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Hot Rods Car with no keys!

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by Zombiefink, Sep 19, 2020.

  1. Hey guys,

    So heres the issue... Ive sorta recently bought a 47 buick with no keys. It runs, so i can turn the ignition barrel to start then press the button n away i go. Problem is, so could anyone else.
    Im thinking ive got options so im not too phased, but which option to pick is the worry!

    Do i..
    A. Leave it as is and buy a steering lock/wheel clamp.
    B. Buy new locks n ignition barrel and keys and install em and be done with it.
    C. Call a lock Smith to come out and make keys for the current locks on the car.

    Whaddyall rekon?

    Cheers!!!
    Jackson
     
  2. D. Stick a hidden battery disconnect in there or toggle switch to kill power to the ignition switch :D
     
  3. Stu D Baker
    Joined: Mar 4, 2005
    Posts: 2,755

    Stu D Baker
    Member
    from Illinois

  4. squirrel
    Joined: Sep 23, 2004
    Posts: 55,933

    squirrel
    Member

    Don't worry about it, hardly anyone knows how to start those cars, even with the key (or with the ignition switch unlocked).

    I don't know about Buicks, but other GM cars of the era used the same door and ignition key, perhaps you could remove a door lock and find the four digit number, then make a key to fit. It should use the standard B10 key blank, available at most hardware stores for a couple bucks.

    http://selectric.org/manuals/locks/index.html
     

  5. Cheers guys!

    I was reading other lost keys threads just then i searched for (AFTER posting! Haha)
    And my question was gonna be if the doors are the same as the ignition.. Seems they are. I'll go to the local locksmith with the door barrel and get em to make some keys! Cheers guys!

    Also, fwiw im thinking an immobiliser for sure! My friend has one in his car under the rear bumper that looks like a guitar cable input jack, if its not plugged in, shes going nowhere!
     
    chryslerfan55 likes this.
  6. GTS225
    Joined: Jul 2, 2006
    Posts: 1,244

    GTS225
    Member

    YES!
    There's a number of hidden, and not-so-hidden things you can do to prevent the casual car thief from snagging your ride.
    Adding what you described is one. And it's probably exactly what you called it. A mike jack and plug, with the jack wired into the ignition or start circuit, and the plug just jumper wired. It acts similar to a neutral safety switch, by not allowing the thing to crank or start unless certain conditions are met. (The plug stuck into the jack.) You could carry the plug on one of those two-piece key rings.
    You could also wire a relay to your cigarette lighter. Run the ground for the relay through the lighter, run the ignition and/or start circuits through the relay contacts, then just push in the lighter and turn the key when you need to start the engine.
    Just two ideas that come to mind quickly.

    Roger
     
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  7. 58 Mustang
    Joined: Sep 4, 2020
    Posts: 38

    58 Mustang

    A 47 Buick should have a switch that is activated by the gas pedal, not a push button
     
  8. You already have an excellent anti-theft fitted- it's called the 3 on the tree! How many people nowadays know how to drive a manual with a column shift?
     
  9. And I'll bet the glove box is the same. Is in 1950. Easier to remove than the door.


    Ben
     
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  10. 59Apachegail
    Joined: Apr 30, 2011
    Posts: 1,504

    59Apachegail
    Member
    from New York

    They still sell a full set of keyed alike delco tumblers for ignition doors, trunk and glove box. When I upgraded my ignition switch to eliminate the push button on my truck this was what I did. For me my tumblers were so worn I could use any B10 key to open/start it. The delco kit was around $60. The locksmith wanted that for one lock. **edit You can still buy reproduction GM keys with the knockout still in place if you want to keep it “pure”.
     
    chryslerfan55 likes this.
  11. oldsman41
    Joined: Jun 25, 2010
    Posts: 1,556

    oldsman41
    Member

    My locksmith you can take it out and he rekey for 30 bucks or new one for about the same price. On my merc I moved the button from the dash wife cant even start it
     
  12. rusty rocket
    Joined: Oct 30, 2011
    Posts: 5,053

    rusty rocket
    Member

    I bought a 62 Chevy with no keys, as I remember we took the glovebox latch off and used it to get keys made.(as squirrel said)
     
  13. Atwater Mike
    Joined: May 31, 2002
    Posts: 11,625

    Atwater Mike
    Member

    Glove box matchup...Easy-Peasy.
    My '63-1/2 Ford Galaxie had a trunk key missing...Fords for many years had trunk & glove boxes keyed the same. Locksmith ground me a glove box key, saved the day.
    Ripped me off on the key for my old rolltop desk, though...charged me $49.00 for a 'special' key blank, plus the cut...
    I compared the 'special' to the generic NAPA key I used on the engine run-in stand, $16 ignition switch...SAME key blank.
    Left a note on his front door...
     
    RidgeRunner likes this.
  14. goldmountain
    Joined: Jun 12, 2016
    Posts: 4,442

    goldmountain

    I needed keys for a later model car so I took the gas filler door lock to the locksmith because it was easy to get to. The locksmith told me to get one from the door because the gas door one didn't have all the notched details that the door had. They probably went cheap on the glove box too.

    Sent from my SM-T350 using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
     
  15. Mr48chev
    Joined: Dec 28, 2007
    Posts: 33,861

    Mr48chev
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    There were only about 20 different keys for GM vehicles from that time frame anyhow and quite often an old worn key will work the switch well enough to be able to pop the tumbler out and carry it to a locksmith.

    I'd say that locksmith charges depend on several factors. 1. how far they think they have you over a barrel and how desperate you are. 2. their overhead. Shop up the road from where I worked that is in a pretty well high rent building wants right at 50 bucks to code a key off a lock cylinder. The shop that I have gone to for years did it for under 10.00 the last time while I waited. I'd say that they are still well under 20.00 as it has been a while since they made any keys for me but they have been in the same little building for 50 + years and their overhead is pretty low.
     
  16. squirrel
    Joined: Sep 23, 2004
    Posts: 55,933

    squirrel
    Member

    There were a lot more than 20 keys. Look in the link in my previous post. But you can often open one of those locks with a key that is close, but not exact. If you have the right 20 keys, you could probably open most of them, if you have the right touch.

    Sent from my Trimline
     
  17. Lone Star Mopar
    Joined: Nov 2, 2005
    Posts: 3,811

    Lone Star Mopar
    Member

    Lost the only key to our 57 Chevy, it had a new ign cylinder from Ecklers. The locksmith didnt have the right key blank and wasnt all that excited to help w my problem, same deal with AAA. Tried a spare key from our 65 GTO and it worked perfect. Im still using the GTO key in fact. May be worth a try to check some of yours or your buddies old car keys.
     
  18. fordflambe
    Joined: Apr 9, 2007
    Posts: 573

    fordflambe
    Member

    Tell me where it is and I'll fix your problem............
     
  19. Hot wiring a car is unheard of now days due to all of the electronic anti theft wizardry and gizmos on OT cars. There are still ways to steal even a new BMW or Mercedes but the knowledge of actually hot wiring an old car is dying along with anyone that can drive a three speed column shift. Even a hidden ignition cut out is only a slight deterrent to a dedicated thief. To just lock and unlock the doors do as has been said and either take it to a locksmith or replace the ignition switch.
     
  20. jimmy six
    Joined: Mar 21, 2006
    Posts: 14,795

    jimmy six
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    Take it to a show and ask everyone with a GM car to try their key in yours; back the there only about 10 anyway. In HS there were so many alike we had hidden switches everywhere. My 49 Chev could open 6 tri 5 Chevs and 2 60’s Pontiacs
     
    427 sleeper likes this.
  21. PhilA
    Joined: Sep 6, 2018
    Posts: 2,061

    PhilA
    ALLIANCE MEMBER
    1. Hydro Tech

    Pull the door handle lock. From memory the glove box is missing the sixth tumbler.

    They're not difficult to code from, getting them apart is a bit of a fiddle but nothing any locksmith worth his salt couldn't do.

    Took me about 2 hours from pulling the lock out to getting it apart to filing a key that worked. I'm not a locksmith.

    20200920_175801.jpg

    While you're at it, get the 6 digit code (GM obfuscated their coding with a 4-digit keycode that represents a certain combination, in a scrambled order).
    A B10 lock has 4 positions, each 25 thou' skim. Position 5 is nothing removed, 4 is 25 thou' skimmed, 3 a further 25 thou' and 2 a full 75 thou'.
    The six positions are then read from the hilt outwards. Write this down and any half-decent locksmith can make you a key from the code.

    Phil
     
    Last edited: Sep 20, 2020
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  22. squirrel
    Joined: Sep 23, 2004
    Posts: 55,933

    squirrel
    Member

  23. Atwater Mike
    Joined: May 31, 2002
    Posts: 11,625

    Atwater Mike
    Member

    I coded BMW keys at dealership way back when. Surprisingly similar to our domestics.
     
  24. From a retired locksmith, it's a pice of cake.
    Pm me the code ill send you a key cut to that code.
    Terry aka dirt t
     
    54delray, deuceman32, Andy and 8 others like this.
  25. That is a class act Sir..
     
    54delray, 5window and jimmy six like this.
  26. Sounds great! Ill pull the glovebox key and message you the code? And thanks to everyone else on here for their suggestions too!!

    Jackson
     
  27. Any idea how to find said code? Not sure I'm following! Lock smith's today told me a flat out no when i took a key barrel in to get a key made today!
     
  28. squirrel
    Joined: Sep 23, 2004
    Posts: 55,933

    squirrel
    Member

    I'll poke around some locks when I get going this morning, and let you know...it's been a while and my memory sucks. But I recall the number is stamped on the inner cylinder, not the outer part, and if the lock is held together by a crimped bezel, then the number is not visible. This is true for door locks, and I think for glove box locks. With the ignition cylinder, you can see the number after you remove the cylinder...which requires the key, so you can turn it past it's stop after you poke a wire into the little hole in the bezel.

    Having a bunch of other old GM keys really helps, as it often lets you turn the lock enough to get the cylinder out. And since it's a sidebar lock, the normal tumbler lockpicking techniques don't work so well.
     
  29. Gearhead Graphics
    Joined: Oct 4, 2008
    Posts: 3,890

    Gearhead Graphics
    Member
    from Denver Co

    Need a better locksmith!

    I took a tumber from an OT project to my locksmith. They told me it would be 2 weeks (ok, long ways from starting it anyhow) Called the next day and said it was done.
     
  30. squirrel
    Joined: Sep 23, 2004
    Posts: 55,933

    squirrel
    Member

    It's possible that locksmithing laws are different in different countries.
     
    5window likes this.

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