Those *&%#! Door Panels

["'*Tess*' Teresa A McMillan" <tessmc@u.washington.edu>]

A few months ago I posted to the digest regarding the fact that I had 
managed to break the locking mechanism on one of my rear doors ('88 80Q) 
and was seeking advice on removal of the door panel.  I never actually 
got around to doing anything because I had another rear door to use, and 
I was spending a lot of time learning how to work on a second car that I 
had just bought.  I did receive some starting advice on removing the 
panel -- where to look for hidden screws and such -- but I let the matter 
rest there.  I tried to find a Bentley manual for my car (Haynes does not 
make one) but was told by the dealer they are out of print, 
indefinitely.  So I still have no diagrams, no text, no information to go by.

This weekend I managed to break the other door lock.  You know how it 
goes:  you turn the key in the drivers door and try to lift the rear door 
handle before it has unlocked, fouling the mechanism.  Somehow, in trying 
to unfoul the mechanism, I managed to break the lock instead.  (What can 
I say?  It was a full moon.)  Now I'm eager to get both locks fixed!

My question:  I've managed to get the door panel off most of the way, but 
where it is getting hung up appears to be in two (possible one?) places:  
at the top, around the depressor-button, which slides in and out of the 
top of the panel, and just under the button.  Here at this second spot 
there appears to be a motor (I can't see it because the panel is stuck) 
with wiring going up and across to the door side of the panel.  It is 
this harness of wires which is holding the panel to the inside of the door.

Do any of you have suggestions as to how I should proceed to get the 
panel off, and then what I should look for that might need replacing or 
fixing?  The depressor-button (for lack of any other terminology) is 
fairly loose, but the mechanism which opens the door still functions.  I 
can lock the door from the outside, but the d-p doesn't seem to be 
affected by this.

Thanks in advance -

Tess McMillan
'88 Audi 80 Quattro
'87 Alfa Spider Graduate