Dakota Suicide Door Install!

You've seen Stylin' Joe Wagner's badass Dodge Dakota before. We did a bio article on Joe a few years back, and an update article last summer. Plus, you've seen him and his truck in the Herculiner Bed Liner product video. Now get ready to see some actual work being performed on this pavement dragging ride.

Joe wanted to have some suicide door hinges installed, so we took his 2000 Dodge Dakota down to our friends at Ohio Technical College, an automotive trade school in Cleveland, Ohio. They beat out every major automotive school to become the 2009 National Automotive Trade School of the year. Very nice guys!

In part one of this article, the instructor and his students get most of the fabrication and installation work completed on the passenger side. Check back soon for part two, where you'll see them smoothing and finishing the welds, painting all the exposed metal surfaces, and putting the doors back together.

The Installation:
Follow along as Auto-Body Instructor Matt O'Konowitz and his Ohio Technical College students get going on the passenger side.
(Click the pictures to expand.)

1. OTC Instructor Matt O'Konowitz and his students check out the kit.

2. The Dodge Dakota before installation.

3. The students begin work on the truck.

4. First order of business is removing the door panels and window glass. Here, the instructor supervises removal of the power window system.

5. Removing the window glass.

6. The Auto-Body program students focus on collision-repair and body work. They also learn skills related to body work like the removal and installation of molding and interior trim pieces.

7. Once the glass and door panel are removed the door can be unbolted from the truck.

8. Remove that pesky door pin. It'll be moved to the front of the door.

9. With the passenger door off, the students start brainstorming the installation. Here, they hold up the hinge mounting plate to the Dakota's rear door jamb.

10. A student discusses the install with the instructor..

11. The driver-side door is removed.

12. There she sits, sad and lonely.

13. Here's the factory hinges, and wiring for the door's power windows and speakers.

14. The students begin fabrication by creating a clean surface to mark on.

15. Here, they check for clearance by holding up the Suicide Hinge, and the hinge mounting plate.

16. The instructor begins laying out cut lines. The Dakota has a tapered and molded door jamb, so the hinge mounting plate will have to be cut in half, and the hinge will be recessed slightly.

17. The marked area is cut away.

18. The instructor checks for clearance and shows the students where the hinge should mount.

19. Another student gets time on the cutting wheel. He slices an opening for the lower hinge.

20. Here's the upper hinge. The students have cut the door jamb, attached the hinge mounting plate, and boxed the whole thing in.

21. The instructor adds a few more spot welds. The whole box will be welded in and smoothed soon. Notice the welding blanket to protect the interior, the team at OTC is all about professionalism.

22. The upper hinge is perfectly aligned and level, and the lower hinge box is right behind it.

23. With the door aligned, a student grinds away paint in preparation for welding.

24. Reinforcements are added and the hinge mounts are welded to the door.

25. Here a student welds more support to the inner door.

26. Here's the Dakota at the end of day 2.