Interesting.  When I got my 85 Westy this past = June, I noted that the plastic on the inside rear view mirror was deteriorating = in similar fashion.  Just crumbling.  Do you park your machine in = bright sunlight possibly?  Could head be a contributing = factor?
 
Dave in KC
 
----- Original Message -----
From: Gary Stearns
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Sent: Friday, December 08, 2000 = 8:05 AM
Subject: Instrument panel is disintegrating!

Help!  The instrument panel in our '88 is = slowly fracturing itself into dust.  Last spring, just small cracks = around the screws that hold it down.  Then the screw holes completely broke off.  After fabricating clips to replace the broken holes, now = the panel is fracturing behind the speedometer.  I have little shards of = plastic falling out all the time.  I suspect that simple body flex is the = basic culprit, slightly moving the dashboard and inst. panel (I do = hear a lot of creaking and groaning up there on uneven roads).  Anyone else experience this?  Should I be worried about the body = itself?  I always thought that the basic stucture was real rugged. Now I am wondering.
 
Gary