>Often when this list diverges from the "what" to the "why" the
>discussion gets very introspective and pointless. In the case of why
>go 130mph the answer is simple. Because you can.

Yes!

>I think this is a truly American phenomenon.

NO!!

>Making monstrous
>creations such as import-tuned street racers, super loud stereo
>systems, and 130 MPH Vanagons are what make this country great.

And every other country where people hot vehicles up?

>I wonder what the German engineers who made these vans would think.

Probably what they WANTED to make, knocked-back by the beancounters.

>They'd do the same! I remember reading an article in a German car
>magazine (Auto, Motor und Sport, about 18 years ago) about a Vanagon
>that was equipped with an old Porsche 911 engine. Porsche used Vanagons
>to take their spare parts along on test trips to the desert. They got
>tired of waiting for the Vanagons, so they put old Porsche engines in
>some of them. They were described to be the horror of every Golf GTI
>driver on the "Autobahn": Imagine being in the passing lane at 100 mph
>(legally!) and have a Vanagon show up in your rear mirror, indicating to
>overtake ;-) This car was apparently used a lot by VW and Porsche
>executives for fun, and there were speculations that they would make a
>small series of these cars. Don't  think that ever happened...

I believe tthey did make a run of them prior to 1984 (they were
aircooled bodies).
--
Andrew Grebneff
Dunedin
New Zealand
Fossil preparator
<andrew.grebneff@stonebow.otago.ac.nz>
Seashell, Macintosh, VW/Toyota van nut