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on my 1986 244GL. Had power windows, which might make a difference.
The PO told me that the door would not open after a "locksmith" attempted to get into the car with a slim jim. I found out what he had done after I got the door open and the trim panel off.
Also in my favour is that I have another 244 with power windows from which I COULD remove the trim panel of tje same door. I believe any 244 will work, regardless of year. You do need to get into the same door - LR in your case.
Remove the trim panel and roll down the window. Get a long straight wire, like a straightened coat hanger. You will be doing a lot of forming of that wire, so get out the pliers, 2 pair, Vise-Grips are a great help, and work gloves.
The intent is to 1)locate the pin that, when pulled upward, will open the door, and 2) form the wire so that you can reach down inside the locked door and pull that pin. Took me a number of hours, both with forming the wire, and then with getting the wire to work on the locker door.
The pin is short, maybe 1/2 inch long and 1/8 inch diameter. It is parallel to the door, perpendicular to the rear edge of the door and attached to the lock mechanism - the stuff you see on the outside of the rear door edge. It is behind some vertical things, and is hard to spot.
Put a 3/4 inch rounded hook in the wire and see if you can get the "pull" to work open the trial door, going in from whatever difection and angle you can - just learn to spot the pin and to get the door to open.
Next, work on forming the wire so that you can pull the pin up by feeding the wire down in through the window glass slot.
Last is to try to find that pin and pull it locked door, using the same movements as you did on the practice door. Do it after dark, as you will need a flashlight to see down inside the door through the window glass slot, and sunlight is a hindrance. You will also need to modify the wire form as you go.
That last step took me a long time. The door was not opened for many years before I got the car and the mechanism was gummed up. It took a hard pull.
What I found inside was that the slim jim had bent the long horizontal rod between the lock knob and the lock mechanism. When the knob is pulled up to unlock the door, that rod moves frontward. Since it was bent, it could never move far enough. Every time I open that door now, I get that "I did it" feel-good buzz.
Good Luck, even if my procedure sounds worse that chopping out a hole in the trim panel and replacing it later.
Bob
:>)
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