RE: So what's good about FWD?

[Frank Martin <fmartin@mr.oa.ithaca.edu>]

>From: quk@sievers.com (Phil Payne)
>Date: Mon, 20 Jan 1997 19:38:00 GMT
>Subject: So what's good about FWD?
>
>In message <32E3A8C5.11AA@mail.lm.com> Martin Slotterback writes:
>
>> > You must mean Beetles, Corvairs, older Skodaz and so on.  Something about
>> > that rapid transition ot oversteer worries a lot of people.
>> 
>> And NO storage space..
>
>Not necessarily.  Ever see the wagon version of the Beetle - the Variant? 
>
>- --
> Phil Payne
> phil@sievers.com
> Committee Member, UK Audi [ur-]quattro Owners Club
>
I wonder if that ("Variant") was the Europeon version of the VW 412 in the 
U.S.?  Looked like a 3/4 scale (U.S.) station wagon, with the VW "suitcase" 
motor in back. I had a 1974 version of this - was overall a great design with 
regard to space, economy and go-traction in winter. Main shortcomings were 
front fender rustout and a propensity to self-imolate wilst underway due to 
high fuel line pressures in aging fuel lines pinched by crimp-clamps. Every 
412 that I ever knew of eventually left this earth in this manner. (Except for 
mine, which stalled just before it had a chance to pump a gallon of gas into 
the engine compartment.)

Frank M. 
'89 100Q
'88 Mazda 323 GTX