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Post by dmx21 on May 20, 2010 16:29:45 GMT -5
So it is summer time, and I don't have a convertible, or a jeep. Windows rolled down are fine... but I'd like to take it another step. I want to take all 4 doors off (1996 camry). Can anyone think of a reason for me not to do this? Here are some arguments I have come up with and my answers to them: - rain? - Suck it up if I am driving, tarp if I am parked.
- Rear view mirrors? - I'll need to find some extra mirrors and find a way to attach them to my car
- windy as hell? - I'm fine with it.
- security? - don't lock my doors anyway and not too worried about it, I am a trusting individual.
Anything else? Is this going to be some huge project? It looks to me like it is just a couple of bolts and some wires that I would need to take apart. Even if it sucks and I only have them off for two days, I'd like to at least try it out, for fun, ya know?
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Post by ScrapinSTi on May 20, 2010 18:28:46 GMT -5
ummm... side impact from an accident might be a bit of a deterrent...
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Post by dmx21 on May 20, 2010 18:46:23 GMT -5
yea.... thought about that too, but I've never been in an accident before, so if I follow that pattern...
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Post by Sean on May 20, 2010 19:02:52 GMT -5
If you do it PROMISE me you will roll a video camera when you go out cruising. I can't WAIT to see the cops face when he pulls you over lol
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Post by dmx21 on May 20, 2010 19:16:36 GMT -5
Would I really get pulled over for it? Well I can see being pulled over, but what would the ticket be written for? Jeeps can take their doors off, and as long as I have a solid side mirror set up I can't think of something illegal about it. And of course I'll film
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Post by rxmclaren7 on May 20, 2010 20:18:20 GMT -5
god i cant wait to see this!!
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Post by dmx21 on May 20, 2010 20:43:57 GMT -5
it'll probably be a little bit before I actually do this, need to figure out the mirror situation, and then make sure that it is consistently warm out, but I'll make sure to let you guys know when it happens
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Post by ScrapinSTi on May 21, 2010 8:56:48 GMT -5
yea.... thought about that too, but I've never been in an accident before, so if I follow that pattern... That's Murphy's law if i've ever heard it..
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Post by dez16 on May 21, 2010 11:25:26 GMT -5
Would I really get pulled over for it? Well I can see being pulled over, but what would the ticket be written for? Jeeps can take their doors off, and as long as I have a solid side mirror set up I can't think of something illegal about it. And of course I'll film I cant imagine this would fly in Mass. Yeah jeeps do it every now and then but i doubt they pass the state inspection if they didn't have doors. Probably one of those things like a missing front plate that cops only will enforce if they want to. I would think missing a few doors on a camry will draw some pretty big attention from them. Edit: You can get tickets for having bald tires, something like operation of an unsafe vehicle i think. Probably falls under the same thing.
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Post by Sean on May 21, 2010 11:58:16 GMT -5
I got pulled over in my cutlass for no rear view mirror even though I had both side mirrors.
What he saidy was "if it came on the car it needs to be on the car"
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Post by ScrapinSTi on May 21, 2010 12:07:38 GMT -5
Yeah... there's some exception with jeeps.. I don't know what it is...
Although I've seen cherokees driving around without their doors...
But in a camry, you are just asking to die...
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Post by dmx21 on May 21, 2010 17:51:11 GMT -5
hmmm... well that is just no fun at all. Maybe I'll go ask my new friends at the police station what they have to say about it. Logically rear view mirrors/bald tires endanger others. Me having no doors would only endanger me, the only law that I can think of that only protects the drivers well being, is the seat belt law, which isn't in NH. So logically... I would think that if I want to risk killing myself NH would be fine with it, it isn't going to cause any harm to anyone else. But laws aren't logical, and police pulling me over certainly aren't going to want to be logict to during a traffic stop. EDIT: Just sent this to the dover police chief, and the DMV: Hi, my name is Jacob Swain and I live in Barrington, NH. As the weather has gotten nicer I have seen more and more convertibles out and about. I am not lucky enough to have a convertible at this point in my life. , but I love the wind and fresh air. Occasionally I will see a Jeep driving around with it's doors off. The last time that I saw this I thought "if Jeeps can do it... why not me?" Before I attacked my car I asked a couple of friends what their opinion of my idea was, most of them told me that I would be pulled over and ticketed. Would removing the doors on my Toyota Camry be illegal? I know that I would need to re-attach my side mirrors after removing the doors, but other than that would I be breaking any laws by removing my doors? Thank you. Let's see what I get back
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Post by dmx21 on May 21, 2010 17:56:31 GMT -5
also, "if it came on the car it needs to be on the car" That seems like total crap to me. What about: panels/seats/stereos/speakers/etc removed for weight reduction hub caps roof racks floor mats I mean none of those affect driving or safety, but his reason for you needing the mirror isn't too solid.
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Post by Sean on May 21, 2010 19:10:16 GMT -5
I think he meant mechanically. Doors are kinda a big deal lol.
I'm curious to the reply you get.
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Post by dale clough on May 21, 2010 21:36:01 GMT -5
Hi kids! Miss me? I'm never that far and like Santa, always watching...
Okay, on topic.... Jeeps have frame ansd support structure between the occupant and outside world. Unibody vehicles do not. Also, the doors offer overall vehicle structure and support (hence unibody).
So, for YOUR safety, the doors off a Camry will violate safety laws governed for occupant well-being in the event of a side impact.
Welcome to the madness, enjoy the rally, keep your doors on.
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Post by dmx21 on May 22, 2010 9:05:36 GMT -5
response from chief:
Jacob, I do not believe it is illegal but I would not recommend it for safety reasons. You would be low to the ground, unprotected from side impact and even debris. You may want to check with NH Dept of MV before you remove the doors. Chief Colarusso
Yea I thought about structural support too, that makes sense. That is depressing, I so was pumped to do this.
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Post by Team Avanti on May 23, 2010 13:04:03 GMT -5
I second what dale said, you could do some body damage the doors help body roll, you may not notice it but you will when you put your doors back on and nothing lines up b/c your body and frame ae twisted. worst case i guess, but im just a mechanic LOL and would also try this
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Post by skimobile on May 23, 2010 19:02:01 GMT -5
Just because you haven't had a side impact yet doesn't mean you won't. You can't control someone elses driving and if someone runs a light, stop sign, etc, you would be toast. As well as you can buckle the roof and floor of your unibody car without the doors as structural support. Some unibody cars cant even close an open driver/passenger side door if the car is jacked up near that point on the underside of the body. Being young gives you a sense of being invinsible,...being old, like me, makes you know there's no such thing. S#it can happen when you least expect it. I hit a piece of metal once on the highway in an old VW Scirocco I had, that snapped up and dented my door. If the door wasn't there, it could have just as easily been my leg. At 70 mph, that would not have been pretty.
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Post by dmx21 on May 23, 2010 19:28:39 GMT -5
Yea I guess I'll skip it... for now. I learned all about being not invincible last summer, broke myself mountain biking, 2 months of bed rest, can't ever run again, and will probably have a limp most days for the rest of my life. *sigh* At least I can still drive though
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Post by skimobile on May 23, 2010 19:49:50 GMT -5
I hear yea, I raced motocross and ski raced for years... Injuries were part of the game. One put me in the hospital for 3 weeks and 6 months in a wheel chair/crutches. At least with cars you have a lot of metal around to protect you.
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Post by fddave on May 24, 2010 6:46:21 GMT -5
going to be a good year isn't it...
-Dave
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Post by dmx21 on May 25, 2010 13:58:40 GMT -5
Response from DMV:
Thank you for your inquiry of the New Hampshire Department of Safety.
Please know that to operate your Toyota Camry on the public ways of this State without doors would be contrary to New Hampshire’s inspection criteria and would thereby render the driver eligible to be stopped and cited for doing so as set forth within the provisions of RSA 266:5 and Saf-C 3221.01 (a) (3).
Do not be confused by how you may see a Jeep that has a specific design by the vehicle manufacturer which has been further approved by and complies with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards and bears a corresponding approval number. Such would not be the case if you were to remove the doors on your Camry.
If you have additional questions or, if we may otherwise be of assistance, please feel free to contact NH State Police directly at (603) 223-8778.
Sincerely, Sgt. Stephen A. Kace NH State Police Troop G
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Post by ScrapinSTi on May 25, 2010 15:31:55 GMT -5
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Post by dustyb on Jun 2, 2010 19:04:23 GMT -5
The real question is: what if they were replaced with safari doors... hmmmm? ?
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Post by dmx21 on Jun 9, 2010 12:53:50 GMT -5
now thats a good question... I was thinking about that... but where would I go about getting safari doors for a camry? And I am not what you would call a master welder/metal worker.
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