The larger padded dash became standard in 85 models but even some much
later models still came with the early style small pad. The oddball
90/91 base model vans got the small pad.

You can't really just remove the large padded section from the dash.
Sure, it will come off without too much trouble but it leaves behind a
mess that can't be easily cleaned up. A bunch of extra small holes but
the worst part is that the cutouts in the metal for the side defroster
vents were cut larger when the pad was to be fitted over that area since
the vents then mounted to the thick pad instead. With the pad removed
the vents no longer fit the enlarged metal openings for them.

Mark

Stuart MacMillan wrote:
> You are right!  I just looked up an old photo of my ’84 and had never noticed.  Now I’m tempted to remove the padding from my ’85, but I’m sure that would be a disaster.
>
>
>
> Stuart
>
>
>
> From: JordanVw@aol.com [mailto:JordanVw@aol.com]
> Sent: Monday, November 17, 2014 12:29 PM
> To: stuartmacm@GMAIL.COM; vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
> Subject: Re: Dash improvement?
>
>
>
> In a message dated 11/17/2014 2:05:48 P.M. Eastern Standard Time, stuartmacm@GMAIL.COM writes:
>
> Where did you get that, or did you remove the padded dash cover?  Padded dashes have been required in the US since at least the ‘70s.
>
>
>
> only '85 up vanagons had the big dash pad with flat tray area.   unless it was a wolfsburg edition.    all other earlier vanagons just had a tiny pad at the edge.
>