Door locks, trunk locks, ignition locks/cylinders....

[YY1]

Tip-

Do not separate the upper pins and lower pins as they come out.
They work in pairs and always in the same pairs.
Much easier if that part is already done.

 

[Kern Dog]

I might crack open a couple of the cylinders that I have just to understand how they work. I can be blindly optimistic to my own abilities though. I'd rather be this way than to be afraid to try new things.

I've had the Coronet locks rekeyed at least twice after buying replacement ignition switches. I used a locksmith in DT Sac while I was still working there. Very inconvenient for us living in South Placer County, but there has to be other locksmiths more local.

I don't mind driving to find someone that does a good job. I am used to driving a lot for work!

 

[kiwigtx]

I have a few cars here that need door locks. A couple have ignition keys but no door locks. I know that I can buy lock sets but I am wondering if there is another way.
With the variable quality of aftermarket reproduction stuff, I wonder what can be done to "re-key" a lock cylinder.
Can a locksmith take an ignition key and reset the guts of a door lock to match the ignition?
I probably have 15 or more door lock cylinders from the late 60s to mid 70s and they all look the same, even ones for trucks.
I have ignition lock cylinders that have no keys and I'd like to have keys made for them.
Since these came new with a matching door and ignition, how hard could it be?
I have the following that need door locks:
67 Dart
69 Dart (Needs ignition key too)
70 Charger
71 Duster (Needs ignition key too)
72 Duster
75 Power Wagon.
I don't know of any locksmiths near me. I could probably find someone if I looked. I just wondered who else encountered the same situation and what you did.
If you used a reproduction, what brand worked well for you?

If you go into a Locksmith's shop and do not see a fat sweaty guy in his 60's or 70's sitting at a bench.....you're probably out of luck.

 

[Kern Dog]

You mean they have mirrors in there?
Hey....I'm trying to lose weight but it keeps finding me.

 

[YY1]

Tip #2-

Take out the pins one position at a time.
Keep the other location holes covered.
A business card or similar should work. I've even used my finger.

 

[YY1]

Tip 3-

Get an egg crate to put the removed pins in.

Use one egg location to hold both upper and lower pins and the spring.

 

[Kern Dog]

I didn't realize how cheap the new stuff is.

$55 for a door and ignition lock set. That is a lot cheaper than I remembered it to be.

Another $14 gets a trunk lock. Pretty good.

I have a tilt column that I planned on swapping into the red car. The tilt columns are a mix of Chrysler and GM parts.

This 4 door Dart that I'm building is a 1969 model. I thought that the ignition switch and cylinders were hard to find.

 

[YY1]

See my comment about the chrome quality on the FABO thread.

 

[gkent]

I didn't realize how cheap the new stuff is.

Tried to tell you that ... TWICE !!

 

[OneWheelPeel]

That is yet another thing that sucks to see....the people that knew these cars are often on their way out of the trade or passed on by now.
I wonder how hard it could be....
My as yet unofficially UNdiagnosed A.D.D. tempts me to jump in and take apart some locks to see if I can figure out how they work so I can do it all myself. Yeah...as if I don't already bite off far more than I'll ever be able to chew!

The only hard part is finding the little pins that match the valleys in your ignition key. Take a door lock cylinder and pop off that little rectangular stainless steel cover. Carefully dump out the springs and pins. I believe there are 5 springs and 10 little pins. Insert your ignition key into the door lock cylinder and then choose one of the 5 holes and insert 2 pins ( 1 blue & 1 pink from the second diagram below) and see if they line up allowing the key to turn. You can see how it all works in the second pic. When the blue and pink pins are lined up with the correct key, the cylinder will turn. The only problem is, it's highly unlikely you'll have all the right pin lengths that match all 5 valleys in your ignition key. This is where one of those rekey pin kits would come in handy or a bunch of donor lock cylinders. I have a couple door lock cylinders where i only used 3 out of the 5 pin slots because i dind't have enough matching pins.

I got some repros and wanted them to work with my ignition key, I said to hell with it while on a Zoom work call (with the cam off) and using a knife and pliers popped them open and rearranged the tumblers, well left one out, and it worked. Not fully proper but super easy and it’s not like it’s a hard car to get into under the best of conditions so I’m fine missing the one tumbler.

 

[moparx]

KernDog, don't be afraid to tear apart those cylinders ! They are easier than one thinks to re-key, and mixing and matching the tumblers and springs from different cylinders isn't a difficult task.
The hardest part of this job, is SEEING what one is doing, and FINDING the tumblers and springs after you DROP them on the floor, or they ROLL OFF the table on their own, falling on said floor.

 

[YY1]

That's what I've been saying.

...and also offering advice...like "use an egg crate".

 

[Kern Dog]

I found a locksmith shop in town and brought in 5 Ziplock bags with door docks from 5 different cars. The man made keys for all of them for only $68 !