 Vanagon goes up to 75+ mph fairly readily and maintains
it with no complaint.  It also handles well enough to allow me to accelerate
to fwy speeds in the on-ramp, which is one place where I am repeatedly amazed
to find the infamous Masshole drivers being ridiculously timid.  Enough
already, but please recognize that I am sedate by comparison to those with
whom I must share the road.  I only wish to survive to drive here.  Most
of the time I ride my bike, but increasingly often that's not practical.

Da Trip:

Since I have roots in CA but have been transplanted to MA, I am exceedingly
jealous of all of you who are attending the gathering on the western coast.
I hope you all have a great time.  Now... how about us yankees heading down
Maine or some such place?  Mid-February sounds just about right... (It's
a joke, ok?  unless you're including skiing in the package...)  But seriously
folks, what's up with the Big Bus Bash next spring?  I'd like to know if
there are any (semi-) firm plans concerning route and schedule 'cause I'd
like to join in if I could convince the rest of the clan...

Winter driving:

My best memory is from college (of course -- but at least I can remember it..)
I was driving the '66 bus from Boston to somewhere in New Hampshire (ok,
so I don't remember so well), loaded with about a dozen-or-so-it-seemed skiers
when the guy behind me says, "Chris, I'm getting a little draft here; how do
you close this window?"  Well, the draft was probably coming from under his
butt because the rocker panels were rusted through -- but that's hindsight.
Anyway, I just reached behind me to turn the crank on the wonderful 3-pane
camper window the previous owner had 'installed' and the whole damn thing
fell out on the road!  Fortunately, this same person had apparently posessed
the appropriate sense of his own abilities and kept the old window pane in the
back of the bus (which I had yet to clear out).  So I nonchalantly said, "No
problem, I've got another one" -- pulled over, installed it in about 5 minutes
and we were on our way.  Piling as many people into a bus as you can is the
best way I've found to get adequate warmth.  A couple layers of flannel will
work in a pinch, though...

Ok, so that's not so exciting (except for the flannel part - I'm still trying
to get Karin to put it on ;{) ), but it should appeal to those of you who,
like me, can't leave *any* spare part behind.   I must say I felt vindicated.
And I had a similar experience with my '73 squareback (the best car I've ever
owned -- my wife bought it for me for $100 in '86 and I drove it for 5 years -i
some guy in Dayton, OH is still driving it...) but I'll save that for anyone
who really cares.

I haven't done any 360's but I did do a 900.  Around the longitudinal axis.
Not in a VW bus, though.  And I always wear my seatbelt, especially after
that experience.  So does my mother.  And she still lets me drive.  Except
for her Porsche (a 914, no less!).

-- 

Peace.

---
Chris Getschow (getschow@an.hp.com, ringo@aerodyne.com) ||
(formerly of) Aerodyne Research, Inc.   Billerica, MA   ||
(now with) Hewlett-Packard Co., Andover, MA             ||   What, me worry?