MK1 door removal

[accyimp]

Can anyone assist with any top tips before I attempt removal? Just reading the workshop manual has put me off a bit - can't remember the exact wording but along lines of "poor access and very difficult to remove without a special tool"?
Any help greatly appreciated (as always)
Andy

[Nate]

Only ever done it in the scrap yard, and I used a gas axe

[mark1gls]

There is 4 allen key head bolts which hold the door to the hinges and make sure you remove the pin holding the door check strap first to give you better access to the bolts but don't open to door to much or it will hit the wing.

The 4 bolts can be very tight so be carful not the round the heads off and use a good quality allen key with plenty of leverage and off course some one else to help hold the door while you remove the bolts.
No specialist tool needed.

[the edmundator]

Isn't a special tool needed to remove the hinge pin? I certainly couldn't remove it on a mk2 door with normal tools.

[mark1gls]

If are just removing the door from the car you can just unbolt it and remove it with the hinge still attached to the door but if there is play in hinge then you need to knock the pin out the split the hinge.

I just unbolted mine to do this....
The 2 loops you can see are welded to the car so you can't remove them, the hinge fits behind the loops and the bolts goes through the loop and bolts to the hinge.

[accyimp]

Love the gas axe idea - right up my street, especially after shearing one of the rear beam bolts yesterday! (preparing to drop the fuel tank)
Mark, thanks for taking time to post those pics, I'll have a go at it this weekend.
Cheers
Andrew

[mark1gls]

No worries about the pictures, sorry I don't have any close ups as the pictures are about 7 years old and luckily my car does not look like that now.

[accyimp]

Looks like I was panicking over nothing! Both doors came off easily today - unlike the majority of other nuts/bolts, but I guess thats all you can expect from a car thats been standing for over 25 years! Fuel tank - what a ***********
Cheers
Andrew