60-66 One Piece Clam Shell Door Idea

[Subdude59]

Has anyone experimented with a one piece clam shell door where the upper and lower doors are grafted together as one door that hinges from the top more like modern SUV’s? It would help ease accessing the rear entrance. I’m sure the bottom valance would be like the barn door version where no lower door hinge insets are shown. It would also have to incorporate a door bottom locking mechanism with a lift handle relocated from the upper clam door to the bottom of the door. Also needed is a beefier side locking sliders and/or pneumatic assisted hinges would prove beneficial. Any ideas would be appreciated.

[chevy_mike]

My guess is the upper hinges would not be beefy enough to support all of this weight.

[PGSigns]

I am guessing the two welded together would be over 200 pounds. Now you could build a new frame work and use the skins to make a lighter weight hatch. It would need a lot of engineering and metal work but it would be cool.
Jimmy

[Llay R. Rac]

replacing the glass with light weight plastic would be a weight savings.
i recently had my hatch glass out and was surprised how light the hatch was without the glass

[Grandpa54]

I have thought about doing this for a long time, i even have the parts.one of the problems is getting the factory hinges to open wider.
When upper gate opens its about level.

[Inkfamous-13]

there's one on YouTube with a choptop lays frame and he turned bardoors into one big door that swings up like minivan or top of clam door. I've all ways wanted a carry all and love the clam doors for the fact I can roll with top door up for my red nose ***** to poke her big gator head out. but don't dig the looks of the tailgate, so in planning on fabing up a dual window top clam ( barn doors welded together and doing a Dutch door tailgate swing door like Honda Ridgeland, all ready got the Honda door and frame just need the dutçh door astrovan hardware and some time to monkey with it before I get to cutting on it. ill post pics in one of the forums. I've been working in bodyshops since age 15 just turned 40 and can do anything and everything I put my mind too. no one touches works on my vehicles but the guy for alignment and tires. even do my own interior. guess gramps raised me right as in no one you pay " no matter how much" will care to do as good or thorough job as you" he just didn't trust anyone to do anything. and he did it all but paint and body. that's why I wanted to learn that to hopefully open a shop with him but he passed at age 14, anď mom passed 3 years prior so I went to family friend who had crush on mom in b.s.. told him don't need or want school it's all useless knowledge went to school district got permit to quit school and work full time and only condition was had to enroll in R.O.P class a body and fender night class. Aww the good ole days. before parents going to jail for kids ditching before helmet laws. So glad I was born before 1980, if I was born today I'd kill myself in a bowl of soup. lol