In a message dated 1/29/02 12:34:15 PM, ben@KBMC.NET writes:

<< Blitz, USA Spill Proof 5-gallon gas can--Biggest equipment failure of the
trip--what a piece of junk this was.  It has a nozzle that is spring loaded
so you can invert it and then open to fill.  Trouble is, the nozzle doesn't
reach in far enough to open the restrictor flap on the van, so gas can't get
into the tank quickly enough and just pours out everywhere.  The nozzle also
leaks badly around the spring mechanism.  In addition, it leaks badly when
closed due to elevation and temperature changes.  I'll be pulling the
luggage rack off the westy to clean the gas out from under it.  Still
searching for a safe and useable external gas solution... >>

An interesting tale indeed!

However, I'm moved to comment about spare fuel containers. I bought my first 
spare fuel container from Mrs. Wilma Wood at the Westfalia Werk, when I 
picked up our '82 Westfalia Diesel. As she explained, in a strange land, 
diesel could be difficult to find in time. Over the past 20 years, I have run 
out of fuel (then diesel, now Gasoline) more often than I can readily count. 
The original Euro container (5 liters and plastic) was stored in the little 
cabinet on the side of the refrigerator, and faithfully served for more than 
10 years. I have never found an equivalent in the US. 

Owners of Vanagon Westfalia Campers must always be concerned with space 
effectiveness and utilization. Fuel stored in the cabinet was mildly 
disconcerting. Then one day in '85, I was motoring with a friend up to the 
K�nigsee from M�nchen, and we stopped to take picnic vittles from the trunk. 
My sharp eye immediately discerned something amiss with the center of his 
spare in the trunk of the Mercedes. I soon discovered that this was a spare 
gas can specially made to fit the inner space of the spare tire. Neat!

So I began my search and after several years began to find these spare gas 
cans (there are Mercedes designs, Peugeot designs and VW versions offered as 
optional accessories on the Bug and the Thing) popping up on e-sucker-bay.com 
from time to time. Anyway, I located a Mercedes version new. It now resides 
snugly in the center of my Audi 5000T SpaceSaver Spare in the front spare 
holder in the vanagon. The spare is appropriate for the Audi 5000T wheels 
with 215/75X15 Yokohama's. The spare gas can (either 7 or 9 L) has not leaked 
over many years of use, and it is kept snug by the tool wrap and emergency 
sausages. Pictures on request. Hope to post on Alistair Bell's web site if 
space permits.

Frank Grunthaner