General description

The body is of welded steel construction available in 3 or 5-door Hatchback, 3 or 5- door Estate, soft-top Cabriolet, or Van configurations.

The body is of monocoque construction and is of energy-absorbing design.

Rust and corrosion protection is applied to all new vehicles and includes zinc phosphate dipping and wax injection of box sections and door interiors.

All body panels are welded, including the front wings, so it is recommended that major body damage repairs are left to your dealer.

    See also:

    Pressure regulating valve (Saloon and Estate models) - removal and refitting
    1 The brake pressure regulating valve is located within the engine compartment, just above the aperture in the wing inner panel through which the steering tie-rod passes. On pre-1986 models the va ...

    Engine/automatic transmission assembly - removal and separation
    Note: Refer to the warning at the beginning of Section 5 before proceeding. A suitable hoist and lifting tackle will be required for this operation. Any suspected faults in the automatic transmiss ...

    Engine/manual gearbox assembly - reconnection and refitting
    1.8 litre (R2A type) 1 Reverse the procedure described in Section 10, noting the following points. 2 Before attempting to reconnect the engine to the gearbox, check that the clutch friction disc ...