2-Door to 4-Door

[Crazy5711]

I have this great Idea. I want to take my X sport and add 2 extra doors to it. They would be for the back seat, and would work like the suicide doors to an extended cab ranger. With hidden handles and everything. I know it will cost a lot, and not be worth what it costs as far as adding value to the X, but I think it would be awesome, and it would be one of a kind. Problems would include money, time, structural integrity and proper function. What do you guys think? would like some tips/insight/feedback. Won't be happening anytime soon. Have suggested it on the Monster Garage Fansite.

Monster Garage Fansite

I have the same handle in there

 

[410Fortune]

I say good luck. Thats a HUGE undertaking in order to keep it safe. If it was a show car then you could get away with just making it work cosmetically, but to modify the cab to make the 2 suicide doors work and still be structurally sound you are basically looking at re-engineering the entire cab.

You will have to re-locate seat belts, glass, trim, etc etc etc. Now we all know anyhting is possible with enought time and $$$ so if you really want to and you have the means, I say go for it........

Lord knows I am game, I have a 88 BII with 255K miles on the frame and body and I have been building this beast for over 7 years....most people think putting that much time and effort and $$$ into a BII is pointless, but then again those people are usually eating my dust or stuck on obstacles I just conquered..........

 

[IAmTodd]

I would see a need to relocate the seat belts. Our '98 Chevy truck has them attach to the 3rd door. That would be awsome if you could pull it off. And definetly unique!

 

[Hokie]

You would need to pray that you never got 'Tboned'. If you cut out that center section you would loose all of your crashworthiness from side impacts

 

[410Fortune]

yes side impact protection would be obsxolete with out complete re-construcytion of the existing doors, new suicide doors, and basically the entire cab "shell".

Its not like Ford just stretched a Ranger and added some doors, they started over fropm scratch and re-designed the entire shell to make up for the larger opening.

If you did it right of course it could be stronger than ever, but at the cost of more weight, meaning lower performance.

Of course Ford tested the new design over and over which you would not have this luxury.....

 

[Crazy5711]

I was hoping to try and find a way around having to change the original framework of the truck, at least as far as the main support behind the doors goes.

 

[410Fortune]

if you are going to have a swing door in place of the main support pillar, this is impossible to retain the same structural integrity, without complete re-construction of the cab shell.

Now if the new suicide door is very stout and had more than 1 contact point (striker) then maybe it would be acceptable.
Meaning when the suicide door is closed, maybe at the top and bottom it has an additional latch that you manually lock, something like that if you follow my thinking. But its going to be heavy for sure.

The sport was designed with already oversized doors, they are rather long and heavy, you will only be making it worse by adding another door behind them.

Sports often have problems with sagging door hinges because of the fact that the doors are huge when compared to other trucks (ie 4 door Ex or BII)

 

[Alec]

Could always add a cage.

 

[Crazy5711]

I want to try to leave the main support right where it is

 

[Alec]

So still have the Bpillar there? This may make use of the new doors very difficult.