Fly like a butterfly
Published:Sunday | July 11, 2010 | 12:00 AM
Laranzo Dacres • Gleaner Writer
They may only be doors but, when opened, they command more than just a second glance. Commonly referred to as lambo or butterfly doors, these 'unconventional wings' seem to be gently fluttering into the hearts of several car owners who certainly will always make a grand entrance.
"I bought the kit in Miami, brought it down and then I got my friend to fit it up," said businessman Wayne Fagan. Fagan converted his 2006 Acura RSX Type S doors into vertical ones.
"I wanted my car to be unique with that wow factor and 'Lamborghini' doors are just different and out of the norm," he continued.
Fagan's kit is equipped with a hydraulic system which powers the doors' vertical rotation even though they can open conventionally.
Despite their attractiveness, these doors add some pounds to the vehicle's weight.
"They add like five pounds to the car, but given that I have turbo charge, I made up for the extra weight easily," Fagan said.
Fagan said he acquired the kit for his ride two years ago at a price tag of US$1,100.
Entertainer Dufton Taylor, aka Tony Matterhorn, paid US$700 to outfit his 2006 Dodge Charger.
"I bought the car in America and I got the doors done there also. The job was done in Opalaca in Florida," he said.
"It was just a vibes thing and because nuh whol' heap a Lamborghini doors neva out here," Matterhorn said.
manual, conventional
Matterhorn's doors are manual and have to be opened by hand. They can also open the conventional way.
"The powered one goes bad after while, so you are better off with the manual ones," Matterhorn said. "It's easy fi lift up."
Mechanic Cameno Taylor explained the procedure involved in installing the doors.
"The only hard part is to extend the wiring within the doors," Taylor said. "The kit comes with the additional wires that are needed."
Taylor, of Portmore's Team Myzery racing team, said the procedure takes about two hours.
He said installation involves replacing the door hinges with the vertical ones and ensuring the door in addition to the wiring is properly reattached.
"The kit with the shocks have a tendency to go bad after a while and when it does, the door can open the normal way, but it can't go up," said Taylor who has done three installations to date.
The cost of a door kit can run up to US$2,500 and, according to Taylor, the installation work ranges from $9,000 to $12,000.