Marc...Richard Smith says that in the earlier vanagons, the speakers are attached from behind the panel....ugh.  My '89 are attached from the front (unless these are aftermarket speakers...but they have the vw/Audi sticker still attached so maybe they are original.
GoWesty has a video of removing the panels...remove the window knob, and the door latch, etc then pop it off.  I have a set of nylon tools meant for this sort of thing...available at most FLAPS.

Patrick Spragge

> On Jul 13, 2016, at 10:39 AM, Marc Perdue <mcperdue@gmail.com> wrote:
> 
> How do you take out the original speakers without removing the panel?
> The original speakers have a piece that screws on from the back to
> snug them up on the panel . . .
> Marc Perdue
> 
>> On Wed, Jul 13, 2016 at 11:25 AM, Patrick Spragge <spraggepat@gmail.com> wrote:
>> Gordon,
>> 
>> I replaced my front speakers this past weekend with the Pioneer speakers from GoWesty.  You don't need to remove the door panels. The new speakers fit into the existing cutouts though I did need to make a small notch where the existing screw holes are located so that I could move the clips outward about 1/8", increasing the diameter of the circle/centerline containing the mounting holes. The existing wires have different size connectors which match the spade connectors on the speakers.
>> 
>> 
>> Patrick Spragge
>> 
>>> On Jul 12, 2016, at 11:03 PM, Gordon Mah <gordonmahung@GMAIL.COM> wrote:
>>> 
>>> I need to replace speakers installed in front doors and the Vanagon radio.  Before I mess things up, are there any tips on what to expect when removing inside door panels?  They appear to be made of cardboard and has warped a little with time.  Any special tool I may need?
>>> 
>>> Also will any after-market CD/radio (1 DIN) plug in without my needing a wiring diagram?  I don't have the Vanagon manual yet.
>>> 
>>> Lastly, any trick to getting at the rear speakers, in case I need to replace the wires back there?
>>> 
>>> Thanks!
>>> -g