Front door trim removal

[colmiller]

I need to remove the front door trims on my TC2500 build number 2MM31800DLO. Its an Australian built car by AMI in Melbourne.
I need to get at the locks as my key which works in both the ignition and the boot wont move in either door lock. It used to.

My Haynes manual tells me to remove the 2 screws on the arm rest and remove the rest, which is what I would have expected. However the rest still doesn't budge and is obviously still secured toward the top of the rest.

I checked a couple of spare arm rests I acquired with the car and they both have a second set of Phillips screws that come into the arm rest from within the door.

Whats the secret to getting at this top row of screws?

[nang]

You need to remove the wooden door caps, the top of the panel is secured with clips like the rest.
Try squirting some graphite powder in the locks and see if they free up.
Tony,

[Jonny-Jimbo]

Assume you have taken the interior door latch handle and the window winder off?

[RobPearce]

Quoted from nang

You need to remove the wooden door caps, the top of the panel is secured with clips like the rest.

I don't think that's right. It's true of the Vitesse but not the saloons, at least not the Mk2s. On them, I think the wood cap is held by screws that are then hidden by the trim panel, and the top of the trim panel sits in a groove in the wood.

As to the arm rest, I think it's attached to the trim, so Haynes is just wrong. Having removed the two accessible bolts, continue with the rest of the stuff that holds the trim, then remove the whole lot in one go.

That said, it's at least a year since I've owned a 2500 so I may be misremembering.

[Richard B]

Should just be

Just the two big screws in the rest through to the door, one pin (sod to get out) in the winder mechanism.

One row of spring clips all the way around the edge of the trim. Try levering the trim away from the door from the bottom first. The top row by the wood is probably tighter.

As others say on a MkII the wood is held in be screws behind the trim.



nb. On MkI's the wood screws are exposed and there is another pin holding the door handle.

[nang]

Sorry, NZ assembled cars have the wood trim secured by screws on the outside.
Tony.

[Richard B]

Learn something new everyday! 😎

[south sea pommie in aussie]

The second screws you are talking about  secure the arm rest to the trim and have nothing to do with holding it on the door .Handle, arm rest screws and off she comes.Then the two screws for the wood,lock knob and lift this up out of the door.

[colmiller]

Thanks everybody.

The wood trim is no problem, nor the window winder (I found it easy to get the retaining pin out but a prick to get back in) and the spring clips around the edge although stiff and a bit rusty are manageable.

Its just when all that is done the trim still feels to be fixed around the arm rest. I'm now wondering if a previous
owner has tried gluing it to the door.

Its forecast to be 43 degrees here today so I might leave it until the cool change comes through before I try again.