take doing
To be particularly difficult or require a large amount of effort or planning. Well, it took doing, but I finally got the engine up and running again. I reckon we can get it finished by tomorrow, but it'll take doing.
take doing
Require considerable effort, as in It'll take doing to get the whole house painted in a week. This expression sometimes is put as take some doing, as in You want the President to come? That'll take some doing! [First half of 1900s]