>with a little patience & ingenuity, there are few limits to what you can pull with these vans.<

Reminds me of the time four years ago up in NY on Long Island. A place I
worked at opperated a number of large RV size vehicles and a few Ford
E-350's w/Eldarado Coach bodys attached.

Anyway, one day one of these Fords was on it's way out of the City with
about 16 people and their gear onboard. Running low on fuel, the driver
pulled of the L.I.E. (Long Island Expressway) onto the service road and
into a station. As they started the shuttle-bus up, they discovered that
the tranny wasn't working (defected and went south).

They called for help and I was tapped to go see what I could do since I
played 3rd mech. My wife and I loaded up our 81 Vanagon with a variety
of tools and an option of last resort - a tow chain.

After arriving and determining that nothing could be done but towing,
that's what we did! I put as many people in the Vanagon as would fit
freindly-wise to not only lessen the load it would pull, but also to
help give traction on the wet road (it was raining).

It worked! Had to do 1st and 2nd most of the way (about 7 miles from
Flushing to New Hyde Park), once we even got up to 3rd! We made it back
and the Vanagon still purrrrsssss..........

Tyrone L.Greene
Big Pine Key, Fl
87 Vanagon GL Syncro
85 Vanagon
81 Vanagon L
87 VW Fox Wgn