Date:         Fri, 05 Jan 1996 11:51:49 +0000
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         Ben Stott <bens@atlas.co.uk>
Subject:      VW Van accident URGENT

Re:Techical specifications of a Volkswagen Campervan 1969 G reg. 
Requesting informatlon on 1. Steerins Capabilities
2. Chassis Strength

My girlfriend owned a beautiful right hand drive VW campervan it was well kept 
inside and in good condition all over. I was driving the VW in  England in April of this 
year when I was involved in a head on collision. The driver of the car that hit me 
drove towards me at high speed crossed the middle of the road and came into my 
lane.

The driver is trying to cover his mistake by claiming that I swerved the VW to the 
right and then to the left in a ridiculously short space of time and length of the 
road. I know from several years experience of driving VW campervans that the 
steering is slower and less responsive than modern cars let alone those with power 
assisted steering and that what he claims is not physically possible, but I need 
information about VW steering capabilities that has come from an acknowledged 
source in order to help prove his claim to be false.

He also claims to have been travelling at 40 mph. The whole of the VW is distorted 
from his impact even the roof. I believe the chassis is more sturdy and the body 
panels thicker than modern cars, having the chassis specifications would help to 
show that he was speeding-. Therefore I ask you to help me with the following 
questions.

1. Steering Capabilities.                                     
a) When driving in the G reg. 1969 campervan at
55-60 miles per hour what is the angle of the
most acute turn one can make at this speed
without causing tyre scuffs and skid marks on
the road nor losing control of the van ? 

b) If the campervan is driven at 55-60mph and steered to turn at the most acute 
angle possible for the speed how long will it take, in meters and seconds, for the 
vehicle to straighten up on its new course ?


c) Diagram to show measurements of the road width and the course steered by 
the VW according to the driver that hit me.

Using the above diagram, if the campervan is driven at 55-60 mph and steers to 
the right at the most acute angle it can and then back to the left at as much as it 
can and straightens up to continue going straight ahead how long would it take in 
seconds and meters to do this ? Please give how long it would take for the whole 
manoeuvre A to C and most important how long between B and C ?

d) If you are not able to answer these questions directly please send any 
Iiterature, statistics, charts etc. that will help to show the most acute angle the 
campervan can be steered when travelling at 55mph,60mph etc. even if it is in 
german.


2 Chassis Strength.

a) Please send all the dimensions of the whole chassis and body work of the 
1969,"G" registation campervan. Giving size, weight of the chassis components. 
thickness of body panels and if possible the stress factors and shear strength of 
the chassis.

b) Is there any information or test results that will help me understand how an 
impact to the front and off side of the campervan at an angle of 16 degrees 
approx can cause the whole frame even the roof to distort and become twisted. I 
can send photographs if this will help.

Please send as much information as possible. It is especially important that any 
answers to my questions about steering capabilities reach me by the 4th of 
January.

Thankyou.

Reply to ben_stott@pentagram.co.uk