C-body door mystery

[8E45E]

quote:Originally posted by mbstude

Our '71 Cadillac Eldorado drop top has a second door handle in the location. [^]

Yes, Matt, I remember my dad's friend had an early '70's Eldorado with it as well. The first GM I saw with it, though, was a '66 Olds Toronado that had one of each of GM's famous 'paddle hande' at either end of the loooonnng armrest. Whether all the GM 'E' bodies had it in those, years or not, I can't say for sure.

Craig

[clarkwd]

re: there's no shared symmetry (between L & R doors)

You guys really know some poop. After reading this I had to go look at the doors on my 55 coupe. While I was out, I got a pix of a door from a Metropolitan. These have two places for window cranks but only one middle location for the door latch. The door sheetmetal on a Met, both inner and outer, is the same for the left and right sides.


Bill

[Bredehoft]

Haha! I was going to post a shot of my dad's 55 state door and point out that this feature was not on his door. Then I realized there would be no need, as back seat passengers had an entire door of their own, not just a handle!!! [] Hey, its getting late here in the Eastern time zone - that's my story and I'm sticking to it!

--george

1963 Lark Daytona HT - 63V J8 175

[rockne10]

quote:I don't think it is possible for any one to even get into the back seat of a C/K, let alone ride there for any more than a mile

Dick,
I actually filled my '53 with five people for a trip from central Pa to the southern tip of West Virginia many years ago; took about six hours. I never heard any complaints, and I never let them know the brakes weren't working coming down the mountains in the Monongahella National Forest.

Mr. B,
Did you also notice there are two sets of holes for the armrests?
I wonder if you could order the car for short people or tall people?

Brad Johnson
Pine Grove Mills, Pa.
'33 Rockne 10, '51 Commander Starlight, '53 Commander Starlight

[Lark Parker]

I used to have a 62 GT that had the extra door handle on the passenger side. At the time I "assumed" it was a factory installed option.

Lark Parker
If at first you don't succeed -- you will get a lot of advice.

[Roscomacaw]

Brad reflects: "I actually filled my '53 with five people for a trip from central Pa to the southern tip of West Virginia many years ago; took about six hours."

Brad, forgive me, but I think you just made Dick's point about back seat occupation in a C-K car! If it took you six hours to load your coupe with 5 people....[:0][:I][)]

Miscreant Studebaker nut in California's central valley.

1957 Transtar 1/2ton
1960 Larkvertible V8
1958 Provincial wagon
1953 Commander coupe
1957 President two door

[Roscomacaw]

I just thought of another possibility here.... What if - they'd considered the 53 C-K cars would incorporate "suicide doors"! After all, Studebaker crowed quite a bit about the 53's having borrowed alot of European influence and alot of European "sports cars" had the suicide style portals![)][][)][][)][][)][]

Given that stretch of one's imagination, that alternate door actuator spot would have been at the "front" of the door![?][B)][?][B)][?][B)]

Miscreant Studebaker nut in California's central valley.

1957 Transtar 1/2ton
1960 Larkvertible V8
1958 Provincial wagon
1953 Commander coupe
1957 President two door