Date: Thu, 9 Dec 2004 18:12:42 -0600
Reply-To: Paul & Becky Oliver <oliver8@TDS.NET>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Paul & Becky Oliver <oliver8@TDS.NET>
Subject: Re: 130 MPH Vanagon <-- simple solution
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"
Here's the secret for building a "wheelee ride."
I had a 200 lb weight mounted in back, about 2 feet behind, of the rear axle
and would set the park brake.
This action would cause the drive shaft to act as type of winch, wanting to
raise the vehicle, instead of spinning the tires (bolted wheels). You would
feel it start to lift and I would "nail it," once the clutch was fully
released. If you "dumped" the clutch, it would just twist the re-enforced
drive shaft. Then the power, leverage and weight would overcome the rear
brakes and I would do a fantastic burnout and wheelee high into the air.
The under carriage was leaf springs with large shackles. The front bumper
would get 4½ to 5 feet, but the tires only came 2 ½ to 3 feet. You could see
the radiator and engine, like lifting the body of a "funny car," when this
happened.
I was told that it looked like the van had opened it's mouth like a shark,
biting at the air. Wanted to put a big shark fin on the roof and alter the
grill to look like a sharks mouth but the wife wouldn't go for it (Jaws had
just come out in the theaters).
The view from the drivers seat was all blue sky! Scared me half to death the
first time I did it.
It would make an interesting discussion topic to see if a vanagon could be
set up the do the same thing. {:-) lol! Anybody Game?
Paul
----- Original Message -----
From: "Brian T." <nobleman36@yahoo.com>
To: "Paul & Becky Oliver" <oliver8@tds.net>
Sent: Thursday, December 09, 2004 11:20 AM
Subject: Re: 130 MPH Vanagon <-- simple solution
> (((BIG FAT GRIN)))
>
> Hi Paul,
>
> That would have been a sight! My best friend growing
> up came from a wealthy family, so he had all the
> really hot stuff. He had two cars that would get a few
> inches of daylight under the front tires, but nothin'
> like your van :-)
>
> I miss those days, fast cars & cheap good gas!
>
> Have a Merry Christmas,
> Brian
>
>
> --- Paul & Becky Oliver <oliver8@tds.net> wrote:
>
> > Many, many years ago I drove a 64 chevy van. I
> > replaced the straight 6 with
> > a 327 v-8 I got out of a 64 corvette. It pushed
> > 355hp on the "dyno" and I
> > could easily "wheelee" the fount 4½ to 5 feet off
> > the ground, 13 to 15
> > seconds in the 1/4 mile, corner on 2 wheels, and
> > many times raced to 140mph
> > but the toll-ways of Illinois did not allow much
> > more due to the curves,
> > traffic and fear of police. It was heavier than
> > vanagon but about the same
> > length and width.
> >
> > The drive shaft was only 18" long, snapped it off
> > more times than I can
> > remember, snapped off the front of the pumpkin once,
> > and ruined many, many
> > transmissions. Just couldn't handle the all that
> > power. Had to bolt the rims
> > to the 18" wide rear tires or the rims would spin
> > and rip out the tire bead.
> >
> > Still miss it, had to stop with all the craziness
> > when first of our 8
> > children was born.
> >
> > Paul
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From: "Brian T." <nobleman36@YAHOO.COM>
> > To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
> > Sent: Wednesday, December 08, 2004 11:05 AM
> > Subject: 130 MPH Vanagon <-- simple solution
> >
> >
> > > It's pretty simple, either you want to make a
> > > Euro-sports van like what Raimund, Eric, Andrew,
> > > Bruce, Ben, Sudhir, Raj, me and many others ... or
> > ya
> > > don't.
> > >
> > > If you do, it's like anything else. Think about
> > what
> > > your intentions are, plan thoroughly and then
> > execute.
> > >
> > > Any hot rodder will tell you it's a total package
> > > deal, the vehicle has to have all facets addressed
> > to
> > > include safety. Wheels don't just arbitrarily
> > > seperate from any vehicle. Lack of maintenance
> > and
> > > attention to detail cause failure.
> > >
> > > Further, no one has implied in anyway that 100+ is
> > a
> > > daily occurance :-)
> > >
> >
> >
>
| 
