The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Paint and Body Shop Clam Shell -vs- Barn Doors

I have a 1950 suburban I'm in the process of starting to Restore. It has the clam shell rear doors which at first I thought was cool but after almost taking my eye out on the edge a few time I thought other wise. Is there a real advantage or dis-advantage(other than loosing and eye) to the clam shell. How difficult is it to change to the Barn doors?

Advantages of Clam shell? Tailgate parties and carrying long lumber....

Switching to Barn doors involves:

1) Find barn doors, door latch assembly and handle, hinges, light assembly (hard)

2) Remove clamshell doors, clean old hinge placements

3) Install new barn doors, wire light.

Jim

What Jim said plus:

Clam shells are knee and shin killers when you crawl across them to get in/out. AND they are thigh, crotch, abdomen (depending on your height) killers if you run into them. AND the cables are can inflict injury if you are not careful as well.

Other than that, clam shells are great!

Barn doors come up on ebay from time to time, and for some reason, a few people haven't actually tried clam shell doors and pay big bucks for them on ebay.

I have switch to barn doors on two suburbans, it is an easy swap.

I thought about welding them together and have a true lift gate the only thing would be finding the gas shocks strong enough to hold the weight. Also would the top hinges be strong enough to hold it also.....

I vote for keeping the clam shells and being more careful. Less hassle anyway...

-W

Aloha!

Mine has clam shell, pain in the arse to get to anything you store in the back, not easy to get in and out of, the only plus's are there were fewer clam shells produced, making it rare, hence more valuable, but what I like about clam shells is you can drive with the upper portion lifted open which really gets air circulating through it during hot weather. I've thought about having my metalman figure out a way to have the upper clam shell with barn door lowers and have the best of both worlds.

--------------------------------------------------

When a friend warned him
that alcohol was slow poison,
Robert Benchley replied,
"So who's in a hurry?"

Does anyone know anything about the 49 Burb on this web site...

http://hotrodders.com/vehicles/170.html

Looks like the Clam shell doors are welded together.