I want to turn my four door into a two door, cos the rear wheels will block the rears opening. I find the doors don't fit flush with the body in several places, so unless I do a bunch of bending, cutting and squishing I'll never get them to look decent after welding and filling. So, will it be okay to weld them on the inside, and leave them looking original on the outside, just shave the handles and hinges??? ie. Leave the gap there. Cheers, Paul
Morrisman any photos , not sure what you are doing. if you cut the skin of the inner door frame it would be a easier to weld up.
What kind of car are we talking about here? As long as you don't mind the looks of a 4 door with the wheels in the wrong place, you'd probably be ok.
It's a '34 Morris Eight. I'm running much taller rear tyres than original, and hope to drop it pretty low eventually. The rear doors are pretty mangy and I don't want to bother with overhauling all the mechanism just to have doors that hit the wheels/fenders when opened. V8minor, I thought about just using the outer skin, and welding it all round, but it will then need a fair bit of stiffening welding inside to strengthen it and take the winder mechanism etc. Cheers, Paul
Paul.....I know 'zactly what you're asking....weld the read shut inside the car so they are now stationary but leave the external door gaps so they appear functional. Well, you certainly could but I'd be more prone to move the B-pillar back about 5-6 inches and lengthen the front doors the same 5-6 inches, using pieces cut from the back doors. Remove the divider post in the new, longer 1/4 window to make it one piece. Hell, that car would look just like a teeny, tiny english version of a 33-34 ford 2 door sedan... GO FOR IT, MAN!
Rocky is Right-on and Hatch nailed it. If your going to make it a two door, make it a two door. The Wizzard
Hey guys, that modded pic looks cooool!!!!! Never thought about doing it like that. All I'll need is longer glass in the right places, but it's flat glass, so no wurries. Thanks, Paul
Another thing you can do, just to elaborate on Rockys idea, is since you need to cut the b pillar out to stretch the fronts, it'd be cool to flip them side to side, and cut the hinge are off the rear doors to stretch the fronts. This would give you suicide doors using all factory hinges, you'd just have to put it modern latches.
Went back and re-read your post James....your idea would save one complete weld bead down each door when making the splice...great idea.
I didn't realize they already had suicides, but on my 54 plymouth I'm going to do the b pillar, 2 door swap-a-rama conversion and lenghthen the doors, so I've already thought it all out. If you want to keep the look of a 4 door, why not move the radius where the door clears the tire up and forward enough so you can open the door? If you sit and look at it it doesn't seen too hard.