In head on collisions with passenger cars and small trucks the driver and
passangers of a Vanagon are above the impact, which is a big plus.  If you
have seen Vanagons that have been T boned you'll see that the impact was
usually taken in the sub floor and does not intrude much, if at all, into
the passenger compartment.  On www.Vanagon.com there are some good photos of
the 'frame' or it's equivalent (Vanagon is a unibody construction) in the
front, it's quite substantial.  What would not be good (not that the other
situations are) is a Vanagon head on into another Vanagon, something I
wouldn't want to see.

Dave Filcoff     ICQ: 4146736
coolbus@v-dub.musa.com
87 Vanagon GL Wolfsburg (129k)
88 Fox GL (148k)
St. Louis / Columbia, MO
LiMBO - Gateway VW Club - VWoA VW Club - Der Busbezitzer Gruppe

volkswagens! Vanagons to GTIs.
http://v-dub.musa.com

Barry Armitage wrote:

> Consumer Reports drubbed the Vanagons early on for not having enough
> crushable space up front.  I haven't heard much since then...
>
> Barry Armitage
> Editor, Materials Evaluation
> American Society for Nondestructive Testing (ASNT)
> 1711 Arlingate Lane
> Post Office Box 28518
> Columbus, Ohio  43228-0518
> 614-274-6003 extension 205
> 614-274-6899 Fax
> 800-222-2768 Toll-Free
> e-mail: armitage@asnt.org