how to get a door open?

[Chris "drooze" Wertman]

Not that its a good answer but the damage seems minimal.....cut the panel off and replace it ?

And Im half serious....if its one of the maroon velour ones should be easy to find....

The GM handles like that have a bad habbit of the pot metal going bad where the rod is, sometimes, sometimes, you can get a coat hanger down in the mechanism, but its a lot harder on a sedan (Im adduming a wagon has sedan doors)

Ive opened them by accident with a slim jim in the process of trying to open them (on the same car) on the down stroke with the V end if I remeber right, as well......well......you can cut the door panel off.....might save time and frustration then the only thing you have to worry about is finding a replacment.

(I had an malibu 4 dr like this, for 10 years or so I used as a parts runner/winter car, it was given to me and wouldnt die. I have / had a bad habbit of locking keys/loosing keys in it....I musta jimed it or hangered it (like a slim jim though) 100 times honest. sometimes I would pop the door though so I KNOW it can be done.)

Maybe someone else knows another way....or take off the front fender, hinges, pull the door away from the front , take the panel off ? (that should get you the clearance)

Originally Posted by greg fulk

Ok guys HELP! My buddy Galuk has an 80 Malibu & the drivers door will not open! When you pick-up on the handle it feels as though nothing is hooked to it? The inside handle is the same way....I would just pull the panel but with the roll bar you can't get it off with the door shut...so how do I / we get it open?