How to open the front door?

[MegumiB]

Hi everyone,

I’m looking for help to unlock/open the front door of our school bus!

Once inside, we can open the front door using the manual lever handle, but we can’t figure out how to open the front door from the outside!! (See photos). From the outside, we can only open the back emergency door.

We’re assuming the previous owner could get in via the front door as that’s where the coat hooks and front deck are. The back door doesn’t have easy access and you have to climb over the bed. What are we missing? Is there a hidden release somewhere from the outside?

It’s an old 1976 Bluebird bus, converted in the 80s (?).

Thanks for your help!!

[stlthe]

Hi

I used to have a bus with a door like that. When sitting in driver seat closing the door I could either push the handle as far forward as it would go, 'locking' the door, or leave the handle slightly aft which closed the door but did not 'latch' the handle. When exiting the front i could either close the door with vigor, locking, or gently, leaving unlocked.

i dont know if that makes any sense or if your handle is like mine, but here is my actual suggestion. i ended up running a thin secret cable to the back door so that when it was pulled it would move the front door handle from the locked to unlocked position.

i would open rear door, pull cable, close and relock rear door and go in through the front (my rear door was obstructed with bed)

if i had to do it over again i would add a solenoid to the dash that would push or pull the door handle into open position and use a remote control, with a cable backup of course.

Best of luck

Evan

[bus-bro]

On my bus, the way it was designed, you could securely close the door but not "lock" it with the handle. Someone before me bent down this tab of metal up at the handle pivot, which allowed one to push the lever forward, or pull the door shut, and bar the door.

[MegumiB]

Thanks so much for your replies! It sounds like there isn’t an easy way to do it which must be why many people swap out the doors.

[ACamper]

I have a similar design on my 84, I use my back door. I was hoping someone had an answer.