-- [ From: John H. Rodgers * EMC.Ver #2.5.02 ] --

Last fall I drove my '85 GL down the Alaska Highway and all the way across
the continent to Alabama with a full load. It was some of the best riding I
have ever done in it. That heavy load just made the ride better. On the
entire trip I had only one place where the load made the vehicle labor on a
grade. Near a place called Swift River in  the YT. Canada. Had to drop back
into 2nd gear for the full climb and considered that I might have to go to
first gear before it was done. It would have been a first( pun).  Other than
that, it was 3rd and 4th all the way except for stopping and starting. But a
very good ride all the way. Rock solid.

John Rodgers
'85 GL Driver looking forward to going back up the Alaska Highway in May.
-------- REPLY, Original message follows --------

Date: Wednesday, 04-Mar-98 09:17 AM

From: J2 Geo Ops Maritime      \ Internet:    (ab109@issc.debbs.ndhq.dnd.ca)
To:   Vanagon@VANAGON.COM      \ Internet:    (vanagon@vanagon.com)

Subject: Re: One-Ton vans

I have a '90 Transporter and I have put half a yard of gravel in it with no
problems.  It just starts to ride more smoothly.  Compared to the Ford
ranger pickup I had it is much more capable of carrying a load.  Last year I
drove across Canada with three kayaks and a windsurfer on the roof, four
adults and a big dog in the van and all our camping gear for three weeks on
the road in the back.  The people alone weighed in at close to 1000 lbs.
Don't be deceived by the over engineered LandCruiser (designed for a
different job),  the Transporter is a very capable truck.

Gary Davis
'90 Transporter "Ute"
'73 Sundial Safare "Vicki"

-----Original Message-----
From:   Malcolm Holser [SMTP:mholser@ADOBE.COM]
Sent:   March 3, 1998 5:57 PM
To:     Vanagon@VANAGON.COM
Subject:        One-Ton vans

I was always somewhat amused by the fact VW always called the Transporters
"one-ton" vehicles.  There is not much correlation to US one-ton vehicles --
my LandCruiser is a half-tonner, and is built much more massively (and gets
10mpg...).

I was reminded of the oddness of ratings like this when I opened up my Sun
computer to find out what is amiss with the power supply after many power
outages yesterday.  The Sun has the power-supply-from-hell, but it is only
rated at 350 watts -- common enough rating in tower PC's.  The thing that
reminded me of the VW was all the German writing inside the supply -- it
turns out to be an Austrian power supply.

I guess that their computer parts are conservatively rated, and their vans
rather optimistically rated.

Malcolm

-------- REPLY, End of original message --------