Hmm... Mr. Squirrel, while I like your proposal of the Vanagon as a
unit of volume, I can't accept your measurements. The space under the
van is detemined by the size of tires and is therefore subject to
change. I think the thing to do is to submerge Mellow Yellow in a tank
with straight sides, measuring the height of water before and after
the dunking, being sure to open the doors before removal from the
pool, er, I mean measuring vessel, to be sure you haven't trapped any
of the Volumetric Determining Liquid within, then report back with the
correct volume.  :^)

Eagerly awaiting your datum,

Gary

> ------------------------------
>
> Date:    Fri, 18 Jun 2010 06:42:42 -0700
> From:    "Mike \"Rocket J Squirrel\"" <camping.elliott@GMAIL.COM>
> Subject: The Vanagon as a standard unit of volume
>
> As I stood next to a Fleetwood Bounder 38P -- the biggest damn RV I have
> ever seen, it's like standing next to a billboard -- I wondered how many
> Vanagons one could fit inside one of those beasts.
>
> Assume the Vanagon and the Bounder to be rectangular prisms with the
> following dimensions:
>
> Vanagon: 15' x 6'4'' x 6'1''
> Bounder 38P: 38'3'' x 12'10'' x 8'
>
> (Units are feet-inches.)
>
> Based on this, you can pour 6.8 Vanagons into one Bounder.
>
> I hereby propose the "Vanagon" as the standard unit of volume.
>
> For example: one Vanagon is about 16387 liters. So the 1.9l Vanagon
> engine shall henceforth be known as the 0.000115, or 115 microvanagon
> engine. By the same token, the 2.1l engine is now the 128 microvanagon
> engine.
>
> I will leave conversion of the fuel and oil capacities as an exercise
> for the student. And there'll be none of that tired old furlongs per
> fortnight silliness.  It was funny the first time. The first time was a
> long, long time ago.
>
> --
> Mike "Rocket J Squirrel" Elliott
> 84 Westfalia: Mellow Yellow ("The Electrical Banana")
> 74 Westrailia: (Ladybug Trailer company, San Juan Capistrano, Calif.)
> Bend, OR
> KG6RCR
>