Disappearing Doors?

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Maybe.

Now listen: I said maybe.


Some of you will remember station wagons from the late Sixties and early-to-mid- Seventies with tailgates that disappeared behind the bumper, under the back of the car. Don't ask me why no one thought to do the same with passenger doors at the time... Maybe they did, but were shot down for various reasons, I don't know...

One consideration is the safety issue. If the electrical system fails, how will you get out? Okay, well, Tellurian Motors does NOT want to be responsible for anyone getting trapped in one of our vehicles, so I have (just now) thought of a solution: Forward of each door will be a crank, mounted flush to the outer wall of the footwell, with a fold-out handle. If you have your foot over that far, there'll be something spinning against it when your door is going up or down (so watch that it doesn't scuff your shoe). The mechanism will only work on the door itself, though, as the window is operated separately (but in concert with the door in normal operation). In such an emergency you will have to clamber out over the window, trying not to break it, but at least you will be able to exit.


Now you're asking which Tellurian Motors vehicle(s) might get these doors -- and that's a good question.

It becomes a packaging issue, since there has to be a cavity between the floor and bellypan large enough to accept the doors. This results in less headroom, so it's a tradeoff...

Had thought of redesigning the Time Further Out, but that's out.

No, but I'm leaving a slot open for a luxury coupe, a 'grand touring' (GT), yet to be designed. It may well resemble the TFO, and some customers may want to have one of each.

Added stiffness in the chassis (due to the double floor) is the element that convinces me this model should have a convertible variant -- or, maybe that this new model should be offered only as a (hardtop) convertible. Hmmm...


Stay tuned while I mull over the design, of a convertible GT with extra-long doors. Should it have a Targa top or be a true convertible? I'm thinking, full drop-top. I'm also thinking it will be more expensive than a TFO, and only the Electrum and EXOVAN (and built-to-spec limos) will cost more.

Actually each vehicle will be built to spec...

Okay, enough about this.



Phil Smith
My 42nd birthday, 2009

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