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Re: Plastic Fantasies



Phil Payne writes:
> I don't think the Trabbie was even plastic, though.  Wasn't it largely
> made from pressed paper?

That would make it quite recyclable, but unfortunately, I heard just
the opposite.  The Trabants' bodies are supposedly of some sort of
fiberglass composite, and after the reunification of Germany there
was a sudden increase in the number of Trabants being junked.  The
dismantlers were having trouble disposing of the cars.  They can't be
melted down for metal.

Anyway, mandatory Audi content: It is time for DMV registration renewal
for my 4000, so I went to get a smog inspection.  The tail pipe emissions
were ultra clean and everything passed inspection, except one thing:
fuel cap won't hold pressure.  So they failed the test.  $@#&!
Mechanic said that this is a new test they just added for this year.
They offered to sell me an aftermarket cap for $$$ and I declined.
I ordered a new OEM replacement from The Parts Connection and swapped
the lock cylinders (so I can still use the car's key to operate it),
went for a retest, and passed with flying colors.

-Ti
96 A4 2.8 quattro
84 5000S 2.1 turbo
80 4000 2.0
-- 
    ///  Ti Kan                Vorsprung durch Technik
   ///   AMB Research Laboratories, Sunnyvale, CA. USA
  ///    ti@amb.org
 //////  http://metalab.unc.edu/tkan/
///