How many cars had half-doors?

"Jim Spanfeller" (awesomeaustinv) 04/06/2020 at 13:43 • Filed to: Quirks and Features

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I’m guessing most of you already know about the Mazda RX-8's wonderfully weird half-doors, but how many other vehicles have had doors like this? And what’s the oldest car to have doors like this?

The oldest one I can think of is the Studebaker Champion 2-door sedan, which certainly looks like it has half-doors in the back, although I can’t seem to find a picture of them open, so I suspect they might just be separate body panels, in which case... Why? That’s weird, Studebaker.

If they’re actually just weird body panels, then I wonder what it would take to convert them into doors...

But enough about Studebakers, I know the Toyota FJ Cruiser also had these half-doors, as well as several pickup trucks I can’t remember the names of, and didn’t a Suzuki or Isuzu have them at one point?

Do you know of any other vehicles with half-doors?

MKULTRA1982(ConCrustyBrick) > Jim Spanfeller 04/06/2020 at 13:45

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The POS Saturn Ion Coupe had them too 

Ash78, voting early and often > Jim Spanfeller 04/06/2020 at 13:45

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The first really prolific modern half-door is this guy right here:

When the Ion came out, I swear GM was trying to take credit for the innovation...

feather-throttle-not-hair > Jim Spanfeller 04/06/2020 at 13:45

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MKULTRA1982(ConCrustyBrick) > Ash78, voting early and often 04/06/2020 at 13:46

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I had one of these in that exact same colour. What a turd 

Jim Spanfeller > MKULTRA1982(ConCrustyBrick) 04/06/2020 at 13:48

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Ooh, cool!

Never heard of that one before. That’s an interesting car.

Ash78, voting early and often > MKULTRA1982(ConCrustyBrick) 04/06/2020 at 13:48

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We had the L-series. Most boring car we’ve ever owned, but not a single thing broke in 6 years. There wasn’t really anything to break, though.

lone_liberal > Jim Spanfeller 04/06/2020 at 13:49

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Do they have to be in the back?

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > Jim Spanfeller 04/06/2020 at 13:50

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You are forgetting the obvious! Extended cab pickups!

They did these way back in the 90s and maybe beyond, but I’m doing some research to find out some earlier examples.

Jim Spanfeller > lone_liberal 04/06/2020 at 13:52

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Always wanted one of those... Those doors are epic.

Under_Score > Jim Spanfeller 04/06/2020 at 13:53

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Pretty much every extended cab pickup truck ever. 

TheRealBicycleBuck > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available 04/06/2020 at 13:54

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Include the Ford Ranger in your truck list.

Arch Duke Maxyenko, Shit Talk Extraordinaire > Jim Spanfeller 04/06/2020 at 13:58

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Vans

sony1492 > Jim Spanfeller 04/06/2020 at 13:58

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Ve loster, tacoma, Sierra, Silverado, clubman, rx8, ion, colorado, titan, f150,   frontier, fj cruiser

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > TheRealBicycleBuck 04/06/2020 at 14:00

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No, not that one.

These were early 90s but there had to be earlier examples of half doors.

Boxer_4 > Ash78, voting early and often 04/06/2020 at 14:01

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The later version of the S did, too.

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > Jim Spanfeller 04/06/2020 at 14:03

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V ans with half doors on the side became popular around the early 60s. I’m sure someone pioneered the style though.

The Crazy Kanuck; RIP Oppositelock > Jim Spanfeller 04/06/2020 at 14:04

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The Honda Element.

MKULTRA1982(ConCrustyBrick) > Jim Spanfeller 04/06/2020 at 14:04

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Except for the redline it’s just a re-skinned slo-Balt. Not interesting to drive although I don’t think it’s ugly 

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > Jim Spanfeller 04/06/2020 at 14:05

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But also kinda boring in a weird way. Like the two door Camry non-Solara.

https://atlanta.craigslist.org/atl/cto/d/atlanta-2006-saturn-ion-coupe/7101731540.html

This one’s a manual, which I featured a few days ago in a car buying post.

MKULTRA1982(ConCrustyBrick) > Ash78, voting early and often 04/06/2020 at 14:05

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The Ion was just a cobalt. And boy did thinks break (in my limited ownership) 

Grindintosecond > Jim Spanfeller 04/06/2020 at 14:06

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Had an s-10 sls. Had that door on one side. Never really was aligned right . 70k miles I was on the 3rd wiring harness, second intake mani gasket, and the clearcoat GM’d. The most reliable s-10 configuration too.

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > sony1492 04/06/2020 at 14:07

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The Veloster didn’t have half doors like the Clubman.

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > Arch Duke Maxyenko, Shit Talk Extraordinaire 04/06/2020 at 14:08

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Aw crap, we came up with the same idea simultaneously. The real question is what is the first van to do so? That style was popular in the early 60s no question, but I’m sure there were pioneers.

Darkbrador > Jim Spanfeller 04/06/2020 at 14:09

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Lincoln Continental

ranwhenparked > Jim Spanfeller 04/06/2020 at 14:10

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The Studebakers were just because they shared a lot of the sheet metal with the 4-door sedan. Since the 2-door was the budget model, think of those door seams as plastic button blanks on a steering wheel.

MiniGTI - now with XJ6 > Jim Spanfeller 04/06/2020 at 14:13

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MINI Clubman, but only on one side. So the left side looks like a real shooting brake. 

TheRealBicycleBuck > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available 04/06/2020 at 14:15

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They didn’t introduce the third door until 1999.

SBA Thanks You For All The Fish > Jim Spanfeller 04/06/2020 at 14:16

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Saturn ION

Nothing > Jim Spanfeller 04/06/2020 at 14:19

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Jeep! Oops, wrong half doors.

VW Max > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available 04/06/2020 at 14:24

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The first VW Bus had them:

They were on the 1949 ( preproduction or whatever it was called then) models and the 1950 production models

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > TheRealBicycleBuck 04/06/2020 at 14:25

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Ah, thank you for the correction. I think the Ranger might win the battle of the pickups but the earliest van with half doors is still to be decided.

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > VW Max 04/06/2020 at 14:31

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That is a strong contender. I assume that split side loading doors had to be present on many vans and step vans even before that but actually naming a model is tricky.

Turbineguy: Nom de Zoom > feather-throttle-not-hair 04/06/2020 at 14:37

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Step-through seating? Man, those guys were way ahead of the curve...

CaptDale - is secretly British > Jim Spanfeller 04/06/2020 at 14:38

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Veloster, GM 1500 trucks in the early mid 2000's, Canyon /Colorado, Saturn SC and Ion, BMW i3, Mazda bt-50, Mini Clubman & Clubvan, Nissan Titan, Toyota FJ Cruiser (new one), F ord F150 and Ranger , Honda Element, VW Transporter T1

Bandit > Jim Spanfeller 04/06/2020 at 14:39

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The Veloster has half the amount of doors for the second row.

MKULTRA1982(ConCrustyBrick) > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available 04/06/2020 at 14:40

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The worst manual transmission I have ever had this displeasure of using. Weird because I think it’s a Getrag box too 

Just Jeepin' > lone_liberal 04/06/2020 at 14:41

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Yeah, I came here expecting something else entirely!

I own a pair of half doors for my Jeep but never use them, sadly.

TheRealBicycleBuck > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available 04/06/2020 at 14:45

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You had me confused there for a second. I was adding to the list of vehicles with half doors, you’re going for the other question in the body of the original post, “ what was the oldest?”

Similar, but different goals! :D

fhrblig > Jim Spanfeller 04/06/2020 at 14:46

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Mines gots it

I wish the  little rear windows rolled down, but I have the poverty-spec XL so they don’t . Also, it’s possible they weren’t added until the 12th-gen F-150.

Takuro Spirit > Jim Spanfeller 04/06/2020 at 14:47

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The 1998 Dodge Ram Quad Cab was the first full size truck to get dual half doors...

Driving one felt like they were going to shake themselves open at any time. Not the most structurally sound thing in the world.

Censored > Jim Spanfeller 04/06/2020 at 14:48

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This count?

notsomethingstructural > MKULTRA1982(ConCrustyBrick) 04/06/2020 at 14:50

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the redline was seriously fucking fast at the time

Censored > Jim Spanfeller 04/06/2020 at 14:50

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And This, it may be close to a full size door, but its only on one side, thus half.

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > MKULTRA1982(ConCrustyBrick) 04/06/2020 at 14:55

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Meanwhile the only manual I’ve used (and not quite had the time to figure out) was in a ‘14 Jeep Patriot. I didn’t get the feeling that was very good either.

That’s strange that the box would be so bad when it has a name like Getrag attached to it. I think the Jeep’s fault  was just pure FCA apathy.

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > Darkbrador 04/06/2020 at 14:58

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Almost, but not quite. The rear door can be opened with the front door shut, while half doors can only be opened with the front door open.

DipodomysDeserti > Jim Spanfeller 04/06/2020 at 15:03

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The early 1st gen Tundras look like they have regular doors, but they’re actually half doors.

Darkbrador > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available 04/06/2020 at 15:04

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Well, if we’re making up rules on the fly, now ... 

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > Darkbrador 04/06/2020 at 15:15

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But this is the only car in the thread whose doors operate independently, which is a major defining characteristic. I don’t make the rules, I guess, but I can interpret them, as can you.

Technically many vans have half doors on the rear too because one side cannot be opened without the other, but I think the rules could be interpreted to invalidate rear doors. But the whole thing is for fun I guess. I’m actually not sure where this tangent was  supposed to go.

Jim Spanfeller > Darkbrador 04/06/2020 at 15:19

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Well, no, those are simply rear suicide doors. They have their own handles and everything. Still cool, but they’re not the same thing as half-doors.

Jim Spanfeller > The Crazy Kanuck; RIP Oppositelock 04/06/2020 at 15:21

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Huh, I didn’t know those had half doors. The Element just got more interesting to me.

Pickup_man > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available 04/06/2020 at 15:22

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The ‘97 F-150 had a 3 door. ‘99 got the full four door treatment.

Dodge introduced them mid year ‘98

GM had the 3 door in ‘99, 4 door in 2000

So as far as I can tell the oldest title would go to the F-150

Jim Spanfeller > ranwhenparked 04/06/2020 at 15:24

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Thanks, I wondered if they were just there to fill in the gap left by the absence of a rear door... I wonder what it would take to convert them into half- doors, though. That would make a fantastic party trick at car shows.

404 - User No Longer Available > Jim Spanfeller 04/06/2020 at 15:24

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Not sure if this one counts:

Jim Spanfeller > Censored 04/06/2020 at 15:25

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Yes, yes it does.

phenotyp > Jim Spanfeller 04/06/2020 at 15:25

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I think the i3 counts.

No pillars between front/rear, and the rear doors’ windows are fixed.

Jim Spanfeller > 404 - User No Longer Available 04/06/2020 at 15:27

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No, those are jus t sliding doors. Half doors must be smaller than conventional car doors, with no exterior door handle, and can only be opened when the front door on that side is also open.

Jim Spanfeller > phenotyp 04/06/2020 at 15:29

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Oh yeah, that totally counts! Excellent example.

phenotyp > Jim Spanfeller 04/06/2020 at 15:33

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I’m kinda fond of it.

WasGTIthenGTOthenNOVAnowbacktoGTI > Jim Spanfeller 04/06/2020 at 15:51

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Not really what you were going after, but these certainly aren’t full size doors.

Kaiser Darrin:

wafflesnfalafel > TheRealBicycleBuck 04/06/2020 at 15:58

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right - my dad’s older Tundra is like that too

Jim Spanfeller > WasGTIthenGTOthenNOVAnowbacktoGTI 04/06/2020 at 16:31

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I’ll allow it, if for no other reason than I love those doors ;)

Jim Spanfeller > WasGTIthenGTOthenNOVAnowbacktoGTI 04/06/2020 at 16:31

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I’ll allow it, if for no other reason than I love those doors ;)

Manwich - now Keto-Friendly > Jim Spanfeller 04/06/2020 at 16:51

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Don’t forget the 3 door extended/club cab pickup trucks like the F150, Ford Ranger , Chevy Silverado, S10/Colorado (and the GMC versions of these) , Dodge Ram, Dodge Dakota, Toyota Tundra, Tacoma, Nissan Titan and  Nissan Frontier

Manwich - now Keto-Friendly > Darkbrador 04/06/2020 at 16:56

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That’s just a full door hinged differently.

WasGTIthenGTOthenNOVAnowbacktoGTI > Jim Spanfeller 04/06/2020 at 16:56

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That’s what I was banking on!

OmerCarrothers333 > Jim Spanfeller 04/06/2020 at 16:59

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Veloster?

GoodIdeaAtTheTime > notsomethingstructural 04/06/2020 at 19:09

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And could be made faster! With a warranty! Rolled into your payents! College roommate had an Cobalt SS stage 3. It was gnarly revving to 8000 rpm . He never did get the nitrous kit for it, the ecu had a nitrous setting!

pip bip - choose Corrour > Jim Spanfeller 04/07/2020 at 06:52

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most current spacecab type utes