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Technical Suicide doors on a Model A?

Discussion in 'Traditional Hot Rods' started by txoldrodder, Nov 5, 2016.

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  1. txoldrodder
    Joined: Aug 30, 2016
    Posts: 162

    txoldrodder

    Has anyone made suicide doors on a Ford Model Tudor Sedan using the stock hinges?
    Looking for how to pictures and information?
     
  2. tfeverfred
    Joined: Nov 11, 2006
    Posts: 15,791

    tfeverfred
    Member Emeritus

  3. Never2low
    Joined: Jan 14, 2008
    Posts: 1,160

    Never2low
    Member

    One of the guys from the Relix CC, of West Michigan, did it to his coupe last winter.
    He's a member here, thou I don't know what his screen name is.
    Thought I had a pic, or two, but can't seem to find any at the moment.
     
  4. wheeldog57
    Joined: Dec 6, 2013
    Posts: 3,182

    wheeldog57
    Member

    I saw someone turn a passenger door into a driver's door without much trouble so the swap side to side sounds about right

    Sent from my SM-G900V using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
     

  5. Why would you want to do this?

    Are you building a street rod? HRP
     
  6. They were a bad idea in the '30's...........
     
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  7. A Boner
    Joined: Dec 25, 2004
    Posts: 7,419

    A Boner
    Member

    While your at it, why don't you do hidden hinges and shave the door handles too!
     
    need louvers ? and Tman like this.
  8. dana barlow
    Joined: May 30, 2006
    Posts: 5,115

    dana barlow
    Member
    from Miami Fla.
    1. Y-blocks

    May as well make them gullwing !,Ok look ,to me as if that should even matter,if the car didn't come that way new,it looks like goldchainer crap,not cool,but hay thats just me maybe. I just see nothing better about doing it. The things I try to do are for speed an looks cool stuff. I do like hidden hinges and shaved door handles ,I'm weird that way!
     
  9. carsarme
    Joined: Aug 11, 2011
    Posts: 19

    carsarme
    Member

    image.jpeg My body guy ,a Wyo Tech instructor said it is easy and ask if I wanted it on my 31 roadster build
     
  10. carsarme
    Joined: Aug 11, 2011
    Posts: 19

    carsarme
    Member

    Oh any help on 2" chopped stanched for a 31 roadster ,note how high they are with the2"" chopped windscreen.
     
  11. 19Eddy30
    Joined: Mar 27, 2011
    Posts: 2,314

    19Eddy30
    Member
    from VA

    Add safty latch then all good!

    Maybe if it had 32 header , slite wedge top& rounded top of door ;)
     
    afaulk likes this.
  12. clem
    Joined: Dec 20, 2006
    Posts: 4,190

    clem
    Member

    Easier to get in and out of.
    Looks neat.
    Needs a safety catch.
     
    alanp561 likes this.
  13. I guess the first step would be to "flush fit" the rear door jam area, and sounds like swapping doors side to side would work.
     
  14. Hackerbilt
    Joined: Aug 13, 2001
    Posts: 6,254

    Hackerbilt
    Member

    A buddy of mine did it to his 29 sedan delivery.
    Swapped the doors side to side and braced the pillars.
    It's a pain in the ass getting in and out...plus the drivers door has popped open twice for different reasons and it took a bunch of work each time to realign the door and repair the damage to the door post/quarter from the hinges getting over-stressed.
    Both times they popped it was at a very low speed.
    I can only imagine the damage potential at highway speeds when the door becomes a huge parachute!

    My opinion is that its a lot cooler "sounding" than it is in actual looks, operation or use...especially on a car with regular size doors.
    3 window Deuces etc had huge doors for a reason!

    BTW...my T has suicide doors and even those little things are a pain in the ass.
    Fixing them over the winter.
     
  15. kasselyn29
    Joined: Dec 18, 2009
    Posts: 240

    kasselyn29
    Member

    Looks like a nice little roadster. Leave doors my two cents. Maybe that is a red ram hemi. Tell me its a four speed would be to good to be true.
     
  16. A old club member of mine who has since passed away did the suicide doors on his chopped 2 door sedan back in the 80's was NOT easy to enter or exit,when doing this to the doors the don't open wide enough.

    I will agree,if the OP goes ahead with the idea IT will definitely need safety latches.
     
  17. Looks like another tuner gimmick. I wouldn't do it to my car...
     
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  18. TR Waters
    Joined: Nov 18, 2006
    Posts: 1,439

    TR Waters
    Member
    from Vermont
    1. Early Hemi Tech

    It is "traditional". Look at a 33-34 Plymouth.
     
    afaulk likes this.
  19. 5window
    Joined: Jan 29, 2005
    Posts: 9,517

    5window
    Member

    The look is up to you-it's your car. But, I echo the sentiment that using stock hinges would be suicide. Getting into an A for the average adult male hotrodder body shape is interesting enough. Suicide doors would be fun-if you used Twister boards as interior door panels.
     
  20. belair
    Joined: Jul 10, 2006
    Posts: 9,013

    belair
    Member

    It's good, but is it art? Another "just because you can..." ideas.
     
    hotrodjack33 likes this.
  21. As did Ford in 33-34,whats your point?

    The 33-34 Plymouth's & Ford's were considerably more advanced in styling,the Model A's were still as aerodynamic as barns~ ans I mean no disrespect,I have owned several Model A's and still have a soft spot for them.

    Other than chopping them the zooty modifications that are generally accredited to the street rod builders,Easter egg paint jobs,billet aluminum,graphics,tweed interiors and in my opinion suicide doors on Model A's are not traditional. HRP
     
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  22. falcongeorge
    Joined: Aug 26, 2010
    Posts: 18,341

    falcongeorge
    Member
    from BC

    Yea, cause you know, ALL the REAL HAMBers know that's not "traditional":rolleyes: Yea, I know,I know, George, FUCK OFF with that history stuff!! We are too busy re-writing it, we dont need to know anything about it.
    [​IMG]
     
  23. Hombre
    Joined: Aug 22, 2008
    Posts: 1,075

    Hombre
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    Way to go Barlow, you just insulted about 98% of every one on the HAMB. Your quote " If the car didn't come with it new, it looks like goldchainer crap" Covers almost all of our cars. Every Model A with any V8, any Duece with a chop, any custom with a different set of tail lights and the list goes on and on. What in the hell do you think the purpose of a Hot Rod is? It is to change what they didn't come with "NEW" and make it your own.

    I guess the old adage applys here "If I have to explain it to you, you wouldn't understand anyway."
     
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  24. I'm not insulted, in fact I agree with Dana,I think you are reading in something in that Dana didn't say,his tongue & cheek analogy referring to designs that are not done to improve performance or enhance the look ~ thus the gull wing analogy.

    Remember the famous Bob McGee roadster that graced the cover of Hot Rod magazine in October of 1948? as I recall Bob's 1932 Ford had hidden hinges and no door handles. HRP
     
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  25. Atwater Mike
    Joined: May 31, 2002
    Posts: 11,625

    Atwater Mike
    Member

    I have to agree with Dana. Maybe his humor (tongue-in-cheek, as Danny pointed out) was inadvertently taken out of context.
    Heck, even R-- Rod Model A's have suicide doors! :D
     
    dana barlow and HOTRODPRIMER like this.
  26. 19Eddy30
    Joined: Mar 27, 2011
    Posts: 2,314

    19Eddy30
    Member
    from VA

    IMG_0756.PNG
    This is close to Gullwing
     
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  27. Hombre
    Joined: Aug 22, 2008
    Posts: 1,075

    Hombre
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    You certainly may be c0rrect that it was a tonque in cheek remark. It however didn't sound that way to me. It was just another case of a guy who thinks his judgment should be substituted for our own.

    I never ever have a problem with some guy having a different opinion, I may feel that it is full of shit but he is for sure entitled to what ever opinion he wants to have. When they no matter who they are bring a total disregard to others opinion then that is when I have a problem with that.
     
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  28. txoldrodder
    Joined: Aug 30, 2016
    Posts: 162

    txoldrodder

    THANKS, EVERYBODY!
    But the more I think about it the more i'm going to keep the door like they are!
     
    Last edited: Nov 6, 2016
    dana barlow likes this.
  29. tfeverfred
    Joined: Nov 11, 2006
    Posts: 15,791

    tfeverfred
    Member Emeritus

    Well, shit. The idea kinda grew on me after a bit more looking. Keep 'em. I know Elliot Ness is thinking, "We'll shoot his ass good with the doors like that."
     
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  30. 19Eddy30
    Joined: Mar 27, 2011
    Posts: 2,314

    19Eddy30
    Member
    from VA

    My opinion looks OK my taste of modify it a little bit more and it is easier to get in and out when the door swings wide ,, I have A and 32
    Build it the way you want, that's what makes it A HotRod,
    Not every build style was in the Magazine's , there were thousands and thousands of cars built that were never seen except by locals who lived in that town ,so who knows what was really done ,, The pioneers of our hobby thought outside the box!!! Different ideals then Ford ,Chevy ,Chrysler, Studebaker &so on ,

    """""Jalopy, HotRod ,Kustom , those Dam Kids !!"""""
     
    mad mikey likes this.
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