O hai there

"WilliamsSW" (williamssw) 10/10/2020 at 11:00 • Filed to: Dots, Bm2

4

15

Cash Rewards > WilliamsSW 10/10/2020 at 11:10

2

Bm2 on morning commute to gulag?

WilliamsSW > Cash Rewards 10/10/2020 at 11:12

2

Last night actually,  so I presume he was going for a weekend getaway to gulag. 

SBA Thanks You For All The Fish > WilliamsSW 10/10/2020 at 12:19

2

It never felt “right” that you could buy a Caprice as a two-door . Even Impalas were apparently mostly sedans early.

WilliamsSW > SBA Thanks You For All The Fish 10/10/2020 at 12:24

0

The first Caprice was a 4 door only (1965). The above is the first year (66)  for the coupe.

That said, I grew up in the 70s, and my parents mostly drove 2 door cars, including a blue 73 Caprice coupe, so it feels normal to me. Back then, 2 doors were hugely popular, though I doubt they ever outsold 4 doors.

Chariotoflove > WilliamsSW 10/10/2020 at 12:31

2

Even in the 80s you still had choices. I remember the rehab folks teaching us new chair users to get a big FWD coupe and how to throw it behind the front seat. 

WilliamsSW > Chariotoflove 10/10/2020 at 12:38

2

I remember your comments on the Reatta recently. It makes a lot of sense that a big coupe would be way more convenient for you than a sedan.

Hey you can still get an S class coupe!  

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > SBA Thanks You For All The Fish 10/10/2020 at 12:55

0

Then again, I've seen the factory four door Thunderbird and I really liked it. This could work. 

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > Chariotoflove 10/10/2020 at 12:56

2

A lowered extended cab pickup with clamshell doors might also work pretty well come to think of it. 

Chariotoflove > WilliamsSW 10/10/2020 at 16:53

0

Only if they have a Maybach version. I have my standards.

I started with a Cutlass Supreme and then got that Riviera before downsizing to the RX-8. Honestly though, a lot of guys don’t have a lot of income, so they’re increasingly having to rely on an aging fleet of available cars. 

Chariotoflove > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available 10/10/2020 at 16:55

0

Yeah, that could work. It might end up looking like a modern El Camino. 

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > Chariotoflove 10/10/2020 at 17:00

0

I don’t think so. A regular pickup but with less ground clearance isn’t the same as an El Camino. And clamshell doors are surprisingly practical as you don’t have to walk around a door opening to get stuff out of the back seat. 

Chariotoflove > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available 10/10/2020 at 18:44

0

I know, I drove an RX-8 for 13 years. They were great.

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > Chariotoflove 10/10/2020 at 18:46

0

I honestly don’t know why they aren’t more common. Clamshell doors are the best of both worlds and minus some crash safety concerns just work. I’m sitting here looking at a Saturn Ion coupe actually. The half door is convenient for grocery loading.

Though with the RX8's smallish rear doors and big ce nter console was it hard to get your chair in there?

Chariotoflove > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available 10/10/2020 at 21:47

1

Nope. Not once I figured out how to store it in the space.

I think designers don’t want to have to deal with how to get rigidity without a B pillar. 

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > Chariotoflove 10/10/2020 at 22:17

1

To be fair, I wouldn't want to try to engineer them either but they work so well in practice. True suicide doors are much more difficult though since clamshell half doors only have the rears open independently when the fronts are open and are therefore less prone to water seepage and sealing issues. They can be done well and I think it's a shame they aren't implemented more often.