No way... TRW had the first sodium valves.. although VW did introduce the
first compound curve multi layer PCB with surface mount LEDS for shift
indicators when they could have used a setup a thousand times cheaper with
light pipes and the same results, and don't forget the first door hinge bolt
that has no access for removal unless the whole crash bar and dashboard come
out first... oh and the first spare tire powered windshield wipers.. I think
VAG has something like a 1 in 10 good/crazy idea ratio. The vanagon as a
whole was a 1, specific parts of it definitely in the other 9 :)

Jim

________________________________________
Bostig Engineering
Engine Systems Voodoo
http://www.bostig.com/
617.272.3800

-----Original Message-----
From: don spence [mailto:dkspence@TELUS.NET]
Sent: Wednesday, November 01, 2006 5:31 PM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: Re: AMC heads (part 2)

John/Neil
  If I remember correctly, the Corvair engine, at least the 140HP (4
carb) and 180 HP (turbo) had sodium cooled exhaust valves. Just
another bit of "engineering advice" GM picked up  from VW?

On 1-Nov-06, at 1:35 PM, Automatic digest processor wrote:

> Date:    Wed, 1 Nov 2006 11:08:13 -0600
> From:    John Rodgers <inua@CHARTER.NET>
> Subject: Re: AMC heads (part 2)
>
> Neal, interesting post!
>
> I never knew that the V-dub engines had sodium filled valves.
> Interesting info.