aloa.org June 2024 Keynotes 29 HEN WORKING with classic cars, you rarely find any tools (like Lishis) for the locks. Therefore, you have to either find a code, impression or take the lock apart to make a working key. We will start with Ford. The early Fords usually had a code stamped on all the locks. The door locks were keyed the same as the ignitions, and the locks were held in with an external clip. All you had to do was pull the clip, slide the lock out, read the code and cut the key. The glove box usually also had a code stamped on it. That would give you the trunk key. The older codes were usually FExxxx. When you get into the later Ford (code FAxxxx and FBxxxx), they stopped putting codes on the locks. Take a class in impression- ing, and they are a piece of cake. If it is an aftermarket lock, you can take the spring cover off, remove the pins (carefully) and make a key that way. You may need to stock new spring covers. Be sure to stake the new cover down securely. GMs GMs usually had the codes stamped either on the side of the locks or on the pawl. The clips were internal, so you had to pull the door panel to get the lock out. On the classics, this was not usually a problem, as the door panels were not plastic (and brittle) like the new cars. If there is no code, you usually need to take the lock apart. Then you can stick a key blank in the lock and estimate where the No. 1 tumbler sits. Then put pressure on the sidebar and rake the tumblers until the sidebar goes in. Then you can esti- mate the depth of the cuts and make a key. You usually need to have a new face cap to replace what you had to peel off. If you are working on the older cars with a code series in the 8,000 to 9,000 range, it is a huge help to make a set of B10 tryout keys. The ignitions have a poke hole in the face. Use the tryout keys to get the ignition to turn (usually CCW), push in the hole on the spring detent and keep turning CCW. The cyl- inder will now come out, and you can work on it. Remember that this old series only has 4 depths (instead of the later 5 depths), so they are even easier to read. To get the trunk open, you can peel the face cap, drill a small hole just outside of the sidebar, put pressure on the sidebar and pick it open. Then it is the same as the door locks, remembering that it has to be turned to remove the cylinder. Chrysler The old pin tumbler Chryslers some- times had the code stamped on the door locks. If they did not, they were easy to impression. The doors usually had inter- nal retaining clips, and the door panel had to be pulled to get the lock out. Once it was out, pull the spring cover retainer, remove the pins and make your key. To get the trunk key, pick the lock to open the trunk and look on the tailpiece. The code was usually stamped there. If the key would not turn in the door locks, check the No. 1 tumbler position. Some of these locks had a No. 1 pin in that position and, being small, would tip once the lock had some wear on it. This would stop the key from working. Japanese Brands When the Japanese cars first started being imported here, most locksmiths would not touch them. They really were easy to work on; you just had to understand them. Until very recently, most Hondas had a code stamped on all the locks. On the older Hondas, the glove box lock was the easiest to work on. Remove the lock, and the code was stamped on the side. Either have a magnifying glass or very good vision, as Honda has very small stamps. One thing to watch on older Hondas when working off the glove box is they had a plastic snap-on cover. Be sure to remove that cover to get the code. I had a job where the dealer cut a key that would not work. I pulled the glove box lock, and the last number of the code was under that cover. The dealer was read- ing one cut off. It looked to them like a good code, but it was not. On the newer sidewinder Hondas, the trunk release cylinder is usually easier to remove.
