Date: Sat, 29 Jul 2006 16:40:07 -0700
Reply-To: Robert Keezer <warmerwagen@YAHOO.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Robert Keezer <warmerwagen@YAHOO.COM>
Subject: Re: Dr. Z - (vague volkswagen content)
In-Reply-To: <E7B1B659-7E9D-4CDE-A4E2-69554F6A108A@anthonykimmons.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1
The Type 2 was the numerical name of the
Volkswagen Bus. It was advertised as a station
wagon, as the word "Mini-van" was coined by Ford.
Transporter the model name.
Bus was the common market name in the 50's and
60's because of it's appearance until in the 60's
VW sought to increase sales with names like
kombi, as bus to the average consumer was not
popular.
Microbus of course was the name of the 21 and 23
window bus which helped sales immensely.Those
helped jump start the Bus market.
Vans became a popular name in the 60's and 70-'s
and VW captured it in Vanagon. A Van and station
wagon.
You soon find out that a Vanagon is a full size
van when you get in a mini-van.
Big Ford Chevy and Dodge vans are the original
vans. Nothing mini about those.
Vanagon boasted 200 cubit feet in the passenger
van. No attempt there to sound mini.
So a Vanagon then is NEVER called a mini-van
unless you shorten it or roll it.
But you can call it what you like but that
depends on if you can take the cold stares.
Robert
1982 Westfalia
--- Kimmons Anthony <vanagon@ANTHONYKIMMONS.COM>
wrote:
> Wait? So is the Vanagon & older bus considered
> a "mid size", "full-
> size", or "bus" type of vehicle? I guess I've
> always thought of mini-
> van as just a smaller version of a van, (at any
> size) and figured my
> vanagon probably fit into that category
> somehow. Haven't the older
> busses been around since the 50's or before? Am
> I wrong here? I guess
> the term 'mini-van' must have some sort of
> legal definition that
> maybe I haven't heard.
>
> Sorry to sound "Van-ignorant", but I guess you
> don't learn if you
> don't ask. Hope I haven't opened up too big of
> a can of worms here! I
> know this list already has more than a few
> emails about this topic in
> the past!!
> :o)
>
>
> On Jul 29, 2006, at 5:56 PM, Mike Rouby wrote:
>
> > As far as vehicles available for sale at
> dealerships in the USA,
> > then Chrysler still invented the minivan.
> >
> > <sticking tongue out>
> >
> > John Bange <jbange@GMAIL.COM> wrote:
> >> The arguement that VW created the minivan
> has been brought up
> >> before. VW
> >> actually created the "microbus" (think tiny
> bus) not the Minivan.
> >> However
> >> Chrysler took their usually full-size van
> line and conceptialized a
> >> smalled-version built on K-car componantry
> and based it on front-
> >> wheel
> >> drive, making it more economical than those
> full-sized RWD vans as
> >> well. It
> >> was quite revolutionary at the time (1984)
> when station wagons and VW
> >> microbuses were the only other way families
> could haul crap down
> >> the road.
> >
> >
> > Sorry, if you're going to disqualify the VW
> entry based simply on
> > size, then
> > the prize still doesn't go to Chrysler. Next
> in line, with front-
> > wheel drive
> > and small stature is the Toyota Liteace,
> which beat the Chrysler to
> > market
> > by FIFTEEN YEARS. Here's a 1970 Liteace:
> >
> >
> > Now if you want to narrow it down to the
> "First Van Sold in the US
> > Market
> > Under 6 Feet Tall (But Not a Station Wagon)
> Which Puts the Driver
> > Behind the
> > Front Wheels Rather Than ON Them", I guess
> maybe that'd be the Dodge
> > Caravan.
> >
> > --
> > John Bange
> > '90 Vanagon - "Geldsauger"
> >
> >
> >
> > ---------------------------------
> > See the all-new, redesigned Yahoo.com. Check
> it out.
> >
>
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