Definately strange, but with so many similarities between 140-200 series models, almost any configuration can be hacked together... my favorite hack is the 165.
There's another possibility, I don't think we've considered. They could have been produced simply as showroom models, like the harlequin Rabbits. They would have saved space for smaller showrooms, so you could see what both the two door and the four door cars were like on the same vehicle. Would have saved a bit of cash outlay, too.
I would approach it from a different angle every day because sometimes I like the sedan, sometimes the coupe. However it came to be, it is made of win.
@LJSearles: I think they all had longer passenger doors, to make it easier to get into that spacious rear seat. But I think the door was only about two inches longer. Obvs., they hadn't thought about the lucrative UK export market when they designed it.
Sorry for the thread jack,but i was just reading about this abandoned Bugatti that just sold for £3 million. I'm bored & thought others may be of interest. It has a really good story to go with it too [news.uk.msn.com]
A few year's ago I went to a museum show of Ralph Lauren's (bastard) cars, and there was a Bugatti among them. Perfectly realized design in every line and detail, exquisite craftmanship in the finest materials. It easily dominated the room it was in, which included a Maclaren road car and a 300SL.
@Van Sarockin: That would be the even more heady $7+ million 57SC Atlantique. 1 of maybe 3 or 4. This Bugatti is very similar, but with a more pedestrian bodystyle.
I went to that show, but my favorites were the black Type 38 Gran Prix with external electrics and gear change and the exquisite red Alfa 8C 2900 Mille Miglia.
@layabout now with V8 power: Probably the best (and sometimes only) way to see Bugattis is a historic race like the Monterey Historics, where I caught these, or in your case, Goodwood (lucky bastard!)
I feel cheated. I was looking forward to seeing the hatchback version. Basically, Volvo just beat Saturn to the punch. Or they were channeling their inner van manufacturer.
Unlikely that these were police specials. You don't want to give your suspect the opportunity the wedge himself back into a hole. Disconnecting the interior latches is the way that ever other PD and manufacturer handles this. If your perp won't get out, you send someone around to the other door to drag him out.
Makes me wonder if there couldn't be a mother-in-law version - rear doors, but no passenger door?
@layabout now with V8 power: I say five, because the rear hatch opens as two doors, rather than a hatch. I reckon a Saturn SC would be a better comparison, though I get what you're saying.
Though, like the clubman, the third door is a little midget thing that opens suicide style.
I honestly can't think of any other car that has three full-size doors. I'm sure there's some obscure French or Soviet car I never even knew existed though.
@layabout now with V8 power: I can think of a truck: 1960's Chevy Suburbans were available as 3 doors. I have seen a few and I think they were made like that right up until the 1973 redesign.
@Jim-Bob: Vans typically only had side doors on the passenger side. My first had six doors, but only four openings. A few variants of that model were built with another set of cargo doors on the driver's side; so five openings and eight doors. Must be pretty close to a record...
@Fluffy, Pushbroom: And of course, I wasn't even going to mention hinged wing windows, pop-out windows, hinged skylights and roof vents, and articulating camper tops....
Of course, I'm sure that all those doors didn't do much for structural integrity. Not that there was ever all that much to begin with. Driving my FC Econoline, there was never any doubt that YOU were the crumple zone. Really helps to keep your concentration focused.
@superveloce: Ah, Mitsubishi's Minica was available with two doors on one side and one on the other for some time. Here's a picture, you can see that the right side only has one door:
In 1982, Estonia was part of the Soviet Union, so the theory of exporting cars to there seems a bit untrue.
Also, photos of more than one car in this configuration would also lead to a bit more proof. All we have here is photos of the same car in two different colours.
As for Wikipedia, I have put all sorts of fake stuff that has gone unchallenged for months at a time. My record is 27 months. It is a fun game to play with your friends and a way to show that Wikipedia is a complete and utter joke.
@Triborough: I'll bet the lock on your house are a complete and utter joke, but I don't break in and rearrange your furniture because that would make me a douchebag.
@Triborough: "The fraud that it is" ??? Dude, you make too big a deal of it.
Wikipedia's a great reference for all kinds of random facts. I usually have to look up a few things a day there.
Now, you're missing the point if you use it as the sole source of info on an otherwise hotly debated topic. Even then you can check the references (or lack thereof) on any statement.
I get the feeling you lost and argument on there and have an axe to grind.
The police special has a feel of truth to it, but really, the fact is with a unibody chassis this would be difficult to do. The easiest way to do this is to cut the side off one car and weld to the side of another car, leading one to believe that this is a one-off custom. Weird, though. Why? comes to mind as well.
@X3SoB: As silly as it seems, this is far from difficult to do, even as an aftermarket hackjob. I spent some great deal of time investigating a 242+245=243 Hatch conversion of my own and came to the realization that these cars were only a few weld points away from either two or four doors at a few places during their construction. It's almost as easy as simply relocating the b-pillar rearward to the existing weld points within the passenger compartment, with 90% of the fabrication coming from adapting the rear quarter to fill in the gap left by losing the door/door glass.
@Sanfam: Your technical prowess just earned you a heart click. I would indeed drink beer in your garage while working on anything interesting given that insight.
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[www.volvoclub.org.uk]
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... YEAH!
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Here's a pic of a custom '73 143S:
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For some reason, the photo didn't load right, for me, when you first posted it.
Maybe even better, if it wasn't painted such a Nick-ish color. You could hand out a lot of candy from a ride like that!
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Here it is and volvo related, and no door at all.
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And the wheeled thingy has a lot of rounded bits, too.
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[www.seriouswheels.com]
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"(the five doors means it's a 245, as opposed to the 242 we race)"
One, two, three, four. Are the rear doors welded shut?
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Mmmmm...that's about right. Here's hoping they don't fuck it up....i.e. no restoration necessary.
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A few year's ago I went to a museum show of Ralph Lauren's (bastard) cars, and there was a Bugatti among them. Perfectly realized design in every line and detail, exquisite craftmanship in the finest materials. It easily dominated the room it was in, which included a Maclaren road car and a 300SL.
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I went to that show, but my favorites were the black Type 38 Gran Prix with external electrics and gear change and the exquisite red Alfa 8C 2900 Mille Miglia.
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They certainly make great music on the track.
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Unlikely that these were police specials. You don't want to give your suspect the opportunity the wedge himself back into a hole. Disconnecting the interior latches is the way that ever other PD and manufacturer handles this. If your perp won't get out, you send someone around to the other door to drag him out.
Makes me wonder if there couldn't be a mother-in-law version - rear doors, but no passenger door?
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Just put the pic on,& i see what you mean.
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Though, like the clubman, the third door is a little midget thing that opens suicide style.
I honestly can't think of any other car that has three full-size doors. I'm sure there's some obscure French or Soviet car I never even knew existed though.
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And I should have guessed that, given your name.
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Of course, I'm sure that all those doors didn't do much for structural integrity. Not that there was ever all that much to begin with. Driving my FC Econoline, there was never any doubt that YOU were the crumple zone. Really helps to keep your concentration focused.
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They called it the "1:2 Door"...
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Also, photos of more than one car in this configuration would also lead to a bit more proof. All we have here is photos of the same car in two different colours.
As for Wikipedia, I have put all sorts of fake stuff that has gone unchallenged for months at a time. My record is 27 months. It is a fun game to play with your friends and a way to show that Wikipedia is a complete and utter joke.
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[en.wikipedia.org]
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Wikipedia's a great reference for all kinds of random facts. I usually have to look up a few things a day there.
Now, you're missing the point if you use it as the sole source of info on an otherwise hotly debated topic. Even then you can check the references (or lack thereof) on any statement.
I get the feeling you lost and argument on there and have an axe to grind.
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I'd buy it in a heartbeat.
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