On 12/3/06, Nathaniel Poole <npoole@telus.net> wrote:
>
> I've thought of moving onto a wet westy more than once, but after much
> thought I really don't want to. There is no doubt that the later models
> are
> more luxurious, with lots of power options and stuff. Mine has a steel
> dash
> and vinyl seats and a rubber floor. In many ways it's a big brother to the
> old buses, but with a far better chassis. You can clearly see the lineage.
> It's a bus with the problems worked out.
> The thing about puddle vans is that at some point VW decide to make them
> more mainstream. They became for more comfortable and luxurious, and in a
> sense making a break from the past. Nothing looks like the old busses, but
> the later vanagons do tend to look like a lot of the minivans (Westies
> excepted of course).
>
> Something happened in the early eighties. I used to drive an '80 toyota
> 4X4
> pickup. All vinyl and rubber and steel inside, with the beloved solid
> front
> axle up front. Leafs on 4 wheels. I beat the sh*t out of that truck , and
> it
> never gave up the ghost. Drove in mud to the headlights, all the sheet
> metal
> dinged and bent, railroad ties for bumpers. A truck. And then toyota put a
> car suspension in front, cloth seats inside, lipstick mirror, doubled the
> price and now most trucks are more luxurious than high end cars a
> generation
> ago.
> It seems that VW followed the pack on that one.
>
> I guess the allure for me with the first generation is that it is the last
> gasp of the old world, before everyone turned middle age, soft, and needed
> a
> latte holder in their vehicle.
>
> And I would gladly race my aircooled against a puddle van :)
>
>
>
> On 12/3/06 9:31 AM, "Mike Rouby" <mikerouby@YAHOO.COM> wrote:
>
> > Well, if there is a Diesel Vanagon list which was only really produced
> for a
> > year in the US/Canada, (82-83) never came with air conditioning, and had
> even
> > LESS hp than the aircooled models... then you're right - we do deserve a
> list
> > of our own.  They made more AC Vanagons than Diesel ones for a start!
> >
> > Our AC Vanagons are the vehicles some people wish to ignore.  The
> "Classic" VW
> > world would like to think only the 1950-1979 Buses really deserve VW
> aircooled
> > recognition, while the Vanagon crew would have wished the aircooled
> models
> > never existed in the first place (blaming things like fuel tank design
> on
> > aircooled compromises) and citing the usual aircooled inefficiencies
> (lack of
> > power, heat, etc.).  Many of the "Classic VW" crowd don't even realize
> they
> > were aircooled models of the Vanagon - and would sooner think that all
> > Vanagons are watercooled and not worth their recognition.
> >
> > However, those who 'appreciate and prefer VW of yore' prefer the AC
> Vanagon.
> > Pinnicle of Type 2 design, it still incorporated air cooled design and
> > robustness of Type 4 engine technology with modern safety, drivability
> and
> > design of the latter Vanagons.
> >
> > For starters, AC Vanagons are relatively simple to upkeep.  I forgot the
> last
> > time I had to change the antifreeze, replace the water pump, or dealing
> with
> > head gasket leaks, coolant pipes or corroded head stud issues.  Just a
> basic
> > EFi and usual upkeep.  And yes that includes living with the lack of
> power and
> > strong heat, although one should point out the Vanagon offers the best
> heat
> > delivery of all non-watercooled VWs.
> >
> > Now there is a Type 1 engine versus Type 4 debate within the VW
> aircooled
> > world which also helps alienate the AC Vanagon as a black sheep
> too.  But
> > anyone in Britian will tell you (since they also had a Type 1 1600cc
> aircooled
> > option in pancake style ala Type 3) that the Type 1 in Vanagon fitment
> tended
> > to crack heads even when new with a vengence.  Goes to show that the
> Type 1
> > isn't all that wonderful after all.  There was a reason why the Type 4
> engine
> > was developed.  But that's a different subject....
> >
> > This long response is case in point why we probably should have a AC
> Vanagon
> > list IMO.
> >
> > Mike
> >
> > Wil Haslup <whaslup@GMAIL.COM> wrote: Nathaniel Poole wrote:
> >> So there's a diesel vanagon list. I see there's also a syncro list, a
> wet
> >> westies list, a subaru vanagon list, a type 2 list... How come there
> ain't
> >> no aircooled vanagon list, the *elite* of the bunch? Somebody said we
> were
> >> the orphans of the vanagon world - I prefer to think we are the
> misfits, the
> >> rebels, the vanagons you don't want dating your daughters.
> Spit-in-yer-eye
> >> vanagons. SO how come there ain't a list?
> >
> >> Nathaniel
> >
> > 3 years worth of production, problems with heat and comfort in cold
> > climates, lower HP = fewer folks are willing to deal.
> >
> > Probably just hasn't been anyone interested enough to start a Yahoo
> group.
> >
> > You asked the question...sounds like you might have found your next
> > challenge.  ...yet another VW group to join, c'est la vie!
> >
> >
> > --
> >
> > Wil
> >
> >
> >
> > ---------------------------------
> > Want to start your own business? Learn how on Yahoo! Small Business.
>

--
Jake
1984 Vanagon GL
1986 Westy Weekender "Dixie"
www.crescentbeachguitar.com