Very helpful post. I don't wanna hijack this thread but quick question...is this process the same for a 66 Dart? Both of my door locks have issues and need repair. Thx! ~Jimmy
many older cars - pre-1960 - used philips screws to hold the door panels on to the doors along with the screws through the arm rests and chrome trim. sometime in the mid-1960's, manufacturers started using "plastic clips or buttons" to hold the door panels on. that is the way almost all vehicle trim is attached today. as to door locks, again, some pre-1960 vehicles used a threaded "collar nut" screwed onto the door lock mechanism (much like the collar nut that holds a kitchen or bathroom faucet on to the sink). your 1966 Dart "should" use the plastic buttons to hold the door panel on. the window crank and door handle should have an allen screw in the middle of the face of the handle. if you don't see one, take a flat screw driver and put it between the handle and door pannel and pry the door panel open enouch to see if there is a spring "C-clip" or C wire clip holding the handle on. the handle will be held on by one or the other. the arm rest is held on by large philips screws. the small chrome trim strip on the door should be attached to the door panel itself with pressed metal "tabs" into the cardboard door panel. however, look at the ends of this strip to see if there is a small flat head philips screw, there might be, remove any screws you see ANYWHERE on the door panel. once you've removed everything you can see, start at the bottom of the door and pry the panel off of the steel door. as you move around the door panel, you will be able to see if you run into a screw you've missed.
the door lock on your dart should be held on with a thin spring metal C-clip...