Sedan with double suicide doors - how many makes?

[trimacar]

There's a really neat Auburn sedan for sale on the Forum, and it has suicide doors, open from the front hinged at rear, both front and back.

I just don't remember seeing very many cars with that feature.

So, question to the group, what other pre-WWII cars had two suicide doors, and pictures please if you have them.....

[Barry Wolk]

My 1933 Continental has them. All three models, Beacon, Flyer and Ace had them.

[Guest 38cadillacjack]

my 35 pontiac has them,dont know how to send pic's yet,but it is a running driveing,survivor

[nearchoclatetown]

At least '35 Dodge Brothers, if not other years. And Studebaker too.

[keiser31]

At least '35 Dodge Brothers, if not other years. And Studebaker too.

Not Dodge Brothers. They had rear suicide doors only in 1935. 1934 was the last year for them to have four suicide doors. Same goes for Plymouth. However Essex cars had four suicide doors on a lot of models during the 20's.

Edited February 13, 2011 by keiser31 (see edit history)

[nearchoclatetown]

Can I change that to '34 DB?

[keiser31]

Can I change that to '34 DB?

Certainly!

[Dan Marx]

Look at the '28 Essex Super Six, it has 4 suicide doors, possible the '29 as well

[Guest Dean_H.]

My '33 De Soto has doors like that.

[ply33]

33 and 34 Plymouth sedans. It would not surprise me to hear that all the Chrysler Motors brands had that in 33 and 34.

[john2dameron]

Okay, I just looked at a few thousand photos in my portable electronic photo album, better known as a laptop. Found a 1935 Bentley wagon with 4 suicide doors and Rolls-Royces from 1927, 1930 and 1933. However the '27 was a Phaeton. In American cars I found a 1923 Dagmar, Franklins from 1925, 1927, 1930, and 1933. I found Dodges and Plymouth from 1933 and 1934, a 1932 DeSoto but no Chryslers. I found 1935 Chevrolets in the Master Series, the Standard Series did not have suicide doors up front. I found '34 and '35 Brewster town cars, several 1929 Hudsons and a 1935 Hudson and a 1935 La Salle but no Cadillacs. I found Fords for 1933 and 1934 and Lincoln K Series limousines built in 1936 and 1937. I found several Auburns including some from 1931, '32, and '33. To finish up I found one Studebaker, a 1924 model. I do not think this list is all inclusive by any means but these are what I found in a limited amount of time.

[olympic]

add series 11 Franklins to the list

[keiser31]

Okay, I just looked at a few thousand photos in my portable electronic photo album, better known as a laptop. Found a 1935 Bentley wagon with 4 suicide doors and Rolls-Royces from 1927, 1930 and 1933. However the '27 was a Phaeton. In American cars I found a 1923 Dagmar, Franklins from 1925, 1927, 1930, and 1933. I found Dodges and Plymouth from 1933 and 1934, a 1932 DeSoto but no Chryslers. I found 1935 Chevrolets in the Master Series, the Standard Series did not have suicide doors up front. I found '34 and '35 Brewster town cars, several 1929 Hudsons and a 1935 Hudson and a 1935 La Salle but no Cadillacs. I found Fords for 1933 and 1934 and Lincoln K Series limousines built in 1936 and 1937. I found several Auburns including some from 1931, '32, and '33. To finish up I found one Studebaker, a 1924 model. I do not think this list is all inclusive by any means but these are what I found in a limited amount of time.

Add Chrysler to the list. They had "four suicide door" cars from 1932 through 1934. My books are full of them.

[Guest 34ACD]

David,

I assume you started this thread in reference to my 34 Auburn Phaeton. It actually has both doors hung on a single, massive hinge making only the front doors a "suicide" configuration. This was typical of 31-36 Auburn Phaetons while the 4-door sedans had four suicide doors. I think that most of not all other 4-door cars I've noticed with only one a suicide door on each side have it in the rear, hinged in back.

I've always found the suicide front door a bit awkward to get in since you basically have to back in, butt-first. Easier to get out of, though.

Still for sale BTW.

Edited February 13, 2011 by 34ACD (see edit history)

[Scotts_DG8]

My '33 De Soto has doors like that.

Whaat??? Dean, you have a '33 De Soto? What am I missing here, I didn't know you had another car??? Are you keeping this on the QT?

Sorry all, this just caught me off guard and I just had to. Returning to regularly scheduled programming now. Scott...

[Paul Dobbin]

Our 1934 Ford Fordor had 4 suicide doors.

[Barry Wolk]

I've always found the suicide front door a bit awkward to get in since you basically have to back in, butt-first. Easier to get out of, though.

I find the front suicides easier to get in and out. Go figure.

[Guest De Soto Frank]

Rear-hinged doors ( "suicide" ) were all the rage on American cars ( 2dr & 4 dr) and even some trucks 1932-34, with some like Hudson & Terraplane keeping them til '35 or '36.

There were some makers in the '20s that also used them, most notably Hudson & Essex.

[Dave Mellor NJ]

I think Dodge is the only truck to use them. 34-35,maybe 33,like the famous Hemmings panel truck.

[Earl B.]

1935 and 1936 Packard had 4 reverse opening doors....B

[Paul Dobbin]

Having owned suicide door cars most of my life, I 'll share these stories

as cautionary tales.

I owned a 1951 Mercedes 170 VA 4 door sedan while stationed in Germany in 1965. It too had suicide front doors. Once while driving it without the manual door locks engaged, the door opened and immediatly broke the check strap and the door handle put a baseball size dent in the left rear fender. No other damage, and I remained in the car, no seat belts.

On the 1998 Glidden Tour in New Hampshire, with our 1934 Ford Tudor, it happened again. It was the day we left Bretton Woods for Center Harbor to take the The MS Mount Washington Cruise Ship to Wolfsboro.

This time we got a late start and stopped for gas. On leaving the station I buckled my seat belt and blasted off down the highway enjoying the sound of the little V8 working it's way to 50 MPG. BAM !!! The drivers door flew open

(Again I'd forgotten the manual locks). This time it bent all three door hinges

and part of the door skin. It was so bent that it would only come within about a foot of closing. @*^&*!

I took my belt and strapped is as closed as I gould get it and headed into the next town. There at a local gas station I borrowed a big crow bar and placed in in each hinge and closed the door on it until I bent it enough to close and lock the door. We took the 3 lane Interstate highway to Center Harbor (Missing the scenic Glidden Tour route). But we made it to the ship and were the last Gliddeintes to board.

Moral of the stories: Always lock your suicide doors, a practice we now do as part of the pre lift off check list. I also know that if I'd been able to grab that inside door handle, the door would have pulled me right out of the car like an ejection seat! Another good reason for seat belts.

[Guest bkazmer]

if only the rear are suicide, don't you need them all unlocked so you can lock the throttle and go down the running board and drive from the back seat? Still don't know who ratted me out to Mom on that.

[ply33]

I had the "suicide" driver side door on my 1933 Plymouth open once on me. Luckily I was too slow in my instinctive grab for the handle so I stayed in side the car. And, also luckily, the damage to the car was slight.

Since that time I make sure the doors are locked before the car moves. At least on my Plymouth, clicking the inside handles to the locked position extends the tongue on the latch just a little farther and, I hope, makes it a bit less likely that the door will come open accidentally.

Having owned suicide door cars most of my life, I 'll share these stories

as cautionary tales.

I owned a 1951 Mercedes 170 VA 4 door sedan while stationed in Germany in 1965. It too had suicide front doors. Once while driving it without the manual door locks engaged, the door opened and immediatly broke the check strap and the door handle put a baseball size dent in the left rear fender. No other damage, and I remained in the car, no seat belts.

On the 1998 Glidden Tour in New Hampshire, with our 1934 Ford Tudor, it happened again. It was the day we left Bretton Woods for Center Harbor to take the The MS Mount Washington Cruise Ship to Wolfsboro.

This time we got a late start and stopped for gas. On leaving the station I buckled my seat belt and blasted off down the highway enjoying the sound of the little V8 working it's way to 50 MPG. BAM !!! The drivers door flew open

(Again I'd forgotten the manual locks). This time it bent all three door hinges

and part of the door skin. It was so bent that it would only come within about a foot of closing. @*^&*!

I took my belt and strapped is as closed as I gould get it and headed into the next town. There at a local gas station I borrowed a big crow bar and placed in in each hinge and closed the door on it until I bent it enough to close and lock the door. We took the 3 lane Interstate highway to Center Harbor (Missing the scenic Glidden Tour route). But we made it to the ship and were the last Gliddeintes to board.

Moral of the stories: Always lock your suicide doors, a practice we now do as part of the pre lift off check list. I also know that if I'd been able to grab that inside door handle, the door would have pulled me right out of the car like an ejection seat! Another good reason for seat belts.

[whatdoing]

My 29 <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" /><st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Hudson</st1:place></st1:City> has this type of door arrangement. The body on my <st1:City w:st="on">Hudson</st1:City> is manufactured by <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Hudson</st1:place></st1:City>, other coach builders would of coarse put their own spin on things.

[whatdoing]

Different spin

[keiser31]

Different spin

Some Chryslers and Imperials had the center hinge style.

[trimacar]

Wow, a lot more cars than I would have thought. Actually, it was an Auburn that made me think of this, but not the phaeton, the sedan that's now for sale. Car looks great without sidemounts, a similar car for sale by same buyer with sidemounts leaves me cold. Interesting.

[Guest]

1933 Diamond T had suicide doors.

[Guest strelnik]

add series 11 Franklins to the list

Add the French racing cars turned sports cars Amilcar, in certain body styles.

[knobless]

My 34 Dodge has them.

[knobless]

[knobless]

check my album....picture did not load here,sorry

[Studemax]

My '49 Studebaker Champion 4 door sedan had suicide rear doors and conventional front doors.

By the way, this configuration is usually referred to as "kissing doors".

Easy to figure out.

[CarlLaFong]

Does anyone know what, regular production, car was the last to have rear hinged front doors? I think I know, but it's a WAG

[Barry Wolk]

'69 was the last Lincoln. I think T-birds had them later.

[keiser31]

'69 was the last Lincoln. I think T-birds had them later.

Barry...I don't think that is what he asked. He is talking about front doors.

[keiser31]

Does anyone know what, regular production, car was the last to have rear hinged front doors? I think I know, but it's a WAG

This 1936 Willys has them, but I think I have seen a later Willys with the rear hinged front doors.

[Barry Wolk]

Yes, misread what he wrote.

[rons49]

Most,but not all, Hudsons & Essex from 1918 to 1932 used rear hinged 4 doors. In 1932 to 1936 virtually all HETs were rear hinged. In 1937 front doors were hinged on the A pillar

[padgett]

Traction Avant (1934-1957) or Horch 853 (1937-1940)

Edited March 22, 2011 by padgett (see edit history)