Asbestos or Fiberglass?

[Guest]

What year did they stop using asbestos in cars as insulation?<P>I ask as yesterday while cleaning the car I choose to fix the air vents and such. When I removed the glove box (lot harder to remove then install btw) there was a sheet of insulation stuck back there that fell/drooped when the box was removed. I tried not to mess with it and just reattached the duct work but it has be worried a bit. A few peices fell off and I used pliers to pickup and remove and intend on vacuuming the passenger side today. I also left all the windows down last night.<P>All incase it was the nasty stuff. But I'd like to know what year they stopped to hopefully ease my lil mind. :-)<P>Also, I'm planing a few day trip starting tomorrow, is there anything I should doublecheck before heading out?<P>Many Thanks Guys!<P>-Scott<BR>(yes, I really do have the photos, but never enough time to do everything)<P>p.s. it's amazing the odor of 30yr old cigerette smoke. <BR>[eor]

[brad54]

Don't know when they made the switch on the insulation.<BR>I do know that they used it in undercoating through the '50s. Asbostos and tar. Good stuff.<BR>My understanding of asbestosis is that the small particles in the air get breathed into the lungs, and the body can't break them down. The nasty part comes in when the lungs get coated, and you can't absorb oxygen into the system anymore. But you need to be around the airborn particles for a very long time, in large quantities, and have the stuff breaking down and disintegrating.<P>As for the long trip, if you haven't left already, check your brakes, and all the fluid levels. Add a drop or two of oil to the generator bearings and the distributor (they've got little ports for oil) Then pack a really good tool kit, with a complete set of sockets, two of each size wrench, a full set of screwdrivers. If you use the car a lot, it wouldn't hurt to buy a spare water pump, spare generator, spare voltage regulator, spare fuel pump and filter, and a spare distributor with cap and throw them in a box in the trunk. These are all things you can't easily get at the NAPA store if one breaks while on vacation.<BR>HAve a good time!