trying to remove door panel on 1968 cougar
Start with removing the arm rest, then the door and window crank handles and lock knob at the top, if equipped the mirror adjuster bezel. Then using a wide (3”) puddy knife or the like start at a corner sliding the puddy knife under the panel and slide it along until you find the clip nearest the corner, pry up gently. Slide the puddy knife past that clip to the next one and repeat. Working up the side then along the bottom and up the other side then holding the bottom edge out from the door lift it up and off the door.
By any chance are you trying to remove it because you can’t get the door to unlock or open?
There’s a nice walk through at the beginning of this video from WCCC https://youtu.be/J9uBLsG8p00?si=aSkJMXIxjXlWfqGZ
If the car is an XR7 then you also need to remove the door pull strap before the door panel will come off. If the car is equipped with the door mounted courtesy light once the panel is loose from the door shell you will need to reach in behind the panel to unplug the courtesy light.
There is an actual door panel clip removal tool. It is not an expensive tool and you should be able to easily find one. One style of the tool is a basically flat piece of metal with a forked end so that each side of the fork slides around the door panel clip. Once around the clip you just pop the tool up to release the clip. Another style of tool has a spring loaded handle and a 2 piece forked end. To use this one you again slide the forked end around the door panel clip and when you squeeze the handle the lower part of the forked end pushes against the door shell and the upper forked end pulls the door panel clip out of the shell. Both styles work well.
Randy Goodling
CCOA #95
Dont forget about the arm rest hole plugs! They are very difficult to remove.