This van is coming along quite quickly.

Although today, took the left passenger door apart and put it back together, i dont think the window winder had been used in 30 years. Got it all back together and its working fine, doors locking/unlocking etc etc

BUT

Same with the right hand door, all fixed up, close the thing. And now its stuck shut. Ive tried to lever the lock (which was working before i shut it)

now i cant open the bloody door can i. sheesh. any tips/ideas on freeing the bastard. Clubby style lock and striker plate.

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Aussie Leyland, Aussie Factory, Aussie Mini S.

Painful process where you'll have to try and get in from the inside.
Remove as much as you can from in the door and see if you can poke / prod the right button for it to open.

Couple of years ago I had this sort of problem on the rover. Locked or unlocked when you pressed the door handle button it didn't open. No external hinges to use as a backup method so I had to remove the seats and door trims, then half the door internals and then make a tool to reach the failed component to fix it.

That was a fun arvo. Had my attempt failed the only way in would've involved a power hacksaw.

the window winder works, and is wound up

the door lever is off and the two rods are off, i can reach the door lock and lock, unlock it. I tried lifting the lever to the top (the one that is supposed to free the catch) and nothing.

i can take the hinges off, but i cant take the striker plate off. screws are on the door side.


grrr what pain in the ass.

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Aussie Leyland, Aussie Factory, Aussie Mini S.

Try and obtain another lock assembly and recreate the problem to understand what's gone wrong.
From there you can decide what course of action will result in the least damage / work to the car.

Loosen the hinges and see if moving the door shell up/down/in/ out makes it come off or get someone to push against the door as you try to open it

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Or use that

it's a van - use the back doors

I have had this happen a long time ago in my 1275LS. I can't remember how I fixed it because it was in the late 80's and I am suffering from craft disease.
I think it was a case of locking it with the inside lever and unlocking it with the key or trying it the other way around.
I think the cause was poor adjustment of one of the rods.

morris i had the door pretty much apart, and was trying to access it from the inside. I dont have keys for this thing at all.

I managed to work it out, something in the lock if fubar.

when i take the return spring off, it works fine, both inside and outside catch releases work, it locks (moving the parts).

BUT, when i put the return spring on, it will not open the door, both the internal and external releases dont work.

what a wierd issue. i think ill just get another catch.

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Aussie Leyland, Aussie Factory, Aussie Mini S.

sounds like you have the spring hooked up to the wrong lever

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No offence intended here but--> anyone writing a book about minis 30 years ago may not have experienced such worn or stuffed-with components as we are finding these days.

You should put your heart & soul into everything you do.

nope, the spring is on the slider one, same as the passenger door.

its supposed to pull the handle back down after it releases the catch.

after i take the spring off, and try it, theres a click sound and it releases.

without the spring there is no click sound. so i guess something inside the lock is slightly worn, bent, or broken.

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Aussie Leyland, Aussie Factory, Aussie Mini S.