I broke with my long running tradition of nearly two years of buying non-running 412's and bought Denver412's wagon that he had for sale. Mileage indicated is around 65000!
Here are my impressions on the first real highway drive of a Type 4. The road feel and ride is great, even better than I expected! The suspension on this car is still quite firm the front. There is a slight shimmy, but nothing too bad. (The front end will get a thorough going-through, of course). The wind tended to blow the car around a bit, especially from passing semi trucks, I noticed. There is more engine noise than I expected at freeway speeds, I assume partially due to the 3 speed auto. Folding the rear seat back upright up seems to help block some of this. Shift points seemed well suited to the engine, much better than the Dodge Shadow equipped with 3 speed auto I had as my first car. I hated how the Shadow drove, it always seemed like it was in the wrong gear and never kicked down at the right times. The car isn't fast, of course, but it seems to have enough torque to perform admirably. My GTI is up for sale right now, so I'm planning for this to be my driver.
Congrates!! She looks like a sweet cruiser! Got to love the wagen and the cargo areas! I have the same alloy bumpers; I think they are sweet!
Congrates again guys! bill p.s. Got to love a 31year old car that is still a great cruiser!
The engine noise...is much more prevalent in wagons. This is because there is nothing but the thin door between the engine and the cabin. If the thermal insulation on the engine side of the lid is still there...and the cardboard masonite is still on teh cabin side...and the either rubber mat or carpet is still over it.....the noise that comes through just a steel lid...is cut in half! I drove around for a while with no insulating carpet or padding backj there in a wagon for a while and it is very loud.
A simple piece of carpet pad under teh rubber mat or carpet...really helps. Ray
i was noticing about the engine noise... really odd to me as my wagon is absolutely silent inside until 75mph. i mean, nadda, and that was with the rear carpet pulled up to try and hear it.
in general, the car looks really nice in the pics! nice job to seller and buyer!
Notchback mid-engine speedster Little Giant Killer 3
There are a lot of things that can let noise in. If passing is missing anywhere under the back seat or in teh back...or the inside of the lid....or...if the plate under the rear seat is loose. All of those can let in noise. The automatic is no noisier than teh standard. Ray
raygreenwood wrote:There are a lot of things that can let noise in. If passing is missing anywhere under the back seat or in teh back...or the inside of the lid....or...if the plate under the rear seat is loose. All of those can let in noise. The automatic is no noisier than teh standard. Ray
Yeah, I guess there wouldn't be any reason it would be louder, would there. I don't have anything to compare it to until I get one of the others on the road.
Wait...almsot forgot. There is one situation in which the auto may be louder. That is when the crank clearance is bad...and the torque plate bolts rub on teh bell housing....bad news. Ray
raygreenwood wrote:Wait...almsot forgot. There is one situation in which the auto may be louder. That is when the crank clearance is bad...and the torque plate bolts rub on teh bell housing....bad news. Ray
Hopefully that is not the case. I don't think it is, but hey, one has to be prepared for anything.
I don't have anything to compare it to until I get one of the others on the road.