Date:         Sun, 29 Sep 2002 22:19:54 -0400
Reply-To:     David Brodbeck <gull@CYBERSPACE.ORG>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         David Brodbeck <gull@CYBERSPACE.ORG>
Subject:      Re: [FIX] Instrument Housing Repair
Comments: To: John Rodgers <j_rodgers@CHARTER.NET>
In-Reply-To:  <3D97B26A.2723E4A8@charter.net>
Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; charset=US-ASCII

On Sun, 29 Sep 2002, John Rodgers wrote:

> I have been plagued by the infamous fracturing and breaking of the
> instrument housing in my '88 GL Vanagon. My problem was around the
> speedometer holes. All broken out except for one hole. I had the speedo
> held in place with "100 mph Tape" (Alaskan for silver "Duck" tape" -
> used to fix SuperCub airplanes up there - thus 100 mph".

I've also heard it called "West Virginia chrome". ;)

I usually carry aluminum metal-repair tape instead.  It's just as sticky
as duct tape, but holds a shape better (stiffer) and stands up to heat
better.  (Duct tape is actually flammable.)  It's basically aluminum foil
with an adhesive backing.  Muffler cement covered with aluminum tape makes
a good temporary exhaust patch.  It's always held up better for me than
the fancy fiberglass wraps, especially in odd seams and crannies.  The
aluminum seems to keep the muffler cement from breaking up and being
pushed out quite as fast.

             _ _
  __ _ _   _| | |  | David M. Brodbeck (N8SRE)              Ypsilanti, MI
 / _` | | | | | |  +-----------------------------------------------------
| (_| | |_| | | | @ cyberspace.org
 \__, |\__,_|_|_| "To accept selfishness as an all-purpose excuse for
 |___/             mistreating others is to reject the whole idea of
                   right and wrong." -- Richard Stallman