Any structural concerns with removing doors??

[MustangO4]

I know chopping off the roof opens a whole host of structural problems and that doors on some vehicles provide some of the structure. The question is, does anyone know of any issues on the VX (aside from no mirrors) with removing the doors, front and rear, for a trip to the desert.

[don moore]

Mustang...what are you doing...?????

[Triathlete]

does anyone know of any issues on the VX (aside from no mirrors) with removing the doors, front and rear, for a trip to the desert.


Biggest issue is its going to be HOT AS HELL since the AC will be pretty much unaffective!:eek:

[Osteomata]

Yes, structurally, you can fall out, after which you will meet another structure, the pavement. This might interfere with your personal structure.

- Os

[crotchrocket]

i don't think the doors act as strengthening

[WormGod]

Biggest issue is its going to be HOT AS HELL since the AC will be pretty much unaffective!:eek:

+1

Heh, true that! Just imagine how hot you will be without doors.... I mean, how are you gonna be able to put your wondows down then? :p

If you are going for the "cool looking" Mad Max factor, i would Photoshop it. I think you will be far more miserable without doors, let alone, the dirtiest interior and ever. Imagine all the sand and dirt you will get in your dash and such!

[MustangO4]

Mustang...what are you doing...?????

I'm bored, I live in San Diego and the WX is great, I leave for Iraq again in June so I'll miss it being really hot, I REALLY want to chop the top off, but aside from all of the structural issues, it would make the car very impractical.

Basically I like the idea of driving it open, and dropping the doors for a couple of days is easily reversable.

[tom4bren]

There are some fairly major tubes behind the cladding. I assume that they are there for side impact protection only but they could be structural.:confused:

[MSHardeman]

I would think that since the VX is basically a body on a frame that the doors wouldn't offer that much structural stability. Heck, you may even be able to chop the top off without many issues. May need to beef the frame up a little bit, but that might be it.

Did anyone get a picture of the underside of the VX02?

A lot of the Rodeo and Trooper guys who are highly modified run without doors in Moab.

[MustangO4]

Good point on troopers etc running w/o doors. As for most of the other concerns, dirt etc, my VX is dirty, I play hard with it, tweak on it and have every intention of keeping it as a toy forever. Even primo VXs are only getting about 10k so playing around with a "cheap" car sounds just fine to me. Did I mention I repainted it flat black....then tan....then black again.....myself......with rustolium......for about $14-20 each time? Dust in the dash is the least of my concerns ;)
Now:
http://www.vehicross.info/gallery/data/500/medium/VX16.jpg

[Gussie2000]

Yes, structurally, you can fall out, after which you will meet another structure, the pavement. This might interfere with your personal structure.

- Os

You forgot to mention that all this structure issues would also lead to loss financially structure too

[Marlin]

Good point on troopers etc running w/o doors. As for most of the other concerns, dirt etc, my VX is dirty, I play hard with it, tweak on it and have every intention of keeping it as a toy forever. Even primo VXs are only getting about 10k so playing around with a "cheap" car sounds just fine to me. Did I mention I repainted it flat black....then tan....then black again.....myself......with rustolium......for about $14-20 each time? Dust in the dash is the least of my concerns ;)


I agree, its not a 40K SUV anymore. Jeeps run without doors, but you would lose side impact protection...
As far as inside, I would love to see the carpet removed, rhino line the whole inside and put floor drains like a jeep. That would be sweet!!!! Maybe even fab some zippered doors from the bottom half of Vx doors up. I have a lead on a Vx, but it being all the way across country is useless. I know of an abandoned ebony, either 99 or 00 with about 116K on it. Doesn't run, cracked block, but comsetically sound. I have been workin on it for some time. The dealership has a request in for a mechanic's lean. The dealership is now being run by the bank for their bankruptcy, so that Vx may disappear to my garage soon. I will let everyone know, I will have lots of parts to let go. Its where I got my extra rear door interior cover for my gas can mod and my roof crossbars.

[samneil2000]

All three of those doors are really heavy as far as doors go, so the VX might actually thank you for dropping the weight off.

[MustangO4]

I also have a lead on a rollover out west. It has a motor but no trans, t-case or rear diff. Pictures are being sent to me. Might be a good donor for a 2WD topless roadster.

[Chopper]

Did I mention I repainted it flat black....then tan....then black again.....myself......with rustolium......for about $14-20 each time? Dust in the dash is the least of my concerns :laughing::laughing::laughing: Brilliant!!!!

[pbkid]

i've heard that once you remove the 'heavy' doors off a vehicle...you never get them back on straight again, and it never seals again..

the only reason jeeps pull it off is because their doors weigh nothing and they are noisy as hell anyhow...

just my 2cents..



i thought about removing my doors for moab a couple of times, but i decided i would hate myself if i couldnt get them back on straight...

[Knivx]

I've been considering this myself. Coming from a wrangler into this and still owning a samurai I'm one to love the doors off. My buddy in his comanche modified his hinges to just slip on and off like a wrangler but talking to a friend who is an auto body tech he says the only feasible way with our style hinges would be to just unbolt it. He didn't seem too worried about getting them to realign though. Do it and post some pics so i can decide whether i want to this summer! It's still too chilly for me here in Idaho to do it yet or i'd just do it myself.

[circmand]

Even a car as small and lite as my sports car when it was under going rehab the guy put a steel bar frame in the door spaces when he took them off. If the doors are left off for a period of time the weight of the car allows it to start bowing. Think of a board with the ends balanced on two walls. If you appply weight to the center the board starts to sag in the middle. Doing this for an extended period will cause a permanaent sag. That being said a whole door is not needed aan arm bar would suffice and be opened or closed

[CoastieCosta567]

i like the idea, but i would never do it, unless you can manage to keep the cladding on the door still on, cuz with out it, i think it looks incomplete, but picture it, the doors off but the bottom half/ cladding still on, flowing with the side curb and designe of the VX would look sick, plus gives you more protection from water or mud/durt from flying inside, and give it a sweet look aswell. But i personally like the doors on.

[MustangO4]

That was my idea behind getting a second set of doors to chop, but I wanted to try it without the doors first just to see if Ilike it.

[samneil2000]

I wouldn't think sagging would be too much of an issue being that the VX has a body on frame construction rather than a unibody. I could be wrong tho...


Even a car as small and lite as my sports car when it was under going rehab the guy put a steel bar frame in the door spaces when he took them off. If the doors are left off for a period of time the weight of the car allows it to start bowing. Think of a board with the ends balanced on two walls. If you appply weight to the center the board starts to sag in the middle. Doing this for an extended period will cause a permanaent sag. That being said a whole door is not needed aan arm bar would suffice and be opened or closed

[KeithVXlvr]

You guys are nuts :freek: . Why would you destroy your ride like that? :_brickwal Have you ever seen a really neat classic that is chopped, dropped and turned into crap ??? I have and I can't imagine why anyone would want to do that to their VX :_thinking

Just my opinion but, I am keeping mine as stock as possible - I have only changed to larger tires (286/60 R18's on my 2001) with no trimming. I dunno but, I always enjoy the classics that are stock and in nice shape... the modifications that you are talking about just make them into a spectacle:_confused

I would never do it but it is your ride. Good luck with the modifications.:)

[CrnCnn]

I like the idea. Tube doors might be ok too. Ascinder and I were looking into it a little, more him than me i guess.

[CoastieCosta567]

i rather see your VX Chopped and you enjoying every minute of it, then seeing it in the Junk yard chopped to many peices to be sold as beef to feed our VX hunry selfs :bgwb: or in the crusher for scrap metal.

[pbkid]

i rather see your VX Chopped and you enjoying every minute of it, then seeing it in the Junk yard chopped to many peices to be sold as beef to feed our VX hunry selfs :bgwb: or in the crusher for scrap metal.

amen!

cars are made to be driven...

for all everyone knows our cars could be totalled tomorrow so you might as well have fun with it while you have it...

plus, cars are the worst investment you can make pretty much...so why try to collect??