Personal experience 401 (Hey, it was nerve-racking!)

[Toby Erkson <Toby_Erkson@ccm2.hf.intel.com>]

Ok, here it is.

Left Portland, Oregon on Dec. 21 and took Interstate 84 (I-84) all the way 
to Boise, Idaho.  Synthetic oil 20w-50w and using my new computerized 
ignition system and high energy wires (see new info in the Type III 
scrapbook, Toby's '72 Squareback ).  Very bad ice conditions with some high 
winds.  Car ran normally and started up without a hitch every time.  In 
Boise, covered in snow, she would start up in the mornings immediately.  
Cold engine warm up procedure still followed, but to test my new ignition I 
took my foot off the accelerator and she was able to hold an idle all the 
way down to 450 rpm and not die!!  I normally must hold the accelerator 
down a tad to keep her at 1200-1400rpm until she idles there on her own.  
The drive back to Oregon ended up being a two day trip instead of the 
planned one day trip.  My poor baby was coated in ice, the wheel wells were 
packed in ice, even the rear shock absorbers where blocks of ice!  Spent 
the night in The Dalles (Oregon) with my best friend from college.  The 
Dalles is located at the top of the state in the Columbia Gorge.  This 
region gets high winds (world known to wind-surfers!) and gets pretty damn 
cold.  After spending 30 minutes chipping ice off all my windows I started 
her up, again immediately, and was able to get back on I-84.  From The 
Dalles to Portland it took me three hours -- this trip is less than 90 
minutes normally.  The road conditions were terrible...so extremely bumpy 
that I lost two of the three bolts that hold my muffler to the exhaust 
header!  My muffler was hanging on really by the stabilizing clamp at the 
other end (the nut was missing from the remaining bolt).  I checked the 
rest of the vehicle and every thing seems to be still attached.

In all, I drove through four zones in which traction devices were 
*required* and I had none, just street tires -- no snow tires, no chains, 
no cables, no studs (except the driver ;p""" ).  I am experienced in 
snow/ice driving, so there was some skill involved, but it was my equipment 
that got me through.  That T3 is the best damn snow car around (I've even 
had the pleasure more than once of passing an arrogant 4-wheeler that was 
stuck in the snow).  We have a great winter car and if anyone you know 
disagrees tell 'em to step outside so I can chat with 'em...

     Toby Erkson
     air_cooled_nut@pobox.com
     modified '72 VW Squareback 2.0L
     stock '75 Porsche 914 1.8L

P.S.  What about my great plan to use air-adjustable shocks so I could lift 
the rear and use chains?  The *night before* I was to leave I decided to 
test my air pump on the shocks.  I developed an air leak at the air input 
fitting that I couldn't fix to I took the whole thing apart and 
re-installed my stock shocks (see why you should keep those parts that are 
still good).  With the stock shocks my ride was much lower than with the 
air-adjustable shocks.  I raised the rear as much as I could with the 
adjustable spring plates (glad I had 'em!) but still couldn't get her high 
enough.  There was no way on God's green earth that I would be able to put 
cables or chains on my rear tires.  Now it's off to the drawing board to 
install a real air system composed of metal fittings and not those cheap 
plastic ones that came with the shocks.  Please email your ribbings to me 
personally and not through the mailing list, I have my pride, ya know :)