Muir is never out of date, even if it is only for his philosophy of things.
I also have driven a VW van 30 miles without a clutch.
Jerry

----- Original Message -----
From: "Rob" <becida@COMCAST.NET>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Sunday, November 27, 2005 7:46 PM
Subject: Re: driving without a clutch- was Pedal to the metal (revisited)

> At  11/27/2005 05:37 PM, Wognacious wrote:
> >It happened again, however this time it was up in the mountains
> >after a great extended Holiday weekend.Tried it a couple of times
> >the way the book said and I got some back pressure from the clutch
> >pedal. Finally made it out of the campground as the sun was going
> >down and so was the temperature too.
> > > Jumped into the Vanagon this afternoon and went to engage the clutch
> > > and it went to the floorboard with little if no resistance.
>
> I have driven a bug and a bus without a clutch several times & I'm
> guessing that I could do it like that with my Vanagon too.
> Muir covered it in his book but I long ago realized that some water
> cooled owner thought the book a waste of time and never looked at it.
> This could be a good thing to know in the circumstances above.
>
> For those who don't know how... I started it and warmed it up (N)
> then turned it off, put it in first gear, let off the brake and
> turned the key. When it starts you are on the way.
> Don't stop if you can help it and don't stop going up a hill or it's
> over (it was in my case).
> As I recall it was shift at 10mph, 20 mph & 30 or so... just slide it
> into gear.
> It works.
>
>
>
> Rob
> becida@comcast.net
> '87 Wolfsburg Vanagon in western WA
>