VW people: any tricks to removing mk1 rabbit doors??

Anyone??

I have some much nicer doors on my parts rabbit :-) I would love to keep them nice...

Does anyone have experience with this??

Thank you :-)

sawzall the shell? otherwise I couldn't help you.....the bmw is the only car I've ever taken doors off of and used a jack to support/steady it while removing.

definitely a good option, though not my first choice, it will be my last resort :-) Thanks!

I used a jack under the door to steady it while I unbolted the hinges. It would definitely be easier to have a second person to hold it steady while you take it off.

Or if you don't have a jack around, roll down the window, unbolt the bottom hinge and pop the pin out of the catch, then break the top bolt loose. Once it's broken free it should be pretty much finger tight as long as the weight of the door isn't on it. Stand between the open door and the car, and put your arm through the open window. Lift up the door with your shoulder while taking the last bolt out with your hand. Getting them back on with one person and no jack is a little harder, but not impossible.

16vCorey wrote: Or if you don't have a jack around, roll down the window, unbolt the bottom hinge and pop the pin out of the catch, then break the top bolt loose. Once it's broken free it should be pretty much finger tight as long as the weight of the door isn't on it. Stand between the open door and the car, and put your arm through the open window. Lift up the door with your shoulder while taking the last bolt out with your hand. Getting them back on with one person and no jack is a little harder, but not impossible.

Been there, done the same. Do this!

I usually put a tire under it then let the door droop down onto it, putting it back on and lined up is much harder!

vwcorvette wrote:

16vCorey wrote: Or if you don't have a jack around, roll down the window, unbolt the bottom hinge and pop the pin out of the catch, then break the top bolt loose. Once it's broken free it should be pretty much finger tight as long as the weight of the door isn't on it. Stand between the open door and the car, and put your arm through the open window. Lift up the door with your shoulder while taking the last bolt out with your hand. Getting them back on with one person and no jack is a little harder, but not impossible.

Been there, done the same. Do this!

Sounds good, I'll give it a try!!

Thanks, all!! :-)

Wait? Don't all A1 door hinges unbolt from the body? I know they did on my 75 (odd bolts that I lost one of and never found a suitable replacement) and I have pics of my 81 caddy being painted with the doors off and I don't remember pulling the pins on the hinges, although it is possible.

ditchdigger wrote: Wait? Don't all A1 door hinges unbolt from the body? I know they did on my 75 (odd bolts that I lost one of and never found a suitable replacement) and I have pics of my 81 caddy being painted with the doors off and I don't remember pulling the pins on the hinges, although it is possible.

The hinges bolt to the body with one 15mm bolt on each hinge (IIRC). The pin I was referring to is for the stay strap, or what ever you want to call it.

The hinges should look pretty much like this:

The catch strap looks like this, and the pin goes in those two holes and through a tab on the body:

Ah. Yep. That is exactly what I remember.

75-76 hinges were like this with 2 lo-head allen bolts per hinge.

ditchdigger wrote: Ah. Yep. That is exactly what I remember. 75-76 hinges were like this with 2 lo-head allen bolts per hinge.

My 78 and my 84 both have that type of fastener.