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Date:         Fri, 29 Nov 1996 15:26:48 -0400
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         gthaxter@msdcorp.com (Gary E Thaxter)
Subject:      BIG VW vans

I have an 85 transporter and I am always amazed at how much room I have in it. I can always fit something (or someone) else in. I picked up some cleaning equipment for a friend one time in southern Ontario (Canada). The people that worked at the place drove full size gm and dodge vans and laughed when they opened their receiving door to see my "Toilet Blue" bus. "How the He!!, do you expect to fit it all in there?!?" "Even if you fit it in, you'll be draggin your arse all the way back up north, har har. . ." I put up with this for all of about 2 minutes and then grabbed a tape measure and checked the door size on the one fella's new dodge and then on my Van. "I've got 6 inches on ya, but only on height" I jeered, while poking the portly dodge owner in the gut with the extended tape measure.

We went ahead loading the machines, placing the ramp on my sliding door sill, (which everyone noted was much lower than that other van) and proceeded to drive the 1200 pound floor machine into place. Because of the lower incline of the ramp, it entered with ease. The six extra inches of clearance made things even easier! (which was also noted by all). Up on the hump in the back, we also put a 200 pound burnisher. We departed, leaving all amazed, especially after I said "Good thing there is still a bit of room, there were a couple of yard sales I saw a ways back, I spotted a lawn tractor with a snow blower attachment for cheap. . ." I was kidding about the tractor.

In my old van (74 transporter (panel)) I've hauled everything from 24 live chikens (with one rooster) to a full size yamaha ET340T longtrack snowmachine. I'd like to hear of any other weird and wonderful cargos that any other VanGoers have hauled.

Any way, back to the topic, BIG VW vans, I saw, while at the second annual Great Canadian Bug Show in Missisauga a few years back, a Volkswagen LT. That is all it said on the back. It looked like a Vanagon pickup, only bigger! It wasn't even in the show, It was behind one of the buildings by a trash bin (I shed a tear). Upon closer examination, the thing was in fairly rough shape, but man was it ever cool. It had a 4 cylinder Audi diesel between the seats, (the cover was off of the motor and some parts were missing). It had all the same look as my 85 transporter, even the same "Toilet Blue" colour. The flat bed on the back was probably big enough to put a car on! (if my memory serves me right)

There was an old man that said he saw a VW camper bigger than any VW van he had ever seen. I was skeptical, and I thought he saw one of the tall Mercedes camper things, but then I saw the LT! Not again until about a week ago, did I ever see anything of the such. I was watching a European movie with subtitles, (I don't know why) when all of a sudden this BIG VW van comes tearing up the road (on the movie), slides sideways into a diveway and a guy throws open the door and jumps out. And guess what? It was "TOILET BLUE!" It was a full van, not a pick up! The old man hasn't lost his marbles, they exist!

Sadly though, they probably only exist in Europe. At least I know that they don't only exist in my imagination and an old man's delusions.

If anyone has any info, or pics on these things, please let haul, I wanna hear from ya.

Happy Friday. . . Thanks All and have a good weekend

Gary Thaxter 85 transporter 74 transporter (panel) still looking at an 86 syncro


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