Does anyone have or know of a list of what other models have interchangeable keys/ tumblers for all of the locks for a 1954 ford crestline?
I think everything Ford car, pretty much 1953-1963, with a few exceptions, are interchangeable. The doors and ignition should be one key, and the trunk a different one.
According to Dennis Carpenter, trucks, and T-Birds, too, just no cars with retractable roofs. $50 for everything but the trunk: http://dennis-carpenter.com/ignition-&-door-lock-cylinders/p/baaa-7022050-s/ Trunk is on sale for $19: http://dennis-carpenter.com/trunktailgate-lock-cylinder/p/b5a-7043505-a/
Glove box should be ign/door. I think that only uses a fraction of the wafers of the key. A locksmith should be able to make it work.
Ford cars (except wagons) had two keys; Ign/door, trunk/glove box. Wagons could vary year-to-year and even model, most had one key for everything but not all of them. The '52, '55, and '56 wagons I owned had two keys despite what the owners manual said (the '55 was bought new by my parents, I know that one was OEM), maybe that was an assembly plant variation. One thing I always found consistent though was that if the car had two keys, they were cut 'opposite' and wouldn't fit in the others lock. So if you have one key that fits their 'match' (i.e. ign/door or trunk/glove box) but doesn't work, chances are very good that one or more locks have been replaced. It wasn't uncommon to find used cars with multiple keys. I bought a P.U once that had three keys, ignition and each door. Gimpy linked to everything except the glove box, and any competent locksmith can rekey the glove box lock to your new cylinder as long as it's the same 'cut'.
Outstanding, thank you. I know there is a dang lot for me to learn about this car and Ford's of this era are basically a mysetery to me. I've spoken to 3 or 4 locksmiths so far and they have all pretty much responded like I was out of my damn mind asking them to rekey an old car. I'll find a Smith who can do it but it's going to be a pain in my area.
Just remove all the pins and any key will work. Nobody will know but you. Seriously, when would you ever suspect that a car you were just admiring had all its lock pins removed? Now, that's not sayin' that MY car has its lock pins removed, so don't get any crazy ideas!.
Ignition and door, same (the square one). Trunk and glove box same (the round one). We owned 55-56's new... They were that way and my 56 was that way when bought. 6 yrs ago.
I've found that if you remove the ignition switch and all the lock tumblers and take just those in, they'll usually rekey them. I haven't found one that's interested in removing/reinstalling them in the car. Another issue is the '50s/mid '60s Fords used die-cast tumbler assemblies and these do wear out, so sometimes new replacements is the best choice. This was much less of an problem after Ford switched to the double-sided keys in '67.
Southern California....I can't tell you more because I'm in the witness relocate....damn I'm in an area known as the In land Empire
That was more or less my intention. Lot of the old school locksmiths are gone out here. I know of one that may know someone but I'll save it for just the glove box. That was my exact thought about the die cast too, they look like their made out of pot metal. I had the missus order from the links you left me this morning.
On a 55 I'm helping with we got new repop trunk lock assembly. The original nut that holds it in place is different thread. No new nut offered.
I'm going to have to do that eventually myself as the cover that goes over the key slot is just down right missing. I am hoping I can slowly find originals. Same with a lot of the badges, many of them are missing their mounting hardware and of course the paint that goes in the plastic on those badges is 100% faded away
Nearly all of the minor potmetal trim is available as repops. Trying to find good originals will be an exercise in futility. Or you could just fill the holes and skip it... like it was done back in the day... LOL.
When I bought my '60 Falcon, it had correct keys, but I preemptively re-keyed the whole thing, for piece-of-mind. I live a mile from its previous owner, 12-miles from the original owner, and 52-miles from were it was built. It does not have a glove box lock, but, I believe, all the other locks are the same units as yours.
No the stuff I'm missing is like the chrome plates that go at the bottom of the back doors, the hood bird and virtually all of the chrome I have is pitted, wrinkled or has rust, including the rectangular bezel that goes under the speedometer. The chrome work on my car is going to take ages. As a side note does anyone know how to take the tumbler out of the trunk hardware?
Some of my old cars didn't have keys, I just took the locks apart and chucked the tumblers. Now any key that goes in the lock will work. As far as security goes, what thief will realize that I have done that?
Here's what I did on the trunk lid lock on the '55 Ford I had. I'm guessing that the '54 is probably pretty close to the same? I took the entire lock assembly/bezel out and held it in a vise. The pin you see that sticks up has to come out. Once that pin is out, take a pin punch or awl and tap the cylinder toward the outside of the bezel. View from the outside as the cylinder comes out of the housing - Here's the lock cylinder. If you want to do the "any key will work the lock" thing mentioned before, just pop the tin cover off, remove all the springs and tumblers and put it back together. The lock will still work fine, it's just that any Ford key will open it. But who's gonna know that unless you tell 'em?
If all else fails and your looking for a locksmith that can handle the job at a reasonable price, call or email Leon Rowell I had him disassemble and clean the tumblers and make 2 keys for a trunk lock cylinder of mine, he did a great job and his price with shipping both ways was good. Home 641-623-1957 Cell 641-990-9957 Email leon429@zumatel.net
If you have a key for one like the 55 shown you can turn it and depress the pin shown. Otherwise drill it out.
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