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Art & Inspiration Trucks with Suicide Doors?

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by Barn Find, Jul 20, 2017.

  1. Barn Find
    Joined: Feb 2, 2013
    Posts: 2,312

    Barn Find
    Member
    from Missouri

    How many trucks have been built with suicide doors? I found this part of an old metal truck. I have no idea who manufactured this. I've seen a lot of old toys, but never one like this. The outline of the door struck me. I recalled that '33-'35 Dodge pickup had suicide doors with the rake along the front edge. Then, I could think of no other trucks with suicide doors. Can you? Post photos if you got 'em. Customs and utes can be included, but I'm really wondering if there were others made that way originally?

    [​IMG]
    '33-'35 Dodge
    [​IMG]
     
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  2. 302GMC
    Joined: Dec 15, 2005
    Posts: 7,874

    302GMC
    Member
    from Idaho

    There's a '30s Studebaker COE close to that style cab, but the nose is flat.
    Steel toys rarely were exact copies of any real truck unless they were very expensive.
     
  3. Barn Find
    Joined: Feb 2, 2013
    Posts: 2,312

    Barn Find
    Member
    from Missouri

  4. Phil1934
    Joined: Jun 24, 2001
    Posts: 2,716

    Phil1934
    Member


  5. Barn Find
    Joined: Feb 2, 2013
    Posts: 2,312

    Barn Find
    Member
    from Missouri

    Thanks. I hadn't thought of Hudson.
     
  6. IMG_20170723_123256.jpg My avatar was a 29 Hudson body cut down to a truck, so it has factory Piano hinges. They work very well.

    Hudson would demonstrate these doors at the dealerships, by sitting the car on its roof, and inviting customers to open the doors.
    The doors opened perfectly, even with the car upside down.
     
    Last edited: Jul 22, 2017
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  7. bct
    Joined: Apr 4, 2005
    Posts: 3,154

    bct
    Member

    Love them dodge trucks.
     
  8. raymay
    Joined: Mar 2, 2008
    Posts: 2,534

    raymay
    Member

    Always liked the suicide doors. Chevy only had them one year on the 35 car. When I built my Chopped 37 Chevy Sedan I added suicide doors and really liked them so, later I built my 37 Chevy Custom Kingcab Pickup Truck I once again added suicide doors.

    scan0003.jpg 23.jpg 24.jpg 1937363_511054581132_7501901_n.jpg
     
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  9. Barn Find
    Joined: Feb 2, 2013
    Posts: 2,312

    Barn Find
    Member
    from Missouri

    I found some more Studebaker photos that prove to me that the rakish front door edge does not necessarily mean it is a suicide door a sI had assumed.
    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]
     
  10. IH built a COE with one door swinging each way from the factory. (note the hinge locations) d300.jpg d3002.jpg
     
  11. There are people who will tell you that it is not traditional to make a suicide door car or truck out of one that didn't come that way but the older I get the more I appreciate them and that makes it one of those things that I don't care what anyone thinks. A suicide door car or truck is just easier to get in and out of.

    I would just about bet that it is not a new modification. They mush have known long before I was old that it makes the car easier to get in and out of. :D
     
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  12. Barn Find
    Joined: Feb 2, 2013
    Posts: 2,312

    Barn Find
    Member
    from Missouri

    That's wild. I would like to know why they did that.

    The Autocar is very cool.

    It looks like White had suicide doors on their earlier COEs
    [​IMG]
    But phased them out by the later 30s.

    [​IMG]
     
  13. southcross2631
    Joined: Jan 20, 2013
    Posts: 4,413

    southcross2631
    Member

    My old 34 Plymouth pick up had suicide doors.
     
  14. Mo rust
    Joined: Mar 11, 2012
    Posts: 828

    Mo rust
    Member

    Grapes of wrath truck had suicide doors but it was made from a Hudson sedan.

    grapesofwrath.jpg
     
  15. And here I thought I was the only one who thought that way!:D:cool:

    236.JPG
     
  16. The37Kid
    Joined: Apr 30, 2004
    Posts: 30,787

    The37Kid
    Member

    That's wild. I would like to know why they did that.


    Some cars in the 1920's had front doors with one hinged in the front and the other in the back. There was a latch that allowed the door to be held open an inch or two to allow air to flow through.I would think a big rig on a hot day would benefit from this setup before air-conditioning was available. Bob
     
  17. badvolvo
    Joined: Jul 25, 2011
    Posts: 471

    badvolvo
    Member

    I had no plans to covert our 36 chevy to suicide doors, although I always thought they were super cool. The late 36 had wood supports for the hinges. I replaced the wood with 2x2 steel, my hinges were badly rusted out. While looking for exposed hinges that would look right, I decided to go with the hidden hinges. They fit the front side better than the rear, so suicide doors were actually easier for me to install. I am really glad I did. That tiny little cab is hard to get in and out of anyway. I did put a pretty stout spring on the interior handles, your not going to open them accidental 36openside.jpg ly.
     
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  18. I am giving serious thought to suiciding the doors on my A. Two reasons, one is its easier to get in and out and the other is that if I end up caging it I can just slip my but over the door bar and aim at the seat. LOL
     
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  19. Bob, I'm going to have to call you out on this post! I've been around for a while and the IH is the only production vehicle that I've seen or heard of that had one door each way. I'd like to see proof (pictures) of your statement.
    I suspect the reason IH did it was due to ingress/egress past the steering wheel vs nothing in the way on the passenger side.
     
  20. Barn Find
    Joined: Feb 2, 2013
    Posts: 2,312

    Barn Find
    Member
    from Missouri

    With the exception of the oddball COEs, the common theme here seems to be that the only trucks originally to have suicide doors used sheetmetal carried over from cars.

    This is true for this example: Corbitt truck manufactured in Henderson, NC used sheetmetal borrowed from the 1934 Auburn. Literature says these trucks were manufactured for two years in the 11,00-13,000 GVW range (Crobitt's smallest truck). I can't image they sold very many of these. Not more than 1 or 2 exist today. It doesn't make much sense that a toy manufacturer would base their dies on such an oddball truck, but the coincidences are stacking up: 1) rake of the front door post; 2) three louvers on the side of the hood; and 3) the V-reveal across the hood, which was an Auburn trait from 1926 until production ceased in 1937.

    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]
     
  21. Got any photos of that? Plymouth didn't start making pickups until 1937. None ever had suicide doors. I am very curious as to what yours was built from.
     
  22. I think the toy manufacturer used obscure makes and models to get around design patents and copyrights, not all that different from today's rip off artists.
     
  23. Barn Find
    Joined: Feb 2, 2013
    Posts: 2,312

    Barn Find
    Member
    from Missouri

    '34 Plymouth would have been just like this '34 Dodge, which used the same door as Dodge and Plymouth Passenger cars.
    [​IMG]
    '36-'38 had a similar rake to the windshield and cowl area, but the door had been changed to be more conventional.
    [​IMG]
     
  24. Yes, the 1934 Plymouth car would have suicide doors, but there were no 1934 Plymouth trucks.
     

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