While working later on in the night a couple of days ago, reader Cole Lamberts shot us a message that caught my eye:
“Hey guys. Just wondering what your thoughts are regarding “muscle sedans” and the sudden rise in popularity. I watch your website on a daily basis and see you post a decent amount about 4-doors so I thought you might actually put some thought into the question, unlike so many other publications that I have spoken to. My theory is that the average car guy is slowly being out-priced of his own hobby and sedans are a good alternative for those who don’t have deep pockets and still build shit in their back yard. I’m seeing a large number of the younger hobbyists gravitating towards sedans because they can no longer afford a “desirable” coupe.”
The 17-year-old Alaska native is currently working on an early 1970s Plymouth Satellite sedan, the same kind that I keep picturing in my head as a “moonshine runner” build. And he has a point that we should probably be discussing, one that has been discussed for years with no real set take on it one way or another outside of personal opinions. Is it time to drop the stigma involving four door sedans once and for all? If for no other reason than it’s not an SUV or a crossover, I’m happy to see four-doors and wagons running rampant at car shows and events.
Cole makes a good point: find a reasonably priced two-door that isn’t a Camaro or Mustang…you know, within the $5,000 Rough Start range is a good start, and for that kind of money, what are you looking at? Fox and SN-95 Mustangs, third and fourth-gen Camaros and Firebirds, and the occasional GM G-body. After that…you got lucky if you found something different, like a Caprice coupe or a Fairmont. And if you want something a little more different than that, you’ll have to dig deep through Craigslist and your local classifieds. But when it comes to four doors, the options open up like a good book: B-bodies from the 1970s to 1996, in pretty much every form. G-body sedans nobody ever seems to want. Fox LTDs. Chrysler Fifth Avenues that have been babied by someone’s grandmother since new. Every one of those chassis relates to an older model or is a popular chassis in two-door form (the Fifth is a close relative to the Dart platform…not exact, but close enough for most things), so why not build one? Why not take that Malibu Classic sedan and go full-out on it?
No, you won’t get your money back on a four-door build unless you’re really lucky. But if you’re building for money…well, I’ll be blunt: this column wasn’t for you to begin with. But if you’re hunting for a car, why wouldn’t you jump for a four-door? I’m sure there are plenty of thoughts on the subject, so let’s hear them!
While a two door is always preferable, for a rod enthusiast with a family, especially little ones, a four door makes perfect sense. Make it cool, make it low, make it yours. A food looking car is a good looking car hands down; two door or more door!
I have no problem with 4 doors.
What ever that car is at the top, i’ll take it, and drive the hell out of it..!! Very cool looking car
1974 Chevrolet Malibu
Dont forget A body Mopar. Still very cheap compared to anything 2 door. I got my 66 Barracuda under 5 thousand. 4 doors can be really cool though. Wagons also.
4 door Dart owner checking in – I’ve owned mine for about 20 years now and have been slowly building a turbo slant six. It was a $500 car in 1996 – it would cost a bit more now, but it’s still cheap. (Currently, it will start up and run, but I need to fix an oil leak and a couple other minor issues before I can throw it on the dyno and get it in tune.)
And there are some other 4 doors with some decent power that are starting to slip into Rough Start budget territory:
– 2000s era Dodge Chargers / Chrysler 300s
– GM W bodies with the supercharger package
– Early 2000s Subaru WRXs
– Various BMW sport sedans (330, 540, etc)
Yes ! I am biased since I drive an 03 Crown Vic sport. Marauder/CV Sport Imp SS and the new Charger all show it can be done and look good doing it. No you will never get your $$ back but you don’t on most builds. If it’s the car you like and the money is right build it. I’d take a new Charger over the Challenger any day- lighter, slightly quicker and way more fun when win in a 4 door !!
Marauder!
YES!!!!!
Sure, I love the idea of spending a bunch of time and money building a rockin motor and then putting it in the heaviest possible brick I can find. Because that makes it faster.
Fine and well for cruising or posing. If you’re going to try to be quick, carrying around less weight is a lot cheaper than screwing more power out of something.
When you factor in the reduced price of a four door it makes a lot of sense. Simply shaving off the rear door handles and replacing them with solenoids will smooth things out a little and you end up with a much more practical car that means you can take your friends out for a blast with you. But what is that absolute beauty in the header photo? From that angle it looks like one of the coolest four doors ever built – c’mon guys let us know!
It is a 1974 Chev Malibu bumper sandwich without the crusts. One of the ugliest cars ever built. Someone really had a vision there and achieved it. Love the look. No doubt has a LS in it. Now what ya gonna say Geordie?
It has a 502 and a 4L80e,and was built in Turkey(Yep).I actually found the pic around 8 years ago in a build thread in a Turkey forum.
I don’t like 2 door vehicles unless it is a truck as the door’s are too long.. So yes 4 doors works for me.
I prefer 4 doors most of the time. Nothing wrong with a 2 door, but 4 doors is better. On top of the typical cost savings, they are more practical and just as capable as their 2 door rivals.
With the cost of classic 2 door cars always being way more than the 4 door it allows people to get into there favourite muscle car still. My Falcon is a 4 door, my other Falcon is a 4 door, my daily is a 4 door, and every car I’ve owned since 2009 is a 4 door.
Many of the old impala, bel air, fairmount, dart, etc are cheap in 4 door configuration and get you into a driveable, restorable classic that an average guy can afford.
I had a \’78 Concord Wagon and loved it, also had a four door \’72 Satellite
It comes down to economics. I prefer the coupes (pre-82) but with prices ever on an increasing slope, more doors aren’t so bad. I currently have a Silverado and Rainier both with 5.3 in them and a 94 Caprice and 95 9C1.
A 64-72 Chevelle more door is something I would not mind owning.
I wanna know more about the Malibu in the top pic!
4 doors are absolutely fine, and 95% of the styling tricks that worked on the 2-door will work on them. Same goes for wagons.
Unless you’re actually concerned about the weight created by the two extra doors, who cares? If it’s fast, it’s fast…
Depending on the body style, a 4 door may not be heavier. There’s even some times where it’s lighter than the corresponding 2 door version for the same model. For ’66 Darts, my 4 door sedan is lighter than the 2 door hardtop.
4 Doors, 5 seat belts, AC – – Ready for UberClassic!!!!
Yes I would build a 71 Chevelle 4 dr if Uber could create UberClassic. Mentioned to my riders and they affirm with a positive yell. It would compliment my current 71 Chevelle (350/350 fuel injected) perfectly.
Ive already thought about doing this.
Ive been Ubering for 3 1/2 years and I can count at least ten times where a customer has downstarred a driver because hes driving a big SUV or a Crown Victoria simply because its “a gas guzzler” or “bad for the environent.”
Ubering in an older car is like pearls before swine. Maybe less than 10% will view it in a positive light. Most will either not notice, comment on how old the car is, or most likely leave a bad review.
Also, you really would be eating up your profits in gas.
Id love to use a 77 Town Car or 78 LTD sedan, but almost none of the clientele would appreciate it, let alone pay more for it.
2 door anything 60s are over priced. I talked with an Aussie a few years ago at Speedweek. He could not understand why us Mericans had no love for the 4 doors? MORE DOOR MORE DOOR MORE DOOR!!!
I’m all about the “more-doors”! My first car is a 1966 Dart, bought it when I was 15. I’m currently building it for a pavement pounder/track beast. its a 270 trim model, was a 225/904/7.25 sure grip car. Now its a 532hp/546ft-lb 408, cope racing 904 full manual reverse pattern trans, dana 60 with 4.11’s car. The chassis is going to get some serious love this fall. currently it has J-bars from magnumforce to brace the front end, torque boxes, cal-tracs, and subframe connectors. itll be getting a cage and a mini-tub in the next few months. Im not too keen on the body side of things, so itll stay crusty and angry for now.
Wait… my ’66 Dart four door was also my first car! And a 270 trim level to boot. Kind of interesting that we have two respondents who have almost the same starting point.
Is it white with red interior!? hahaha!!!! That’s awesome!
I have a Fairmont two door boxtop so I may be a bit biased but more doors can definitely be cool. Fox LTDs and Marquis are cheap and easily modded. Chrysler M Bodies like Diplomats and Gran Furys? Hell yea! Or how about Disco Novas (’75-’79) and their B-O-P siblings? Camaro suspension goodies can make one of those cool as hell!
no
Google drag week caprice classic (burgundy moredoor), Power steering , brakes, windows , tilt wheel, ac, cruise, 4400# car runs 12.20\’s on all motor and pulls a 2000# trailer all day in cold comfort. Funnest beast I\’ve ever had.
NO NEVER. DONT EVEN THINK ABOUT IT!!!! NOT COOL EVER EVER EVER
No four door hot rods. This is starting to show up more and more at shows I attend. If you\’re putting hard earned money into a build start with an appropriate two door \” proportional design. Four door cars are ugly misproportioned abominations if the model also has a two door model. And saying the snide comment about if you\’re worried about getting the money out of it makes you not a car guy I call BS. The only four door none wagon that\’s cool are the suicide door Lincolns. Period. If you do build a more door don\’t subject the viewing public at shows. Stay in the parking lot where they belong.
It sounds as if you might have lost a race or two to a sedan and are a bit bitter. Folks will attend car shows with whatever the hell they desire. If you do not \”approve\”, don\’t look at it. People like you need to remember that everyone has a different taste in automobiles and what is an \”ugly misproportioned abomination\” to you is the \”appropriate\” car to someone else. Also, the comment that you see as \”snide\” is more truthful than anything you wrote in your comment. A true car guy would accept all body styles with open arms regardless or personal preferences rather than belittling them and their owners.
PS The misconception that you cited that there are \”No four door hot rods\” will come back to bite you in the ass one day. Ever heard of the term, sleeper?
I’ll be sure to go pick up a copy of “Cool Four Door” Magazine! Oh, that’s right. No such thing. EVER!
I hope you realize that you totally ignored the point I was attempting to make and instead just reverted back to the “well they aren’t cool” approach. As the meme says, never go full retard. You don’t need to like it butt here is no reason why you should hate on it. Still inconceivably better than having more crappy imports on our streets. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion including those who happen to disagree with you.
Now, I am actually going to acknowledge your “point” in saying that while there might not e a stand alone publication, there are countless features in magazines such as MOPAR Muscle, Muscle Car Review, Canadian Hot Rod, Car Craft, and Hot Rod. Not to mention the Australian car hobbyist magazines which primarily feature sedans.
You better not go to Australia with an attitude like that.
You sound like an incredibly boring person, one-dimensional close-minded person who spends all day yelling at them damn kids to get off your lawn, and you have my pity.
Australia\’s muscle scene is littered with four-doors. Their most popular muscle car, the Ford Falcon, is primarily four door or ute. Four door cars are not ugly looking, in fact on some models like B-Bodies like the satellite and smaller compact cars like my \’64 Falcon, I prefer the four-door look.
Oh, and there\’s also the fact that I have friends I like to take to the track with me as well, but you wouldn\’t know anything about that, would you?
I have friends. They have cars! They don’t need a ride in an old lady four door to go to the track.
Abominations, eh? Does that include the SRT versions of the Charger and 300C and the Impala SS?
I have a 96 Impala SS. I’d love to have a Hellcat Charger, which has an actual higher top speed then its Challenger counterpart due to better aerodynamics. But tell me when Chrysler announced they were bringing back the charger as a four door your first reaction, if ever so briefly, was “OH!?!”?
You’re a clueless no-nothing and a sad excuse for a car guy… and I’m willing to bet you don’t have a cool car of any kind. Don’t bother replying about some fast-as-f*** Camaro or Mustang you own because I know you’ll be lying about it.
The thing that can bring any 4 door beyond semi respectability is the lack of the pillar. It must have that long clear and open area front to back. Sure, the pillar adds strength, but it really does kill the look.
This is an idiotic discussion. If it’s quick and fast, who cares how many doors it has. And who cares if losers you’ve never met think it’s “cool?”
I have two 4-door hard tops. One is a 57 Chevy Bel-Air sport sedan, the other is a 65 Chevy Impala Sport sedan. They are both original patina cars. They get more attention at shows than the perfect paint 2 doors LOL. Paid $3000 for 57 and $1500 for 65( both running and drivable condition when bought recently). Got lots of money left over for speed mods. Also more convenient to take the family to outings. My 83 year mother loves riding in these cars as she had both in the past. Remember more 4 doors were sold and on the road back in the day.
Heck yes. But I’ve had a modified ’85 Ford LTD LX for nearly 20 years now, long before anyone was even questioning whether they were respectable, because they weren’t. So I’ve never really cared what anyone thinks, which makes it all the more sweet when my car beats their car on the road course, or gets into magazine articles. Dare to be different.
If you have kids and still want a hot rod, 4 doors is often the only way to go, especially if you want the spouse’s support.
I prefer sedans and wagons, in fact long roofs are cooler than coupes…
No. 4 doors are NOT hot rods.
Yes, you are wrong.
As a former owner of a 1977 Dodge Aspen wagon, and current owner of a 2006 Dodge Magnum SRT8…. i agree with the sentiment. Wagons and 4-doors can be just as hot rod as their 2-door counterparts.
I do have issues with your statement \”Every one of those chassis relates to an older model or is a popular chassis in two-door form (the Fifth is a close relative to the Dart platform…not exact, but close enough for most things),\”…. specifically regarding the Fifth Ave.
The Fifth Ave/Diplomat (M-body) is the same chassis as the Aspen/Volare (F-body). While the rear ends are similar in layout to the previous A-body, and the drivetrains were carry over…. the entire front suspension is different. The F/M/J used the transverse torsion bar suspension, while all A/B/C bodies used the regular torsion bar suspensions.