Five Passengers and an Airstream later: Too Small?

[jeffmc306]

Originally Posted by Ray Eklund

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The 1956 with a 1192cc engine with a Top Speed of... 78 mph. Maybe IF new, on the Highway... used in 1966 could not pass an 18 wheeler as the wind coming around the front of the truck cab made it impossible. Never had a speeding ticket. Ten gallon tank. Use up nine gallons and you flipped a lever for the LAST gallon as I do not recall a gas gauge.

Does anyone, other than Brad1, know where the gas tank is located on these older VW Bugs? Had lots of fun with that when young kids pumped gas and a VW pulled up. An exotic vehicle at the time, wasn't it?

Ray, my first car was a ‘62 Beetle with a ‘64 1200cc engine. The fenders were rusted out, no running boards and holes in the floor pan. The heat never made it from the engine but it did have a gas heater under the hood. I got cocky one day and pulled the lever to start it. From what I remember there was a “woosh” followed by a foot long flame into the passenger’s side footwell that’s was occupied by my sister (I drove us to school). Needless to say that was the last time it was used. You scraped the inside of the windshield during the winter and used a blanked on your lap to keep warm.

Later I found my favorite VW - a ‘65 bus. Bought it off a genuine hippy. It had touring windows and a soft sunroof. Little did I know I had a VW Samba van. I could have paid cash for our Globetrotter if I sold that Samba today. They’re going for 6 figures now <sigh>. Of all the cars I’ve had, that’s one I would have kept!

[Henry T]

Packing them into the AS
Back in yr 2000, my wife and I, and our 7 kids (age 7 months to 11 yrs) drove from Ontario to visit her sister in California with our Suburban and 1984 34' AS. We still have and use the trailer. At the time it was outfitted with 3 bunks over the twin beds, 2 bunks directly over the twins beds and one cross-wise above the rear window. Another kid's bed was made over night table that extended into both of the twin beds. Shorter kids got the twin beds, taller ones the bunks. The baby slept in a playpen on the dinette table. My wife and I used the jackknife. The older I get, the better the trip was.

We travel now (when campgrounds are open that is) with only 1 or 2 of our teenagers.

On that trip with the 9 of us, we toured the submarine USS Drum in Alabama. Our filled trailer looked more spacious than the sub!