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:

    Ignition timing - adjustment for use with unleaded petrol
    Note: Refer to the Specifications Section at the beginning of this Chapter for ignition timing values for use with unleaded petrol. 1 To run an engine on unleaded petrol, certain criteria must be ...

    Door - removal and refitting
    Front door 1 On models with electric mirrors, electric windows, central-locking, door-mounted speakers, or “door ajar” sensors, remove the trim panel and disconnect the wiring inside the door. Wi ...

    Front tie-bar - removal and refitting
    Pre-May 1983 1.1 litre models Removal 1 Jack up the front of the car and support it on stands (see “Jacking and Vehicle Support”). 2 Unscrew and remove the nut which holds the tie-bar to the larg ...