Date:         Sun, 16 Apr 1995 08:12:02 -0400 (EDT)
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         RGOLEN@umassd.edu
Subject:      Re: Blasphemy, tires, and handling.


There is ONE thing that reminds me of how great Chrysler Mini-shitboxes
are...look at the rear hatch of any of them...look at the little
plastic trim piece above the licence plate...chances are it isn't
there...why? It fell off...if the Chrysler engineers can't even get that
little piece right...how do you expect them to get the rest of the van
right?

Next, the mini-shitbox is actually built on what started out to be
the K-car floorpan. Notice I did not say frame....all the mini-shitbox
is is a redesigned K-car...they took an ugly car and made it uglier.

Why am I picking on the floorpan you ask? Take a look under your
average VW van. You will notice a whole ladder frame under there.
You ever wonder why VWs last so long, or can carry heavier
loads? Its the frame.

VW vans are designed to be commercial vehicles first, and then are
converted over for passenger vehicles...it was true for the very
first TRANSPORTER in 1949, and it is true for the T4 (eurovan, etc)
today. There ain't no frame on a mini-shitbox...

I will be more than happy to take my Eurovan, and anyone's mini-shitbox
and have a contest...I'll out haul you in sheer carrying weight and
volume...I'll put in 7 adults and carry them in comfort...yep no
bending of the knees under the chin...I'll out handle you on an
exit ramp or on the mountain roads of Vermont.

Oh, BTW, you know why there is no 5 speed in the mini-shitbox???
Because after the first few years of production, the chrysler
engineers couldn't make one that would hold up in the mini-shibox,
at least that's what the salesdweeb told us when we were hunting
for a van. Imagine that, no 5 speed...

Perhaps you should take a cue from the ascidoodle of the week...
and try to fly your mini-shitbox off a cliff and definately off
this list!!  8-)

Ric