Photos compliments of G T Foster, New York, USA -- (Notes below).




When assembled the pin fits flush on both sides of the tube, and a small raised tab on the side of the tube engages the handle to provide torsion.

On 15 January 2007 at 18:14:04 UK time, Mike in northern California wrote:
"What is the trick to removing the spring from the outside door handle so I can seperate the two halves?"

On 15 January 2007 at 20:57:26 UK time, Gerry T Foster, New York, USA wrote:
"The long arm of the spring fits into a goove on the door handle body. This arm is swedged in place in this groove. You need to (carefully) pry it out of the groove. The pivot tube and spring can the be removed which allows the handle and body to be separated. The spring is held in place in the pivot tube by a small pin. Press this pin out to remove the spring."



At 12:24 PM 1/21/2007 -0800, Gerald Foster wrote the following notes:
The nomenclature used was arbitrarily chosen. The MGA service parts manual does not show the names of these parts. These instructions assume you have a fully dismantled door handle assembly.

1.   Insert the spring into the spring tube.
2.   Orient the spring in the spring tube so that the spring arm and the tube bump point the same direction.
3.   Insert the spring retaining pin into it’s hole in the spring tube.
4.   Make sure the spring retaining pin passes through the loop in the spring.
5.   Press the spring retaining pin home so that it is flush to both sides of the spring tube.
6.   Insert the arm (handle) into the body and align.
7.   With the spring arm groove facing you, align the arm and body to allow the spring tube to be inserted into the large hole in the body.
8.   Orient the spring tube so that the tube bump can pass through the tube bump slot in the body.
9.   Align the spring arm with the spring arm groove.
10.   Press the spring arm into the spring arm groove and swage if necessary.

Note1:  Disassembly is opposite of assembly.
Note2:  The adjusting screw and stop nut are not shown. These are clearly depicted in the MGA service parts manual, plate RE. These are adjusted as needed after the handle assembly is installed.
Note3:  When assembled, the tube bump resides in the tube bump groove. When the arm is pulled, torsion on the spring is created by the arm contacting the tube bump and resisted by the spring arm (retained in the spring arm slot).

Comment:
My experience is that the door handles work just fine even when the spring arm is broken, as sometimes happens. As far as I can determine the purpose of the spring is twofold:
1.   It helps hold the spring tube, which serves as the pivot between the arm and the body, in position.
2.   When the adjusting screw is set, the spring provides some pre-load to keep the arm from rattling.