getting door panel off while the door is shut?

01 reg cab, manual locks. Door is locked shut. Key moves the button up and down but doesn't physically unlock the door. Inside latch does nothing. Scooting the seat up, I can get my hand under the corner of the panel but the bar does nothing. I think the mechanism I need to get too is behind metal and the whole panel needs to come off. Problem is, the door is shut.
Is it possible to get the panel off with the door shut? Any advice on how to do this? Is there a ghettofab widget I can make to open the door?
Thanks for anything ya got

 

IMO just get a slim jim and unlock the door from the outside, then address/fix the problem

 

Slim Jim it. Or remove the seat and you'll be able to pop off the panel. No way you'll get it off with the seat in the way. Not without breaking something.

 

I can't imagine removing the seat would be easy either..

slim jim ftw

 

You should be able to.

Remove the screw from the inner door handle. Remove the two screws from the armrest. (If you have power windows, then pop the switch panel trim off and unclip the wire harnesses from the switches).

Then it's about 10 clips around the outer perimeter of the door panel. Once those are popped out, lift up and out. You have to lift up in order to get that upper cushion trim piece off the metal door skin.

 

I wouldn't think the seat would be as much a hindrance as the dash

 

Oooo true. Getting that last pop off will suck.