Lock Question - What Did The Original Factory Key Look Like?

[siteunseen]

Here you are. It could be a dealer bought copy now that I see that in the owners manual

[Captain Obvious]

Here you are. It could be a dealer bought copy now that I see that in the owners manual

Thanks again for the pics.

I'm not sure how much emphasis I put on the picture in the Owner's Manuals. The little research I've done indicates that they changed the key blank and lock cylinder designs in the later years (in 76? 77?) and I wouldn't be surprised if they just never updated the pictures in the Owner's Manual. In other words, if I had to guess, I would say that the key design shown in the Owner's Manual is for the earlier years and they just never changed the pic.

That key of yours... It has the key code stamped into it, right? I think I see something stamped in it, but can't quite make out if it's lettering or not. If it has the key code in it, that would add credence to it being factory original. I'm not in the business, but I doubt anyone cutting a secondary key is going to go through the effort to stamp the key code into it.

[siteunseen]

Yes it's the code stamped on there. I carried that single key to a locksmith and he cut an exact copy by those numbers, it was the only key that came with the car and I needed one to zip-tie under the rear bumper for a spare. Actually I asked him to grind off the edges of the new key as it was a little tough to turn in the old locks.

Edited March 18, 2012 by siteunseen

[sblake01]

Come to think of it, the 78 that I owned for 12 years had the same key(s) that siteunseen posted, IIRC. Been through a few vehicles since then. Member knarfrabot now owns that car and if it still has the same keys I sold it with in 2009, he could verify.

[Captain Obvious]

Thanks for the confirmation with that. Hopefully knarfrabot will chime in if he's in touch with the forum.

There was a website I was looking at a while back that talked a bunch about the evolution of the keys. I'll have to see if I can dig that one up again and take another look. As I remember though, it was mostly centered around the earlier keys.

[TomoHawk]

I still have the original key for my DD even after 15 years of ownership, and it's in perfectly-new condition. That's because I've never used it, except to make a copy. I can't say that for the Z key tho, although when I got the car, I had a locksmith make a key from the keycode sticker.

I'm just wondering... If someone did make exact duplicates (if you're allowed) of the key blanks as were discussing here, would there be a market for them?

[Captain Obvious]

I'm just wondering... If someone did make exact duplicates (if you're allowed) of the key blanks as were discussing here, would there be a market for them?

A market? I suspect there's a small market for concourse restorations that would be willing to pay dearly for one or two. Other than that, I doubt it.

I'm not that interested. If I can find one NOS on ebay or in some dealers dusty back room stock, then I'd like a few assuming I can pick them up at a non-buttreaming price. But there's no way I'm going to pursue having them made from scratch if they don't already exist. This isn't a prospective product offering for me... It's an anecdote. :classic:

[TomoHawk]

Believe it or not, there are old, retired felows that would probably give this idea a shot. Besides making the die, it isn't that difficult to stamp out a bunch of key blanks and putting the channels in. Or a young chap that needs the experience before going out to look for a full-time job doing something similar. BTDT.

[Captain Obvious]

Haha. I was thinking about this a little more last night, and I believe with some custom fixturing I should be able hog out a key blank with the machines I have. I couldn't do the stampings on the head or the plating, but I bet I could do the basic blank. Not stamped, mind you, but machined out of sheet brass.

I'll give it a try when the rest of the projects are done!!

[TomoHawk]

I think this is where you'd want to get in touch with the "society of retired stamping engineers?"

Edited March 19, 2012 by TomoHawk

[FastWoman]

FAIW, I bought my '75 Z when it was 8 years used, and I'm pretty sure I got the original key. It was like the one siteunseen pictured, IIRC. It was definitely not the round style pictured in the manual.

I now have "Great More" keys.

At the time I was re-doing my locks, I looked for an OEM style key blank and couldn't find it. However, I, too, would have paid a small price to have the original. I'm often particular about the parts of the car I touch.

[Captain Obvious]

Thanks FastWoman. Seems unanimous I'm particular as well. Not big $$ particular, but particular if I can afford it.

So you got ebay locks too, huh? I bought more than I needed from ebay and used the extra tumblers to rekey everything to match. So I've got a pile of Great More keys as well, but I'm not going to use any of them.

I need to go back and update that lock rebuilding thread I started a while ago. I've got one more door to do, but I've got a lot of info to share. Problem is, as goofy as it sounds, I can't do that last door until I solve my oil pressure problems.