The only places I can find them for sale require locksmith licenses. Are these only available to locksmiths? There is just one particular set I am looking for. I would like to get it to be able to to rekey myself as the older generation locksmiths are the only ones who seem to do it in my area and they are getting harder to find every day. Just curious if anyone might know. Trying to re-key locks with missing keys for the 50's GM cars doesn't appear difficult. The hardest lock cylinder to get out is the ignition lock cylinder. You either need a key that will fit to align the pin hole spring to release it, or you will tear up the lock trying to get it out. The tryout keys would make it a snap.
Not as easy as having the correct key, but I used to have a gallon can full of keys and try different ones until I could turn the key in the lock. I just did this a couple of months ago with a 37 Chev truck door handle. I found a key that would let me turn the handle and then I dis***embled the handle and took it to have a key made for the lock.
Yep! I never toss out old keys, just in case I find one that fits and works. I've also used a black felt marker to figure out where a key would need a little modification to work.
It's actually surprising how similar the old keys are. I used to work at a Ford dealer in the body shop in the 1970's and a lot of times wrecks would come towed in without keys. I'd walk out to a car with my can of keys and find one that would work. Usually I'd have to cut the fan belt, jack the front up with a floor jack and with some help drive the car into the shop to work on it.
Well I have a few sets of the 80's model keys from old OT vehicles I have had of the years, but none yet along the B10/B11 keyway setup. I may just have to start buying keys and building a collection then.
One of the things that I've found trying a bunch of different keys is to wiggle the key in and out a little, plus up and down. Usually what you are trying to do is find a key that is close and could work. If the objective is to make a new key, and if the preceding method works, you are close to the new key; which is what I did with the 37 Chev truck lock a couple of months ago.
Why not become a locksmith? Take some cl***es or befriend some locksmith that you know and do apprentice work. It might be that you could find someone willing to p*** on the trade. A friend of mine did this with clock repair. An old gent taught him the basics and now he's on a minor career fixing old clocks. Pretty good cash money. my 2¢. .bjb
That's actually what I am going to look into Jokester. Seems like there are plenty of other people running into the same issues- so maybe it would be a good investment- even if just for a side hobby.
I get real patient when I'm working on locks...I'm not doing it for money, so there's no need to hurry. I've been able to get most ignition cylinders out eventually, either with an almost fitting key, or just a lot of wiggling with a makeshift lock pick. And new cylinders are cheap, I don't worry too much about breaking them to get them out. Switches can be expensive. btw if you can find an old locksmith correspondence course at a yard sale, it will help your lock playing http://selectric.org/manuals/locks/index.html
Thanks for the link squirrel! I try to be patient as I can too. Alot of the time I just have to set it down and walk away though. I am just looking as a hobby, and not looking for money with it either. I have a few original 54 ignition lock cylinders with no key and none that will fit. I have an extensive lockpick set that works on everything else, just cant seem to get enough tension on the pins to keep them in place to turn to the lock position to line up the plunger. So at this point I have not had luck getting them out of the old ignition switch to recode them. I dont want to tear up the originals. The replacements arent molded the same. I have had broken switches in the past to tinker with- now just trying not to harm the functional ones if I can help it.
for old Gm ignitions I just do the drill out proceedure ( its on you tube ) but in some States LIke here in Illinois you have to be licensed by the state ( bodyshop. mechanics shop,towing outfit or locksmith ) in order to posses them ( any type of locksmithing equipment other than a key cutter ) otherwise its a major fine and jail time .but most cops overlook this if your with a business . so check your state laws , I also have a family member who is a locksmith took the belshaw course , and it has paid for itself over the years , also people trust him as hes a ordained minister too .
I found an amazing amount of information on the old World Wide Web about how to pick locks. Came in handy when I lost the key to my locking gas cap for my 72 Cadillac Eldorado.
The tumblers are kind of soft, and sometimes you can get the side bar to press into them far enough that the lock will turn. It won't work so good after that though
I just use the drill bit method and get a new cylinder , 14 bucks vs the 60 the locksmith wants , and thats if you bring it to him . and then theres a key charge on top of that too . only fubared one ign switch and thats because I didn't use the punch to start the hole . and drilled too far to the right .
I know they are flat br*** pieces- 5 different ones I believe if I read correctly. I just thought they were still called pins. I was given a cheap lock pick set as a joke a number of years back, but the joke was on them when I got good at it. Then later bought a decent set of picks... these sidebars and no tension make it a little challenging for my level of picking.
if it is of any help, i just rekeyed my door locks by swapping the wafers. There are actually only 4 different ones. I took lots of pics. I have read that the sidebar locks are hard to pick. Good luck with it I am not sure if you have to register to see them. Cesar http://www.cbforum.net/forum/index.php?topic=31674.0
From 1935-66, General Motors used 1,499 different key codes. Divide that number into how many millions of cars they produced during that time period, and it's not hard to see why if you keep trying various keys in the lock, sooner or later you'll hit upon one that works in it. Also, if you pull the door lock cylinder out of a car of that vintage, it will usually have the key code stamped on the case.
My problem with the trying of keys... I don't have any lol. The car I have now had doors and glove box as original- the ignition he had in it looked like it was off a lawnmower- and trunk lock was poorly shaved so lock did not come with it. I have gotten originals to replace them- just have to re-key. I am going to start collecting keys as I come across them now though. I talked to the chevsofthe40s and nationchevy***oc and was told that the replacements lock cylinders they have are coded for the keys that come with them and are sealed and cannot be re-keyed- is this why they are the same cost as getting a key cut for an old one? On a positive note- ran across a running 54 belair in rough shape with all trim and a clear ***le yesterday. Made a cash offer and waiting to see if he takes it. He was going the RR direction so I am trying to save another.
The GM dealership master key rings show up on ebay from time to time & you don't need to be a locksmith to buy them there......yet. It took me a long time to acquire a good selection of GM dealership keys from the 30's,40's & 50's. Never had a lock I couldn't find a key for after using this ring on it.
I am glad to hear this- i want all my keys to match, so when he said they were sealed- I decided no to get any of them. So far I havent had any luck catching anything like them on ebay. How many of the b10/b11 keys do you have so far?
I don't know about today but you used to be able to get them on the black market. yes legally you need to be a locksmith or a dealer to buy them.
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