I am building a chopped 31 Tudor sedan with the goal of having it look like a 50's Hot Rod , i am running a flathead in it to keep it old school, i am missing the top hinge on the doors from the previous owner who did the chop, so i am at a point that i need to add back in the hinges to get the doors right or install a suicide door kit that i have , i am after some input on whether or not suicide doors are era correct or not .
many chop jobs lost the third hinge...not a problem...don't worry about it. Definitely don't do a suicide door, that has to be an 80's thing..go find a '32 3window
The worst part about doing a modification like this is, while John Q. Public may have no clue that suicide doors are incorrect, your car buddies will. If you care that the public is wowed more than the fact that it's wrong or that car guys will keep bringing it up, then go ahead. My guess is that since you asked, you care.
I think the only way it will work if you paint the car red with splash pink heartbeat graphics,Boyd's billet wheels,tweed interior and a cry baby doll,,,then the suicide doors will work. But that ain't a 50's style.HRP
not on a sedan, i did suicide the doors on my a coupe. Chopped 6 inches and makes getting in and out real easy!
I have no idea why someone would change doors to open backwards... on purpose! One more thing to worry about. One more thing for the ladies to worry about when exiting your car, too-
Can you please tell us what’s the issue your having? Im going to chop my A coupe soon and was thinking about leaving / cutting out the top hinge….like iv seen others do
Stock. The only cars that should have suicide doors are the ones that were born with them. Most other cars just dont look right when they are modified, especially Model A's.
If you ever saw one swing open at the 'wrong time'...(10 MPH+) this question wouldn't have gotten asked. Long reply! (beer time)
I posted the same thing a couple of months ago and got completely different answers. I think it would be cool. I have seen a couple of Model A coupes like this in person and everyone that seen it while I was there thought it was cool. One was at a swap meet, and the other at a big car show, so most there were car people. I think because the posters here didn't think of it, it isn't a good idea. I've got a boss like that.
Seriously,it's been done over and over,,read the title,,,50's hot rod! Try to remember,,the Hamb is a traditional site,,,not a street rod site! HRP
I doubt that it wasn't thought of before 1970. I would think it was done in the 50's, or 60's. Maybe not widespread, but I bet it was done. And the cars I've seen looked traditional in every other way.
I did it on my roadster, makes it easier to get in and out, but I really like the way it looks. I'd say if it's a 50s era you're shooting for you could do it and get away with it, it's not that no one ever did suicide doors in the 50s but it was pretty rare, back then we were more intrested in stripping the fenders off and finding a flathead to stick in to make it go faster. But, like others have said the missing third hinge should not be a problem. Bottom line is you said 50s Hot Rod not 50s show car, I'd leave it as is and put the effort into making it faster.
NO! But thats my opinion. The great thing about hot rodding is do what you want. If it's different and what you want rock it man.
just because we live in a democracy and nothing should be unanimous I vote DO IT!!! !!! ( just for the record I have been involved in 2 suicide door conversion and hope I never do another one)
If you're worried about the doors sagging, it would be way more easy to put a top hinge in than to suicide the doors. My chopped 28 tudor has the top hinge, and looking at it I see no problem. It'll take a little metal work, but nothing major. The big thing to remember is to put a piece of steel rod through all three hinges so they're on the same axis, before you bolt or screw down the top hinge.
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