Saw this thread & had to throw in my 2 cents worth as I am doing 2 pods of my own on the 300D...If you pull the glove box liner and passenger knee bolster ....you can remove the center vent rubber duct to the nozzles and then the nozzels....this will let you see the vac pod and let you decide how you want to get at it ....I find the little grey/black parkerized spring steel clips almost impossible to get loose without breaking the plastic stud prongs on the pods...Then you have more trouble.....A small dremel tool with a emery wheel disk will slice the clips once you can get the tool in there...then work them off with a screwdriver.....use lots of light and mirrors to see behind the hard plastic duct the actuator rod passes through....usually gets done with a lot of flavorful part re-naming.....
It shall become the (Pod of many names).....

__________________
1978 Yellow 300D (The Mustard Toad)
1980 Blue 240D (The Iron Toad)
1989 Grey Mitsu.4WD Mighty Max Pickup (Needs a Diesel transplant bad)

(Open the pod bay doors HAL)