[ExI] disappearing car door

[spike]

> Subject: Re: [ExI] disappearing car door
> 
> On Fri, Dec 14, 2007 at 04:36:53AM -0500, Gary Miller wrote:
> > My biggest concern would be what happens if your battery goes dead or is
> > shorted out suddenly.
> 
> My biggest concern would be side impacts... Eugen* Leitl 


I did the math and some measurements on my car.  The best design I can
imagine for a disappearing car door requires at least one horizontal hinge
in the door, so that it works a little like a roll-up garage door that goes
down instead of up.  A two horizontal hinge design allows the door to roll
down with less side clearance.  Even then, the glass hasta be separate from
the door, so that it either rolls up into the roof or swings outward from a
hinge at the top.

Unless I am overlooking something fundamental, the idea also requires a
front wheel drive car, preferably one with large ground clearance.
Otherwise the drive shaft goes where the bottom of the door needs to go.  

With those design compromises, I don't expect to see any disappearing door
cars in our lifetimes.  {8-[

spike