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Old 04-11-11, 06:26 PM
  #16  
MadMax96
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Originally Posted by mmarshall
Though not expressly forbidden by law, the government discourages the use of suicide-doors. That's why, on vehicles with small, forward-opening rear-doors like the Mazda RX-8, older Saturn coupes, and some pickup trucks, you have to open the front doors first before you open the rears.....they act as an anchor for the rears.
Of course Rolls Royce just does what they want anyway. I guess if someone has enough cash to buy one, they're not stupid enough to open the door at speed.

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Old 04-11-11, 06:28 PM
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Originally Posted by mmarshall
Most people wouldn't have known that answer off the tip of their tongue, but, of course, you and I grew up with those cars in 1969. I remember my dad, recently-retired from the Army and working for Philco-Ford, bringing home big Mercurys and Lincolns regularly at night after work. Though only a junior/senior in high school, I liked big luxury cars of the era much as I did the muscle-cars of the era. He'd toss me the keys (he knew I was a careful driver) and let me try them out, driving sensibly.


Though not expressly forbidden by law, the government discourages the use of suicide-doors. .

I know the drill at Ford, my father's engineering/mgmt positions allowed him every single year to custom-order a new Ford product (sometimes 2 per year) for decades. Big luxury Ford/Mercury/Lincolns were an everyday thing for me since childhood and well past college graduation. All that driving and exposure to those barges makes me appreciate the automotive advancements we have today.

Note: The government has nothing to do with discouraging suicide doors.
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Old 04-11-11, 06:43 PM
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Originally Posted by MadMax96
Of course Rolls Royce just does what they want anyway. I guess if someone has enough cash to buy one, they're not stupid enough to open the door at speed.

Good pic.

I wonder if the Phantom Drophead Coupe is the only car currently available with suicide front doors.
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Old 04-11-11, 06:46 PM
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front suicide doors:
Attached Thumbnails Your Favorite Car Trivia Questions ??-rolls-royce-phantom-drophead-coupe-2.jpg  
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Old 04-11-11, 08:52 PM
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Originally Posted by MadMax96
Of course Rolls Royce just does what they want anyway. I guess if someone has enough cash to buy one, they're not stupid enough to open the door at speed.
RR, of course, is not an American company, and so few of them are sold that they have only miniscule influence on the industry.

Also, as you note, rear-seat occupants riding in a RR usually have someone opening and closing the doors for them.
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Old 04-11-11, 08:59 PM
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Originally Posted by IS-SV

I wonder if the Phantom Drophead Coupe is the only car currently available with suicide front doors.
I didn't mention any RR or Bentley products because your trivia-question dealt only with American-badged sedans. That would have taken it off-topic.....though, of course, I did take it off slightly with the Imperial Concept, which never actually saw production.

Note: The government has nothing to do with discouraging suicide doors.
No, not formally, or on paper, but I have heard DOT and NHTSA officials talk about their risks. That's why I mentioned it.....and why you don't see more designs like that. It's limited to only a few vehicles nowadays, in the U.S. market.
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Old 04-11-11, 09:04 PM
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Moving on, I have some more trivia questions:


Question: What was considered the world's first mass-produced automobile?

Answer: Henry Ford's Model-T, from 1908-1027.



Question: What famous car in Germany was insipred by the success of the Model T?

Answer: The first VW Beetle, in the mid-1930s.


Question: What did Enzo Ferrari own as his personal daily-driver? (This one may surprise you)

Answer: A Fiat 128 Econobox. Fiat, years ago, made a big deal of that in their TV ads.

Last edited by mmarshall; 04-11-11 at 09:12 PM.
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Old 04-11-11, 09:08 PM
  #23  
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Originally Posted by mmarshall



No, not formally, or on paper, but I have heard DOT and NHTSA officials talk about their risks. That's why I mentioned it.....and why you don't see more designs like that. It's limited to only a few vehicles nowadays, in the U.S. market.
Just speculation because there are far more significant design, cost, marketability/business reasons versus the idle chatter of government officials/drones. And the proof of how idle is the lack of regs preventing RR's shown and sold legally.

Moving on...

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Old 04-11-11, 09:20 PM
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What car introduced in m.y. 1997 had a strong steel cable attached to engine, and why?

Answer: Porsche Boxster, if the car is rear-ended hard, the cable pulls engine under car (absorbing energy and not driving engine into passenger compartment)
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Old 04-11-11, 09:46 PM
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What was the only reasonably-successful production car that could also serve as a powered-boat?

The Amphibicar of the 1960s.

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Old 04-11-11, 10:12 PM
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Cool pics of Amphibicar. Still a popular and common attraction at vintage car shows around here.
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Old 04-12-11, 07:24 AM
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Q: How many years in prison did John DeLorean serve for being caught on video, buying a briefcase full of cocaine from an undercover FBI agent while trying to rescue the financing of his struggling car company, The Delorean Motor Company?


A: None. He was acquitted of all charges. The arrest made the front page. His acquittal could be found on page 37 of the Food section.
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Old 04-12-11, 10:49 AM
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^yea poor guy got screwed...I say it was the big automotive companies screwing him like Tucker...

Brings me to my question...which was the first car to have swiveling headlights?

Tucker '48

Read: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1948_Tu...esign_features
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Old 04-12-11, 11:08 AM
  #29  
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^ Good memories seeing the Tucker at the Harrah's Auto Museum in Nevada as a kid.

Shades of things to come (like the AFS headlights on my IS350).
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Old 04-12-11, 11:19 AM
  #30  
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Its always interesting to ask people in person do they know "who owns their brand" and "where is it built"?
 


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