Instrument panel mounting structure

A structure for mounting an instrument panel to a given portion in a motor vehicle, comprising:

• a cowl panel arranged below a windshield of the vehicle, said cowl panel including an upper panel part and a lower panel part which are united to constitute an inwardly protruding holder structure, said holder structure including a first section where said upper and lower panel parts intimately contact at mutually facing surfaces thereof and a second section where said upper and lower panel parts are spaced from each other at the mutually facing surfaces thereof, said second section constituting a rear end of said holder structure;
• a catch section provided by said instrument panel, said catch section having an elongate recess sized to receive therein said rear end of said holder structure;
• a guide section provided by said instrument panel, said guide section being constructed to guide said catch section toward the rear end of said holder structure when shifted toward the rear end of said holder structure;
• a damper member provided on said rear end of said holder structure, so that when said rear end is inserted into the recess of said catch section, said damper member becomes in contact with an inner surface of said recess thereby to provide a frictional engagement therebetween;
• and
• a sloped surface that defines a bottom of the recess of said catch section, so that when said rear end of said holder structure is deeply inserted into said recess of said catch section, the frictional engagement between said friction member and the inner surface of said recess is enhanced.