I was thinking that the blue ribbon is just a cheap to build harness.
They still make wire <g>, the only hard part would be the connectors.

Rob
becida@comcast.net
Western WA where it's still snowing

At  12/24/2008 01:48 PM, John Rodgers wrote:
>I have looked at mine closely. Doe anyone think it possible to make a
>hardwire substitute for that ribbon? Ever? Or in some other manner
>simply replace the thing or make a substitute for it.
>
>John Rodgers
>88 GL Driver
>
>
>JordanVw@AOL.COM wrote:
>>so as our vans get older, cracked Printed circuit board (PCB) ribbon - the
>>blue ribbon on the back of your instrument cluster - is getting more common.
>>
>>apparently the PCB ribbon for the '86-91 vanagons is NLA new.
>>
>>and good used ones are getting scarce.
>>
>>after 18-25 years of UV rays,  heat and cold and rough handling , brake fluid
>>spills and abuse the PCB can only take so much.
>>
>>the only option is to repair them.   i have actually repaired the PCB ribbon
>>with sucess.
>>  there are kits out there for repairing copper defroster wires...i have used
>>them.. in some instances, i have simply bridged the crack with a simple hair
>>thin strand of copper speaker wire and taped it over the crack and
>>its worked.
>>
>>anyway there are ways to repair these..
>>and with no replacement alternative, this is what you must do.
>>
>>chris