Suicide doors

[Bruce Dykes]

-----Original Message-----
From: James Smith <jsmithjamessmith at YAHOO.COM>
To: ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
Date: Monday, May 08, 2000 11:55 AM
Subject: Re: Suicide doors


>I always thought the name referred to the ease with
>which a passenger could be ejected forward if there
>were a crash, not to a willful act; i.e., it was
>suicidely dangerous to ride in such a car.  These
>doors were not unique to the 60's Continental, but
>were found on a variety of autos up through the 50's.


They're making a comeback...my uncle has a new Ford pickup with a bench seat
that has a suicide door, but as it's three feet off the ground, it's not
really obvious. There's also no center post for the latch, it latches to the
floor.

And another company makes a sedan/coupe with an unposted suicide door. I
think they call it a three door.

And how did sedan get extended from 'enclosed chair on posts carried by men'
to 'car with trunk and hood'? I'm guessing it's because of the general
shape...

bkd