In a message dated 11/15/04 7:52:43 PM, inua@CHARTER.NET writes:

<< there was a

time when I regularly carried 12 foot lumber and stp ladders --- inside

and with the doors and hatches closed. Nothing sticking out. >>

John,

Your reply jogged my memory regarding the unquestionable utility of a
Vanagon.  Rather long objects are no problem and if there is more of them than can be
placed on either side of the front passenger's seat, the seat can be removed
without the need for tools.

For the really long stuff, I've hung it on the side of the van by splicing up
three short fibrous rope chokers and toggling them at the door-to-body gaps,
front middle and rear, with softeners between the load and the van body.  On
the outside I feed each choker through its eye to form a bight.  Among other
things, using this method I've hauled light gauge structural steel (21 feet in
length) and full lengths (20 feet) of 4" sched. 40 PVC pipe.  Once a method was
established, they where surprisingly easy to load single-handedly.

Hauling long stuff takes some care and regard for your fellow human beings
since the load will project quite a bit beyond either end of the van and it ends
up at the exact height to conk some sweet young thing smack dab in the puss
as she impetuously steps off a curb right into your path.  Ample flagging and
great caution are the orders of the day for this type of hauling.

Dumb and dumber anecdote:

I went to stock up on some Baltic birch plywood right after I got my first
van.  It was about a 70 mile trip home, so I wanted the load as out of sight and
mind as possible.  Being used to the 4 foot width limitation of American
trucks, I told the millyard to rip off a foot on each 1500 mm X 1500 mm (nominally
5' X 5') sheet.  I kept kicking myself in the butt as I loaded each 4'(!!!) X
5' sheet and saw the ample expanse of blue carpeting on either side of them.
I also kept asking myself, "You idiot!  Why wouldn't European vans be sized
to fit European sheet goods?"

George