Minor questions about interior / electrics

[logicalChimp]

My car sits in the following open carpark:


As such, I can\'t do much on the car mechanically.  So, I\'m looking to improve / fix various interior and electrical issues instead...

But before i start, I need to clarify a few points.

1)  How well do the drivers-side door cards fit normally?  Mine seems to be fairly firmly attached, but theres a gap big enough to drop a screw-driver down between the card and the metal door - is this normal?

(looking down from above)


2) the covers over the rear lights - again they don\'t seem to fit flush against the metal.  I\'ve just lifted mine, and found a small mountain of dirt / twigs / leaves / spiders webs etc under the passenger side one - is this normal?

(note: screw remove and plate lifted *slightly* to show remaining dirt after quick finger-clean)

3) What are these little panels marked \'Open\' for?  Ive opened them, but there doesn\'t seem to be anything there?


4) After removing the rear cladding from the boot (to look at the center brake light), I saw this funny looking rubber half-loop / hook shaped thing - whats it for?  (on the left, when looking into the boot from the drivers seat)


5) Wiring near/under the rear screen washer bottle - the white clip i\'m guessing is an earth point.  Is this cabling in normal/reasonable condition
 for a \'92 FD?


6) How do i remove the rear light cluster?  I\'ve removed the screws for the top cover, and I can\'t see any other reachable screws, but the light cluster seems to still be firmly fitted in place?


Sorry for what are probably noddy questions - but i gotta start somewhere :o

[Nik da Greek]

Rear light clusters should now slide out sideways away from the centre of the car. I\'d advise spraying some WD40 behind them and leave it a while, they are now basically held on pegs stuck in the bodywork on little clips moulded into the back of the lights, and these are very easy to break or bend, especially if it\'s all clagged up cos they haven\'t been taken off for ages.

The little rubber half-hook thing is a vent to allow moisture out of the light unit, there\'s one on the rear lights too, and the front sides. Bends in half so water can get out, but not in.

Little cover marked "Open" is to give you something to play with and investigate after you\'ve pushed it to the side of the road to wait for the RAC.

I got vertigo looking at the photo for point 1) trying to work out what the hell I was looking at! You certainly use inventive camera angles!

[logicalChimp]

Cheers Nik

Looks like i\'ll need to spray the lubricant around - judging by the spider webs etc down there, those lights haven\'t been moved in years...

Still - at least now I know how to get them out, so I can start cleaning things up

[RedRummy]

Yeah, the lights come out sideways with a bit of persuasion... what your knuckes...

The drivers door panel shouldn\'t be like that, no, it should be flush against the door..

take it off and refit it - you might find you have oversize door speakers or something..

You  might want to by a bag of car interior panel clips to replace all those knackered ones..!  they\'re simple little springy plastic butterfly things.

[S3TH]

I kept thinking wtf is up with his rear quarter panel... mine doesn\'t look like that- till I realised it probably has something to do with your spoiler!

The lights are quite hard to take out if they\'ve been there for a while... take the middle brake light out so u can push outwards on it properly as opposed to just grip...