Delicatessan
Well-Known Member
I’ve seen it described. But I am unaware of any place on the internet that shows photos.
To attract people to this board, and make this board a place for Delica thought leadership, we need good “how to” posts. Please consider this my comtribution:
Step 1: Open your door. You will be presented with something that looks like this:
Note that my door does not have a built-in light. I understand some do. If yours does, you’ll have an added step here.
Step 2: unscrew the plastic locking knob:
So far so good, right?
Step 3: locate the plastic screw covers on your door handle:
Step 4a: don’t forget these are 25+ year old vehicles. Everything is more brittle and fragile than it was. And car trim starts out fairly fragile. So get yourself a good set of vinyl trim tools. Don’t try to use a screwdriver. Or your keys. Or a knife. Got your vinyl tools? Ok. Good. Let’s move in.
Step 4b: use your vinyl tool to pry out the screw covers. They should come out easily and without too much trouble:
Step 5: use a screwdriver and unscrew the screws you will find in those holes. Don’t lose those screws. Although the door panel is held on by clips, those screws are what connects your handle to the metal frame so that you don’t rip your plastic panel out of the frame every time you close your door:
So far, so good, nothing too hard yet....
Step 6: this is going to be a little tricky. Your inside door handle has a plastic cover underneath the handle. And right in the middle of that plastic cover is a hinged plastic piece that hides a tiny screw. Your mission is to pop open that hinged plastic to get access to the screw. When I tried this, I could not tell how the piece was held on, which side was attached and which side would come free. I carefully worked my vinyl tool a bit and decided I had it figured out. I guessed right and still almost broke the piece. Be careful here:
It turns out, the piece clips in on the top and bottom. It is hinged and attached on the right, and is completely loose on the left:
Once you pop the tiny cover, you’ll see a screw. Unscrew it:
Now the cover will come right out. Here’s what it looks like:
Step 7: there is a black triangular plastic piece right where the window and door panel meet at the hinges of the door:
Getting this thing off is tricky. Be careful. I was successful, but I could tell this would be super easy to break. I used my vinyl tools. The side closest to the window has a lot more play. The side furthest from the window was almost immovable. I worked the side closest to the window to gain some looseness. Then I used my hand and sort of worked that side “off” and then I was able to work the other side off. I’m not describing it well. But I didn’t really understand how it was on there. Perhaps a picture of the back of the piece and the exposed door will help you get it better than I did:
To attract people to this board, and make this board a place for Delica thought leadership, we need good “how to” posts. Please consider this my comtribution:
Step 1: Open your door. You will be presented with something that looks like this:
Note that my door does not have a built-in light. I understand some do. If yours does, you’ll have an added step here.
Step 2: unscrew the plastic locking knob:
So far so good, right?
Step 3: locate the plastic screw covers on your door handle:
Step 4a: don’t forget these are 25+ year old vehicles. Everything is more brittle and fragile than it was. And car trim starts out fairly fragile. So get yourself a good set of vinyl trim tools. Don’t try to use a screwdriver. Or your keys. Or a knife. Got your vinyl tools? Ok. Good. Let’s move in.
Step 4b: use your vinyl tool to pry out the screw covers. They should come out easily and without too much trouble:
Step 5: use a screwdriver and unscrew the screws you will find in those holes. Don’t lose those screws. Although the door panel is held on by clips, those screws are what connects your handle to the metal frame so that you don’t rip your plastic panel out of the frame every time you close your door:
So far, so good, nothing too hard yet....
Step 6: this is going to be a little tricky. Your inside door handle has a plastic cover underneath the handle. And right in the middle of that plastic cover is a hinged plastic piece that hides a tiny screw. Your mission is to pop open that hinged plastic to get access to the screw. When I tried this, I could not tell how the piece was held on, which side was attached and which side would come free. I carefully worked my vinyl tool a bit and decided I had it figured out. I guessed right and still almost broke the piece. Be careful here:
It turns out, the piece clips in on the top and bottom. It is hinged and attached on the right, and is completely loose on the left:
Once you pop the tiny cover, you’ll see a screw. Unscrew it:
Now the cover will come right out. Here’s what it looks like:
Step 7: there is a black triangular plastic piece right where the window and door panel meet at the hinges of the door:
Getting this thing off is tricky. Be careful. I was successful, but I could tell this would be super easy to break. I used my vinyl tools. The side closest to the window has a lot more play. The side furthest from the window was almost immovable. I worked the side closest to the window to gain some looseness. Then I used my hand and sort of worked that side “off” and then I was able to work the other side off. I’m not describing it well. But I didn’t really understand how it was on there. Perhaps a picture of the back of the piece and the exposed door will help you get it better than I did: