Half doors or tube doors?

What are your opinions for each. The only thing I can think of is I could still mount a pair of speakers in some half doors. But honestly thats not a big deal to me. I think the tube doors would provide the greatest degree of visibility. Let me know what you think. Pros and Cons for each.

Half doors will keep stuff from falling out of your rig.. and they're warmer for the spring/winter. Tube doors are great for summer time, and they are stronger than half doors.

Tube Doors and topless...all year long. Just make sure u wear warm clothes and your heater works.

I wanted tube doors on my Jeep but the thought of all that mud comin' in and gettin me muddier than I needed to be.... Well I made half/tube doors for it, my runner will have half doors I like the protection they offer if you flop yer rig (well better than nothin' ) at least your legs have more protection, if ya land on a rock and it wants to introduce itself to your knee its gonna hurt. PLUS its hard to put a soda holder on tube doors and where would the speaked go just my two cents good luck and be safe

Half doors. keeps stuff from falling out, and offers more protection. Warmth wise, its not going to make much of a difference. (trust me, I know this through experience )

My half doors are far stronger than the stock doors, I've got no problem trusting them to hold up to some serious abuse.

OK cool I will go with half doors then

I think I would like half doors as well so branches won't whip you in the legs like they could with tube doors. Specially if you're wearing shorts.

fordh8r wrote:I think I would like half doors as well so branches won't whip you in the legs like they could with tube doors. Specially if you're wearing shorts.

Ouch

OK then what is the best method for cutting down the half doors. Oh and will the doors from 2nd gens fit on 1st gens?

Jay D wrote:OK then what is the best method for cutting down the half doors. Oh and will the doors from 2nd gens fit on 1st gens?

Whatever door fits your truck.

FFC wrote:

Jay D wrote:OK then what is the best method for cutting down the half doors. Oh and will the doors from 2nd gens fit on 1st gens?

Whatever door fits your truck.

Is that a yes they will fit?

Jay D wrote:

FFC wrote:

Jay D wrote:OK then what is the best method for cutting down the half doors. Oh and will the doors from 2nd gens fit on 1st gens?

Whatever door fits your truck.

Is that a yes they will fit?

I misread.. I thought you were asking which to use, 1st gen or 2 gen. I don't think they will fit..... Let me do a little research.

It appears the style would go from '79-'83.

See here

I like tube doors because I put my crap against rocks all the time, if I had regular doors they would look like a used beer can by now.

MiniSimp wrote:I like tube doors because I put my crap against rocks all the time, if I had regular doors they would look like a used beer can by now.

Dude your whole truck looks like a used beer can

oldyellercj wrote:

MiniSimp wrote:I like tube doors because I put my crap against rocks all the time, if I had regular doors they would look like a used beer can by now.

Dude your whole truck looks like a used beer can

use a permanent marker to draw the lines that you want to cut, gut the doors, and pull out the cut off wheel/sawzall/plasma/ whatever your cutting tool of choice is, and go to town. Cut the outside skin following the lines, and cut the inside skin out all together. (this is how I did it) get some sheet metal (I used 18 guage I think, mabe 20, I don't remember, its on the unaccessible marlin right now, I'll get it when I get a chance) and cut a section out to cover the whole inside of the door, with top cuts matching the outer skin cuts. Weld that on, and then cut sections to cap the opening between the inner and outer skins.

These are the best pics of my half doors I have access to right now





these are extremely sturdy, I've very happy with how they've turned out. I also retained the old latch system, and simply bent to bar running from the interior handle to the latch, and put the handle lower down on the inside panel.

I've since added speakers, and would like to add cup holders and a little pocket in the future to hold maps or whatever.

Example of tube doors on rocks

I don't think that pic of Blingn's counts, if I remember right, his door fell off shortly after (next trip mabye? )

Blackdog wrote:I don't think that pic of Blingn's counts, if I remember right, his door fell off shortly after (next trip mabye? )

That's cuz my fat kept sitting on it.. between my and the rocks, it didn't stand a chance

FFC wrote:

Blackdog wrote:I don't think that pic of Blingn's counts, if I remember right, his door fell off shortly after (next trip mabye? )

That's cuz my fat kept sitting on it.. between my and the rocks, it didn't stand a chance

Here's the link to my truck build, and the making of my half doors
http://board.marlincrawler.com/index.php?topic=23424.msg275324#msg275324