take your time and think about what your doin, you,ll be fine remember THINK its not that tough you can do it!!!!
Not being a Studebaker expert, if you have hidden hinges on it use the drivers side hinges on the passenger side "B" post/pillar and vise versa for the other side. That way your re-using stock parts and it tends to look pretty damn cool when your done IMO.
IMHO I think there would be other things worth the energy then suiciding doors on any car. Never understood the reason, a lot of work, they call em "suicide" for a reason (ask anyone that had one come open at speed like my brother that was sucked out of the car at 60 mph) and the only time anyone notices is when it's parked. That said, I've done quite a few for customers and it's a lot of work to do right. All I can tell you is reinforce the he-- out of the hinge piller. Back it up with some 1/8 plate, add some tubing support, whatever. If you don't the thing will be a nightmare with door alignments, chipping paint, ect. Trust me, it takes a LOT more support then you think. The other important thing is to be sure both hinge pins are in alignment, otherwise you'll have binding at best, bending at worst everytime you open and close the door. When I could I would pull the pins and put in one long one thru both hinges during set up just to be sure. Those "kits" they sale with the hinges are not strong enough for your Study's doors so don't waste your money on them, you might try some 50's pick-up hinges or even look into using the ones that came on your car. Be prepared to spend quite a few hours engineering them so they open far enough to get in but not hit the body yet still clear the door glass. Think about it, most cars the hinges fit in pockets under the vent window, in front of the door glass. You won't have that possibility on the back of the door, the glass is there. If I haven't discourage you yet just be aware, I've seen many good cars screwed up by trying to do suicide doors and many car owners that wished they hadn't done it. I don't mean to be so negitive but just don't want to see you in their company.
if you are a big guy I would pass. I dont have them nor am I a big guy , but Ive seen a few buddies strugglin to get in their ride. No biggie I guess but something to think about
This is difficult but not impossible. Metalman above has some good tips to follow. The front of doors and the a pillar that they hang from are beefy enough to hang the weight but the area that will now be utilized is way more flimsey. You'll need to beef them up. Line up the hinges with a common pin to eliminate binding. I made my own hinges out of flat stock and round tubing. The swivel point of the hinge must be as close to the outside as possible and the half of the hinge which connects the door to the body should be as long as possible to allow the door to swing out and away from the body to keep the skin from rubbing on the pillar. Be sure to design the hinge to allow for some adjustment to get the fit and finish just right. Take your time and get someone you trust to help you measure and engineer. It's only metal and you can always weld it back together and start again. I am a big guy and get in and out just fine. They ARE called suicide for a reason so I suggest that you engineer a failsafe way to make sure that the doors don't fly open should there be a sudden unplanned stop. Good luck! WX1
I agree with metalman on seeing many cars screwed up with suicide doors. I've seen them with both doors open....one swinging up and the other swinging down. your geometry has to be on point. with regards to safety, go with some over the counter suicide safety latches. Like these. http://www.julianos.com/saftey_latch.html here's another set that Speedway carries for $90 That's just an example. they come in different flavors.I'm running pretty much the same thing, but hooked up to an electric actuator(power door lock). Don't skip this expense. My latches are electric Bearclaws. I love them, they close like a Cadillac. Good luck!
Thanks for all the information. I am still undecided. If I don't do them now I probably never will and according to some that is not a bad thing. I do like the idea of using stock hinges on opposite sides. I may look into that idea a little farther
The top reasons projects get abandoned or junked in no particular order: 1. severe top chops 2. suicide door conversions 3. sectioning 4. NO glass will fit newly chopped top 5. pro-street frame modifications 6. poorly done front frame clip installs 7. no build plans or mockups and car won't fit owner/builder 8. lack of perserverence 9. lack of ability 10. lack of money
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