I want to make the rear doors on my Dodge suicide. I did a search but didn't really find the answer to my questions.....which is, is there going to be a lot of bracing required or does that depend on the car's structure? As long as you're using the stock door (I'm thinking since it's the rear door it shouldn't be all that heavy) will it need much modification? Is there a special hinge needed or would I be able to use the stock hinges? Here's what I'm invisioning.
you'll never get away with the stock hinges on that car... it'll never swing out enough to clear the fenders. suicide hinges are deep pocket assemblies... not much to em really. heres a pic to give you an idea of how they move the door out away from the body http://www.suicidedoors.com/files/Suicide_Door_Complete_Half_Kit.jpg
hey fiddyfour, can yu suggest a good set of those to use on my 29 tudor sdn ? i just decided to do my doors suicide just haven't done this b4 ether.
Both upper and lower hinge pins have to be in line with each other. And you dont have enough room on the most rear portion of the door. Your hinges would be only about 6 inches apart and structually they would not hold up over time and use. Plus the hinge pin needs to be located as close to the door opening and inner sheetmetal as possible, so that when the door opens up it swings out away from the body if you don't do it this way the door will open in on itself or into the body and jamb. The hinges that fiddyfour shows, are good products but are best used in 20s or 30s style cars but I have used that style on a few larger cars just a little more challenging...ghost
the only benefit i can see to suicide doors on that car would be if you had Britney Spears getting out of the back with no underpants.
Helped a mate to do a suicide door conversion on a 50' Ford. Biggest pain in the arse ever. Look into buying the suicide door conversion hinges, it would i assume make your sanity a lot better off.
If you want hidden hinges you can't flip them. But if you just want suicide doors your stock hinges can be put on the rear part of the door. But switch the driver with the passenger hinges so the pin still drives downward. So it can't come loose and fall out. You will have to duplicate the pockets for the hinges to fit in on the rear portiom of the door. Hey donzie this will work on the elwoods 2 door sedan but not on yours sorry .yours will be really hard as i said in my earlier post...ghost
stock hinges wont work, flipped or otherwise on your car... chaddilac was referring to the question about 29 sedan hinges
whats so challenging about using those hinges on a big 50's car? you've got more room inside the doors to place the pockets, more room in the doorjams to put the hinges... thats what they were MADE for. those things will hold up a tank.
aint going to do noting for the value of that car..create a shit load of work for you to get it right. and in the end its still going to be a 4 door Dodge..nothing special . like said above..spend your money on something more worth while..shit heres an easy one..shave the rear door handles and call it done. WGAF if they open up backwards or not.. suicide doors are over done anyways..and in my opinion ..only belong on the cars that it came on stock from the factory..anything else is posing
I stand corrected... Just meant that the doors were heavier and a little more challenging than a 20s or 30s car but yea they do work fine other wise...ghost
It is not my car!! Right!! Buy why go to all this trouble for what?? I don't get it, very nice car as is , isn't there another improvement you could spend this $ on? Oh wait!! It's not my car!! I dig your Mopar brother, just puzzled at the gain on this project!!~Sololobo~
Well, I appreciate everyones feedback. I'm still a little unsure if it WILL or WON'T work. Seems there are some difference of opinions. As far as if it's worth it, probably not if it would cost as much as the car is worth. And there probably isn't going to be too many things that will increase the value of a Dodge 4 dr. I would be doing for myself, to satisfy my own desire to create something unique. As someone said...isn't that the point of a custom? What's so unique about a car that came stock with suicide doors.....or quad healights, or bullet tailights? Yes, I could just shave the handles, like everyone else does, but if I DO suicide the rear doors I will be sure to leave the handles and move the rear ones forward to pique someones curiosity.
Hey, why not lambo the rear doors, that'd be unique. Just yanking your chain. I'd spend the $$$ on a nice 440 and go scare the hell out of some Mustangs. That car has sleeper written all over it.
Anything can be done if you want to spend enough money. I'd say, looking at your picture, there isn't enough room on the "C" pillar to install the hinges so they will operate correctly. As was mentioned before, the hinge pins need to be in line with each other (straight up and down).
Don't do it! It's a lot of work on that kind of car even for a experienced builder and not worth the effort.You will have to chop up the door jambs so much you will have a mess on your hands.
Guys that say "don't do it" obviously don't even see the fact that it can't be done because of the shape of the car's rear fender. IMO the only way it could be done is when you change the doorline and make a section of the rear fender part of the door, like below... You will also have to weld some lower hinge support bracing inside the wheelwell.
Thanks for everyones input. It sounds like it would be a costly operation. Yes, the money would be better spent on more practical improvements, like custom tailights. I think I'll just look in to shaving the handles.
Ding, ding, ding, we have a winner! BigBlockMopar nailed this one. There are so many things working against this car having suicide doors it is a no win situation. Add to the fact that I'm assuming you're a beginner and this is a project that would most likley never get finshed. Good choice on leaving the doors alone Brick
The Jalopy Journal
