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There's microbuses and there's Vanagons...
Posted by Noel (more from Noel) on Thu, 11 Apr 2013 06:27:16
In Reply to: Completely unbelievable to me!, Bill Homer [Profile/Gallery]
, Wed, 10 Apr 2013 21:30:16
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totally different animals.
The early Microbuses were the really iconic ones, especially the 23-window models. I think they were in production until 1968.
Then the microbus evolved to being larger and having a sliding side door , and a 1600cc engine. Still not a big performer, but was a lot better than the older ones.
The Vanagon, larger, more powerful, more comfortable and almost modern came out in 1979. Originally with an air-cooled engine, it got a water-cooled engine in 1983.
None of them were fast, but they were pretty good vehicles. When I worked for VoA we always had a couple in the motor pool. I checked one out on many weekends and put a lot of miles on Vanagons with friends on skiing, camping and hiking trips. Took them down some gnarly roads. Comfortable cruisers at 70-75 mph (national speed limit was 55 back then), and while they were still slow on hills they did just fine overall. I remember having to drive a 1978 microbus from Stowe, VT to VoA headquarters in NJ. Got pulled over in NY for doing 75. Cop looked at the manufacturer plates, a MA drivers license, and a MA biz card and decided it wasn't worth the trouble to give me a ticket.
While VW doesn't get the credit for inventing the "minivan," the Microbus and Vanagon were still the first vehicles like this on the road, and for all their shortcomings were pretty decent machines.
Posts in this Thread:
- OT - exhorbitant state sales tax?, inca99 , Wed, 10 Apr 2013 08:44:57
- Technically..., Brucer, Sat, 13 Apr 2013 07:38:41
- Well, think about how much worse the roads might..., Baggsly , Thu, 11 Apr 2013 12:35:17
- 6% in Michigan and woe be to anyone with a deal, MI-Roger , Thu, 11 Apr 2013 11:05:56
- Plus..., No Snaab, Thu, 11 Apr 2013 15:49:17
- 15% in Wisconsin, Dale, Thu, 11 Apr 2013 05:25:22
- You got a bargain, No Snaab, Wed, 10 Apr 2013 14:35:25
- Try LA County..., EGD , Wed, 10 Apr 2013 14:35:14
- Just the way it is, Noel, Wed, 10 Apr 2013 12:51:36
- Vanagon...., Mike Lynch , Wed, 10 Apr 2013 12:30:37
- Re: OT - exhorbitant state sales tax?, Kristjan , Wed, 10 Apr 2013 11:23:42
- Re: OT - exhorbitant state sales tax?, saabsince 93b , Wed, 10 Apr 2013 08:55:39
- Crap!, Justin VanAbrahams , Wed, 10 Apr 2013 11:59:12
- Re: Crap!, saabsince 93b , Wed, 10 Apr 2013 13:14:37
- Re: Crap!, Justin VanAbrahams , Wed, 10 Apr 2013 15:08:28
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