Changing Bus door.

[Kappy]

My rig is a converted Ex Victorian school bus with inward opening door, that was air operated ( non operational)

I would like to convert it to a hinged outward opening door incorporating an insect screen, that I can still see through while driving.

Rather not pay the plus $1000 to buy one as I possess the technical skill to fabricate one, however am struggling to get my head around the double hinging etc as I feel the screen would need to be inside.

Anyone done this or have can guide me to some plans to modify, mainly the hinging and locking aspect.

Thanks in advance,

[El Gringo]

I have been keeping an eye out for ideas too and have downloaded a few pics of what others have done.
None of them are exactly what I would do - Just have a single door at present - but they show some interesting ways of doing it.

Basically 2 issues to sort out, hinges and locks.

Anyway, have put the pics here for you, may be of some assistance.
https://postimg.cc/gallery/Vn0fnmW

Cheers,

[BernieQ2]

We just removed the airdoor from the Isuzu and replaced it with a caravan door complete with fly screen.. just boxed it up to fit the new door .
BernieQ2
Bernie (gringo) just in front of me...

[Greynomad]

Bernie B,
Why not visit your nearest caravan yard/spares supplier and have a look at how the manufacturers do it?
The spare parts department will probably have the hinges in stock, then all you need to do is fabricate the doors to fit your doorway.
(Says he, casually dismissing several weeks’ work in 14 words! )

[El Gringo]

Bernie B,
Why not visit your nearest caravan yard/spares supplier and have a look at how the manufacturers do it?
The spare parts department will probably have the hinges in stock, then all you need to do is fabricate the doors to fit your doorway.
(Says he, casually dismissing several weeks’ work in 14 words! )

I haven't followed through on this project - too many others at this stage.
I do however understand how they do it, but caravan stuff is not heavy duty enough for what we will need.
They are designed for small, flat, lightweight doors, whereas the bus has a nice big door, is curved as per the shape of the bus and is a heavier steel frame affair, with a sliding window in it.
Pic of it during the re-paint, window out.


Also for our bus the mirror has to be viewed through this window in the door, I don't think flyscreen would be a good idea to try and see through...

Anyway, it's something for ron, at present my siblings are waiting for me to get the bus going and registered again so we can move out of dad's house yard now that he has passed - they want to sell it of course, so I'm under a bit of pressure to get it done.
Flyscreen door isn't high on the agenda...

Cheers,

[Kappy]

I may use the existing door, make a frame to suit so I can open out, then maybe just use old fly strips.

[Greynomad]

Would a pull-up screen fit onto the inside of the door? The sliding window would then remain clear for mirror-gazing while driving.

[native pepper]

Removed the concertina door from my 78 Bedford bus and made a single door out of an old bed frame and some scrap metal sheet, used poly carbon for the window bit, s/s hinges and connected the old air opener to the new door. Works pretty well, but couldn't work out how to fit a screen door that would swing out, so made a roll-up one that drops down and held at the top of the door by velcro and stitched in some rope down the edges to keep it firm and solid. Got some s/s flywire to make screens which can fit into the open window spaces using 3x25mm aluminium bar, as only the small top sliding sections open. The screens fit in the gap and you slide the window back onto the screen to hold them in.

Have also ripped out all the plastic flywire on the house and replaced it with s/s flywire, that way it will last longer, is stronger and will help with fire resistance as ash and embers won't be able to get through it. Going to do that with all my nth facing windows that don't open, so any ember attacks will mean the embers drop off into the water filled trays we have round the house when a fire comes. Got the s/s flywire because the dogs tend to paw at the screen in a hurry to get out, now they can only paw the s/s and it won't come apart as does plastic screens.

[El Gringo]

I may use the existing door, make a frame to suit so I can open out, then maybe just use old fly strips.

That's what we have done up till now.
Bought a few of these - https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/3M-Metallic ... 2749.l2649

The shiny surface seems to confuse them and we don't get many flies past it, even in windy weather.

Cheers,

[El Gringo]

Would a pull-up screen fit onto the inside of the door? The sliding window would then remain clear for mirror-gazing while driving.

Yeah, possibly, had a few ideas like that.
But I reckon when (if) I get a round toit I will just put a piece of perspex or polycarbonate in the flyscreen door behind the window.

Cheers,