Unlock barn doors from inside

I saw a post somewhere where someone had installed a mechanism to unlock and open the barn doors from the inside. Would someone please point me in the right direction for this mod.

Thanks, Steve

I was wondering the same thing. I recall my 87 having a pop up lock and a handle. I dont recall if the 85 did.

Ditch Wicked said:

I was wondering the same thing. I recall my 87 having a pop up lock and a handle. I dont recall if the 85 did.

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All I remember the '90 having (only square Burb we had with barn doors) was the tab on the bottom of the left door, to open it/release the striker, once the right door was open. And we opened the right door with the key, unless someone opened one of the front doors first and hit the power locks.

Looking at the LMC parts breakdown, I wonder if a left hand door latch could be made to fit the right hand door. There's the same style of latch in there, just looks like it's shorter so it stays inside the door.

My 1989 does not have any way to unlock/open the back doors from the inside (although if you take the trim panel off the mechanism is easy to see and manipulate). I contemplated putting something as basic as a rope "T" handle like you'd find on a mower through a grommet in the trim panel - if I could find a spare sacrifical trim panel I'd try it but I do not like making irreversible modifications to classic vehicles. I don't know if any of the similar-year interior door handles from a van would work but since GM does use parts across many different makes and models there is a chance it could line up.

The latch mechanism can be operated by hand without turning the lock first - the only thing the lock does is move a peice out of alignment with the door handle button so it "misses" the latch, but sticking your finger in and pulling the latch part manually will open it independant of the lock position.

Right now I have to use the power-locks to unlock the back because I do not seem to have a key that fits the lock on the rear door - my key fits both the front side doors but won't even insert all the way into the rear door lock so I suspect at some point the rear door was replaced. Which means it might be from an incorrect year as well - hard to say.

I have just installed a pull string to open barn doors from inside. It's just a string that I've attached to the rod that goes to the bottom latch. I made a hole in the plastic plug next to the window and finished the string with a loop and some bead to prevent it from falling inside the door. I don't have a barn door trim so I guess this hole/plug is hidden under the trim that goes around the window.

It works, but requires quite a lot of force to get the door to open. Also it doesn't matter if the door is locked or not as the lock just disengages the outside push button while the pull string actuates the door latch directly

mibars said:

I have just installed a pull string to open barn doors from inside. It's just a string that I've attached to the rod that goes to the bottom latch. I made a hole in the plastic plug next to the window and finished the string with a loop and some bead to prevent it from falling inside the door. I don't have a barn door trim so I guess this hole/plug is hidden under the trim that goes around the window.

It works, but requires quite a lot of force to get the door to open. Also it doesn't matter if the door is locked or not as the lock just disengages the outside push button while the pull string actuates the door latch directly

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Thanks for the suggestion mibars, as soon as I get more important issues addressed I’ll remove the panel and take a look inside the door to see if I can make something like that work.

Something along similar lines: the OBS Burbs have a rocker switch by the right side door post, just inside on the D pillar, that locks/unlocks the rest of the doors with the power locks. I wanted this feature on our square body Burbs....