door handle removal

[chilly]

Is it right that you have to remove the door glass and frame to remove the door handles from a van? The haynes manual I have says you do.
Looking at my handle from inside the door it doesn't look much like the one in the manual. Did they change the design all all in the later vehicles (mines a 1971 Austin van)
Any help/tips gratefully received.
Chris

PS if I do have to take the glass out it says there's two bolts under the ventilator panel. What's the ventilator panel?

[pskipper]

the ventilator is the quarter light in the door.

[chilly]

the ventilator is the quarter light in the door.

Ahh, I'd never have sussed that out, thanks.

[bigginger]

'strue though, AFAIK - I think SOME people have managed without, but not me and that's true of a 71 pick-up.

[Packedup]

Spent some time trying to streip those very rotten van doors a few weeks ago.

I seem to recall you take the frame off, take the glass out (which means removing the winder bits too I think) then you have enough access to remove the locking and inside handle mechanisms which then frees up the space for the exterior handle to come off.

Was certainly something like that, and much fun was (not) had by all.

Well, other than on the one where the top frame was simply never coming off, and was too rusty to bother saving anyway. Stubborn old metal, meet Mr Big Saw

[Scott]

You just need to take the rear vertical channel out.
If you remove both channel felts, the glass will move far enough forwards to get the rear vertical channel out.

Disconnect the interior handle linkage, remove the escutcheon & remove the lock/handle screws & the handle will come out. It's sometimes easier if the handle is in the locked position if it's the drivers door.

[bigginger]

Told you some people could