suidicide doors

I've got a '58 beetle which I'm currently fixing up. It's going a have empi 5 spokes, redwall tyres, dumped all around, I'm putting a ragtop in, green and white vinal interior (haven't decided whether to use the original interior or get a new set put in), painted in a bright met green with numberous pearls, 1600 twin port with twin carbies, etc. My question is should I make the doors into suidicide doors or should I keep (at least) all the bolt on stuff original? I'm heading towards converting the doors but friends are saying I shouldn't as the car is such a solid '58, that I shouldn't muck with it too much. What does everyone else think?

Also, I'm thinking of putting white guard beading together with white window rubbers. Should I, or should I stick to the black?

Any feedback would be greatly appreciated.

Cheers Ryan

go the suicide doors they would be pimpin

U could always go back to normal doors anyways and suicide doors were a 50's thing werent they 😉

car sounds hot already!

:beer

Go suicide... just make sure you put good bear claw latches at the front so you don't suicide out them!

yup, suicide doors are cool. always thought they would look cool on my bus, but never got around to it.

OK OK - i am lazy and old but aint you asking for trouble with the engineering certificate man?????

Do it! They are sooo cool and would really make your car stand out that little bit more.

does that make an road worthy an issue?

if you are going the whole hog with everything else anyway, go the suicide doors!! (apart from the fact that they are extremely cool!!!)

yes I agree, but is it going to make getting a RWC an issue, need to know. Also, what are the best door hinges to use... I''ve been told that volvo v5 are good and can't be seen when doors are closed. any advice? I'm going to use VW parts for everythings else (just need to know about hinges) unless told otherwise. cheers everyone and hopefully you'll all see it at a show in Melbourne towards the middle of the year.
Ryan

as far as i understand there are special hinges made for the door? if not then there is at least a special catch made for closing the door, a deadbolt style mechanism to make it 100% impossible for the door to come flying open at speed.:o

i read some where some one used transit van hinges.
you could also try hot rod web sites.

u'd wanna make sure u closed the doors properly before pullin off...also be great for taking out those sneaky motobike riders who sneak between cars in traffic....i've always wanted to do that...open ur doors as a moto goes by..cause it is actually illegal for em to do it

I hope you have a good panel beater and deep pockets... full of funds to do the job.

they do look good but will cost you if yr not prepared to do the job yourself.

Buzzz wrote:I shouldn't fuck with it too much.
Cheers Ryan

What happened to the censorship on this forum? I personally don't appreciate the bad language, I know it sometimes slips in conversation but typing it is another thing.

Silver the Prude.

DoNkEy wrote:u'd wanna make sure u closed the doors properly before pullin off...also be great for taking out those sneaky motobike riders who sneak between cars in traffic....i've always wanted to do that...open ur doors as a moto goes by..cause it is actually illegal for em to do it

sounds like someone's been 'pullin off' a bit too long... not a really mature attitude bucko. as a bike rider people who do things like this have a VERY special place in my heart. it's also illegal to: open your doors in traffic, talk on your mobile while you're driving, and apparently remove someone's rear-view mirror with your fist and hand it to them thru the recently broken window. I see it like this: If I'm going to have to risk my life to travel by motorcycle because of the number of blissfully unaware imbecile drivers who suddenly pull out in front of you, change lanes without indicating, run red lights, talk on mobile phones, cut you off (yes we fit neatly in your blind spot) and generally attempt to remove motorcycle riders from this plane of existence, there have to be some perks. I can think of one tiny perk a car driver can show me without being an a55hole and it requires nothing more than just sitting still listening to the radio in quiet comfort in the peak hour traffic jam. you're jealous when the bike splits past you? get a bike, but remember there aren't many perks. and if you open your door on me, I'll be getting into the car with you😀
and keep your damn arms inside the window, it's hard to bring 300 kilos to a dead stop to avoid someone's idea of a joke.

*gets down off soapbox*

I have an article in an old mag somewhere that I'll have to scan in for you.

I have an additional few pics which I can email if you like.

Peter Leonard wrote:

DoNkEy wrote:u'd wanna make sure u closed the doors properly before pullin off...also be great for taking out those sneaky motobike riders who sneak between cars in traffic....i've always wanted to do that...open ur doors as a moto goes by..cause it is actually illegal for em to do it

sounds like someone's been 'pullin off' a bit too long... not a really mature attitude bucko. as a bike rider people who do things like this have a VERY special place in my heart. it's also illegal to: open your doors in traffic, talk on your mobile while you're driving, and apparently remove someone's rear-view mirror with your fist and hand it to them thru the recently broken window. I see it like this: If I'm going to have to risk my life to travel by motorcycle because of the number of blissfully unaware imbecile drivers who suddenly pull out in front of you, change lanes without indicating, run red lights, talk on mobile phones, cut you off (yes we fit neatly in your blind spot) and generally attempt to remove motorcycle riders from this plane of existence, there have to be some perks. I can think of one tiny perk a car driver can show me without being an a55hole and it requires nothing more than just sitting still listening to the radio in quiet comfort in the peak hour traffic jam. you're jealous when the bike splits past you? get a bike, but remember there aren't many perks. and if you open your door on me, I'll be getting into the car with you😀
and keep your damn arms inside the window, it's hard to bring 300 kilos to a dead stop to avoid someone's idea of a joke.

*gets down off soapbox*

lol...if motos want respect on the road, they gotta respect other vehicle users. Bikes are meant to be given the same amount of room as cars.and bikes are meant to act as if they are the same size as cars..

oh...and i am jealous!😉

and for opening doors...what if i quickly moved very close to the centre line...whos fault is it then

What's wrong with going between cars when they are stopped at the lights?

I personally prefer the sanctuary of being at the front with large metal cars behind me.

Being a bike rider the only thing I cringe at is when I see bike riders in singlets or worse - shorts.

I would rather be a leather bag full of broken bones, than a smear! 🙁

Buzzz wrote:yes I agree, but is it going to make getting a RWC an issue
Ryan

YES

Any modification does. Not being a prude but suicide doors are ummm.... noticable. :o

Webers, disc break conversions, different seats etc all SHOULD require a eng cert, but...... in the scale of world naughtiness, lets face it, not that bad.

I would put suicide doors in there with a chop top. There is no way you will get road worthy by some one not noticing.

Have a good think before you attack your car with the gas axe.

TTFN

Barry

Im with you Mr Leonard
Its amazing how many tin top's get a bit hot under the collar when they see you going past in the breakdown lane. But it has been my observation that we motorcyclists are not alone in this practice any more, I have on many occations had four wheelers try to shove it up the inside of the Kombi a few hundred metres before the exit lane. I wonder if any of these same drivers are the ones who complain when because of our advantage of small size we actually aid the movement of traffic by utilising this advantage. Some tin top users make the most of their size advantage by ignoring the right of motorcyclists to even be on the road, and do their best to force you off it. The old "did not see him officer" excuse is a form of total justification in these PPL's eye's, the fact that this usually results in fatal or serious injury to the motorcyclist is of no concern, they are only "Temporary Australians", or "Biker scum" we are better off without, Right!
Let those who live in glass houses not be the first to cast stone's!
There is always two sides to every story!
Rob....

hey donkey... i think you need to address your attitude. even thinking about opening doors on a biker is serious. i ride and and yes i have lane split. i evaluate the situation and make sure i am doing it safely. it is one of the purks of biking. the freedom it offers you. i am aware and i know there are people stupid enough to think 'bastard he shoudnt be doing that, i might give him a fright", but luckily ive never met one as yet. if your envious of not being able to weave thru peak hour get yourself a bike. if youre just a nut then stay off the road. i could assure you that if a biker was travelling between cars and you opened the door on htem, you would be the worse off.
i once had this bloke who decided to nudge my cruiser when i travelled up the bus lane ( legal by the way) and then changed lanes in front of him. he obviously was pissed at the traffic and the fact the bikes were able to get thru as i was about the fourth one i saw go past. anyway he nudged the rear of my bike, almost knocking me over. he wasnt too appreciative though when i got off the bike and walked up to his car to get him to explain his actions. im not a big bloke but i think the fact i was riding a cruiser and was in the gear scared him. he wound up his window and wouldnt get out. all i did was crack his window, but i know blokes that wouldve done a lot more. respect is what is needed on our roads not comments like yours and some actions i seen from others.



as for suicide doors. i know in nsw it is near impossible to get rego with this modification. so check oit out first. and yeah go the white pipe and rubbers. the 'californian look'.

i know in nsw it is near impossible to get rego with this modification.

As long as you use a bear claw latch the engineers will approve.

Suicide doors are actually safer than conventional doors when exiting/entering a vehicle. Not to mention so much better for access to the rear seat.

It is only the use of poor latches which in some application have let them down.

Even a number of new cars are coming out again with suicides!

i talked to someone who did this ona bug and they said its illegal to modify the entry points of a vehicle in NSW. thats just wat i heard, i think it may hav been from the owner of BUGGIN? cant remember now...he's only done it to the passenger side, maybes thats a way around it or sumthing.
sam

this guy lives in nth sydney or there abouts top bug rego is BUG-61N

love that bug!

:beer

I actually ride myself and the moneys not a prob as I'm doing it myself (being a beater and all) but that's not the issue here. Getting back to the topic, I've heard you can use volvo v5 hinges (as they are hidden) and I was just going to use the existing latch (ie: passenger side for the drivers and the drivers for the passengers) turning them around. It looks like thats what has been done in the above picture. But I would like to know more about these bear claw deadbolts.

get em done and ill show ya where to go 😀 he passed my bug with nothin in but a drivers seat 😀

Clint😎

if i remember rightly this u.k company offer kits for suicide doors, could be helpful just to see how they dsigned them.
they have a reputation for very well engineered parts:thumb

http://www.machine7.co.uk/HTML/Intro.htm

kai

Anyone know reg's for these in good old QLD !!!

what about Vic???

lol😀

Some people take stuff real serisouly...

I gotta work out how to word sarcasim better....

I agree bout peoples in there big asse cars not giving room to moto's....but as i said before cars are meant to give u the room of a car...and u are meant to act as if u are the size of a car.

oh and btw...driving in the bus lane with a bike is illegal.....its just easier for u to merge back in before a copper see's u

Sorry bout changin the topic a bit in the post 🙂

suicide doors !!!!!!!!
my 2 cents???????
GO FOR IT .......if i could i would for sure....just to tease you here is a shot of my favourite car...😀

suicide doors:o:o:o:o
my 2cents?????
GO FOR IT !!!!!!!!!
just to tease you here is a shot of my favourite car😀

where sleeper?

Does anyone have an idea what type of hinges to use...I really don't want to have to get some made up specially for it if I can help it. Help???...Anyone???🙁

www.runtrod.com

Nick has a few articles on suicde hinges on his site. could be useful

cheers
adz

thanks dude, anyone else?

I found an article where it mentioned you can buy the hinges in kitform, does anyone know of where I could purchase some?

Found a site, oveer in US, rockyhinges.com. prealigned hinges for $229US. Good price but wondering if anyone knows anyone local for quicker devivery. If not, see you all at rev sunday morning.
Cheers stonersd
ryan

GROOVED DOORS N SEMAPHORES[/font]
Iwouldnt even bother with the hasles of suicides on a beetle,But I have thought about it..
Gotta see donkeys humour.Relax put on ya slippers and have a pipe..