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

In my travels I’ve seen many more doors that at one time didn’t rate a second glance from me now can appear more than desireable due to their lowered stance,wheel choice and attention to detail. Early to mid 60’s GM hardtop models can fill the bill for a pretty nice cruiser IMO but not so much sedans and the flat top GM offerings with the wrap around rear window.
For me 4 doors are like wallpaper , I don’t know what I like until I see it.

 

Yes, My attitude has definitely changed about "more doors" When we were in high school, we laughed
at 4 door cars that were hot rodded. One of our sayings when we saw something humorous was " That is as funny as rims on a 4 door" Nowadays I love the Hamb friendly ones like my 56 Pontiac in my avatar picture.

God Bless
Bill

 

I'll give you a word of advice from personal experience. DO NOT buy a late 40's early 50's dodge sedan, they may be cheap- theres a reason for it. No one wants them, and once you have one you cant seem to get rid of it for over 5k. I have a 1950 dodge cooronet 4 dr and I can't seem to sell it for anything over 5k or trade it, and its all original, runs and drives, and had had a late resto. Don't get me wrong I love old cars, and i love my old dodge cause its incredibly fun to drive (as a mostly oem vehicle) but its worth more in sentimental value than green paper.

 

love my 59 poncho star chief... even a hard top... had an older gentleman told me he had one just like it said he could fit 7 girls in there and 13 cases of beer in the trunk

 

My father had a 4 door Merc as a daily driver and said he would give it to me when he bought a pickup. He came home one day being towed by a friend. Seems he had pulled out in front of Buick. The right side was bashed in and the frame was bent. Merc went to the salvage yard and Pop came home with a '41 Chevy pickup. I didn't get that one either.

 

Not for me. 4 doors are fugly as hell IMO. If course suicide doors should be exempt for a four door discussion. They are as cool and sometimes colder ("colder"? Really?) than a two door.
I had a 64 dodge dart 4 door I kept around for ten years thinking I'd make something out of it. I got tired of looking at that ugly thing and sent it down the road. Now a 64 two door dart isn't the prettiest girl at the dance but she has potential whereas the 4 door doesn't in any part of the country.

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Not one bit I still consider 4doors to be parts cars. They ate very hard to sell. Ive been trying to sell a 56 chevy 4 door a couple of years. And for the last month been trying to sell a 65 that has a title for less than scrap price $250. and no buyers. If I was needing the money I would haul off to the scrap man. It would bring $300.

 

Love 'em! Granted, some 4 doors are flat out ugly, the body design doesn't lend itself to stuffing 2 more doors, but most of them look just fine. They have always been my choice, from my first car- a 4 door '64 Chevelle, to the '56 4 door hardtop I cruised in Denver in the 80's, to the '51 Ford I have now. I like the fact that I can buy and build them without breaking the bank and the folks seem to like them at the car shows and grocery store parking lots- heck I get more folks walking up and sharing their car stories in the rusty flat black Ford than I do in my shiney restored '66 Mustang.
Of course my fondness for 4 doors might have something to do with the fact that my high school sweetheart ran around in a jacked up late 60's white 4 door Coronet and we spent a lot of 'quality' time in that car.

 

I could sell that car here in the Bay Area the day I listed it on Craigs list for $1,000.00.

 

Back in 1973 or so, 4-door cars went for less than 1/2 what a 2-door went for. I picked them up as parts cars, fixed and sold a slew of them too. I had a '64 Olds 88, the '66 Caprice, '65 Belair, '69 Fairlane, '64 Caddy and more.

 

Great for taxi cabs. I do like 32-34s, and tubs.

 

The car in my Avatar has been in the family since new, and I have many memories in it and I love it but that being said I would have never bought a 4 Dr.

 

Yes, helps people get into a old HAMB friendly car potentially without going broke.

 

Yes...the attitude has changed. A little.
But I'll avoid them if I can.
I see a good use for them though...aside from building a 4 door. And it's been done. Lots of hot rodders like the '33, '34 coupes...Ford...Dodge...Plymouth, etc. Many of us can't afford one. Pickups feel kind of like a coupe, but there's less leg-room and the lines of the body just aren't as stylized as the cars are. Well...except maybe the Mopars. BUT! ... 4 doors can be inexpensive. I've seen guys shorten a 4 door body to build a pretty darn good lookin' pickup truck...that has the '33, '34 lines, the cozy, 2-seater, enclosed feeling of a coupe and plenty of leg-room. I might give it a try. Looking at a '34 Plymouth 4 door body for $1,200.

 

Some of the off-topic cars have softened my view of 4D: Impala SS, Marauders, and even more off topic : some imports promote hot 4 doors (WRX, VW, BMW). In high school I didn't give 4 doors a 2nd look, but now I can see the appeal. Plus, some 4 doors can be converted to a 2 door, 55-56-57 Chevys, early Novas, 64 tempests...I'd rather see a 50's 4 door show up at the next cruise in than a new car. Then there's the cheaper to acquire-better condition argument. Let's face it: there aren't 200 2 door cars from the 50's on CL these days.

 

Another thought. I like seeing stock vintage automobiles alongside the hot rods... including the four doors, of course. It makes it feel like the reality of old... when hot rods and stockers we're on the streets together. It brings home the idea that as it is today, some modern cars might actually be faster than some traditional hot rods, but within the context of yesteryear, hot rods were really something when compared to the factory built cars of the day.

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Still can’t stand 4 doors. A local shop had a “Ranchero” that started off as a 4 door 49-51 Mercury. Walked away from it, and they only wanted $750. Too much work to finish it up.

Been offered a 48/49 Plymouth sedan several times. No engine, no hood, totally rotten interior. Have a perfect donor for all but the hood, to make a Ute out of it. Wrecked 92 long bed Ranger. Still not interested.

Was offered a really nice burgundy 36 bustle butt Ford. Not happening either.

Parts cars or demolition derby is all 4 doors rate in my book.

 

Grotesque. That'll cure anyone from wanting to build a 4 dr anything.

 

Thats my slugger and its pretty sluggish, but nothing a hemi cant fix



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No, still to many doors

 

I call dibs.


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Nope, didn't like them then, still don't now...

 

Nope I’d be the asshole that makes a coupe out of a 4 door 32

 

They make awesome cruisers that the whole family can enjoy..my latest finished project, 1941 Cadillac model 63
.

 

Attitude hasn't changed..they still aren't for me.
I rarely buy a HAMB friendly type of car that isn't a project, therefore if I'm going to put in the time, money and effort to build it, it has to be something I like, which are 2 doors and pickups.

 

I've changed my mind on so many things, its why I would never get a tattoo and always write notes in pencil.

 

In high school I dated a girl with a huge nose and a beat up four door Nova. She had the seat all the way forward and when she turned to look out the window her nose barely cleared the vent window. Didn't last. The nose I could live with but ugh, that Nova.

 

2 door hardtops
2 door sedans
2 door wagons
In that order. 4 doors are good transportation, especially if they have parts my 2 door might soon need. No disrespect intended for 4 door owners, and I have seen some nice ones out there, just not in my driveway. Some Cads, Lincolns, and Imperials excepted, in original form.

 

Pre war mostly, especially the big cars like Caddy’s, Packards, Buick’s, Lincoln’s, gangster cars. After the war, 4 door hardtops are cool. Other 4doors are just parts cars.
I do like my wife’s Expy 4door though, especially with the grandson. And my F150 has suicide doors on it, but they suck when you need to put stuff in the back seat and you’re parked next to another vehicle.

 

I may or may not have a soft spot for 4 doors. We have not built a 2 door car in 3 years. My generation also grew up with everything being 4 doors so never really had a bad stigma. I rock 4 doors because I drive my cars daily as my only form of transportation drive my 55 in summer and 74 burb in the winter. Have a 4 and 6 year old so need easy access and car seats. I prefer 4 doors in most cars, and love wagons.

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