[Vwdiesel] Jetta door stuck shut, now what?

[Mike & Coreen Smith]

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Hi Gang,
Been offlist for a while., working mostly on my 78 Austin Mini Cooper
(replica) project car.

Anyways.........I've had the door latch on and off my 88 Jetta so many times
I could do it with my eyes closed and one hand tied behind my back.  The
lock wasn't working well.  Anyways, to make a long story short, the door is
shut and I have no way to open it !!

I picked up a new latch at the junkyard today from an '85 (looks the same -I
think) but no way to install it as the door won't open.
Outside handle is OFF the car.
When I reach "inside" the door from outside and press down on the release
tab, it goes down a bit and makes the smallest, most feeble barely
perceptible "clunk" but will not open the door.  I am prying up on the lock
lever and can't say for sure if it's actually releasing or not. (50-50
chance)

Any ideas how to get the door open w/o the 'jaws of life' ?

Mike in NB, 88 Jetta GL 1.6L TD

Mike, Coreen & Corey Smith
271 Smith Rd
Waterville, NB
E2V 3V6
Canada
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