VW BEETLE DOOR HANDLE FIXING
Q I have a 1964 VW Beetle which I am intending to renovate over the next few years, but appear to have stumbled at a very early stage. I was planning to first strip out the interior with a view to then proceeding further, the plan being to store the interior until towards the end of the project, when I would then deal with it as required before refitting.
The stumbling block I have come across is that I am having difficulty removing the inner door handles. The details I have make reference to a U-type spring clip securing these handles, but I am unable to find anything like this, and consequentÂially cannot remove the handles.
A The spring clip type I believe you are referring to was used on the window winder handle. From the details I have on your Beetle, it should have the single lever inner door handle which is held in place by a small pin. By depressing the collar around the handle, you should be able to see a small hole on either side of the handle.
It is in this hole that the securing pin is fitted. It can be removed with a small pin punch, and as it may not have been disturbed for many years this may initially take a light tap to dislodge it.
When refitting, you will need to ensure that the handle is replaced in the same position to allow the hole to line up correctly. You may find that using the handle from the opposite side of the vehicle causes problems due to the drilling not lining up, and so care should be taken if stripping the inside out completely to ensure the handles are not mixed up.