E36 rear door conundrum (1996 323i)

[gafoleyo73 0]

Hi there,

1996, E36, 323i 

In a nutshell: I need to get the rear door off to fix the mechanism but can't open it to do what I need to to get it off - if you know what I mean.

This is the rear, driver side door. 

I can see the internal handle is attached and moving the mechanisms; the external handles is visibly detached internally (see image - A ) 

The lock on this door has been dicky for a while and so central locking hasn't worked on it - B in image. The mechanism (wire) is still attached to the unit though. When I physically  try to unlock it by lifting the knob it resists and pulls back down - without any satisfying clicks. I have done fuse resets etc But now just need to get the thing off to look at it properly.

I have poked and prodded and tried to manipulate the mechanisms through the door with the card off from the inside but as you can image this has been frustrating, cramped and  fruitless.

Does anyone have advice on how to open/remove the door - or at lest trigger the actuator to unlock it or similar?

It is almost at the sledgehammer/angle grinder stage!

Cheers, Gareth