914 Race Door (Picture needed)

[Jim Smolka]

I have gone to the dark side. My 914 is now a dedicated track car. I need a picture of the inside of a 914 door that has the guts removed as well as the inside sheetmetal. Also, a tech assist would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

[campbellcj]

Are the doors strong enough to hold themselves together with the inside metal removed?

I may be down this road myself shortly, as soon as I get a tow rig. However I'm thinking I would just pull the glass and regulators but leave the metal as-is, in case I want to reinstall the windows later.

The weight savings must be considerable.

[Jim Smolka]

Chris,

You bring up a good point about strength. I have seen other 914's with the door guts including sheetmetal removed. The main reason for removing the sheetmetal is to install NASCAR style door tubing that goes into the door.

[Zeke]

Not gonna tell you how to build your car, but this is a very popular way to go. Remember, other race cars are very low, so you have the longitudinal there as well for side impact.

[John Rogers]

As you can see on Milt's picture the center chunk of sheet metal holds the inner door latch mechanism. On my race car I can not easily reach the outer handle if the need should arise where I have to get the hell out in a hurry. I left all the sheet metal in since I also have the windows as they help keep dust and dirt out. Good luck.

[Dave at Pelican Parts]

The doors will hold up, at least for a while, with just about all of the inner webbing gone. Plus the door beams (early-73 and later).

I don't remember if the car I looked at still used the stock latching mechanism or not. It did have NASCAR-style door beams that bumped out into the door cavity.

--DD

[clubracr]

The doors will hold up when gutted. I have trimmed every last ounce from mine. By the rules my doors must still open. I just have the hinges and the outer skin. Use a pin for latch. Weight savings is enormous. If this is strictly a track car it's the only way to go. I don't open the doors except at tech. Otherwise I just hop out the window.

[Zeke]

There is one other thing. I will have to cover at least some of the openings for safety (sharp edges you don't want your hand/arm to contact in an accident) and to satisfy some rulebooks. I think VARA and HSR want a door panel.

[John Rogers]

From what I remember, the HSR and VARA tech want something covering the top area of the door and no sharp edges as Milt noted. Someone has been making a plastic piece with a rolled top that covers the window area to the outer skin and goes down about half ways. "hop out the window"????I don't think I could do that anymore????

[campbellcj]

Yep, POC likes to see a door panel too, even on the modified cars. It is not strictly required if you state that it interferes with your safety equipment (i.e. door bars). I'm still planning to get some very simple & light "RS" type panels made up for my car. Just a smooth vinyl door panel with holes for the window crank and latch handle.

Not sure I could hop out the window very quickly either...just getting out the door with my "high-X" door bar requires most of my agility.

[Jim Smolka]

Thanks to all for the replies.

Since I am installing an IMSA flare kit that will allow for 13" wide wheels in the front and 15" wide wheels in the back, I cannot do HSR racing Due to the engine size, I will be in GT3 for PCA club racing.

I like the NASCAR style cages that go into the door cavity. IMHO, the extra space would help in the event of a T-Bone type accident.

What I am trying to see is a close up picture of the inner sheet metal removed and how folks covered up the sharp edges. Is it possible to roll part of the remain metal as to make a soft edge?

Here is a couple of links of a nice 914 cage.

http://fly.hiwaay.net/~jonlowe/MVC019S.JPG

Thanks

[David McLaughlin]

If weight savings is a must; why not use the new fiberglass doors fron GT Racing?

[Jim Smolka]

Dave,

Good question,
I quess a couple of reasons, one cost, the other, is that steel offers additional protection that fiberglass does not. Also, some clubs require steel doors...

[Racer Chris]

Driver door with inner panel removed:


My door latch:


Door closed:


Passenger door with panel: