History Has your attitude concerning 4 doors changed over the years?

Another one, for Veteran's Day

 

Your car is really nice!

Thank you for the post, I appreciate the veterans day picture. I got some happy veterans day calls from some friends of mine and their kids. Really made my day!

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One of the coolest old rides Ive seen like this especially without major modifications

 

My wife and I are both 74 and the only 4 doors we have ever had were/are crew cab pickups. Our runaround cars are both Honda Civics and are both coupes. She has never had or ever wanted a 4 door or even a wagon.

 

Even when I wasn't an old fart, I loved the Model 40 moredoors and not because of Bonnie And Clyde. That particular design by Edsel has captured my heart since I first laid eyes on one. I am a Deuce highboy owner/driver/freak, but NOTHING is more beautiful or pristine than the fender/hood/grille design of the '33-'34 Ford. Deuce moredoors are coming out of the woodwork and that is great.

 

Nope

 

The pic of the horse is the wrong end. LOL

 

I was trying to find a donkey...

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I think a lot of folks end up with a 4 door because the 2 doors have become pretty high priced. Over the years I've seen some pretty nice 4 doors done. Some because they're more economical and some because the family needs a vehicle everyone can pile into and a 4 door just makes more sense. The right 4 door can be the right choice for some.

Me, I'm a Tudor kind of guy and I think it's likely going to stay that way, although my OT daily driver is a 4 door and it's nice that it's easy for the folks that I get to chauffeur around, to get in and out.

 

It's getting to the point, at least in my area, that all the decent build-able 2 doors are gone (or at least really hard to find unless you are lucky enough to be there when the barn is opened up) while there are lots of old 4-doors laying around. I keep an eye out whenever I'm out driving around for old cars and all I see anymore are more-doors- and I see more old Dodges than anything else for some reason.

 

Now that I'm raising two grandchildren a four door once again makes a lot of sense. The way prices were going for coupes, roadsters etc it was only a matter of time before four doors became serious rodding fodder.

 

Ive been guilty of thinking that moredoors are family cars and not as cool as a 2 door.
But as ive gotten older and wiser i love a good mordoor. Any car has the possibility of being awesome.
This car is a personal favorite.

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4dr sedans as the new flat black?

In my sandbox the cars with the most elegance were the sedans. Fancy woods, luxurious upholstery materials, vanity items and more. The farther up the scrotum pole to more oppulant they become, and a brief study of the MSRP from back then also bears this out. As we get silvered, bald and even somewhat broken the idea of that elegance should be appealing, no? Some that early stuff has rear seating that looks like Aunt Millie's "forbidden sofa" in the nobody-uses-it living room. We all had someone like that, no? Does this mean I like sedans? Sure. Auction prices are rising on the ones I mentioned, also rising ever so slightly in the more mass produced cars. Might be the next "thing"...?

 

Hello,

Wow, that sound like every teenager that started in hot rodding back in those old and super old days. Wasn't a family sedan was purchased for the typical mom/dad/2 kids scenario? Those 4 door sedans were our first driver's test vehicles and cruising cars. But, a 2 door coupe or sedan was the first thing in looking for our own teenage cars.

There was a stigma attached to a 4 door car cruising through the drive-in parking lot... "Did mommy let you have the sedan for the night?" Actually, that was true. But, who cared when a 4 door car load of teenage girls was in the front row having tons of fun ! (recalling a typical drive-in back row in 1960: a red 40 Ford Sedan, a purple 46 Ford Coupe, a white 57 Bel Air, a b/w 55 Chevy 210, 56 Chevy silver 210, a 53 light green Bel Air, 58 black Impala, and sometimes, a racer orange Ford Sedan Delivery. All 2 door coupes and sedans) But, that front row was 4 door heaven with family 4 door cars and teenagers.

Most customs and hot rods only had two doors at the car shows and in the magazines. It was a rare sighting in Long Beach to see a 4 door sedan or wagon cruising around the local scene, but they were there because of being the only form of transportation available in the family. 4 door cars/station wagons were for mommies and family adventures. It was a mainstay back then and still is currently, with what seem like “Mack Truck” size, big SUVs driven by the blond in fancy clothes.

A perfect example of a 4 door family wagon for families. Circa 1958-59.

In our family, it started out with a 41 Buick two door fast back sedan. But, the brothers were 2 and 4 years old, with plenty of room inside the sloped roof sedan. As we grew, the accessibility to the rear seating area was beginning to be a hassle for my dad and mom. So, my dad jumped at the chance to get a new 1949 Buick Roadmaster 4 door sedan.

In looking at old photos of a 49 Buick Roadmaster, he went a little overboard in getting a larger family car. It was huge, both on the outside and inside. We had so much room to play around and sneak into that large/wide package tray for a view of the retreating world.

This scenario was played out for the next 4 door Buick in 1952. Finally, as a means of staying up with my brother’s 2 door sedans, he bought a 2 door 1957 2 door Buick Roadmaster. That had to compete with my brother's 51 Olds 2 door sedan.

We sat in the back for another year and that was the end of our “family road trips.” We were just too large to be comfortable in the back, for extended road trips or family gatherings. After that last road trip (in the 2 door Roadmaster) in late 57, my brother and I always went to family gatherings in his 2 door 51 Olds and then cruising in style, a new 1958 Impala.

Jnaki

As a teenage hot rod guy, it was always a 2 door coupe, sedan or sedan delivery. Then it stayed that way throughout our early twenty something years. The 2 door stage finally arrived at its ending realm. A 4 door all wheel drive station wagon was a necessity because of our new, little kid and his tons of playthings/kid stuff in traveling. (from 2005 to now, a grand daughter with all of her necessary paraphernalia necessitated a 4 door wagon.) So, yes, the attitude has changed about 4 doors. But, back in my mind, a two door anything is the coolest in my mind.

As a future project after our dragstrip accident, a Willys pickup was probably not going to fit one/two big teenage boys if we had chosen it as our next build. Maybe a 4 door sedan like Junior Thompson’s 4 door Studebaker with a big motor… or the Weddle/Nichols 4 door Willys.

JUNIOR THOMPSON 4 door STUDEBAKER WITH SOUND
1958-59

Weddle/Nichols 4 door Willys sedan
1959

Actually, this UNKNOWN 4 door Willys (below) may do the trick… 4 doors, powerful motor, cool cruising looks, etc.

1959

 

I have three cars, the O/T GTO in my avatar and a 50 Pontiac Silver Streak fastback. Both are two doors. The third one I bought very cheap and thought about parting it out( and may still do that) But, if I live long enough I may put it on the road.
Besides, what better car to do the "Banned from the HAMB" LS swap on!

 

4 door tri five with asking price more than 20K in the classifieds right now.

 

I used to work for a Hells Angel that had no issues telling me 4 doors were only rolling scrap. Being an impressionable young man I bought in. Now I see the value in them watching my 4 year old girl hop in and out of the back doors and the smile on her face says it all.

 

Typically I have not been a 4 door fan. My exception to the rule is the 39 4 door sedan convertible. and possibly the 40 Ford 4 door sedan. I look forward to turning this pile parts into a fun cruiser that will actually allow me to take more than one person with me for a ride.

 

Love 50 & 51 4 door Mercs. Wanted one at 15; 75 now & still want one.

 

Ugly then, ugly now.

But we still cruised in it this evening.

 

At least you waited until dark.

Actually I admire you. If your going to go four door, might as well go all the way.

 

"Improvise, Adapt, Overcome"

 

My attitude has not changed in almost forty years of buying cars-
I like the look of a 2 door but the price of a 4 door.

 

That car is SO ugly! BUT it is VERY cool at the same time. There are too many distracting features and they make the eye completely ignore the number of doors. These cars look like four people were given the task of designing separate parts of the body.
I'd drive it every day AND on the brightest days. Very nice.

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When i was young 2 doors were where its at. Hot rods were 2 seaters.

Having a couple kids now. Rear doors are great.

Now i will jump on whatever i can afford.

My last cruiser

 

I was actually looking for a 1949 4 door when I bought this one. I looked at a couple stockers then I saw this with the hood up at a swap meet with a V8. pretty crazy that this was exactly what I had invisioned in my brain, faded green and everything. I wanted all the bumper guards and visor, the $500.00 steering wheel and the V8 was a bonus.

I had one dickweed ask me in a shitty tone "why did you buy a 4 door? then another numb-nut I have know since high school warn me not to put to much money in it as if I was some newbie to the car world and had never owned an old car before. I did put about 3 grand in it and got all my money back when I sold it. they have gone up another 5 grand since I sold it.

 

...or?....or maybe I should leave this to the pros...