On a bus that we used to have, ('70) my Dad cut a hole in
the carboard backer under the window and attached a spare
door handle. The handle had some bent metal behind it to
hold it in place, and a piece of the flexible chain going from
the handle to the puller plate. I remember what it did, and 
how it worked, but not exactly how it was made. He even hooked it
up so that if you pushed the locking tab, you could not
pull the handle, so you had to unlock it first, then pull the handle.
Did not interfere with the outside either.

I just remember the mechanism because I was in there shortly before 
we sold it, installing extra brake and turn signal lights from
a boat trailer. My Mom made my Dad put them in after she got
rear-ended four times in two months! We mounted the brake light
tabs to the cardboard, with backer plates on the other side.

It can be done! (Ill try later when I get some time and a good place to
work on it)

Aside: What are people using to recover that cardboard plate in the back. 
The vinyl is coming off mine, and the home store does not carry
gloss black contact paper. (Wonder why?)
-- 
-- Chris Chubb (cchubb@ida.org) - (703)-845-2287 [Alexandria, VA, USA]
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