Hi All,

I'll toss in my 2 cents, but I don't want rain on anyone's parade. If you are happy with what you got, that's great. 

I'm in Northern California. My Bay Window was a joy on the Pacific Coast Highway and lightly travelled back roads. On Interstate 5 or the Sierra foothills neither I or my fellow motorist were happy. Other drivers would get angry and make dangerous moves no matter how courteous I was. 

My 2.1 Vanagon can hold it's own on I-5 but I wouldn't plan on climbing the Sierras or the Grapevine in it except during the cool predawn hours. 

So my point is that if you drive a Westy, be prepare to make compromises for the pleasure of owning one of these great vehicles.  You will be taking the road less travelled, and some of our VWs call for the most very less travelled roads.

Cheers,

Raymond

Sent from my iPhone

> On Feb 13, 2015, at 4:48 PM, Karl Wolz <wolzphoto@Q.COM> wrote:
> 
> I don't have a dog in this fight, but ... 7 mile and then 12 mile 6% grade between Phoenix and Flagstaff, AZ in my old '62 with forty horses was taken at 27 mph in second gear. 009 dizzy and extractor exhaust raised that to 34 in third.
> 
> Fast forward to the present; my 1.6L DoKa stays at 40 - 45mph on those same hills, even with six burly passengers, as we did for our Christmas tree hunt a year ago!
> 
> Karl Wolz
> Sent from my electronic umbilicus
> 
>> On Feb 13, 2015, at 3:13 PM, Don Hanson <dhanson928@GMAIL.COM> wrote:
>> 
>> I'm currently traveling the SW where even the big trucks go ~ 70-80 on
>> the interstates or the Megalopolis freeways.  In a few weeks the spring
>> winds will show up...