Which brings to mind another idea; A FRONT bumper storage platform/rack.
I see heaps of these on the BACK of SUV's and such, often threaded into
the towing block. Since my Vanagon is air-cooled (and even H20 vans can
take a little frontal obstruction in cool/cold weather), I think a
10-14" removable 'extension' to the front end would be really sweet.

Plus, it evens out the weight distribution a bit.

Developing business and guiding change since 1996,

G. Matthew Bulley
Bulley-Hewlett
Marketing & Communications
Business: www.bulley-hewlett.com
AIM = IExplain4u
Phone: +1.919.658.1278

-----Original Message-----
From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM] On Behalf
Of Mike Finkbiner
Sent: Tuesday, August 20, 2002 11:18 AM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: Re: SURVEY - I need a metal fab. project

Doug Alcock <doug.alcock@HEWITT.COM> said -

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
What I'd like to see is a storage box running under the sliding door
of=20
the van. I envision the door of this swinging down and stopping
parallel=20
to the ground so that it could be used as a step up into the=20
van..............I've been dreaming of this for some time and had
idle=20
thoughts of trying to do something about it this winter. I'm thinking
it=20
would be about as high as the Westy propane tank (for ground
clearance)=20
--- perhaps as long as the jack points and as deep as=20
possible.........think of it, extra storage and a step in the same=20
package..............every Westy owner's dream  :-)

Cheers,
Doug
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Doug -

I was thinking about that until I added a second propane tank.

Like a lot of other Vanagon owners, my rear bumper is bent, so I would
like
to build a replacement rear bumper that has built in storage.  Nothing
too
big, but if it were a couple of inches deeper and taller, a useful
storage
box could be put between the frame bars, or possibly full width with the
frame bars as dividers.

This could be used for spare oil, wheel chocks, tire chains, etc., the
sort
of thing that wouldn't be bothered by getting damp, and take up useful
room
inside.  With a diamond plate lid, it would make a useful step for
getting
up to a roof rack.  Built out of the right material, it would be a lot
sturdier than the stock bumper.

Multipurpose, the best kind of addition!

Mike Finkbiner
'87 Westy
Moscow, ID
mike_l_f@hotmail.com

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