OK, the other thread is going nowhere fast so I thought I'd try again.

I am officially stumped as to how you are supposed to remove the door latch/lock mechanism out of a an early windup window/external hinge door. There doesn't seem to be any way of doing it without breaking the welds that attach the upper frame. The levers that attach the external handle to the internal latch block one of the external handle screws......so what am I missing?????

The topic of replacing the "snail spring" comes up all the time, so there must be a way????

AAARRRGGGHHHH!!!

Stuart, you *can* get them apart and back together again without breaking anything.... it can be done!

except..... I can't remember how to do it! I'd have to strip a door to figure it out again

you've got the window glass out of the door, right?

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did I tell you that I won a trophy?

Yep - eventually!

I removed everything I could find that seemed to be fastening trim or channels etc

Removed some trim (damned if I know how you're supposed to get that frame trim off)

Dropped the window as far as it would go

Extracted the quarter window and it's frame (which is the front sliding window channel)

Extracted the main glass, removed the winder, removed the inside opening handle mechanism

Removed one screw securing the external handle from inside the door with a right angled screw driver, popped the spring clip from the back of the external handle

But now I'm stuck. There is a U shaped bar that goes behind the rear window channel, joining the external handle to the lock. It's riveted to the lock so can not see how to get the lock out, or get to the last screw retaining the external handle, or remove the U shape.

Bum.

Anybody??

If I remember correctly (it's been years) that U-shaped bar is not riveted on, it comes off both the lock and the handle.
Isn't it held by the screw (under the chrome cap on inside of door?
I bend it out a bit before fitting, this saves having to put the *%#& circlip back on...

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DrMini- 1970 wasaMatic 1360, Mk1S crank, 86.6HP (ATW) =~125 @ crank, 45 Dellorto (38 chokes), RE282 sprint cam, 1.5 rockers, 11.0:1 C/R.

5 points for the guy in the green corner

As usual, seemed pretty obvious once I did it. I had given the bolt (not rivet) a whack before, but I guess had not counted on 40 years of dust and crap holding it in place. I can't get the U piece out from behind the channel but that's fine, I can now clean and grease all the moving bits, figure out what's missing, and strip/paint the doors themselves.

Ta' very muchly

d'oh....

I pulled apart a door for you this morning, and was writing a little "how to" on it, but you figured it out with Kev's help

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did I tell you that I won a trophy?

eeek...sorry about that! But thanks for the effort. 'nother PM sent...

Simon K it would be appreciated if you could write a 'how to' for future reference. This subject will no doubt keep coming up and I haven't had the nerve to try and replace the spring on my drivers door yet in case I can't get it back together.

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Flute - 68 MK I Cooper S
Member: VMCI #2474
Member: International Mini Model Collectors Club