Disappearing Car Door - Cool?

Dan in Pasadena · Dan in Pasadena's Garage

This pretty much explains itself. Opinions?

> http://www.disappearing-car-door.com/

Z-man · Z-man's Garage

If it is raining, the inside of the car will be much wetter with that setup...

-Z

Dan in Pasadena · Dan in Pasadena's Garage

Excellent observation. Not to mention what happens in blowing snow. Maybe there's a reason auto makers have stayed with the two hinges and a latch approach. Not to mention cost per vehicle. But I can't help thinking the saftey aspect is a consideration too...both in the positive AND in the negative. Think about a woman on a dark street late at night and someone menacing her!

TerryBPP · 04-09-2008, 07:20 AM

Not any worse than lambo doors. Pretty cool.

tchanson · 04-09-2008, 07:29 AM

Its similar to what Kaiser-Darrin did 50+ years ago, and just as goofy.

Tim

lendaddy · 04-09-2008, 07:36 AM

I cannot believe that someone wasted the cubic dollars required to develop that. Stupid.

Dan in Pasadena · Dan in Pasadena's Garage

Well, its not stupid if you can get a major manufacturer to install them in their car lines.

Of course the upfront costs to develop and test something like that (which the car makers themselves have undoubtedly already have conceptualized and opted against in the past) probably means you have a lot of money or a lot of balls. It is certainly an expensive gamble but would have a huge upside if an automaker decided to run with it.

lendaddy · 04-09-2008, 08:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dan in Pasadena

Well, its not stupid if you can get a major manufacturer to install them in their car lines.

They can't, so it is.

That anyone thought for a second that automakers would buy into that amazes me. Do you have any idea the massive change in platform structure required to accommodate that? And for what? Stupid stupid stupid.

Z-man · Z-man's Garage

There is a customer group that would embrace this type of door: the Bling-Bling fellow who has already seen too many "Lambo doors" on Civics and wants to impress his pimped-faced posse with his 'dizappearin' doorzz' yo.

Beyond that, I don't see a valid application for those doors.
-Z

DavidB911 · 04-09-2008, 09:12 AM

I would think the rollers would put scratches on the doors from rolling in and out. Similarly to the way windows get those lines on them from too many times being rolled up/down. I dont have a problem with being parked in. They give you 2 doors for a reason.

Dan in Pasadena · Dan in Pasadena's Garage

Quote:

Originally Posted by lendaddy

Do you have any idea the massive change in platform structure required to accommodate that? And for what? Stupid stupid stupid.

Yes I do and its been done before. For what? Marketing.

Manufacturers have changed the way they make vehicles before AND those changes have been accepted and adopted indusrty wide. . Witness the extended cab pickup and later the crew cab with four doors and no B pillar. Also the Saturn with the extra door on one side. Witness the reconfigurable Chevy Avalanche (not that they're my cup of tea) Its not as though they can't do it or won't do it if they think it will sell. The changes I described required a "massive change in platform structure" to bring them to market. So even though I too don't think these doors are necessary, I think it is shortsighted to dismiss it out of hand.

Overpaid Slacker · 04-09-2008, 11:08 AM

I think it's kind of tacky and blingy, and agree with Z-man on the demographic.

However if McLaren or Bugatti or some esoteric car manufacturer had come up with this, I'd probably think it's cool...

JP

kach22i · kach22i's Garage

There was an discussion on this a couple of years ago on the Blue Oval News website when the prototype went on sale on e-bay. If I recall correctly Lincoln was chosen because a study said the older buyers had problems with doors and getting in and out of the car. Ford paid for the prototype (I think) but production costs would of been to high.

Normy · 04-09-2008, 01:53 PM

I wonder how the side-impact protection of the original car is affected by this system...

N

CJFusco · CJFusco's Garage

I think that the disappearing door, when it disappears and the passengers emerge, looks vaguely creepy. Tugs at some unpleasant subconscious/collective unconscious images. methinks.

cool_chick · 04-10-2008, 03:59 AM

What do you do if the motor kaputs while you're in it? LOL

Victor · 04-10-2008, 04:34 AM

"Automobiles today still use the same door door principles as demonstrated on this 1897 Benz coupe............"

AUTOMOBILES TODAY STILL USE PRETTY WELL ALL OF THE SAME PRINCIPLES AS DEMONSTRATED ON THIS 1897 BENZ COUPE YOU FARTLET.

Pretty sure Ferry (or the Doctor - cant remember) where interviewed on the same subject along the lines of "The 911 door has been the same for 27 years - when will you update it?" Pretty sure the answer was "It works".

They gonna reinvent the wheel next? Still based on the same outdated 1897 principles.....

sammyg2 · 04-10-2008, 05:32 AM

Nope, not cool. Reminds me too much of lambo doors that are so over-done that even lambos don't have them anymore.

Overpaid Slacker · 04-10-2008, 05:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Normy

I wonder how the side-impact protection of the original car is affected by this system...

N

On the way home last night, I was wondering how extrication would be done in the event of an accident. Normally you'd just pop the hinges and the latch and be done with it. Ten seconds... no more door.

But if you didn't know this was the function of the door (and even if you did) where would you start? A Partner saw along the bottom of the door? God help you if there were any hydraulics in there.

The puzzlement and confusion of your rescuers would not be a Good Thing.

JP

Porsche-O-Phile · Porsche-O-Phile's Garage

Interesting. It definitely has some advantages over conventional doors, but for the price? Don't know it's worth the trouble.

And I generally hate anything that forces dependence on electronics or non-manual methods.