Door Hinge Extension?
 

well i'm still car shopping and got just one more question if someone doesnt mind helping me out. i was looking at a corvette but there wasn't enough room in the trunk to put my wheelchair so i'm back on a mustang (which sucks cause i wanted a vette so bad i could taste it). theres one small problem with a mustang... the doors don't open wide enough. i need them to open a few more inches so i can get closer to transfer from my wheelchair to the seat. i know getting a van with a lift or something would be easier but hey i'm 23 years old and dangit i want a sports car. :D

well anyone think they could give me some advice on how to do such a thing? i looked at those vertical door systems but i dont think they'd be much help. my nieghbor has a 03 convertible and i snapped a pic of the hinge but i'm having trouble attaching it. guys i appreciate any and all help.

edit: here's a pic of the hinge
-MSD
http://www.boomspeed.com/mrcactus/hinge.jpg

Well, to be honest, id shop around at other sports cars. Yes, a corvette is awesome, but there may be other sports car better suited for your condition. Maybe something along the lines of a STi, Dodge Magnum ( not the most sporty, but big power and lots of room) or even something like the GTO. They're no corvette (of course neither is the mustang) but they may be a more viable option.

Hmm that is a tough one...yeah everybody I know that is in a wheelchair owns one of those vans with the lift... hopefully you'll be able to find a vehicle that will have the accessbility that will suit your needs. Hopefully you can get the pic attached cause i'm interested to see how the hinge works...

Take a look at old style external hinges like were found on ford vans into the 70's. Any compentant custom autoboby place should be able to retrofit a mustang (or any other car with a door large enough for your needs) to have that style of hinge. It'll be fairly obtrusive but serviceable. This method is what we used for a friend who walks with crutches to allow the door on his car to swing past 90 degrees.

i'm hoping to soon! MrSelfDestruct said he could host it for me.

thanks for the info etla i'll have to look into that.

You could check out suicide hinges. They should allow lot more room to get in, and they look cool.

I've seen sites that do Lambo style swing-up door conversions for many different kinds of cars. That might work and be über-cool too. Don't have any links on me at this moment but I'll post back later with a few.

there is about 10 companies making those lambo kits.

you can get the whole setup for really cheap

i know of one in particular, made by IFG, but their website isn't working. they might be out of business

http://phantom.mightybot.com/pages/

I'd say buy an RX8. They are so sexy, they have those suicide doors in the back, and are one kick ass car.

You would have massive room to get in.

http://www.mitchellauto.com/mazda/RX8/2003%20RX8.jpg http://www.sanctuary.org/~aegir/rx8.jpg

Although there is only 7.575 cubic feet in the trunk. a standard wheelchair would probably fit...maybe? Not really sure.

yea i've actually looked at a rx-8 but that door doesnt open wider enough either. i thought the same thing about the back door opening but its the front doors that are the trouble. when i got up beside one the front of my chair needs to go up just a few more inches so i can hop over. thanks for the info those cars are really sharp.

i ran into a fellow today who does some mild body repair and he said that i may able to move the stops in the doors to get some more opening. i wasnt sure how far you could move them untill the door hit the inner fender. any ideas?

I got one question, how do you get your wheelchair in the truck if your alone?


P.S. I always thought corvettes had big trunks, I don't see why a wheel chair shouldn't fit!

i have a rigid wheelchair. its almost just like this one.

http://www.quickie-wheelchairs.com/A...id/QKEEIT3.jpg

after i get into the car i take the tires off and fold the back down. after that just throw everything in the backseat. kind of like this guy is doing.

http://www.quickie-wheelchairs.com/a...T3TRANSFER.jpg

i thought a corvette was going to be big enough to, but after getting in one there was enough room for my chair but not enough for the tires and cushion. which is a bummer cause i was goin get a killer deal on a 97.

Oh that sucks...maybe with the vette you could get a custom made trunk hinge and make it open the other way or get it someone the make the trunk smaller so you could have room behind the seat, there has to be a way.

yea Pain it does suck but its like that with every vehicle. theres aways something you gotta do before you can drive it. being in a wheelchair makes everything you like to do 10 times harder but im going finger something out. i appreciate everyone's input.

I guess them new NASA legs cost to much?

won't help me i'm paraylzed from the chest down. a good thought tho.

What about installing something like this in what ever you want.
http://www.adaptacar.co.uk/elap.htm

Maybe im misunderstanding, or getting too personal, but how do you push the go-pedal? That e-lap thing actually sounds very cool.

Actually, looking through that site, i am amazed at all the options available to those without use of their legs. there are a lot of really cool tools. Some look like they could even be fun to use.

Really nice to know that should something happen to me and i cant use my legs, i can still enjoy the thrill of driving

no your not getting personal i dont mind a bit (you go what i've been through you dont have much dignity left). for the gas and brake i use something much like this one.

http://www.handicapvehicle.com/Image...andcontrol.jpg

that e-lap is awesome looking i'm going to check into it. probably costs a fortune like everything else. thanks for the link. :thumbsup:

the damn government should pay for it!

I looked at that site I linked before and it didn't say anything about one for a driver seat so I looked up some more things.

http://www.accessunlimited.com/html/easy-transfer.html

This shows a driver seat one
http://www.access-ind.com/equip/seat/cseat.htm
http://www.access-ind.com/

This site has some good links
http://www.familyvillage.wisc.edu/AT/Driving.htm

hey thanks for the links iamnormal... i appreciate it. i'm going to look into a couple of those concepts; that mobility seat might just work. thanks again.

Hey gump,

I don't think a hinge extension of a car is possible, without completely reengineering latching mechanisms. Believe it or not, making car doors close correctly is a very challenging engineering exercise.

Your best bet (IMO) is to find a car that can be coverted to gull wing doors (doors that swing upwards ) and see if any shop nearby can do it.

If you would like an indepth discussion of the hinge problem, feel free to PM me. I'll try to help.

It's like Boo said. Door alignment is a tedious job. The suggestion of altering (grinding) the stops is the simplest and least expensive idea. The person doing it would have to make sure the leading edge of the door does not go inside the fender far enough to hit.

If you really have some dough, get a custom shop to install suicide doors with your specifications for opening width since it would probably be hand made.

my funds are kinda limited at the moment.

the hinge stops look like the only way its goin work. i'd like to try a vertical door but i'm sure those companies wont lend out one for a trial and i hate to buy them without knowing. i wish i could find someone that had a set so i could look at one.

Hey gump, just as a question to see exactly how much opening you need, do the front doors on an average 4 door car open wide enough for your needs, as they tend to rotate more than sportscar doors...

hey boo... well i dont have an exact measurement on how much i need just all i can get. 6 - 10 inches would be great (i know thats kinda of stretching it) but any would be a huge help.

4 door cars and me dont get along to well. for me to get in a 4 door i have to go forward the over to get into the seat. i've caught my but several times were the door closes and let me tell you its not comfortable. 2 door cars are easier for me to get my legs into also. i'm 6'4 and its hard to drag my long legs inside a 4 door.

You don't like the older model ford thunderbirds/mercury cougars at all do you? They have tremendously long doors and might have the room you need....

nah i'm not a big fan of those older models. i talked with a customer car fabricator and he said he could do it but its goin cost around $2500 for both doors. he said its not that hard of a job just time consuming. i'm still gonna look for a cheaper alternative.

Get a DeLorean ;)

donations?:D

heres a little update on hinge situation....

well i bought a 2000 gt [very sweet car] and got her home. actually the doors aren't to bad to get in and out of a couple inches would help but its not a huge deal.

heres the new problem..

this weekend my dad and i was going to install my hand controls so i could take it for a test drive and a huge problem came up. i didnt know it at the time when i bought it but to get my controls to mount i'm going to have to cut the dash out. the way the bracket mounts to the steering colum theres just no way its goin work with out cutting some of it anyway. i talked to a collision place and they can do it but it's going to cost $1500 - $2000 and i'll loose my drivers side vent. so i'm just saying the heck with it and gonna try to sell it and try to get some of my money back. i just wanted to say thanks for all the comments and ideas.

Hey gump I did sorta finally found a solution, at a ford dealership I do some computer work for they had a little brochure about modding factory ford vehicles for situations like yours...maybe check with a dealer?

hey man... you know i have checked everywhere but a ford dealership. i cant believe i havent thought of that i feel stupid. do you know what that brochure says on it? i've been trying to sell the car for a while but no takers. id like to keep it if i could find a fairly unexpensive solution. thanks for thinking of me!

No problem man, next time i'm in my hometown i'll swing on down and grab a brochure and find some specific details for you.

thanks i appreciate it.

I think altering a seat would be easier than the door hinges and clearances.

My Mustang shop is in Douglasville, GA. Higgins Ford Performance. Call there and talk to Dave. I'm not saying they'll have the answer, but they might.

770-949-1234