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MK1 door removal
Posted: Tue Mar 15, 2016 7:20 pm
by 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
Re: MK1 door removal
Posted: Tue Mar 15, 2016 9:28 pm
by Nate
Only ever done it in the scrap yard, and I used a gas axe

Re: MK1 door removal
Posted: Wed Mar 16, 2016 12:28 pm
by 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.
Re: MK1 door removal
Posted: Wed Mar 16, 2016 3:49 pm
by 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.
Re: MK1 door removal
Posted: Wed Mar 16, 2016 8:40 pm
by 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.

Re: MK1 door removal
Posted: Thu Mar 17, 2016 10:07 am
by 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
Re: MK1 door removal
Posted: Thu Mar 17, 2016 11:47 am
by 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.

Re: MK1 door removal
Posted: Fri Apr 01, 2016 6:47 pm
by 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