Well, it's done, not perfect, but solidly fixed. T25 bolt into a metal clip on a new piece of plastic.
I cut a strip of tough plastic (ABS probably, from spare car trim) about 70mm by 20mm and 2mm thick to bridge the hole.
Removed the soft surface trim beside the hole (plastic leather-textured surface and crumbly backing) to make a recess to hold it and fixed it to the (thick plastic) dash structural backing material with three very short self-tapping screws (through drilled guide holes). It's all hidden with the panel in place.
Test fitted the threaded clip over the new strip from behind and found I needed to trim back a bit more of the original material to get it in the right place.
After refitting the strip I offered up the knee panel and squirted a burst of silver spray paint up through the bolthole to mark the fixing spot. Drilled through the plastic there, slid the retaining clip for the bolt over the edge of the new strip and fixed the knee panel back into place. Nice and sturdy now. 
BUT refitting wasn't as easy as it should have been as the strip and clip are not quite in the right place. There also should be another hole to give access to a retaining bolt recessed above it, probably securing the back of the air vent.
But now I have a template, so making another strip of the correct shape (and fitting it) will be easy. I just need to know what the original looks like, so:
Quote:
Originally Posted by HPsauce
If someone has the knee panel off (RHD preferably) could they take a photo of that area from below, it's just under the rightmost air vent, to the right of the steering column.
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My final version, if I ever make it, will be glued into place as well as screwed.
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2003 D2 FL S8. Irish Green Pearl/Beige. Solar sunroof, auto-dim mirrors, electric rear seat functions and extended leather. Ski hatch retrofit. Aftermarket reversing camera. DVB-T and XCarlink now removed as redundant.
2016 Volvo V40 T5 Cross Country (4WD) with ALL the toys including adaptive cruise etc. etc. Osmium Grey with Blonde/Charcoal leather interior. Polestar performance "optimisation".  (Even rarer than a D2 S8!) Oh, and a brand new engine at just under 30,000 miles on the factory one! 
Finally: gone, but not forgotten.....
1998 D2 PF S8. Agate Grey/Platinum. Every option (I think) except electric rear seats, Tiptronic steering wheel, ski hatch, towbar & dimming door mirrors.
e.g. Cruise control, NavPlus/TV, Bose, GSM, Xenons, Solar roof, Parking sensors, Alcantara/leather everywhere of course. (internal dimming mirror added later)
1998 (very early) Ford Focus 1.8 Zetec; ABS/TCS, Heated screen/mirrors, Aircon. Added Auto-dim mirror, Leather seats, Trip computer, Cruise control, OEM Ford SatNav with CD changer.
And before that a lot of Rover 800s, a few oddities, a lovely Triumph Dolomite 1850HL with Overdrive and way back in my schooldays an Austin Seven aka Mini 850!
Last edited by HPsauce; 24th March 2015 at 05:14 PM.
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