How to Add a Door?
- Thread starter TriodeLuvr
- Start date
TriodeLuvr
Member
I'd be interested in seeing photos of how you cut it. Even if it's not the way you would do it again, it might give me some ideas for mine.
Jack
Jack
TriodeLuvr
Member
I'm getting closer to starting this work (or paying someone else), and I have one more question. The floor in my bucket is plywood, and I don't really know how well it's 'glassed in to the body. I don't have any reason to think there's a problem in that area, but the original owner probably wasn't thinking about cutting a door when he did it. There will only be a small strip of glass at the bottom on that side of the bucket after the door is cut out. The only thing I can see that will prevent it from flexing is the attachment to the floor. Is it possible that when I cut the opening for the door, the body will become structurally unsound?
Jack
Jack
If you want strength at the bottom don't cut the door opening all the way to the floor. This will leave a little threshold to step over, but will add strength. I'm assuming that you are going to build a wood frame inside the body and then cut through the center of that to create the door blank / opening.
TriodeLuvr
Member
I haven't really decided, there seem to be several ways to get this done. Will the wood added in that process make up for the stiffness lost by cutting the opening?
I would think so, but it depends on how wide or thick the added wood is. What I was thinking was that you would attach 4 pieces of wood to make a picture frame on the inside of the body, and then cut lengthwise through the middle of all 4 pieces so that you now have two picture frames. The inner frame with the attached fiber glass becomes the door and the outer frame becomes the jamb. That way, the door has to match the jamb, and you can cut as high as you want above the level of the floor to add strength. Again this leaves a threshold affair which you may or may not want to have.
TriodeLuvr
Member
I think you mean to cut through the middle of 3 pieces. The piece at the top gets completely cut away, and that's where it loses strength.
No, I'm OK with that. In fact, it's how I planned to make the cut. The door doesn't need to be very large, so I was thinking it should be cut along the molded ridge at the bottom and sides. Still, that only leaves a sill about 3" tall. That just doesn't seem like it would have a lot of strength unless a steel strip or something is glassed in at the side, running front to back near the floor. Maybe that's not needed, I just don't know.
Are the commercial builds from companies like Spirit, Wintec, CCR, RPM etc. built like this with wood floors? What type of body reinforcement do they use when installing a door?
Jack
TriodeLuvr
Member
I need one of those in red, please. 
Of course. I hate it when I type faster than I think.
For reinforcement look at the picture of the steel frame that CCR uses. I have it in two bodies and it works very well.
TriodeLuvr
Member
Did you modify it to fit or are you using CCR bodies? It doesn't look like it's adjustable for length. Funny, I wasn't even thinking about the body flexing in that direction (right/left). I was thinking about it sort of folding up in the fore/aft direction (moving on the rubber body mounts). Honestly, if I thought I would still be able to get in and out of the car after I install the soft top, I'd just forget about a door. I think it's going to be a major issue though.
2old2fast
Active Member
I made a door frame & jamb sepratly out of wood & glassed that into the body before cutting the door , I also shamelessly copied CCR's steel frame design & had that installed prior to cutting [I used 3/4" square tubing rather than round stock . After cutting the door I glassed all edges & frames & made hinges , used a '26-'27 style door latch assembly. I wish I still had pics of the process , sorry , old 'puter ate 'em.
dave
dave
TriodeLuvr
Member
Dave, I hadn't realized a reinforcement like that would be necessary. It moves the project out of my capabilities, and it's also turning into more time than I can devote to this hobby right now. I'll need to find a local shop that can do this and hope its affordable. I think I'll also let someone else tackle the fabrication of fender mounts that we were talking about. If I can't get these things done at a reasonable cost, I might be forced to sell the car.
Jack
Jack
CCR bodies.
TriodeLuvr
Member
Believe me, I've been analyzing this situation in detail for several months now. It's a great car, I love driving it, but it might just be the wrong one for me. If I only drove it on weekends like most people, the situation would be different. Trying to drive it everyday presents challenges. We'll see how it goes over the next few months...
Jack
TriodeLuvr
Member
Thanks, I hadn't seen that kit before. I like that it comes with the offset hinge and a framework to glass into the opening. Incidentally, is that scottrodscustom.com? I don't see any links to bucket stuff on their homepage. There's a Scott's Rods in Oz too, but they don't seem to have it either.
Jack
Jack
Here's a link to their Ford Parts page. The door kit is about 15 lines down.
http://www.scottrodscustom.com/ford.html
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