Opinions on 4 doors???

Yeah, I'd be pissed too if I couldn't form or articulate a point.

I'm out of here though. My $.02 is in.

DELRAY, good luck with whatever you choose. I'll see you around.

 

my point was already made!! a couple times.....


DELRAY.... sorry for the detour hopefully this can go in a positive direction!!!

 

I like pictures.

 

For a family cruiser I like a 4 door, and I'm even partial to 4 door wagons. Functionality beats looks when you have to wrestle a child seat in and out of the back seat.

A 50's or early 60's era 4 door wagon with column shift automatic, air conditioning, custom wheels (or even custom hub caps), lots of shiny chrome, two-tone paint, a nice stereo, and bags to let you get a good ride and a good stance when you want to be low would be a way cool machine to cruise with the kids or even to take the family on long trips.

Nothing like a car with a limo-like back seat for the kids.

 

Personally the only cool fordors are unusual originals , a friend just bought an unrestored orig nash fordor sedan. As far as hot rods or kustoms 4-doors = parts car

 

he was talking about me, the Original Poster.

I guess there may have been some confusion. I have a 2 door already and a truck. I inquired about 4 doors because being new to this "dad" thing, i thought getting a more door would be beneficial to loading up kids stuff.

However, after the various thoughts and opinions, I realized dynamat, new mufflers and maybe swapping my headers for exhaust manifolds might do the trick for now on my 54.

 

Baby seats suck! But once they're in, they're in. ....or at least the base stays in. Putting a baby in the seat is another issue and I wouldn't want to do it alone in a two door. BUT I didn't have a two door 54 when I had my first kid!! Try it! Get a baby seat - strap it in - and try gently loading a baby doll (or what ever) in there. If you are comfortable moving the "baby" in and out, you're good to go. My kids use to fall asleep in a stroller on the NYC subway - LOAD N BUMPY - so I wouldn't worry much about that.

Now, that being said, I have a '53 more door cause I don't feel like having my four AND five year old bashing me with the seat everytime my wife has to get them to the can in a hurry! Nor do I want to crawl back there to insure eveyone is buckled in correctly.

Just my 2c

~ Carl

 

Nothing wrong with a four door. I have a blast with my merc with or without my grand kids in the back seat, and no matter if it is at Paso or Santa Maria none of the old timers have ever said any thing but good about it. So if it is good enough for Winfield, Barris, Hines, ect who the HELL are these who say four doors have no place or respect!!!!

 

I'd still rather look at pictures.


(taken from different threads of HAMBlandia through the years...if they are yours, thank you for posting them originally!)

 

Reading this reminds me how cool it was standing on the armrest to look out over the dash when I was a kid. The only "seat belt" was Dad's arm. 4 doors are a good cheap entry to the hobby. I still view them as parts cars for 2 doors tho.

 

I've been doing fine with my 56 Buick 2 door for 6 years with 2 boys. But I am building a 60 Chevy wagon that is 4 door. I think its cool as shit. You gotta drive it. So as long as you dig it screw what "they" say.
Not opinion, fact.

 

An old car is a old car. Maybe every one who hates 4 doors. Should crush every 4 door they see. This shouldent even be a topic. Most people are not gonna tell you 4 doors are cool. I think thats what makes 4 doors even more cool. Is the people with the balls to drive them. What makes any ride cool is the persons attitude whos driven it. If you have a 4 door and you have the I dont give a shit attitude and drive the wheels off it. Its cool. If your unsure about your ride. Everyone eles is gonna be unsure too.

 

Like it wouldn't with a 2dr. sedan????

 

The front door is actually shorter....

 

Well, actually it wouldn't...2-door sedan doors are wider than on a 4-door.

 

Four doors provide better access to the rear seat of a sedan.

 

Well, not sure if it's been said already, (got tired of the "real hot rodders" runnin down the moredoors, so I stopped reading) but I can't wait to finish my 63 continental. Nothing cooler than a rag topped, rear suicide sled layed out. Fits my kids car seats, and don't feel like a tool in a new Honda.

 

I have owned tudors , fordors , wagons and so on . I really like wagons because I can haul a lot of parts in them .
I like tudors for drag cars .
I really like fordors just because I have a bad back and it makes it easier to get into the back seat PLUS I can't stand a tudor and having people getting in and out of the back seat !
You can use a fordor and shave the handles on the back doors to give the appearance of a 2 door .
Still with a family a fordor or wagons are really your best way to go .

Retro Jim

 

anyone who thinks the number of doors on a car makes it a parts car has shit for brains.

back in the old days only roadsters were cool... then people started building coupes and coupes became cool... then 2 door sedans became increasingly cool.... of course all this talk is about pre war Fords and Chevrolets. off brands were for your grampa and his restorer friends... after a while post war cars became cool, but were not allowed in the outside rod runs. I have a photo of Zocchi's "COOL 50" Merc parked outside Andys picnic in the 70's.... not cool enough to get in. eventually the outdoor rod runs began allowing 49-54's in.. these days many shows have a cut off in the 60's.

point is that times are changing. do you 4 door haters still listen to vinyl records and watch VHS tapes?

 

id build a 4 door--and id even make it fast---nothin wrong with more doors

55 4 dr will be on the road in a a couple months---and i dont have any kids

 

I wouldn't want to give 4 door haters credit for listening to a vinyl record!!!

 

Hey Man, IMO four doors can look great, but you are getting the advice from a four door owner. I went with a 4 door not because I couldnt afford a 2 door, but because I figured my family is going to grow, and I wanted to be ready, but also because 4 doors done right can look great, and honestly they are different and you dont see many which is why most of us are on this board and drive the cars we do anyway.
Don't feel any less because your have more, the Merc owned by CHip CHipman, and the OZ car are great examples of awesome looking four doors. This Barris Merc aint bad either:

 

I've got a Tudor coupe to do a body swap with, but I'm enjoying this portly Fordor so much, I'm in no hurry...

 

Reason one not buy a 4 door : Side by side a tudor will sell first and bring more $$$ when your ready to move on .

Reason two not to buy a 4 door: In most peoples eye its gunna look like your Grandma left it to you or you just settled for .

Just an opinion here .I have owned a few Hamb friendly 4 doors ,but they were parts cars for tudors .50's long roof wagons are cool as 4 doors IMO ,but thats where it ends ...

 

4 doors make nice taxi cabs.

 

If there was two doors being sold at every wall mart. Im sure we would all own one.

 

The only problem with 4 doors is the people who think they need to apologize for the 2 extra doors.

A clean, tasteful, well built car is just that. Don't cut it up to make a 2 door, don't try to disguise anything, just build a clean car and roll it.

 

Do Camrys come in four door? How about a Prius? Just sayin'.

 

I like 4 door wagons. I want a wagon, and I think I would rather have a 4 door. Just seems like it would suit my needs much better and I think they look good.

Not so into 4 door sedans. Depends on the car though. Some 4 doors look ok. I'd still rather have a 2 door though, and it sucks to put a lot money into a car that will never be exactly what you want it to be.

 

There a number of threads where 4 door sedans were converted into 2 doors. I did 57 Chevy a long time ago but I did it the easy way with a parts car ...