Suicide ingres/egress anyone

I'm considering doing the suicide door thing to the 39 Poncho' coupe that i'm in the process of building. Auto loc has a kit for $399(hinges only). Looking for a complete kit with bearclaw latches and lock pins. Anyone had any experience at this endeavor?

 

I've got a '39 Poncho too.

Let's see some pics of your coupe.


I'll bite, what's a Semore door?

 

If your lady is wearing a skirt, you get to _________ when she gets out of your car.

 

Ah. Excellent.

 

Tried suicide doors on my 29 hiboy. third time one came open and tore up the world went back to convential opening. Yes they make egress easier.Do remember there is a reason they are called suicide.!!!!!

 

Here's the link to the tech I posted few days ago,, we got the hinges from a hamber good product and fast shipping. I'll be doing the latch and striker tech in a few days.
http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=272362

 

I'm afraid I just don't understand why anyone would do this. Lots of time and money so someone might catch you getting in or out of your car - ? I've seen so many cars damaged because the doors come open. A friend of mine almost lost his girlfriend because the door flew open and pulled her right out of the car. I'm almost tempted to put regular opening doors on my 3 window. It would be better than installing some kind of safety latch that would make it almost impossible for help to pull you out of a burning car.

 

As a firefighter - the nader pin makes it a little more difficult to CUT someone out of a wreck, however most cars don't burst into flames on impact - unlike what the movies/tv will lead you to believe.

 

Had them, hated them, will never have them again.

 

I put then on the 48 in 1981 I believe. I have had the p***enger door swing open and rip the back corner of the cab up once.
that was my fault as I didn't close the door properly. I use Kenworth truck latches but would like a pin.

My wife fell out of the truck before it was chopped and before it had the suicide doors as she was leaning back against the door with her legs up on the seat and the door flew open and she went out in a backwards roll. That was reason enough to install seat belts and investigate modern latches.

On any of these old rigs I would recommend either having the stock latches in perfect condition or changing to the bearclaw style latches.

In the first few months that I owned the 48 in 1973 I twice almost fell out the drivers door rounding a corner due to a bad door latch coming open on a right hand corner. You could still buy new latches and striker plates over the counter at the Chev garage in McGregor, Tx then.

I did put the suicide doors on the truck to be different at the time and they were then. I still like them and they are part of the personality of the truck.

 

Back doors on a '39 Pontiac sedan open suicide style. There any reason (outside of wanting to smooth them) that you couldn't just use stock hinges? I'd still put some bearclaw latches in, but you'd think a good set would be some measurements and a trip to the junkyard away.

 

Well I rather see suicides doors on a car than lambo doors.

Haha..joke car of the day..sorry O/T...Oh Ya!

 

personally..i think suicide doors should only be on the cars that came that way from the factory..anything other than that its "fadish",,like lambo doors..and all those other ghey door opening **** out there..hey JMHO

 

Thanks for all the input guys,I respect all opinions and am thinking maybe keep the doors conventional opening.

 

Good decision

 

Do what you want to bud, remember your car, your money... hell even if you put lambo doors on. I couldnt do anything about it...your car. Some might look at the car and yell Blasphemy, others f-ing cool. Oh well you ride not mine.

 

TODDC,I'll try and post some pics as soon as I can.

 

Do what you want its your Ride! my Ride came with them its a fourdor and the Handles are Molded in and I want to do the Fronts (molded in) someday

 

well you guys changed my mind bout putting in suicide doors !!!

but i am going to upgrade my latches after reading your horor stories

 

Oh yeh!

 

Back in the 60s, my buddy had a 51 Merc four door. We picked up a lot of girls like that - just drove real close to the sidwalk and scooped 'm in -

 

^^^^^ +1 ^^^^^

 

My 37 Fordor has them in the back. A pain. I intentionally left the locks manual on the rear doors so I'd be forced to check them before hitting the road. My front doors lock with igniton start / alarm. All 4 doors have bearclaws. But most riders just love the the suicide rear doors and the access they provide. Little do they know.

When I got the car one of the rear doors had been "outed," but probably by a fence post or garage wall and not the wind as the damage wasn't too extreme. I think there is a reason why they quit making them that way (for the most part). The newer ones have overlapping jambs that prevent the rear door from opening on it's own and if you want to go that route I'd suggest some built-in features like that to prevent expensive body work or hospital bills. Gary