[AGL] BMW boxer twin

[Jon Ford]

Gerry-- Actually, I'm a fairly conservative driver,and have never had  major 
trouble with any cars other than VWs,  but I've lived most of my life in 
extremely high-density traffic areas and accidents do happen. I also am not 
a mechanic, and in my VW days bought VWs that were pretty well used before I 
picked them up and had them fixed by "back yard mechanics." The VW bug that 
seized  on me and blew off its cylinder head outside  Ponca City had just 
been rebuilt. It ran fine on my road trip, although it was a pretty hot 
summer. I parked it at a rest stop, slept for a few hours,  and tried to 
start it up in the early morning. It wouldn't do anything, so I had it 
towed. I have heard many people complain about VW studs pulling out after a 
rebuild--but using "inserts" during the rebuild can solve this problem.  I 
agree that VW's aircooled engine was a great invention; it was designed to 
be simple and ito work in the African  desert  without boiling over. The 
Nazis found it very useful for this purpose; plus you don't have to worry 
about people shooting holes in your radiator or blown out water hoses.
Just try to avoid the hostility and name-calling, OK? You'll make more 
friends that way.

Jon


>From: "Gerry" <mesmo at gilanet.com>

>Reply-To: survivors' reminiscences about Austin Ghetto Daze in the 

>60s<austin-ghetto-list at pairlist.net>

>To: "survivors' reminiscences about Austin Ghetto Daze in the 

>60s"<austin-ghetto-list at pairlist.net>

>Subject: Re: [AGL] BMW boxer twin

>Date: Sun, 3 Dec 2006 12:09:33 -0700

>

>Jon,

>Your occasional comments on cars are amusing but sad. I have owned more 

>VW's

>than you and never had one blow up, seize up, come unbolted, or otherwise

>fail on the road. I suspect that you have a heavy foot and a limited

>understanding of how one should be driven, ideally. Of course I have not 

>had

>nearly the number of wrecks you confess to either. You must be very hard on

>cars and try to bend them to your wishes rather than operate them as they

>were designed to be operated, or maybe you are just a clueless driver. BTW,

>the first new car I ever bought was a 1959 VW. Oh yeah, I did blow up a

>power lawn mower engine one time, mowing a wet lawn...made me sad.

>

>When I was a boy we were too poor to own a car, finally got one when I was

>in high school, an old one. As a result of this I have always treated my

>cars like treasures, taken the extra step to understand and maintain them,

>and tried to diagnose any existing problems before they turn nasty, and

>nurse them when they need care. This doesn't mean that I drive slow and

>avoid traffic, I love to drive fast, even did some low budget racing at one

>time. You have to understand what the capabilities of the car are, what the

>ideal torque curve is, what the tires and shocks will allow in the way of

>cornering and braking, anticipate what moves you might make next, etc. Ah

>well, enough, I don't imagine I could change your driving habits at this

>stage of your life. But I do cringe when I hear your confessions, a sharp

>contrast to the automotive experiences I normally read about.

>

>Hope I never buy a car that you previously owned, if there is one that 

>isn't

>already in the junk yard...What are you driving these days? A Hummer?

>G

>

>

>----- Original Message -----

>From: "Jon Ford" <jonmfordster at hotmail.com>

>To: <austin-ghetto-list at pairlist.net>

>Sent: Sunday, December 03, 2006 11:09 AM

>Subject: Re: [AGL] BMW boxer twin

>

>

> > Mike--

> > I heartily agree about the advantages of water cooling. I've had some 

>VWs

> > seize up on me, never had this problem with water cooled. I've owned 

>about

> > 10 VWs and a couple of Porsche's. Another problem with the engines is 

>that

> > the bolts holding the cylinders together tend to pull out at high

> > heat/speed, ruining the engine. At least this has been my experience. I

>once

> > spent three or four days of my vacation in a cheap Motel in Ponca City,

> > Oklahoma waiting for the local yokels to rebuild my Volkswagon bug , 

>which

> > admittedly was an older one with a rebuilt engine in it.

> >

> > Jon

> >

> >

> > >From: "Michael Eisenstadt" <michaele at ando.pair.com>

> > >Reply-To: survivors' reminiscences about Austin Ghetto Daze in the

> > >60s<austin-ghetto-list at pairlist.net>

> > >To: "survivors' reminiscences about Austin Ghetto Daze in the

> > >60s"<austin-ghetto-list at pairlist.net>

> > >Subject: Re: [AGL] BMW boxer twin

> > >Date: Sun, 3 Dec 2006 08:48:39 -0600

> > >

> > >Opposed cyclinder air-cooled engines (no radiator needed) are also used

>in

> > >small airplanes, Volkswagon bugs, Porsches, Chevy Corvairs and Suburus.

> > >Subaru closely copied the Volkswagon engine adding watercooling and a

> > >radiator. Water cooling is more efficient and quiets the engine noise.

> > >

> > >----- Original Message -----

> > >From: <blacky at cbn.net.id>

> > >To: "survivors' reminiscences about Austin Ghetto Daze in the 60s"

> > ><austin-ghetto-list at pairlist.net>

> > >Sent: Sunday, December 03, 2006 12:35 AM

> > >Subject: [AGL] BMW boxer twin

> > >

> > >

> > > > >

> > > >> Hans-- I was passed today by a fast, smooth-running BMW two-banger,

>its

> > > >> two

> > > >> huge cylinders sticking out from the right and left side of the 

>bike,

> > > >> just

> > > >> in front of the rider. My question is--why would anyone design a 

>bike

> > > >> with

> > > >> the cylinders sticking out like that when it seems like if you laid

>it

> > > >> down

> > > >> in a wreck or just hit some loose gravel and lost control you would

>be

> > > >> likely to destroy the engine?

> > > >

> > > > Easy one. The design offers PERFECT BALANCE: you can stand a nickel 

>on

> > >the

> > > > engine and rev it up without the coin falling over. Beautifully

>smooth.

> > > >

> > > > It also offers good air cooling as the cylinders are out in the air

> > > > stream.

> > > >

> > > > As for falling over cylinders never tear off: there's too much heavy

> > >metal

> > > > down there. They can also protect legs (rather more valuable than

> > > > motorcycle bits).

> > > >

> > > > It is difficult to ground the cylinders in a tight turn on

>high-adhesion

> > > > pavement but it can be done. No big problem.

> > > >

> > > > I've always wanted a beemer twin but never owned one (40 other bikes 

>-

> > > > almost all Japanese sports models). The design first came out in the

> > >1920s

> > > > but is still elegant and stolid kraut engineering.

> > > >

> > > > Ask the expert if you want an opinion, nyaah.

> > > >

> > > >

> > > > BBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBB

> > >

> >

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