So I go to my car after work and realize my key ring with my Chevy keys is gone. Great. I have a spare ignition but no trunk key. Can I get to it if I pull the back seat out? Had luck using a king pry bar to knock the retaining clip off from inside on other cars or is it not accessible on my 52. Or should I just drill out the lock and get another cylinder
It will be tough to reach from inside the car, you have a couple braces to get through. Drive it to a lock place and have them make a key, shouldn't be too expensive.
Ive seen an extension cut in half then made to be six feet long so you can unbolt the latch from the comfort of the back seat.
The easiest thing is to just take it to a locksmith and have a new key made. That way you won't be destroying anything and you will still need a key anyway, so why not let them just make you one to start with. It really isn't a big deal or expensive to do. Or, find a 12 year old kid from the bad part of town and he will be in there in about 15 seconds. Don
Sure they can make a key from the lock. If you're a small guy you might be able to get in there, but I have a '50 Chevy and I don't think I could get in.. and you still need to come up with a key for it anyways.
5'7" it's got it's advantages... What about some other gm trunk keys. I have a pile of them. Any chance try would work or are they more specific
You might hit a key that matches on the first try and then again you might try 1,000 and never get one that works. If you have some, just try them and see. Don
If you have a bunch of keys, try them. Sometimes you get lucky. If you get it open, you can pull the lock out and find the number, a locksmith can make a key from the number possibly less expensive than without it. Although I haven't priced locksmith services lately, I just do my own.
Not sure if they were putting the key code on the glove box lock back then. And are the locks still a matched set. G.M. Locks are a "side bar" lock. They can not be picked with conventional lock picks nor can they be impressioned (file cut). Gently wiggle keys that fit into the lock. You may get lucky. if not, try to remove the lock yourself as the locksmith will need it out to make a key. I assure you, you will get charged to remove it.
I know from having a 55 Chevy years ago, that anything close would open/start another 55-57. It was great fun at 55-57 meets to see which friends' cars shared the same basic cut. In fact if the cylinder is worn, you can open the early Chevy's with a flattened (on an anvil) 8D nail. I was told this by a guy that I used to work with who broke into cars in his younger years and had cleaned up his act. Once you get the trunk open, remove the cylinder, take it to a locksmith and have it keyed the same as your door/ignition cut.
I'd try the old key thing first. One reason that I never throw and old key from a car or truck away and keep the on a big ring. The more worn out the better. If you don't have a trunk full of stuff it should be fairly easy to pull the back seat and either crawl in the trunk or use a long extension to either trip the trunk latch or take the bolts or screws that hold it out. Any good full service locksmith should be able to code the cylinder and cut you a new key. The shop I use charges around 10 bucks if you take the lock in but I have been quoted 45 to do the same job by an UPtown lock shop. And maybe someone else with a Chevy the same year and model as yours will be kind enough to post a photo or two of the lock from the inside of the lid and maybe the inside back wall of the trunk to show what you have to work with.
Dumb question... Have you tried your ignition key in the trunk? I ask because my 53 uses the same key for the ignition and the trunk, and they're both the original keys/tumblers. I just took a bunch of pics, just give me a minute to upload them...
Some pics... Tried to get as many angles of the actual latch mechanism as I could. I don't think you'll be able to do anything with it from inside. That last pic shows the wide-open crawlspace you would have if you did decide to pull out the back seat. At least, on a '53. Can't imagine a '52 would be that much different. Just think..! If you had the rot issues around the catch like I do, all you would have to do is lift up on the lid a little and it would come apart in your hands! (Be glad you don't... lol)
I haven't tried to turn, twist, pull on, wiggle, or anything else this little "nub" above the latch on the inside of the lid, but this might be your ticket to getting it open from the inside. Maybe some needle-nose and twist?
My neighbors (and everyone who drove down my street) must have thought I was NUTS, out in the driveway, laying on the fuel cell in my trunk snapping pictures at 1:30 AM. Lol. That's ok with me though, keeps away the undesirables. And the desirables. My pleasure. Hope it helps. (Try your ignition key first! I think you lost your glove box key!)
Back in the day... Manufactures didn't have very many combinations... I lost mine for a 59 Bird and someone told me to go to locksmith and pay a deposit on a box of keys... Tried them tip I found to one that worked best ( more than one opened the lock) and took it back and had keys made... Way to simple!
People were more honest back then... No NEED for multiple keys! Now we have micro-chipped proximity keys with panic buttons built in... sad.
its super easy for the most parts just gotta have the right tools. my mom taught me when i was little but theres tons of info on google and youtube on how to pick locks
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