From the book VOLKSWAGEN CHRONICLE by  Graham Robson (an excellent book by
the way) ,  is an explanation of why rear engine vehicles suffer so much
from the effects of crosswinds:

"...the VW (Beetle) has its centre of gravity far behind its centre of wind
pressure.... thus sidewinds try to spin the front of the car around the rear
wheels."   He makes the analogy that it is like having the arrowhead behind
the feathers of the arrow.  This is the opposite effect of front engine
cars, where the centre of spin is around the front wheels.  These comments
were made about the Beetle, which had 57.6% of its weight on the rear
wheels.  The Vanagon is 50%,  I don't know about the Westfalia.

Knowing this helped me to understand the effects,  although I had learned
from 14 years of driving a Westfalia that you must compensate in advance for
certain situations on the highway.  For example, on windy days, you must be
aware of openings in trees along the highway, because moving from wind
shelters to open areas invariably can cause a sudden change in direction.
The same also applies when being passed by, or passing large semi trucks.

Van drivers, and especially VW owners are required to DRIVE, rather than
just being the autopilot for an unresponsive, power steering assisted,
bubble-shaped minivan.

Winter driveability also is a reflection of the driver's ability.  Like the
analogy to driving a kite, driving a VW van in the winter is like driving a
curling rock.   Changes in direction are accomplished with very subtle
actions.   Again, being alert to changing road conditions is most important.
(I learned this by losing control in a turn on a very small patch of ice in
the shadow of a large building, on an otherwise clear stretch of road and
going over a curb and removing a fire hydrant and a yield sign).  And, it is
possible to get stuck by parking with one rear tire on a patch of ice, the
other three on clear pavement.

Despite these bad habits, with closet doors banging, tables swinging in an
out,  pots and pans rolling about in the back, and great groaning noises
like a clippership on the high seas, on a twisty road,  the Westfalia leaves
the morning commute tailgaters in the dust.

Eric

-----Original Message-----
From: Gail Fitzpatrick <redwood@SPEEDLINK.COM>
To: Vanagon@VANAGON.COM <Vanagon@VANAGON.COM>
Date: Monday, March 23, 1998 9:15 PM
Subject: Re: 87 West is unstable in wind

>I had a heck of a lot more trouble with crosswinds driving my '76 and '73
>buses, than now with my '87 Westi.  Got really discouraged with it on the
>'73 in the winter of '83-84 in no. CA,  What helped then was the advice of
a
>good friend and long-time VW bus owner -- "Just think of it as driving a
>*kite*."  Sounds crazy, but helped me let go of the idea of perfect
control,,,
>
>.02 from Sacramento,
>
>gail
>
>__________________________
>Gail Fitzpatrick
>'87 GL Westi, 125k   [Frieda]
>Sacramento, CA
><redwood@speedlink.com>