every tutorial i can find on getting the card removed has the door open and
every tutorial i can find on fixing the door lock actuator has the card removed!
how the heck do you remove the card when the door wont open?
are we going all dukes of hazard entering and exiting the car now?

 

By your remark, I assume you have tried both exterior and interior door handle. And that it is not the lock but the actuator linkage (Double pull on the interior door handle if the auto unlock doesn't work)

Well ... I'm not sure but if the linkage has broken off the latch mechanism you may have to cut the door card away after removing all the mounting hardware you can get to, then reach in and manually activate the latch mechanism to get it open, then once you repair the issue replace the cut door card with a replacement.

But ... there might be another way that I am unaware of.

best of luck.

Motor On!

 

thanks. yes nothing will open the door. the outer door handle, the inside one and the electric control. it's the passenger door. i managed to remove the passenger seat and get the card partially off but reaching inside i still can't get the actuator to let go for the door to open.

 

the actuator has a cable that runs to it if i remember right. it also has a lever on it that cable attatches to. its been a while. maybe find a pic online to study

 

the cable goes in at the red line and the lock is actuated at the circle. been too long so im not sure

 

thats the left, so would be oposite

 

yes it's the inverse of the picture. i can feel that lever and pull it down. no help. i even managed to get the little plastic cover open on the actuator feeling around trying to release something. i pulled the weatherstrip and got some wd40 in there and kicked the door a few times. no go. tried using a pick near the lock. no help. i am considering cutting a larger access area in the inside of the door that would be hidden by the card.

 

shoot. maybe all you can do is cut the card. might be able to find a used replacment for cheep. try allmagautoparts.com

what happens if you pull the cable? i think thats the action that opens the door, no?

 

i have worked on it for hours. it's not easy to work in there with the card partially removed but i did manage to get the inside latch off and pull out the cable so i could pull it. i tried to pull it as hard as i could with vise grips also with one have in the actuator to try and fe3el if something was stuck. nothing. i even cut some of the wires because there is a jumper trick but now i don't have room to splice them. this really sucks because i just rebuilt the head and the car runs amazingly well. i do see lots of door cards available for not too much but at this point i dont even see how removing the card completely will help me get it open. what i need is to get the actuator out so i was considering cutting the metal part of the inside of the door around the actuator and then cut it out from the inside somehow. it's frustrating that every tutorial on this already has the card removed :(

 

that sucks. well you could always cut the door from the outside. maybe wait till you can find a match first. Replace with matching door

 

what color do you have?

https://www.allmagautoparts.com/prod...b85d67b7&_ss=r

 

i am thinking of making it a one-seater. i had just converted it to a two seater. with the rear seat delete and the passenger seat out i can imagine making another platform in the front and having a little camper. i could start a youtube channel "living in my mini"

 

 

Are the cables completely broken?
I was thinking a 'slimjim'....but I've never used one.
I have no idea what use it would be if there is nothing to hook onto between the door card and actuator/lock release.???

 

the cable that goes from the inner handle is intact and still attached to the actuator. the cable from the outer handle came off but i can work that latch with my hand.
if there was something that could get between the door and the body and get at the latch maybe, but just pulling the cable doesn't help. i think a slim jim just pulls up on the latch that i can already access with my hand. also i did get the card off by running my machete in there and snapping the remaining clips so now it's easier for me to beat my head against the door frame in frustration

 

finally got my door open! a lever on the acutator somewhere was broken or something. no matter how i wiggled and moved it the lock was stuck so i cut an access door in the door where it will be hidden by the card and just tore up the actuator until i could get at the pin. this has got to be the jankiest repair job ever but i had no other option. maybe i can get a bead on that seam if i can find a friendly neighborhood welder. now to order a junkyard actuator

 

Sorry it had to come to that.
BUT - having had to repair a broken outside door handle cable and one actuator - I had also considered cutting an access hole/door to make life easier should I ever have to go through that ordeal again.
Glad your suffering is near its end!

 

i think the access port is just big enough to get a new one in without moving the window guide

 

good to hear you got it. thats less cutting than I imagined it would take

 

thanks. kinda got it except that the part took 3.5 weeks to get to me from Texas to WA state. it actually took them a week just to ship it and when i finally got it the cable, which was attached in the picture, is missing! damn it's hard to get parts these days and get an honest deal. now i have to order the cable since i messed up the original trying to get the thing to work. guess she's a one seater still. i hope it doesn't take another month to get a cable

 

that sound familliar. i once went weeks with a broken window regulator and a plastic bag over my window. i was ready to kill the sales agent

 

When members on this forum are in a pinch in need of hard to find NLA parts with no salvage yards near by - They can always feel free to PM me. I'm always happy to get out to a yard and find/pull a needed part if the right year and model exist at the time. Just cost for the part + shipping....or just shipping if the part is small. I don't charge for my time. Just happy to help someone in need.

 

thats a generous offer