PLEASE HELP! Query expression truncated by Access2000!

[Bilbo]

I wrote a database for a customer in Access97, and it works fine.
The customer upgraded to Access2000 and I converted the Access97 database to
Access2000 format.
It continued to work fine.

In order to resolve the bug, (Related to added functionality) I had the
customer open a query in design view and change the criteria.
However, when closing the design view we received an error indicating a
required character was missing from an expression.

Going back into design view we discovered an expression had been truncated
without us touching it.

We tried several different methods, and views to make the changes, all
unsuccessful until I broke down and wrote the query in Access97 and emailed
it to him in an otherwise blank database. He was able to import the query to
his Access2000 version (without opening in design view), and now the query
works fine (complete with the corrected criteria, AND the expression which is
too large for design view.

Here is the whole SQL view (opened with Access97)
INSERT INTO Payment_Property_Select ( Property_Number, Location,
Customer_Number, Customer, Property_Status )
SELECT Property_Status.Property_Number, Property_Master.Location,
Customer_Info.Customer_Number, IIf([Customer_Info]![Owner_Co_1st] Is Not
Null,[Customer_Info]![Owner_1st] & " " & IIf([Customer_Info]![Owner_Middle]
Is Null,"",[Customer_Info]![Owner_Middle] & " ") &
[Customer_Info]![Owner_Last] & " and " & [Customer_Info]![Owner_Co_1st] & " "
& IIf([Customer_Info]![Owner_Co_Middle] Is
Null,"",[Customer_Info]![Owner_Co_Middle] & " ") &
[Customer_Info]![Owner_Co_Last],[Customer_Info]![Owner_1st] & " " &
IIf([Customer_Info]![Owner_Middle] Is Null,"",[Customer_Info]![Owner_Middle]
& " ") & [Customer_Info]![Owner_Last]) AS Customer, Property_Status.Status
FROM (Property_Status INNER JOIN Property_Master ON
Property_Status.Property_Number = Property_Master.Property_Number) INNER JOIN
Customer_Info ON Property_Status.Customer_Number =
Customer_Info.Customer_Number
WHERE (((Property_Status.Status) Like "Selling*" Or
(Property_Status.Status)="Renting"))
ORDER BY Property_Status.Property_Number;

Word tells me this is 1022 characters (1105 with spaces)

Once opened in Access2000-design view the effected expression is truncated
as follows:
Customer: IIf([Customer_Info]![Owner_Co_1st] Is Not
Null,[Customer_Info]![Owner_1st] & " " & IIf([Customer_Info]![Owner_Middle]
Is Null,"",[Customer_Info]![Owner_Middle] & " ") &
[Customer_Info]![Owner_Last] & " and " & [Customer_Info]![Owner_Co_1st] & " "
& IIf([Customer_Info]![Owner_Co_Middle] Is
Null,"",[Customer_Info]![Owner_Co_Middle] & " ") &
[Customer_Info]![Owner_Co_Last],[Customer_Info]![Owner_1st] & " " &
IIf([Customer_Info]![Owner_Middle] Is Null,"",[Customer_Info]![Owner_Middle]
& " ") & [Custom

Word tells me this part is 466 characters (512 with spaces)

Interestingly, I note the truncation is removing 22 characters which drops
the total of the SQL view to 1000 (without spaces). Is this the key?

Was there some limitation added in the change from Access97 to Access2000?
If yes, does the limitation carry over to newer versions such as AccessXP or
Access2003?
Is there another work around so I can avoid the need for two duplicate
databases?

Thanks in advance!