In relation to the original post by Orangebean, about the fitting of the new door handle springs, I would like to ask - is it difficult removing the door inner panel, both front and back ?

I have been slowly tidying up my P38 and I decided, rather than repainting the door handles, to buy new ones, with the exception of the driver's door handle. With the hassle of trying to change the door lock and things on the driver's side door
I have decided to fit the repair kit and repaint this handle. Hopefully I will be able to get it to match the colour and texture of the new handles.

However, I have never tried to get the inner door panels off so I would like to see whether there are any things in particular to watch out for.

I have got spare metal spring clips for the back of the door handle, which some people say breaks, or stretches, when it is levered apart, but is the any other bits that won't refit without damage ?

I am trying to figure out, from diagrams, whether there are some small plastic clips that hold rods to the door handles but I can't find any definitive pictures, video's, or diagrams before I start taking out the handles. I want to try to avoid having a situation where I find that I break a plastic clip and then I can't put the handles back into the door, and I can't lock the vehicle, and also then find that the offending item[s] are no longer available.

Any advice or assistance would be appreciated.

Pierre3.

To remove the inner panel, lever off the tweeter housing, unplug it and put it to one side, remove the screw behind it, remove the screw holding the plastic surround that the interior door handle fits into and remove that (takes a bit of wiggling to get it at the right angle to come out), remove the two screws from under the armrest. Starting at the bottom, lever the door panel away from the door, then lift up and out. Disconnect the plug to the mid range speaker. You will find that some of the Christmas tree fittings stay in the door rather than coming off with the panel. Just lever them out of the door and fit them back on the panel before refitting. Rather than a screwdriver see if you can get a set of trim removal tools (https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/4pcs-Car-Removal-Tool-Radio-Set-Clip-Door-Body-Interior-Panel-Kit-Trim-Pry-Dash/312810575967) so you can get either side of the fitting.

I've never managed to break any of the plastic clips (and I've managed to break most things), you rotate them away from the rod and it pops out.