The Lotus Grand Tourers

So i put the key in the door and it and the lock barrel just went stright though the door, and dropped down behind the door handle, which now seems to be half hanging off at the rear end of it...

any advise? anyone else seen this?
guessing i probably need a new door handle, lock barrel seems fine, but now doesnt stay on the door handle, thing theres some plastic missing...

help?

how easy is it to get the door cards off?

Oz.

Door cards are held on by 4 screws - one through the inner handle, one on the trailing edge and two underneath.

If you're lucky, the retaining bolts for the outer door handle will just have worked loose - ONE of these also retains the lock barrel in position.

If you're unlucky - the metal inserts in the plastic door handle will have broken free and you'll either need to figure out a way of reattaching them, or get a new door handle. There are only 2 bolts which hold the handle in place sandwiching the door skin between a metal frame and the plastic, plus (in some cases) a pin which runs top to bottom in the middle through the metal frame as an additional fixing.

So im gonna have a look at this over the weekend, anything i need to watch out for?

thanks for the tips amarshall, anyone else got thier 2 cents worth?

Oz.

Everything is fairly straightforward, you will need a 1/4" socket set, the chances are that the metal threaded insert, has come out 'cos the plastic has become brittle.

Unscrew the two bolts that attach the handle, these may just rip out when you try to unscrew them.

According to SJ S/C, it's not worth bothering to try and bodge it back, it will just break again.

If you are lucky the insert is still firmly in place, and the bolt has just come out, but I doubt it.

It will probably be a new or used handle, fixing on the earlier ones, consists of two small brackets, later ones are better, with a square all surrounding one, if you have to get one from Mike try to get the later fixings.

Remember, if you try to get a Toyota handle, they are opposite, i.e drivers toyota one is Lotus passenger one, another upside down trick, a la the rear lights.

Terry

And if you need to disconnect any of the rods, remember that the plastic clips swivel to lock them into place. (it'll make sense when you get into the mechanism, honest!)