So you're telling me that a 118hp TIICO motor in an overweight, top-heavy,
rolling brick, will out pull and out handle a small Japanese hatchback with
115hp (I used the Honda Civic)?

Don't get me wrong, I love my Vanagons.  But even with a TIICO motor you're
not going to win that race.  Now those out there with SVX, VR6, and Porsche
motors may have a shot, but the handling is going to be an issue (even with
the aftermarket springs and shocks).

If you're still convinced you can win that race, I've got a stock '87
Quantum (sorry, I don't do Japanese cars, bikes, yes, cars, no) that I'll
race against your TIICO powered Vanagon for pink slips.  Hell, I'll even
throw in a couple of thousand dollars to even out the vehicle value.  Let me
know when and where...

Cheers,

Jeff

-----Original Message-----
From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com]On Behalf
Of Bill Marshall
Sent: Wednesday, October 08, 2003 2:15 PM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: Re: Differences between Passenger and Camper Syncros

Jeff sez:
"I've got two possible explanations:

1) The driver of the Japanese hatchback was really, really bad.

2) The Japanese hatchback needed work... a lot of work."

Hey, now -- have you driven a well-tuned Tiico lately?  With mine, first
gear
is pointless, since you only travel a van-length before it is time to shift.
It kind of "leaps" up when you floor it in low gear.  It can go very fast.

At least mine did.  I have a GL 7-passenger with the middle seat removed, so
it is super light.  Also had a free-flow intake and larger exhaust.  It
would
frikkin' scream.  As of late I have put the normal intake and exhaust back
on,
and the performance has been slightly reduced.  I just wanted something
quieter.

Bill Marshall
85 GL Tiico "Pandora's Box"
Aurora, IL