Karl Wolz wrote:"
\All. I've come to the conclusion that Vanagons were built by committee...
\
\Actually,
The problems with the WBX was the reengineering of the flat four from air to
water-cooled.
As it is a VW trademark to keep many parts the same for 30 years or more
(yes, the transaxle diff bearings for a 68 Beetle are the same as the big
rear bearing in our Vanagon).
So, it was frugal for them to modify an existing design. But they carried
many old problems over in so doing.
\
Yet another design, the inline four, had already been in production for five
years or more by 1980, but not long enough to prove itself as a choice for
the Vanagon? It makes you wonder why it wasn't used, except in the Diesel
Vanagon.
\
I have an inline four in my Vanagon now, and changing any hose requires no
major part removal. Since I added AC, I now have to remove the compressor
first. Otherwise, the engine is accessible from all sides, even more so than
the Golf it came out of.

I have a 1985 Westfalia, and I dread the labor of removing so much just to
change the waterpump, for example.
So, in my experience, it is the engine that is the most difficult part of the
Vanagon.
\
Mostly everything else was well designed for it's time, including several
other things that are superior to the Eurovan. Westfalia made a very high
quality interior.
I only wish they had'nt gotten away from it's popular design. They could have
used I-4 or 5's, just like in SA.

\Just my 2 cents worth of opinion.
\
\Robert
\1982 Westfalia 2.0 Golf lll

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