Date:         Thu, 3 Feb 2011 04:13:04 -0800
Reply-To:     BenT Syncro <syncro@GMAIL.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         BenT Syncro <syncro@GMAIL.COM>
Subject:      Re: Bad plastic(s)
Comments: To: "Mark L. Hineline" <hineline@OCOTILLOFIELD.NET>
In-Reply-To:  <58EC1201-66C5-427B-BC8C-3EC3605DBC5C@OCOTILLOFIELD.NET>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii

I might have not assumed your column cover needed repairs where they are commonly cracked at the clip had you been more specific about the damage on your cover.;-) Have never seen any column covers crack at the screws in the 30+ Vanagons I've owned. I have seen them damaged on my B4 Passat though. The repair consisted of finding a suitable washer larger than the damaged hole. That would not help a split piece.

The covers are relatively easy to find and inexpensive around my area. It would likely cost me more money buying epoxy glue in an attempt to repair the area than it would cost to buy a replacement. Last time I needed to replace a missing cover, a local shop sold me the piece for $3. They even threw in the map light as long as I took them off myself. When the attachment clip is missing, they just give them to me for free. Screws or rivets fixes them better than new.

Now, you didn't mention color. Brown ones are just starting to become scarce. Black ones are still plentiful. 


BenT

On Feb 3, 2011, at 3:23 AM, "Mark L. Hineline" <hineline@OCOTILLOFIELD.NET> wrote:

> Thanks, Ben, but I don't see how that holds the split - between the top piece and the bottom piece - together. That's where the screws crack the plastic.
> 
> Mark
> 
> On Feb 3, 2011, at 3:17 AM, BenT Syncro wrote:
> 
>> Put a washer & screw through the metal mounting clip.
>> 
>> 
>> BenT
>> 
>> 
>> On Feb 3, 2011, at 2:50 AM, "Mark L. Hineline" <hineline@OCOTILLOFIELD.NET> wrote:
>> 
>>> There is an awful lot of plastic in a Vanagon, and an awful lot of it
>>> is not much good after 30 years. Is there any kind of general fix for
>>> the parts that screw together, like the steering column cover? Some
>>> sort of epoxy - drill - tap  trick?
>>> 
>>> Mark
>>> '82 Westy
>