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REAR SIDE
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OOPS AREA (iNSIDE DOOR PANEL)
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OOPS TARGET AREA #2
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CROWD PLEASER FINNALLY
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Thanks so much jcn! Those are really great pix and help me understand it much better.

Now, are these the VerticalDoors kit or are they something you had made up yourself? If you made them, are they patterned after the ones VerticalDoors makes?

I'm not really understanding the OOPs pic and I don't see any OOPses in your "target" oops pic. Can you clarify please.

Thanks again.

 

Hey Dr. B,
I think what JCN is getting at if you look at the first oops pic is the crimp in the leading edge of the door panel, just above the vent hole. I think if you don't open the door to the full 25 degrees horiz. before swinging it up, the door will contact the A pillar and thus....oops.

 

Purchase them from the originator:

http://www.carexcess.com/vdc/Nissan_2003_2004_350Z.html

I bot them here because they were the first to CUSTOM TAILER THE DECAH KIT TO FIT A 350Z.

You must be careful of the discounted kits because there is a good chance they are the GENERIC Decah kit that requires further modifications !!! I did not desire to take this approach and cannot comment on it's significance. Some honest suppliers will warn you about this.

My oops is (circled area in pic below) where I lifted the door too soon (before it was open 25 degrees) and the inside door panel hit the A-piller.

 

Told you about the A pillar.

 

So aside from this, are there any other areas that would be rubbing if and when you open the doors? Also, if you're sitting inside the vehicle is it hard to open the door vertically? Thanks for all your info concerning this mod.

 

As I understand it many of the kits sold are made from one company that has many distributors.

Dr. Bonz, I have the VerticalDoors kit, and to repeat myself, my experienced installer said everything lined up better with the VerticalDoors kit than the CarExcess kit. It may just be the individual build quality put into each hinge.

JCN, is something perhaps missing in the install? I don't feel like going outside again right now...but I think when I try to lift the door prematurely, it either a) won't let me or b) slides out more while going up if the door has been opened far enough horizontally

I just went outside to attempt to hit my door against the A pillar but I think it'd be impossible without unusual force. IE I may have to break the hinge to make it extend that far.

EDIT: Just wanted to add: thus far, most fun mod ever!! Remember when people looked at the Z and asked what kind of car it was? I'm getting that every day again :-) When I am parked, people go out of their way to drive by and take a closer look. All my friends can't stop gawking at it and the girls are going crazy over it. Teaching friends and family how to use the doors will become tiring though

 

So with your kit you don't have a problem hitting the A pillar? Does you doors open the same as jcn's, vertically and horizontally?

 

Thanks guys. That isn't too bad then. Even if I HAD to have an OOPS, I think I could live with that.

I don't know Duck. I'm leaning more and more toward that VD kit. Unless you can come up with something really good at a comparable price. Keep us informed man!

Thanks everyone!

 

EnthuZiastDrive:
If it is possible to describe or take a pic of, I'd like to see what prevents your install from hitting the A piller. I personally have never caused this oops. It was someone "trying it out" that did not know that you must open the door a certain amount before lifting.

Everyone:
I must tell you that when you first realize that you must open the door horizontally 25 degress AND THEN LIFT IT, it can be somewhat of a let down. The door is assisted by a gas strut, but it acts like a counter-weight...and only assists you marginally in lifting the door. In my opinion, if the door had some type of power assist to MAKE IT GO UP (and down), it would be the best. Also, pulling it down requires (a somewhat strong - because of the angles involved) grip on the rear of the door or handrest, and a definite effort to pull it down (while it is 25 degrees horizontal) , and then inwards to close. It is not the JET-CANOPY open and close that you might have a tendancy to imagine.

It is primarily an option that allows you to demonstate automobile gymnastics that the public-at-large does not expect.

Yes, it is fun. Practical ? Not in the least......but there is some weird type of satisfaction in doing it!!!

 

BlueDragonZ: my doors open out then up like jcn's

jcn: I understand what you mean now, I just woke up and attempted to hit my a pillar. It WILL hit if someone tries to lift up prematurely. I 've never tried lifting it up THAT early because I can't even get in the car if I open the doors that little horizontally. Here's a pic of what I mean: http://members.***.net/stevenle/350z/apillar.jpg

So, so long as you open the door that amount you'll be fine. The picture makes it look like it's more open than it really is. I haven't had any problems yet because I tell everyone you must open out then up first and normally ppl will always open out at least as much as they need to get in okay before attempting to lift up.

Either way I don't think you can go wrong with the various kits. But if you can save 700 bucks and get the VerticalDoors kit, all the better. Also, it's not listed on their site right now because it's so new (says the man I talked to), but you can see a small pic of a Z with the kit in their gallery.

 

Following up further on jcn's post:

I, too, was a bit disappointed at first with the weight of the door and having to open it very cautiously. But after a day or two I have become very skilled at opening the door. I am able to open it in what appears to be one smooth motion. When closing it I am more cautious so I do not put too much stress on the hinges by pushing too far down. Usually I lift the door up everytime now because it's that easy.

 

Again, thanks for the input guys. And jcn... thanks for the great pics!!!!!!!!

Your picture of the door opened fully but not lifted has sold me. That's more than enough room for me to jump in and out of the car. Once question... are there any ill-effects if you try to push the door open too far horizontally? I'm generally careful, but if someone "slings" the door open, does anything bad happen or do they just bounce back as if you open a stock door too far?

Bonz, I'm beginning to lean a little toward the Vertical Doors kit myself, but I will not do anything until I look at the instructions... should be here any day now. Only way I could justify going with the scratch build kit now is A) If the instruction includes exact specs for the parts and B) if the cost savings is at least $500 better than the VD Kit. To me, it's worth that much to have a proven kit rather than fabricate something.

One thing I will be looking at as a custom piece either way will be an actuated hydraulic mechanism to lift and lower the door. To me, this is the better way to spend the $600-700 difference between the VD kit and the Decah kit.

Goal for me is to have this mod done (sans hydraulics) prior to August 14th. So, I will be making a final call on it soon.

 

To simplify things, when I say open the door, I mean horizontally. Lifting the door = vertically.

If you attempt to open the door too far, It will not allow it and just bounce back. I have never tried slinging the door open too hard, but one time when I did pushed the door out harder than I should when trying to open it, it came right back against my left shin as I tried to get out! However, always exercise caution with the doors as you don't want to cause unnecessary wear on the parts. You'll get used to it quickly.

 

If Dr. Bonz believes in venereal diseases, damn it so do I!

 

I addressed that "**** I forgot and opened the door too hard" question in a previous post. Habits are hard to break.

Is it your intention to modify the doors to have them open or close with POWER? There are many electrical kits available for this. Many custom hot-rod accesary shops sell them. For ideas:

http://www.streetracinggallery.com/L...-Shipping.html

They operate using an electric screw type motor. I decided this was too dangerous. Might be good for a show car.

I will have MANY install pics tomorrow. They will show the fenders, bumper, lights, and rocker-panel removed. They should show the hinge clearly.


I have not seen the pictures yet..hopefully they will answer many questions. It is something I have looked for on the web too.

 

jcn... I was thinking of a simple "trigger" button that would activate a hydraulic strut of some sort to lift and lower the door. The door would open horizontally as it normally does.