Give my sincere congrats to your dad.  His love of his family has driven him
to do all that wonderful things.  A person like that is a real hero in my
book.
Zoltan
----- Original Message -----
From: "David Menche" <dmenche914@HOTMAIL.COM>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Tuesday, July 20, 2004 6:37 PM
Subject: a home built camper that rocked 30 years ago. Re: What is the worst
design part in the Vanagon What a bunch of wimps, whiners, winers and
complainers.

>   back in my childhood, my dad took the 1963 microbus (standard bus) and
> made a camper out of it, installed a sink (stainless steel) and a
laminated
> counter top across rear of front seats, under the sink was an electric
> fridge/freezer, and a microwave oven, off to the side behind the driver
seat
> was a Sears portapotty (that flushed)  He built a bed that dropped from
the
> ceiling for the three kids, and he and mon slept  under on a second bed
that
> he made to fold out of the rear seat, lots of modifications, and welding
of
> brackets.
>
>   He installed a triple crank pulley, to power the stock 6 v generator, a
12
> alternator, and 120 v alternator.
>   he had an electric pump (12 v.) on the sink, just turn the knob to get
> water, and had a 12 v instant hot water heater he made from copper pipe
and
> wires, the hot water would be steaming out of the sink!  The microwave
> worked great on the 120 Volt system either while driving, or parked at a
> slightly high idle, of course we could plug in if that was avalaible.
>
>   the five of us took a month long tour of Alaska/Yukon in 1974, 500 miles
> of dirt logging roads included!  This was better than any wetsy back then,
> with the exception of no pop top (could have used that)  i remember my mom
> cooking for the Canadian boarder guard at the Northern most crossing to
> demonstrate the microwave, he had yet to see one, much less one in a car.
> But hey, Its not a car, its a VW.
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "gary hradek" <hradek@YAHOO.COM>
> To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
> Sent: Tuesday, July 20, 2004 8:39 AM
> Subject: What is the worst design part in the Vanagon What a bunch of
wimps,
> whiners, winers and complainers.
>
>
> > I think before you start listing the worst designs of
> > the westy you consider what you would replace it with
> > as an alternative.
> >    My wife's biggest problem is no toilet.   I can
> > always find a tree, even prefer a tree and in a pinch
> > the good old plastic five gallon bucket I learned to
> > use while working in the fishing business.   My wife
> > wants a toilet so what are my alternatives.
> > http://www.winnebagoind.com/html/products/recVehicles/rialta/rialta.html
> >    The intersting thing about the rialta is that it
> > does have the vw frame and engine.   You want to look
> > at an engine that is hard to work on look at the
> > rialta.  I am sure that it has a larger more powerful
> > engine, some are 5 cylinder and I am sure that it has
> > a larger gas tank.  It seems a little low to the
> > ground but it does have that toilet.   If you have any
> > question about whether you are the sort of person who
> > belongs in the westy go see the rialta.   Seeing the
> > rialta makes me want to get started building that
> > toilet in my westy.   Hope she doesn't expect the
> > flush knob to actually work?   happy tails, gary
> >
> > Date:    Mon, 19 Jul 2004 22:06:32 -0700
> > From:    David Menche <dmenche914@HOTMAIL.COM>
> > Subject: Re: What is the worst design part in the
> > Vanagon WAS-Re: OEM
> > Pop Top
> >          Seals
> >
> >   Ok, here it goes, (and I do Love my Vanagon)
> >
> > 1.  needs a bigger fuel tank, cruising range is too
> > low.
> >
> > 2.  needs more power
> >
> > 3.  needs a five speed (OD top gear) to get the rpms
> > closer to 3000 at
> > 70
> > mph rather than 4000+.
> >
> > 4.  Needs a better ventalation system up front, foam
> > seals get old, and
> > the
> > vent can't be shut off.
> >
> >   Items 3 and 2 are most important design flaws in my
> > opinion.
> >
> >   Love it cause it is roomy, very roomy.  has good
> > ground clearance, ok
> > gas
> > milage for the size of the car, up front driving
> > postion simular to the
> > old
> > Microbusses, lots of windows which is great for sight
> > seeing.
> >
> >   If only VW had used a big subaru type motor,
> > installed a 25 gas
> > gallon
> > tank, OD tranny, and did something a little better on
> > ventilation
> > seals,
> > they'd still be selling them today!
> >
> >
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From: "Eric Zeno" <vw4x4@FYI.NET>
> > To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
> > Sent: Monday, July 19, 2004 12:04 PM
> > Subject: What is the worst design part in the Vanagon
> > WAS-Re: OEM Pop
> > Top
> > Seals
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
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> >