[46FORDPU]

I have been thinking when the time comes putting the doors back on the 46 pick up that I might put suicide hinges, I'm sure some of you have done or might have seen it done.
I'm looking for any and all feed back on them good or bad and do you have to buy suicide door hinges or is there a way to do it without spending the money for custom hinges?

[dinger]

Here's a little info:Help with suicide door hinges
and a whole page to research, suppliers, installing, videos, right here:
http://www.hotrodders.com/search?q=s...com%2Fforum%2F

Good luck, if you can't find it on HR.com it may not exist.

[shine]

they were cool on the 33/34 but suck on anything else. actually makes it harder to get in and out. try some before you commit.

[ogre]

46 ford had outside hinges. just use them on the rear of the door.

[1971BB427]

Originally Posted by shine

they were cool on the 33/34 but suck on anything else. actually makes it harder to get in and out. try some before you commit.

I can't agree on "it makes it harder to get in and out". It makes it different getting in and out, but not harder. My '46 Austin has factory suicide doors and at first it was a bit puzzling getting in, but getting out was easier.
Once I got used to backing into the car vs. feet first as with normal hinged doors, it became very easy and felt normal to back into the seats.

[timothale]

Make sure you get the pivot points aligned and plumb. remove the pins and use a long rod. One kid in the street rod fab class had the hing pivot out of plumb and the door would scrape the ground when he opened it.

[shine]

of all of them i've done most owners regretted doing it later. and keep in mind the rear of the door was designed to latch , not support so you have to do some serious bracing .
it's one of those fads that is finally going away.

[dinger]

I have to agree with Shine. A vehicle with running boards, unless you want to drag your feet on the R.B., will make entry difficult. A young feller might have it easier but us old guys would have a bit of a problem. But to each their own.

[MARTINSR]

I have to agree with Shine as well, but for a different reason. There is nothing that screws up a cars good looks than having a door or hood open. A car sitting at show with a door or hood open is a sure way to not get any photos mags (not that it is everyones reason for being there) because the car is ugly that way.

So, why spend so much time on a mod that is only seen the few seconds you open and close the door?

I have done them from scratch using 53-56 F-100 hinges (worked great) and it is a huge undertaking, a very complex project to make it all work. There are no "kits" to install them. There are people who sell hinges with instructions that I will basically repeat here. And I did this stuff for a living at the time. If I did another one the week later it would have been a lot easier of course. But that first one, it took a LOT of time. I did take about a quarter as long on the second door as the first.

"Remove door, remove old hinges, weld new hinge mounts on body and bolt door back on new hinges".

That is about it in a nutshell, there are WAY too many variables car from car to have any more than that.

Yeah, I think the time is better spent on other things, detail and fit of all the other panels.

But that's just my opinion, we all want different things.

Brian

[1971BB427]

Originally Posted by dinger

I have to agree with Shine. A vehicle with running boards, unless you want to drag your feet on the R.B., will make entry difficult. A young feller might have it easier but us old guys would have a bit of a problem. But to each their own.

Speak for yourself! Some of us old guys (61) can still get in and out with ease!

[shine]

yeah nothing like a 20 year old fad .

[41 kustom]

The guy asked a question on how to do something, not what you think. Why beat him to death with what you think. I've seen this on different sites and it sucks.I guess some people have the idea there way is the only way things should be. I think we should help the guy out and call it a day. Don't try to change his mind if it's not somthing unsafe.

[shine]

who's beating him up ? read his question before posting. or do you not understand what " the good and the bad " means ? he asked for an opinion and that is exactly what he has got .
if he decides to go with them he will get all the help he needs .

[shine]

here maybe this will help .
" I'm looking for any and all feed back on them good or bad "

[MARTINSR]

Originally Posted by 41 kustom

The guy asked a question on how to do something, not what you think. Why beat him to death with what you think. I've seen this on different sites and it sucks.I guess some people have the idea there way is the only way things should be. I think we should help the guy out and call it a day. Don't try to change his mind if it's not somthing unsafe.

You are right that some times it does get a little overboard but when people have strong feelings about a subject they are going to voice their opinions.

And I have heard your argument many times too, I see it different. Let us say the question was about how to use the tubing from an old aluminum lawn chair for steering linkage on his rod. All he is asking is HOW TO use it, one other reader tells him how to use it and all the others who know that tubing is too thin and would be very dangerous to use as for a steering component keep quiet because he didn't ask if he should do it, he asked HOW TO use it.


What he would get is advice on how to use it and he would be out there in the garage making a death trap with the support of hotrodders.com!

It's just like the frame swap threads, the poster is going to get a bunch of people recommending against putting a 78 Monte Carlo frame under his classic 1940 Ford coupe his grand dad left him. Without all those opinions he would be left without any other ideas, other ways to do it which he may find more pleasing once he is exposed to them and thinks about it a little.

A number of years ago a friend of my brothers came to us and wanted some help with the building of his dream car, a Model A he had just bought, a basket case. He had all the usual ideas from someone outside the rodding "community" and one of those ideas was he had planned on chroming the door hinges (gag). And my brother told him in no uncertain terms that was a stupid idea, out of date and hideous. His friend, shocked that his life long dream of chrome hinges would be met with this attack dropped the plan from his build. Years later it became a joke of his and how stupid he was for even thinking such a thing and thanking my brother for not letting him make such a mistake.

Suicide doors aren't THAT bad of an idea but one that a lot of people have strong opinions about. Everything from the danger of their use, simply people not liking them to making it clear that they are not very easy to do and the guy planning it needs to respect that.
The safety didn't even come up here. I have a friend who's wife fell out his 32 3W as he went out for dinner at the NSRA Western Nationals in 79 (or so) hitting the street and going UNDER the opened door getting the kinda road rash a motorcyclist gets when they hit the pavement.

I agree it's kind of a bummer when all the guy gets is a beating for his question but sometimes it's just going to happen. Hopefully he takes it as given, advice, simple advice.

Brian