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Subject:Re: Are Vanagons pretty?
From:John Rodgers
Date:Sun, 28 Feb 2010 08:06:36 -0600

Jeff,

Wanting something different was always my case. It comes from way back,
I suppose. When I was in high school, all my buds folks had power boats
on the lake, but my folks couldn't support such, so in the school shop I
build myself a little hydroplane called a "Yellow Jacket" that would out
run them all on 12 HP. My need started there. Ever since, when my buds
drove Corvettes, I drove an XKE V12 Convertible; when my buds flew
common Cessna and Piper single engine fixed landing gear airplanes, I
flew a Cessna 195 with 300 HP 7 cylinder Jacobs Radial engine. When my
buds moved into airplanes with retractable landing gear - Cessna and
Piper - I moved into a Beech Bonanza with a distinctive "V" tail. While
my buds drove Chrysler, Chevy, and Ford vans - I chose the Vanagon. And
I wouldn't have it any other way. While my first VW van was a Loaf, I
started my Vanagon life out with an '85 GL and then moved up to an '88
GL. I found these machines to be such sterling vehicles that I have
since added two other Vanagons to the stable for a total of three. I now
have two '88 GL's and one '91 Carat with rear facing jump seats. One of
the '88's is my daily driver - the original one, but the other two - an
'88 and the Carat - are project vehicles. The bodies are sound, but they
just need a little bit of TLC to bring them up road worth again. I enjoy
doing this. My goal is to have the one - my burgundy colored '88 as my
daily driver. The other '88 will be my art show machine - loaded at all
times with my art show stuff - ready to go on a moments notice, and the
'91 Carat - the only one with jump seats and  automatic tranny - is to
be my touring vehicle, set up for comfortable cross country travel.

So, I do like having something different from the madding crowd.

John Rodgers

Jeff Lincoln wrote:
> I always wanted a vehicle that was different than the others on the road -
> and I'd say i have that. Now with my 4th bus looming in the very near future
> I think it's safe to say I'm hooked.
>
>