I have to admit that the carrier looks sharp. But a word of caution; you're
putting something on your vanagon which sticks out past your bumper. The
slightest impact on that tire will do thousands of dollars damage to your
vanagon. I know from personal experience. My wife drives a '96 Bronco (No
anti-SUV flames please. Her in-home nursing job takes her down all kinds of
dirt roads in all kinds of weather.) A slight impact while backing out of an
unfamiliar driveway resuleted in the tailgate and rear window needing
replacement. Cost was almost $3,000 (Insured fortunately).

Personally, though they may look great, I'd never put one on my bus.
My $.02

John Flaherty
Portland, Maine
'84 GL

----- Original Message -----
From: "80 Westy Pokey" <pokey@VANAGON.ORG>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Monday, August 19, 2002 5:00 PM
Subject: Re: swing away tire carrier

> Gary this is truly a thing of beauty! I was just wondering
> about the air vent side of the instalation. Are the air vents
> on later vans removeable? On early Vanagons the side air vent
> is not removeable so the backing plates would all have to be
> done through the rear tail light. I guess you could get high
> ones with a LONG screwdriver...
>
> Thanks,
> Chris
>
> ---- Original message ----
> >Date: Mon, 19 Aug 2002 11:41:24 -0700
> >From: Gary Lee <gary2a@TELUSPLANET.NET>
> >Subject: swing away tire carrier
> >To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
> >
> >As some of you may know, I have been working on a swing away
> tire carrier
> >for our vanagons.
> >Take a look at some pictures at my web site
> >http://www.telusplanet.net/public/gary2a/rack/swingtire/swing
> tire.htm
> >
> >It looks simple enough, but actually it's a difficult thing
> to make.
> >For those of you into tools, I used just about every major
> piece in my shop:
> >milling machine, lathe, tig welder, plasma cutter, oxy
> acetylene torch,
> >carbide dry saw, tubing notcher, tubing bender etc.
> >
> >Comments and suggestions welcome.
> >
> >Thanks
> >Gary Lee
> >http://www.telusplanet.net/public/gary2a/rack/vanagonrack.htm
>