Q
Thanks for printing my question about mounting my gas tank in my DeSoto trunk.
Anyway, this question is about safety bars in the doors of street rods. I may be wasting my time but is there a set way to add rectangular tubing between the door glass and the outer doorskin? Again, this may be overkill, but the DeSoto doors are so light and thin (18-gauge doorskins inside and out), it seems a natural for door rigidity, and some added crash safety, to add a couple of heavy wall tubes welded to the door hinge post and striker frame inside the suicide doors on both sides of the glass. Your thoughts?
Tom Kees
Redding, CA
A
Nobody likes to think about being in an automobile accident, particularly in a street rod, but unfortunately it does happen, so your idea certainly has merit.
While doing crash testing in the ’60s the Fisher Body Division of General Motors developed anti-intrusion door beams as a means to reduce injuries resulting from side-impact accidents. Around the same time the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s standards for crush resistance were such that by the early ’70s side-guard beams were standard equipment on new cars.
For the most part street rodders go to a great deal of effort to enhance the performance capabilities of their cars but safety considerations are generally overlooked, so providing your DeSoto with some side-impact protection is a wise idea. However, I’m not sure how much room there is in the doors to install additional reinforcement. Side beams are usually positioned midway between the bottom of the door and the window opening and run the length of the door. These beams can be made from tubing, but most are stamped or hydroformed, with the finished product looking similar to a highway guardrail; steel and aluminum are the common materials although plastic may also be used. It may be worthwhile to take a tour of your local wrecking yard to see if there are beams that could be salvaged and fit the space available inside your DeSoto’s doors. Keep in mind the A- and B-pillars should also be reinforced to provide attachment points that match the strength of the doors along with rotary door latches.
Another means to enhance the safety of any car is a rollbar. A number of years ago Jack Chisenhall installed an unobtrusive rollbar in his 1939 Ford sedan. The beauty of how it was done is that it not only added an element of safety but stiffened the chassis by including a firewall hoop and longitudinal frame connectors. For the ultimate in security, a swing-out diagonal door bar could be added. If you decide to go the rollbar route, contact Art Morrison Enterprises; they have complete instructions on their website (artmorrison.com) showing how to make the required measurements and will bend a rollbar or cage as needed.
One last note, don’t forget the most vital pieces of safety equipment are the seatbelts—and shoulder harnesses are even better. Side guard beams and rollbars won’t do much good if you’re bouncing around inside the car in an accident.
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