Why not? SUICIDE DOORS?.... using Stock PARTS! 1939 Lincoln Zephyr Coupe Conversion

Make It Kustom
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52,704 views Jan 22, 2026 #metalshaping #makeitkustom #fabricationtechniques
I'm back on the Zephyr coupe conversion making suicide doors with the leftovers from the 4 Door. https://www.japhandskustoms.com/produ...

 

 

 

Restoring suicide doors (rear-hinged doors) requires meticulous focus on structural integrity and safety mechanics. Because these doors hinge at the rear, any latch failure at high speeds can cause the wind to violently tear the door open.
Whether you are restoring a classic factory model (like a 1960s Lincoln Continental) or working on a custom conversion, follow these essential steps to ensure a safe and successful restoration:
🛡️ Prioritize Safety and Latches First

• Upgrade the latches: Vintage latches wear down and become incredibly dangerous. If you are doing a full restoration or conversion, many builders highly recommend upgrading to modern rotary latches or adding electrical "deadbolt" safety pins that lock automatically when the ignition is on.
• Install a safety catch: Always ensure there is a secondary physical catch so the door cannot swing completely open if the primary latch fails.

🛠️ Inspect and Restore the Hinges

• Check for sag: Because suicide doors are often heavy and have a massive swing radius, hinges are prone to bending or wearing out.
• Reinforce mounting points: The B-pillar (or C-pillar depending on the setup) takes immense stress. Ensure the metal framing where the hinges bolt or weld to the vehicle body is solid, rust-free, and reinforced with backing plates.
• Bushings and pins: Replace worn brass bushings and hinge pins to stop the door from sagging and dragging against the rocker panels.

📐 Perfect the Alignment and Gaps

• Align before final welding: Use the non-adjustable embossed areas of the latch posts to set your body lines properly.
• Maintain even gaps: Suicide doors require incredibly precise gaps to latch perfectly. Use painter's tape to map out compound curves and shim the hinges until the door opens and closes seamlessly without needing to be slammed.

🚗 Strengthen the Door Structure

• Inner frame integrity: If the door feels flimsy or floppy when open, you must rebuild the inner structural bracing.
• Manage heat when welding: If you are welding patches or sectioning pieces on the outer door skin, use a series of staggered tack welds and cool the metal with an air blower to prevent warping the large, flat panels.

💡 Pro-Tip: If you are tackling a vintage restoration, consider consulting specific vehicle communities or a certified professional fabricator. The legal and physical safety risks of poorly restored suicide doors are significantly higher than standard front-hinged doors.

 

Suicide Door Hinge Kit - Suicide Doors

Doors To Die For!
Saul VargasWriterSep 13, 2013
When the HellDorado project started, we never thought that it would expand to the point of direction that we are in now. What began as a rear wheel conversion quickly escalated into a 2-inch chop and slanted windshield. Once that was completed, it only added more fuel to the fire as the project as certainly taken on a life of its own.


In the last magazine update, we gave you a look into the metal fabricated custom interior that was being manufactured for the car. In this month's update, we visited Scissor Doors Inc.; the only manufacturer with vehicle-specific, complete Suicide Door systems on the planet! They are also one of the few manufacturers that will stand behind their product with a premium quality lifetime warranty. The company's Suicide Door Hinge kit can convert any existing doors into reverse-opening doors.

With over 750 vehicle specific applications, Scissor Doors' Suicide Door Conversion should be the only option you choose for properly engineered hinges on your project. Given the company's track record and selection, we knew we could count on them to demonstrate the process and show you everything you'll need. Now follow along, as Diamond Dave from Engle Brothers Fabrication puts these hinges from Scissor-Doors on our Project HellDorado; giving us some modern suicide doors to die for.

1. Scissor suicide door hinge kits will get your doors opening the right way.

2. The door jamb was cleaned to the bare metal, as it will be easier to do this now before cutting the section out for the hinges.

3. The area of the doorjamb was stenciled-out for the cutting involved.

4. The inner wall structure was cut out to allow access for the crucial structural welding involved.

5. To assure a good bond, the area that would be getting welded was cleaned with a grinding wheel.

6. Depending on the vehicle, some cars can only receive one hinge. We tried on this car but realized that it would be more stable using two hinges.

7. Dave started welding the hinges in place.

8. As we mentioned earlier, this car needed to receive two hinges because of the weight and length of the door.

9. The new doorjamb was created from sections, as it couldn't be done from one piece.

10. Using a band saw allowed the new door sections to be cut out precisely.

11. Since we didn't want to screw up the door, we got our measurements off a mock up panel.

12. With the information in hand from the mock up panel, we transferred it to the door.

13. The door had a new door jamb that needed to be finessed.

14. The same process was used on both of the doors.

15. Since the doors were shaped, the hinges were bolted on to the jam.

16. The door was test hung on to the hinges.

17. The door was aligned and checked for the swing.

18. After minor adjustments, Dave realized that the rear of the hinge needed some support.

19. Using his Lincoln welder, Dave got his welds into the tight space.

20. Each hinge received a support, which will keep the hinges from eventually flexing or sagging.

21. Now that the door would be opened differently, the latches needed to be relocated to the front of the door.

22. The front of the door was filled and marked for the new hinge.

23. The new latch will be grafted into the door.

24. The door was going to need a little finessing before going into final bodywork.

25. Once the bodywork was cleaned up, we had ourselves a nice looking car that featured Scissor-Door suicide doors.