Suicide Door Curiosity
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Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 1,776
Likes: 41
From: Minnesota
Suicide Door Curiosity
OK, How hard are they for someone who has a wire feed mig and knows how to use a measuring tape, micrometer and calipers? I have a large compressor and a sawall and would be willing to buy a few air tools if I had too. The hinge system looks fairly simple. Like maybe use the factory hinges and swap sides paasengers and drivers? Are there any really good long winded set of instructions out there on the process. A set for a 1950 Ford would be even better. Lots of pictures would be great also. I would be willing to fork out $100.00 or more for a quality book or video. How about the hinge kits plans that are on EBAY for $20.00 are they any good. I am curious and this truck is not my daily driver. I have a truck for a spare so I could cut the piece of crap body up first then mine.
Cargo Master
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 2,497
Likes: 5
From: Tucson AZ
first up, SUICIDE DOORS, there is a reason that they are called that. If you are going to do this, I have found it to be way easier to position the door where you want it, tack weld it into place and then go into the truck from the other side and make cuts for the hinges etc, keep the pivot/hinge pins as close as possible to the outer skin of the cab. This will throw the door outward when it opens as opposed to letting it pivot back into the outer sheetmetal, just as importantly KEEP THE UPPER AND LOWER HINGE PINS PERFECTLY ALIGNED TO EACH OTHER, they must pivot on the same vertical plane in order to allow the door to open without binding. think of a door in your house that has three hinges, now take the bottom hinge off, move it a half inch and reinstall it, now try to open the door. Hope this is long winded enough for you, that extra cab might come in handy, lots of luck
Freshman User
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 44
Likes: 0
I'm currently installing hidden hinges on my truck. I bought Rocky's Hidden hinges. You can get them from rockyhinge.com. They were $225 and you don't have to fab your own! They are shipped with a 1" bar welded between them so the alignment is set so they work. I would go with those. The install has been pretty easy with a cut of wheel, welder, and grinder. I'll try to post some pics if I can find my camera.
Elder User
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 863
Likes: 2
From: Grain Valley Mo.
Suicide doors are really cool looking. 
When you get out at cruise nite people really look. The guys know you really invested some time in that mod. My 32 had them from the factory. If you do this mod be sure and use some kind of safety latch. You can buy them in the street rod mags. My driver door popped open after hitting a pot hole at about 45 mph. I grabbed the door as it was being ripped right off the hindges. It didn't rip it clean off, oh no, it had to destroy hole rear quarter first. The worst part is that this happens faster than you can blink. The old timers say that the door opening that fast creates a vacume that will suck you right out of the car, hense suicide doors. It didn't pull me out cause my rear end was puckered to tight to the seat! 
........ Remember safety first..........
_________________
xfordman
'53 F100
When you get out at cruise nite people really look. The guys know you really invested some time in that mod. My 32 had them from the factory. If you do this mod be sure and use some kind of safety latch. You can buy them in the street rod mags. My driver door popped open after hitting a pot hole at about 45 mph. I grabbed the door as it was being ripped right off the hindges. It didn't rip it clean off, oh no, it had to destroy hole rear quarter first. The worst part is that this happens faster than you can blink. The old timers say that the door opening that fast creates a vacume that will suck you right out of the car, hense suicide doors. It didn't pull me out cause my rear end was puckered to tight to the seat! ........ Remember safety first.........._________________
xfordman
'53 F100
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Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 1,776
Likes: 41
From: Minnesota
Not so interested in hidden hinges but tacking welding the two together with a bar would sure keep the aligned.
Originally Posted by rcflyr
I'm currently installing hidden hinges on my truck. I bought Rocky's Hidden hinges. You can get them from rockyhinge.com. They were $225 and you don't have to fab your own! They are shipped with a 1" bar welded between them so the alignment is set so they work. I would go with those. The install has been pretty easy with a cut of wheel, welder, and grinder. I'll try to post some pics if I can find my camera.
New User
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 10
Likes: 0
From: michigan
I used the rocky hidden hinges on my 52 and they worked great.....I did however have to modify them to get proper fit.....I had to lengthen the 2x2 tube that the hinge rides in so I could sink them to the proper depth.....I also recommend that you take the screws they send you and replace them with socket head cap screws.....much more reliable for taking on and off.....also once I had welded the channel into the door and got everything located where I wanted it, I welded the screw plate (the one that goes behind the channel) to the back of the channel so that I can have repeatablity in locating them....I have pictures of the hinges in my gallery, but the doors are not on.....also there are no close up pictures there.....be careful using rockys dimensions, because they were not as close or good as they thought they should be.....lol.....and remember to tack weld them in before finally finish welding.....my doors are strong enough at 90 degrees open to hang off of them and I am aroung the 225 lb range....so the hinges are more than strong enough.....
good luck in your newest adventure....
good luck in your newest adventure....
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