In a message dated 2/20/02 6:36:16 PM, wrevens@MYEXCEL.COM writes:

<< What's up?  I thought Vanagons were made in Metric Germany.  Did they make
some here? >>

Walter,

No, we just improve them here.  Your English fasteners are probably the
result of stripping a hole tapped for 8MM.  The tap drill size for a 3/8 - 16
thread is 5/16 inch and 8 MM is damn close to 5/16 inch.  Once stripped, an
8MM tapped hole in aluminum can usually be tapped to 3/8 -16 without even
first drilling it to the proper tap drill size.  If the 3/8 thread gets
screwed up, there is still enough meat left to drill the hole for an 8 MM
Heli-Coil.  How fortunate for us all.

Rich