[AGL] BMW boxer twin

[Gerry]

No hostility intended, amigo.
G


----- Original Message -----
From: "Jon Ford" <jonmfordster at hotmail.com>
To: <austin-ghetto-list at pairlist.net>
Sent: Sunday, December 03, 2006 2:40 PM
Subject: Re: [AGL] BMW boxer twin



>

> 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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