Date:         Tue, 20 May 1997 10:21:22 -0400
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         kelphoto@mail.bright.net (mark keller)
Subject:      Travel Itinerary, Tire Info,and MSD

Dear List members,

Thank you for being a friend, during my short time on the list. I'm flying
out to Seattle on Thursday, for my pre-move reconnoiter of the area, see my
sis and friends, and generally celebrate.  After I "git" the Vanagon tags
and title stuff taken care of, I'm off to Miami, Fl on the 29th to pick up
my baby at the junkyard.

 It drives, so after a good preflight, and scouring the place for all of
the parts request I received, I'm off to my dad's body shop in Houston, TX,
for the surgical portion of my excursion.  Lord willing, I'll have all the
repairs done in a ten days or so time. Then drive back home to Orrville, OH
to prepare for the move back to Seattle, when I don't exactly know, but as
soon as practicable.

Meanwhile, I would appreciate any advice that seems pertinent to the above.
I guess I'll just email everyone who asked about parts, or if the Repair
shop/ junkyard guy is willing , give out his phone.  Anyway, I also would
like to know of some way to keep up on the traffic, but think that a months
worth will be kinda steep to follow.  Any ideas?

On the Multiple Static Discharge unit.  I had one on my 72' 240z for, well
it is still on it, so 17 years. I never came close to bending it much less
breaking it; several long 15 hr highway runs, even with a 1800lb boat in
tow, and the A/c blasting. Yup it's REAL hard-ware. After I had put around
150K on it, I sent it back to MSD Inc, and they completely rebuilt and
updated the thing. IMHO they are amazing, and any racer of salt uses em
religiously, and if I can get one on the Bus, and I can be very persistant,
its high on my list. Mine was the street version MSD 5.

About tires.  I once had a copy of a government issue report on tires. It
was kinda a newsprint type booklet that listed all tires for sale,and their
scores on the government test. I believe it included rolling resistance
too.  I checked the government sites last night, I believe that those folks
in Pueblo, CO put it out, any way their site wouldn't respond, and I didn't
save the URL.  I got there by searching "government info", then I navigated
to the Consumer Information site.

I believe this pub will be invaluable for all of our tire needs.  BTW,
after my article, its more than apparent that the right tire on our
vanagons really really, makes a big difference. I don't know why a MXL was
the factory's choice; my hunch is that everybody else was doin it, so the
buying public wouldn't be skeptical of some other tire that may of been a
better choice, but not real well known to us Stars and Stripes types, Maple
leafs accepted of course.

Well that's it. If I don't get a better solution, I'll probably unsubscribe
on Thursday until I return.

Mark, "America! Here I Come!" Keller
91' Carat, "The patient is ready Doc'ter"

P.S. Gordon Air Travel,got me a ticket for $240 round trip on TWA, 7 day
advance, even though I'm not going back to my origination airport. Is this
unbelievable or what!

PSS I am getting a AAA membership, with that 100 mile towing option-- ya
never know!! Plus in the next 365 rotations, I'll be out there somewhere--
a bunch.