300 D--Miraculous Transformation

#11

On Sat, 26 Sep 2009 14:05:20 -0700, "Roger Shoaf"
<shoaf (AT) nospamsyix (DOT) com> wrote:

Quote:

"randallbrink" <randallbrink (AT) gmail (DOT) com> wrote in message
news:3c1908b0-ae9c-4101-92a1-6792cedfcabc (AT) o21g2000vbl (DOT) googlegroups.com...

I believe that in all fairness, the Volkswagen Beetle should be
included in any "top five" list as well, as the essence of simplicity
in automotive engineering.

The 70's van was the best VW, and for me the best vehicle ever. It was
like working on a meccano set. With a separate body and frame it was
way more reliable and repairable than even the beetle.

#12

On Sep 26, 2:05*pm, "Roger Shoaf" <sh... (AT) nospamsyix (DOT) com> wrote:

Quote:

"randallbrink" <randallbr... (AT) gmail (DOT) com> wrote in message

news:3c1908b0-ae9c-4101-92a1-6792cedfcabc (AT) o21g2000vbl (DOT) googlegroups.com...

I believe that in all fairness, the Volkswagen Beetle should be
included in any "top five" list as well, as the essence of simplicity
in automotive engineering.

Dodge Dart / Plymouth Valiant were also simple and even more reliable than
the VW.

--
Roger Shoaf
If you are not part of the solution, you are not dissolved in the solvent..

I didn't know that, probably because I have never owned any Dodge/
Plymouth, but have had many Beetles.

#13

On Sep 26, 7:57*pm, Happy Trails <nom... (AT) myplace (DOT) com> wrote:

Quote:

On Sat, 26 Sep 2009 14:05:20 -0700, "Roger Shoaf"

sh... (AT) nospamsyix (DOT) com> wrote:

"randallbrink" <randallbr... (AT) gmail (DOT) com> wrote in message
news:3c1908b0-ae9c-4101-92a1-6792cedfcabc (AT) o21g2000vbl (DOT) googlegroups.com....

I believe that in all fairness, the Volkswagen Beetle should be
included in any "top five" list as well, as the essence of simplicity
in automotive engineering.

The 70's van was the best VW, and for me the best vehicle ever. It was
like working on a meccano set. With a separate body and frame it was
way more reliable and repairable than even the beetle.

I've not yet had the pleasure of owning a van, but they seem to be
getting quite scarce now. But comments like this make the point that
it is a shame that these type of vehicles are no longer being made.

#14

randallbrink ha scritto:

Quote:

On Sep 26, 7:57 pm, Happy Trails <nom... (AT) myplace (DOT) com> wrote:
On Sat, 26 Sep 2009 14:05:20 -0700, "Roger Shoaf"

sh... (AT) nospamsyix (DOT) com> wrote:

"randallbrink" <randallbr... (AT) gmail (DOT) com> wrote in message
news:3c1908b0-ae9c-4101-92a1-6792cedfcabc (AT) o21g2000vbl (DOT) googlegroups.com...
I believe that in all fairness, the Volkswagen Beetle should be
included in any "top five" list as well, as the essence of simplicity
in automotive engineering.
The 70's van was the best VW, and for me the best vehicle ever. It was
like working on a meccano set. With a separate body and frame it was
way more reliable and repairable than even the beetle.

I've not yet had the pleasure of owning a van, but they seem to be
getting quite scarce now. But comments like this make the point that
it is a shame that these type of vehicles are no longer being made.

I presume that we're talking about the Type 2. The 'Bulli'... :-)
Have a look here:
http://www.justkampers.com/shop/t2-split?___store=type_2_split

#15

On Sat, 26 Sep 2009 21:02:34 -0700 (PDT), randallbrink
<randallbrink (AT) gmail (DOT) com> wrote:

Quote:

I've not yet had the pleasure of owning a van, but they seem to be
getting quite scarce now. But comments like this make the point that
it is a shame that these type of vehicles are no longer being made.

Last time I checked they were still being made in Brazil, and the
ex-factory price of a plain window van with one sliding door was
US$9,000. $-cyl air cooled and 1600cc (I think).

#16

On Sep 27, 2:15*pm, Happy Trails <nom... (AT) myplace (DOT) com> wrote:

Quote:

On Sat, 26 Sep 2009 21:02:34 -0700 (PDT), randallbrink

randallbr... (AT) gmail (DOT) com> wrote:
I've not yet had the pleasure of owning a van, but they seem to be
getting quite scarce now. *But comments like this make the point that
it is a shame that these type of vehicles are no longer being made.

Last time I checked they were still being made in Brazil, and the
ex-factory price of a plain window van with one sliding door was
US$9,000. $-cyl air cooled and 1600cc (I think).

Amazing. I was not aware of this, but did know that Type I Beetle was
still being mfg in Mexico until not long ago. I bought a 1600cc VW
engine in 2005 that I believe was built in Brazil.

#17

On Sep 28, 1:58*am, randallbrink <randallbr... (AT) gmail (DOT) com> wrote:

Quote:

On Sep 27, 2:15*pm, Happy Trails <nom... (AT) myplace (DOT) com> wrote:

On Sat, 26 Sep 2009 21:02:34 -0700 (PDT), randallbrink

randallbr... (AT) gmail (DOT) com> wrote:
I've not yet had the pleasure of owning a van, but they seem to be
getting quite scarce now. *But comments like this make the point that
it is a shame that these type of vehicles are no longer being made.

Last time I checked they were still being made in Brazil, and the
ex-factory price of a plain window van with one sliding door was
US$9,000. $-cyl air cooled and 1600cc (I think).

Amazing. *I was not aware of this, but did know that Type I Beetle was
still being mfg in Mexico until not long ago. *I bought a 1600cc VW
engine in 2005 that I believe was built in Brazil.

We can see a lot of this vans around here at the streets, sometimes in
very exterior poor condition, but the car is still being sold new,

http://www.volkswagen.com/br/pt/modelos/kombi.html

[]s,

Mobi

#18

On Mon, 28 Sep 2009 08:51:52 -0700 (PDT), mobi <mbklass (AT) gmail (DOT) com>
wrote:

Quote:

We can see a lot of this vans around here at the streets, sometimes in
very exterior poor condition, but the car is still being sold new,

http://www.volkswagen.com/br/pt/modelos/kombi.html

[]s,

Mobi

Cool!

I assume "around here" is somewhere in Brazil?

#19

Whilst the W123 may have been a solid car -- I had a couple -- we mustn't
get lost in romaticism. The old Beetle had its share of problems, too,
otherwise owners would not have been driving around with engine compartment
covers propped open.

Cars of the last 20 years or so are much more reliable that older cars.
Better brakes, better tyres, better suspensions...

Wouldn't want to go back.

DAS

To send an e-mail directly replace "spam" with "schmetterling"
---
"randallbrink" <randallbrink (AT) gmail (DOT) com> wrote

[...]
things. What we need is, again, the VW Beetle, VW Bus, and W123
series Mercedes. It would also be nice if the pre-'90s International
and Jeep lines could be brought back. But of course, nothing can ever
be brought back. This is the tragic march of "progress".

#20

On Sep 28, 1:59*pm, Happy Trails <nom... (AT) myplace (DOT) com> wrote:

Quote:

On Mon, 28 Sep 2009 08:51:52 -0700 (PDT), mobi <mbkl... (AT) gmail (DOT) com
wrote:

We can see a lot of this vans around here at the streets, sometimes in
very exterior poor condition, but the car is still being sold new,

http://www.volkswagen.com/br/pt/modelos/kombi.html

[]s,

Mobi

Cool!

I assume "around here" is somewhere in Brazil?

Yes, it is!
And we have 3 Mercedes-Benz plants at the country: one for buses and
two others for cars, one of them only for export

[]s,

Mobi