Suicide Lincolns

[VetteLT193]

Who knows old Lincoln Continental's, Suicide doors, Convertible.

My wife loves them. A friend from high school had a hard top that we used to roll around in, so I have a tiny bit of experience.

What to look for, etc? I am in pure learning mode, not buying anything right now... just want to know what the key points to look for are.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1967-LINCOLN-CONTINENTAL-CONVERTIBLE-FIREBALL-RUN-CAR_W0QQitemZ360173405097QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUS_Car s_Trucks?hash=item53dc0203a9&_trksid=p4506.c0.m245

[gcarter]

I have no personal experience, but I would imagine opening and closing doors would be important.....try on an uneven surface.

Probably worse on rag tops.

[fegettes]

Didn't they make the Lincoln's with the suicide doors up to 1964? And they were all made hand made, if I remember correctly.

[mrfixxall]

Didn't they make the Lincoln's with the suicide doors up to 1964? And they were all made hand made, if I remember correctly.


my mom had one!! 1967 i thought it was neet car,when you opened the door the windows would go down a tiny bit so when you shut the door they wouldnt interfear with each other:) cool cars!!

http://classifieds.carforums.net/index.php?year=1967&make=LINCOLN&model=CONTINENTAL

[VetteLT193]

Didn't they make the Lincoln's with the suicide doors up to 1964? And they were all made hand made, if I remember correctly.

My friend from HS had a 1967, so they made them at least until then. not sure beginning to end, etc. though.

[mrfixxall]

My friend from HS had a 1967, so they made them at least until then. not sure beginning to end, etc. though.

i believe 1961 - 1967

[Conquistador_del_mar]

I recently sold my 1967 Thunderbird with suicide doors - it was a cool ride!

Here is from Wikipedia:
History

Suicide doors were not uncommon on cars manufactured in the first half of the 20th century.[2] (http://www.donzi.net/forums/#cite_note-diseno-1)[8] (http://www.donzi.net/forums/#cite_note-7) They were especially popular in the gangster era of the 1930s because "It's a lot easier to shove somebody out with the wind holding the door open", Dave Brownell, the former editor of Hemmings Motor News (http://www.donzi.net/wiki/Hemmings_Motor_News) stated.[9] (http://www.donzi.net/forums/#cite_note-dctsd2-8)
Post-World War II (http://www.donzi.net/wiki/World_War_II) examples are almost universally the rear doors of four-door cars. The most well-known use of suicide doors on post-World War II automobiles was the Lincoln Continental (http://www.donzi.net/wiki/Lincoln_Continental#1961) sedan (http://www.donzi.net/wiki/Sedan_(car)) from 1961 through 1969,[3] (http://www.donzi.net/forums/#cite_note-every-2)[4] (http://www.donzi.net/forums/#cite_note-dctsd-3) and on the unique Lincoln Continental four-door convertible (http://www.donzi.net/wiki/Convertible)[4] (http://www.donzi.net/forums/#cite_note-dctsd-3) from 1961 through 1967 (the last four-door convertible built in the United States prior to the introduction of the 4-door Jeep Wrangler in 2007.) Since the four-door Lincoln convertible did not have a center "B" pillar, the rear door glass was designed to electrically retract a few inches when the rear doors were opened in order for the weather-stripping to clear the front door glass. This meant that if the battery was dead, the only way out of the back seat was to crawl over the front seat.

Modern use

For a time, the last true, independently opening suicide doors on a mass produced car were fitted on the Ford Thunderbird (http://www.donzi.net/wiki/Ford_Thunderbird#1967-1969_.22Glamour_Birds.22) four-door sedan from 1967 through 1971. The 1971 model was the last American production automobile to feature rear suicide doors, because after this time, safety concerns prevented their use.[10] (http://www.donzi.net/forums/#cite_note-ab-9) More recently, rear suicide doors that cannot be opened until the regular front doors are opened have been appearing on a number of vehicles[2] (http://www.donzi.net/forums/#cite_note-diseno-1), including extended cab pickup trucks (http://www.donzi.net/wiki/Pickup_truck#Extended_cab), the Saturn Ion QuadCoupe (http://www.donzi.net/wiki/Saturn_Ion), and the Mazda RX-8 (http://www.donzi.net/wiki/Mazda_RX-8).[2] (http://www.donzi.net/forums/#cite_note-diseno-1) In 2003, true independent suicide doors reappeared, this time on the new Rolls-Royce Phantom (http://www.donzi.net/wiki/Rolls-Royce_Phantom_(BMW)). The Spyker D12 (http://www.donzi.net/wiki/Spyker_D12) officially presented in 2006 also has suicide doors. The Rolls-Royce Phantom Drophead Coupe (http://www.donzi.net/wiki/Rolls-Royce_Phantom_Drophead_Coupe) four-seat convertible, based on the 100EX (http://www.donzi.net/wiki/Rolls-Royce_100EX) show car also has suicide front doors.
Rear passenger suicide doors had been a constant feature of Hackney carriages (http://www.donzi.net/wiki/Hackney_carriage), otherwise known as Black Cabs. However, with the replacement of the Austin FX4 (http://www.donzi.net/wiki/Austin_FX4) by the new TX models, suicide doors were replaced with standard hinged doors.
Suicide doors are used on the Carbon Motors Corporation E7 (http://www.donzi.net/wiki/Carbon_Motors_Corporation_E7) concept car, a purpose built police vehicle (http://www.donzi.net/wiki/Police_car) and features rear suicide doors to help officers get handcuffed individuals in and out of the back seat.

[Cuda]

I think 1971 t birds had the suicide doors too

[MOP]

My uncle had one, I used to borrow it to do a bit of curb hunting!

[olredalert]

------The Lincoln 4-door converts were great cars with a few outstanding problems. The electronics to put the top down opened up the trunk lid backwards and the top went down completely underneath the lid and a short lid hinged to the front of the deck lid. Almost identical to the T-Birds of that same era. The newer the Continental the better the electronics but all were a bit problematic at times. Think the 57/58 Fairlane hardtop/convert. The electronics are similar. When looking for one it would really pay you dividends to get as rust free an example as possible. The wiring would tend to be in much better condition on a rust free one. My Mom had two of them and I used to marvel at the complexity.........Bill S

[Ghost]

Got my first real look at one parked in downtown Annapolis in about 1993. Wanted one ever since. I concur with the dates, I've looked at a bunch of classifieds for them in the 66-67 range, unless my mind is totally collapsing.

[RedDog]

My dad had one - must have been a '65 or '66? It was orange with white interior.

Yes, my dad was somewhat colorblind.

[mattyboy]

they were always a favorite of the local wiseguys in the bronx, amazing how fast one could get out with a baseball bat not having the door in the way. plus with some practice the forward momentum of the car could be carried thru badda bing

[AIRGRADY]

My father had one of these a long time ago. MONEY PIT!
Be careful as brakes can cost a fortune on these cars ($2000.00).
Electrical nightmares galore.
Stay away from a project and try to find a driver that you can have a qualified mechanic look over.
We refered to ours as "The Stinkin' Lincoln"
I will say this, it rode better than any new late model Lexus or Mercedes could ever hope to.
My.02
Grady

[Barry Eller]

------The Lincoln 4-door converts were great cars with a few outstanding problems. The electronics to put the top down opened up the trunk lid backwards and the top went down completely underneath the lid and a short lid hinged to the front of the deck lid. Almost identical to the T-Birds of that same era. The newer the Continental the better the electronics but all were a bit problematic at times. Think the 57/58 Fairlane hardtop/convert. The electronics are similar. When looking for one it would really pay you dividends to get as rust free an example as possible. The wiring would tend to be in much better condition on a rust free one. My Mom had two of them and I used to marvel at the complexity.........Bill S
Convertibles, hard top Fairlanes and soft top Continentals.:convertib:

The electronics are a nightmare! Dozens of limit switches and a box full of relays mounted in the trunk over the rear axle area. The limit switches had to be "timed" for the multiple moves of the system, opening of the trunk lid, top release from the windshield, folding of the top, placement of the top into the trunk area, then closing of the trunk lid. If ONE limit switch is out of sequence, the top is stuck at that point. And that can be pointing straight up with the trunk open!

[olredalert]

-------You have stated what I was trying to get at better than I did, Barry!!!..........Bill S

[Barry Eller]

My dad had one - must have been a '65 or '66? It was orange with white interior.
Yes, my dad was somewhat colorblind.


Not colorblind...GO VOLS!:shades: