Suicide doors

[Kerry Pinkerton <pinkertonk@xxxxxxxxx>]

Some early Crown Imperials had suicide rear doors.  My 50 crown does and 
I expect the same is true through through 54. 


RandalPark@xxxxxxx wrote:

>That is correct. Doors that open in such a way that if they were ajar and the 
>car was moving, that the wind could catch and open them, are in fact called 
>suicide doors. I don't think anyone actually committed suicide in this way, 
>but it could be said that opening the door while the car was in motion would 
>be "like committing suicide". This was since the wind would pull the door off 
>the car, and possibly the passenger along with it, if they hung onto the door 
>handle. Lincolns and four door Thunderbirds in the '60s had a door ajar 
>warning light for this reason. 
>
>In the '30s, some cars had the front doors opening in this way while the rear 
>ones were conventional. Were any '30s Chryslers or Imperials set up this way? 
>I'll have to take a look in my old "70 Years of Chrysler" book.
>
>Paul
>
> In a message dated 3/22/2004 8:04:27 PM Eastern Standard Time, DavisADM 
>writes:
>
>  
>
>>Who says that suicide dorrs applies only to the front doors.  So, yes, 
>Lincolns and T-birds had suicide doors!
>>
>>
>>In a message dated 03/22/2004 11:45:53 AM, 
>>imperial1971@xxxxxxxxx writes:
>>
>>
>>
>>The Engel-designed '64-'66 Imperials were never
>>offered with suicide doors.  And neither were the
>>'61-'69 Lincolns.  Lincoln (and Thunderbird for a few
>>years) used a center-opening design, which is rather
>>different than the "suicide" design, in which the
>>front door opens from the FRONT.
>>
>>But, much like the misuse of "Kelsey Hayes" for the
>>Motor Wheel wire wheels, the misuse of "suicide doors"
>>has stuck.
>>
>>Elijah
>>    
>>
>
>