Lubricating door lock mechanism without removing door card?

[1969Mk3Spitfire]

I can't lock my drivers door.  The barrel, held in place by a spring collar, starts to rotate before the lock moves.  I haven't looked at it yet but I'm hoping that it's a lack of mechanism lubrication issue.

Is it possible to lubricate the mechanism without removing the door card?

Alternatively, any tips to remove the door card to avoid the job ending in tears due to damaging the card and/or breaking the clips?

[NonMember]

Are you saying that the inner barrel just doesn't rotate in the outer? Or that the barrel rotates to its limit without operating?

If the former then it's likely just the barrel that needs freeing up, and the easiest way to lubricate that is spray grease into the key slot, then "massage" it by repeatedly inserting and removing the key, wiggling it up and down, and trying to rotate it very slightly until it frees up.

If the latter then it doesn't sound like a lubrication issue. More likely the linkage has dropped off. You'll need the door card off to fix it.

The WSM suggests a special tool for pulling the door card clips. It's a slim fork that slides in behind the card and allows you to lever nearer the clip. Breaking a clip or two isn't a disaster as replacements are cheap. What you want to avoid is ripping bits of the hardboard out. Be gentle and don't force it.

[1969Mk3Spitfire]

Thanks for the response.  I've just been to check as it's been a while since I tried to lock the door so I wrote the OP based upon memory.

The passenger door lock works fine.  Enter the key at 12 o'clock position and turn it anticlockwise to 9 o'clock and it locks.  Re-insert key, turn it clockwise to 3 o'clock and it unlocks. The barrel mechanism is tight and secure against the door panel.

The drivers door does not work. Insert the key and turn it to 3 o'clock.  It turns freely, possibly as though the mechanism has dropped off.  The lock doesn't work.  Turn the key to about 10 o'clock, as if to unlock it, it will rotate no further and the barrel starts to pull away from the door panel.

Looks like door card needs to come off.  I've just ordered a set of removal tools from Screwfix.  I last removed a door card on a Ford 105E in the mid 1970s and that didn't end well 😢 

[Pete Lewis]

a wide bladed screwdriver is all i use , just nudge it close to the clip and quitely lever the card away from the door one at a time 

you will need to push the  window winder  escutcheon  in to release its retaining pin 

dont do this on grass or you loose the pin for ever .

Pete

[Chris A]

Yes, the pins are more of a problem than the clips. I put a piece of carpet on the floor just in case.

[daverclasper]

For the door cards, I just use an old, wide kitchen (eating knife)with the tip cut off and V cut out.