I'm prepping a 1988 FC Rx-7 NA I was given for painting, but can't get the interior door panel off because it has the oldschool roll-up/down windows (not electrical), and it is preventing me from removing the door panel. How do I remove this without breaking it?

I'm trying to remove this piece here:

so i can sand the rust off and paint it with a rubberized undercoating spray.

Also, does the rubber strip on the front/rear bumper peel off or not? I got all the rubber lining off on the fenders/doors, but the strip on the rear bumper/front bumper seem to be part of it.

 

The crank handle is retained by a clip that looks like this, there is a tool (looks like this) that slides behind the crank and spreads the clip apart so it drops out and allows the crank to be pulled off the splined shaft.

 

buy those pieces new, they look so good when they are new, rubberized undercoating will look terrible, if anything just use some spray paint, not undercoating.

 

that piece can be removed from the outside. thats how i did mine. If you need to just remove the mirror cover and mirror which can be done with out taking the door cover off. Then grab hold of that thing and pull as hard and gently as you can.

 

Thanks guys, I'll probably do this. I don't want to spend a whole lot of money on this car since it's just a get-around car until my Z is out of the shop, that's why I'm going to re-use all these pieces. Rubberized undercoating will look mint after I spray it/wetsand it/flat clearcoat it. I'm going to do all the prep work myself, spend $300 to get it painted at my friends shop, and the outside of this car will look cherry.

 

You can easily remove the retaining clip on the door using a shop towel or rag. Slide it in around the handle and wiggle it back and fourth. The clip will come out easily. I have done it many times. The strip on the outside comes off very easily too. Just pry up with a flathead screwdriver on the rear of the strip and it will pop right up.

 

wetsanded and clearcoated undercoating, thats a new one for me!

 

Yeah, I didn't know you could sand that stuff either.

I'm calling shenanigans till I see pics.

 

I picture clogged sandpaper and undercoating ripping off trying to sand it, but maybe I learned something today?

 

Yes, you did.

"Don't believe everything you read on the internets."

 

My mistake... I got some dupont rust stopper black spray ****... supposed to be sandable so I think it'll turn out alright if done. I have bigger problems now, and have to fix the coolant system.

 

Just replace those pieces. It is likely that all the plastic clips will break when you remove it. The new ones at the dealer are plastic so they won't rust up like the old ones.

 

spray paint will also not fill in the corrosion of the metal, you will end up with a shinier version of what you have.