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:

    Load apportioning valve (P100 models) - adjustment
    Models before mid-April 1989 1 The vehicle must be unladen, at normal kerb weight (a full tank of petrol, but no driver or load). 2 With the vehicle standing on its roadwheels, remove the spring ...

    Tailgate lock (Hatchback and Estate models) - removal and refitting
    Removal 1 Open the tailgate and prise out the trim panel using a wide-bladed screwdriver (see illustration). 12.1 Tailgate trim panel fixings - Hatchback and Estate models 2 Remove the lock bar ...

    Rear brake backplate (drum brakes) - removal and refitting
    Caution: Refer to the precautions in Section 1. Saloon, Hatchback and Estate models 1 Remove the rear brake shoes. 2 Disconnect the handbrake cable from the backplate by extracting the U-clip. ...