1969 Ignition, Door and Trunk locks (Keeping Original Code Numbers)

[KurtS]

Thanks!

[68camaroz28]

I got these at the local dealership yesterday for the 69.





It's been a long time since I've seen old originals so I'm not sure if anything looks out of place with these.  It seems like maybe the "E" and "H" are larger than they used to be?

They work perfectly in the ignition, doors, trunk, and glove box.

John

John, here are some key blanks purchased approximately 30 years ago. On originals keys the groove was always cut farther back for some reason and I was told that newer keys with the shorter groove sometimes do not fit well. Not sure if that is accurate but the person telling me had personally had the issue.


My old Curtis key from our 68 Corvette.


Pair of old NOS B&S keys cut for our 68Z.


These are the type of C & D key blanks I obtained 30 years ago. What I referred to earlier that later service replacements were not like what was used back in 68.

[Z28Project]

Interesting.  Yes, it's obvious those grooves go back farther.

My keys work fine in all of the locks on my car, but maybe due to tolerance stackups, etc., that might not be the case on all cars.

Thanks for the pics.

John

[Z28Project]

John do they also have the earlier keys?

I checked yesterday and he does not have any of the earlier style keys.

[Daytona Z]

I went out to do a little digging to find all my old locks and keys but have only found one box so far. The other is buried in the C-can somewhere and that will likely wait until spring before I get around to searching more. While in there I pulled out some NOS locks for my 69-Z that are coded with original knock outs, and some early coined keys that were made for GM by B&S. These are what I used to use for duplicating and all have the small angled keyway sections stamped onto the blades. All of the newer ones from Ilco and Strattec and elsewhere have the larger fonts. I have another box with a few dozens sets of original blanks with blind knockouts but have not found those yet.

The Curtis key blanks are just early knock offs of originals and we used to have a lot of problems with those keys back in the 70's and 80's so we stopped using them and stuck to original GM and/or the Briggs & Stratton products. I bought hundreds and hundreds of locks back then and thousands of key blanks as my shop did a lot of the auto locks throughout the 70's to 80's. Most of what I have left is from that period but all are the same as the original and early GM stuff since it was all made by B&S. These were sold in bulk to the B&S certified locksmiths and I was one of them in my early days. Fitting new locks for my 69 will be the first set I have touched in 12 years or more so I'll see how rusty I have become. Now if I can just find my code cutters?


Original 69 coded E/H lock cylinders. Made by B&S for GM


Early GM Blanks (high nickel) w/o knock outs


Notice the key sections are angled like the originals with the above locks.

 

[68camaroz28]

Interesting.  Yes, it's obvious those grooves go back farther.

My keys work fine in all of the locks on my car, but maybe due to tolerance stackups, etc., that might not be the case on all cars.

Thanks for the pics.

John

John, did some checking with the friend who told me the newer style keys with the groove not going back as far can possibly cause a problem with that type of key working in the door locks but not an issue with the ignition.

[abiddle]

At some time before I bought this 69 over 13 years ago, it got a new passenger door. Wrong glass codes, yellow not garnet under the door panel, and the key never worked. Back then I simply bought new locks and tossed the old locks in a box.
Fast forward and now I'm putting the car back together with new paint, and I took the old locks to get polished with the rest of the chrome. I had forgotten that the original key never worked in the pass door. So today I took the locks and original key into locksmith, and she told me she can rekey it, but she will destroy the faceplate. So I said just give me a key for it. After making me the key, I said it was a shame it wasn't a GM key. So she dug through her box and pulled out an E blank. Not the same as my original key, and the E is rotated, but it otherwise looks original (even though I have different keys for the doors.
I would be very interested if someone could actually change the lock without destroying the faceplate.

Top key is the original.

Some extra pictures - my camaro in the paint shop. Another week and all that nos chrome I've been hoarding for years will finally have a home.

[Daytona Z]

Unless your going for National judging at 975+ point levels, why would it matter that your face plate for your lock was changed? It's not like it's an imported piece from China? All the GM B&S face plates are the same as the factory issue materials, only the stakes on the back on the face cap have four 1/4" tabs which are easier to crimp in the field. Once it's installed, nobody can tell the difference anyways.

IMO, get it rekeyed so it's at least coded correctly.

[Z28Project]

I went out to do a little digging to find all my old locks and keys but have only found one box so far. The other is buried in the C-can somewhere and that will likely wait until spring before I get around to searching more. While in there I pulled out some NOS locks for my 69-Z that are coded with original knock outs, and some early coined keys that were made for GM by B&S. These are what I used to use for duplicating and all have the small angled keyway sections stamped onto the blades. All of the newer ones from Ilco and Strattec and elsewhere have the larger fonts. I have another box with a few dozens sets of original blanks with blind knockouts but have not found those yet.

The Curtis key blanks are just early knock offs of originals and we used to have a lot of problems with those keys back in the 70's and 80's so we stopped using them and stuck to original GM and/or the Briggs & Stratton products. I bought hundreds and hundreds of locks back then and thousands of key blanks as my shop did a lot of the auto locks throughout the 70's to 80's. Most of what I have left is from that period but all are the same as the original and early GM stuff since it was all made by B&S. These were sold in bulk to the B&S certified locksmiths and I was one of them in my early days. Fitting new locks for my 69 will be the first set I have touched in 12 years or more so I'll see how rusty I have become. Now if I can just find my code cutters?


Original 69 coded E/H lock cylinders. Made by B&S for GM


Early GM Blanks (high nickel) w/o knock outs


Notice the key sections are angled like the originals with the above locks.

That's what I seem to remember from the old original keys; the small, crooked E and H.