I ended my Sunday afternoon by cutting my grass. All of my cars were carefully parked in the driveway. I was almost finished cutting, when I noticed a key fob that looked exactly like the one I have for my coupe. Except this key fob was a mangled mess! Yup, you guessed it.. The key must have fallen out of my pocket while moving cars around and was eaten by the mower. Of course its the only key I have for it, and its a GM locking column. luckily the coupe was right in front of the garage and I was able to get it inside. OK...Now what? Do I get a new key made? I was planning on re-wiring the coupe anyway, and I had recently driven a '40 LaSalle with a bitchin' starter button/key set up. I really want one now.. But in the mean time, whats the best way to handle my mangled key situation? I'm such a dumb ass... Spike
two words. hot. wire. cant find the other key anywhere???? the lawnmower couldnt have dont much damage to it
Find a locksmith that has an old shop that has been around for years (aka:Old guy), and he could make one for you just by looking at it. Chris Nelson Kansas
Your local parts place will have a replacement lock cylinder,with matching keys. Then you just have to figure out how to get the column apart,without using a BFH.
From my Used Car Dealership Days.... If it's a newer GM Column (I'm assuming it is since you said it's locking) You can Drill out the guts of the tumbler or "punch it" if you have any car theiving skills... This will let you unlock the steering & then you can also take apart the rest of the column the right way & replace the tumbler.... You can find a Tumbler & key set at most NAPA's, Auto Zones & GM dealers...(They usually come with two keys too ) BYC
Remove the tumbler and take it to a locksmith. There is a code on the tumbler that will tell them how to cut a fresh key. I am not talking about a Walmart/Lowes key kutting station. Try a real key cutter like at a local hardware store. I am sure you know how to remove the tumbler but if not here goes. Remove horn button. Remove retaining nut on steering wheel. Using a stering wheel puller (rent from parts store)remover wheel. Using lock plate remover (again rent from parts store) push lock plate down and remove the snap ring. Remove hazard switch (phillips screw) remove screw attaching turn signal stalk from signal cam. Remove three screws holding signal cam in place. Move cam out of the way without damaging wires. Remove set screw holding tumbler in place. Pull Tumbler out. I suppose you could just buy a new tumbler at this point but I am cheep and two bucks for a key sounds better than twelve bucks for a cylinder.
Had a buddy come over with a Can-O-Keys (TM), all GM, hoping one would fit. No dice. I may just go the locksmith way.. Oh well... Spike
Spike,Drill the pins out & use a screwdriver untill the Jalopy Showdown and I will bring my tools & a used switch w/ key.I know a realy good locksmith that can cut you a key in 3minuets without a lock number but he always wants payed in weed...
I watched a smith once use a pick and that thing doctors look in you ears with to read the numbers on the lock pins inside the cylinder.they are all stamped with a tiny number telling wich of the five depths it's cut that is visible from outside the cylinder with one of them magnifier light things. then you just punch a key out to that code. the deales have a key punch to cut the keys, no grinding involved. Or you can just pull the wheel and wheel lock and just push the button that releases the whole cylinder....
spike I just replaced one of those lock cylinders in a col i have for the woodie.. go to NAPA and tell them you need a new lock assembly for the steering col.. they'll sell you a new tumbler and all for about 20 bucks.. you'll get 2 shiney new keys with the tumbler..I'll even help you put it in.. OR if you really want to scrounge.. go to the junk yard find a car with the keys in it and yank the lock assembly out.. One caveat... you must remove the steering wheel to get at the screw that holds the tumbler in..
The cheap side of me took over tonight and I removed the wheel and guts, hit the release pin and took out the cylinder. Much easier than I thought it would be. Went to Pep Boys and bought a new cylinder and put her back together. Ahh.. the pride of doing it myself and knowing that only me, and a handful of trained monkeys could have completed such a task. Let me bask in the glow of pure BS for a moment... Spike
[ QUOTE ] Ahh.. the pride of doing it myself and knowing that only me, and a handful of trained monkeys could have completed such a task. Let me bask in the glow of pure BS for a moment... [/ QUOTE ] Dude, you bust me up! see ya in a week or so... Tonester......
[ QUOTE ] Ahh.. the pride of doing it myself and knowing that only me, and a handful of trained monkeys could have completed such a task. Spike [/ QUOTE ] .........you 'da man Spike! (you should have taken photos and saved them for "Tech Week!")
The Jalopy Journal
