Jack,

If you do need to remove the dash to change the clutch master (I don't
remember if you need to), you will need to drill out the two break-away
bolts that hold the steering column to the dash.   New ones are available
at your friendly dealer, and you should replace with the breakaway ones,
since that guarantees that the torque is right, and that the steering
column will therefore do a predictable thing in a front end merge (rather
than trying to replace your  rib cage...).     

No real tricks to taking the dash out (a straightforward but long job), 
but if you go to all that effort, replace the heater motor at the same
time, since it will certainly freeze up at some point.     Some might
argue for replacement of the heater core  at the same time.   The Bentley
describes replacement of the motor and the core, but essentially, you
need to split the plastic housing of the heater at the seams.   VW sells
some clips to put it back together, but I simply glued it with silicone. 
  And it came apart again easily when I took it out the second time to
replace the leaking heater core...)

Dave

At 04:58 PM 11/26/97 +1100, Jack Newton wrote: 

>>>>

<excerpt><bigger>G'day mates</bigger>  <bigger>Great to have the list up
again.  I guess we all  appreciate the hard work done in locating
</bigger>and fixing  the problem and thank Chris and everyone for their
efforts.  <bigger>My '89 Transporter is doing its best to have its own
little  problem.  It appears that the clutch  master cylinder is leaking
quite a lot and needs a new cylinder or new  seals.</bigger> 
<bigger>[Late news:  I discovered that there are no  after-market
manufacturers of VW Transporter parts in Australia and a new   OEM VW
clutch master cylinder cost $A245 ($US170)  :-(     Even the supplier
apologised for such an exorbitant cost .  Luckily,   I can get  a
reconditioned cylinder for $A45 ($US31)  from the  wreckers, so it's a
recon cylinder winning by  a $200 margin.]</bigger>  <bigger>Bentley
maintains an aloof disregard for such trivia as  replacing  brake or
clutch master cylinders.</bigger>  <bigger>After looking in the archives
and reading  that  the whole dash panel has to be removed to gain access
to the  cylinder,  I've</bigger> size=2> started to remove the dash.  So
far I've stripped off the  following:-  <bigger>Radio, CD  player, A/c
and heater outlets, glove box , various bits of trim including  steering
column covers.</bigger>   <bigger>I'm now ready to remove the instrument
</bigger>panel but need to know whether   I <bigger> need to remove the
steering wheel and  column and what else needs to be  removed,  Also are
there any  traps that the unwary home mechanic  should avoid?</bigger> 
<bigger>I'd be pretty grateful to have the benefit of any experience 
anyone has in replacing the clutch master cylinder.</bigger> 
<bigger>TIA</bigger>  <bigger>Jack Newton</bigger>  <bigger>'89
Transporter Safari Campervan</bigger>  <bigger>Sydney Australia </bigger>
 <bigger>PS At least the weather is sunny and warm at  this time of the
year down-under.</bigger> 

</excerpt>