The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Interiors Ignition Key and door seals

Have a 54 GMC 150. It's missing the ignition key. Is there a way to replace the cylinder lock without the key or will I need to replace the whole switch assembly?

Need to replace all the glass and door seals, so many companies out there, who is reliable and has good seals? Planning on cleaning around the area and replacing the seals till I am actually ready to paint it. Like to be able to keep the weather out as I have no indoor space to store the truck.

Thank You in Advance

Back in the day a locksmith could make you a new key or is that no longer an option?

Rubber products.............. Steele Rubber Products, quality manufacturing and you pay for it. Some complain the rubber is not forgiving enough but personally I have not found that to be the case.

Most competent locksmiths can replicate the key. Take it out the switch and take it to a shop. Also, I order mine from Ronfrances wire works. Maybe able get on from Mongos Garage a member here.

How do you "take out the "switch" ("tumbler") if you do not have a key?
I have checked with several old-timer locksmiths but they all say that I have to remove the switch/tumbler with a correct key.
The correct key in-place allows a pin (paper clip) to be pushed down the hole in the face of the tumbler.
Supposedly, that allows the tumbler to be lifted out

I do not have a correct key for the rear door of my 1954 Suburban.
I have recently learned that the key-code can be seen on the "body" of the switch/tumbler housing.
So, as stated above, I must remove the tumbler housing to find the key-code.
HOWEVER, I cannot easily get to the tumbler "housing" in my Suburban

Does someone have another method/trick for getting out a tumbler when you do not have a correct key?

I had a bunch of old lock and ignition keys and parts long ago and was able to find a key to get the tumbler out .I would guess to say the locksmith should be able to pick the lock to get it to turn to remove it .I found that most the inners of the lock are worn out from years of use and the tumblers are only soft metal (brass).It would not hurt to find a bunch of keys and if they fit in the cylinder wiggle them around to see if you can find one that turns to get the cylinder out .After I got mine apart I was able to swap the good tumblers in the cylinder to make the door key and ignition match.

I know on my 46 it would be easier to remove the whole switch and let the locksmith deal with it. Not sure on the others.

If the passenger door lock and ignition switch are original, you can take the door lock out (pull back the weatherstrip and pull the spring steel retainer out) and get the 4 digit key code off that. It's located near where the shaft that engages the door lock clips on to the lock cylinder. A locksmith can cut a key to match that code.
I bought a bunch of old keys from ebay and other sources and was able to match up keys to an ignition switch I had to be able to use it.
A locksmith can also pick the lock and find the key code stamped on the outside of the cylinder and cut a new key from that. The lock on an AD truck is easy to remove (two screws from the bottom of the dash, the three wires, and the light bulb socket snapped out is all it takes. The bracket will come out along with the switch.

If anyone would like to send me an ignition switch, I'd be happy to see if one of my keys will operate it (sometimes a different code will work), and get you the code off the cylinder.

I just jumpered the wires with a manual switch till I find another switch. Seems like this switch is aftermarket from what I am seeing in some photos. Like to find a GMC Original switch with GMC Keys.
Turned over the engine and it turns nicely, but no spark. Getting voltage to coil after I checked everything I needed, points, gap, cap, etc. Been years since I have worked on points system. Plug wires are stiff and connections are slightly rusted or corroded. Will find new wires to test. Not sure how to test a coil or condenser. Noticed the coil wire appears to have been melted in the past, not sure what I should do even though getting voltage to coil. Wire is not getting hot.
Anything else I need to look for?

The Chevy and GMC ignition switches and keys were the same. Keys were marked GM (if original).

PM me if you'd like me to try and find your key code. Original blanks are available online. Or I may have an original with the correct code.

If none of that works, you (or a locksmith) will have to pick the lock. I could teach you how, but I would imagine there are probably 276,000 explanations of this already on the internet. You'll need a tension wrench (just a flat piece of thin strong steel bent into a right angle) and a rake (some call it a pick) and a bit of patience. Good luck.

As for the weatherstrip, please don't buy stuff from anyone that is thicker than 1/2" at the thickest point...unless you like slamming your doors really hard. I don't know why, but someone out there decided to sell some 11/16" thick stuff that is close to the same profile as the original design...but is too thick by 3/16"...and you can't trim it unless you're capable of building some special skiving tool. The original GM stuff was exactly 1/2" thick and spongy. What Steele has is 7/16" (and a different profile from the original) but they're selling it as 1/2". I know this because one of the guys at The Filling Station and I worked on this for over 6 months before Steele admitted they were using a 7/16' die and that was the best they were willing to do. Last I knew it was about $5 per foot. Will 7/16" work? It will work ok, but it isn't the original style and at $5 a foot if I were running Steele I'd make sure it was the right stuff.

Here's the truth about it: any measurement greater than 1/2" becomes exponentially harder to close and by the time you're at 3/16" thicker, closing your doors will be really tough. The original GM product (which you could still purchase until around 1984) was perfect and as long as your hinges, locks and strikers were in good nick, you were good to go. Hinge condition is really important, adjustment is also important and the condition of your locks/strikers is also important. One other thing to keep in mind is today's weatherstrip (say made for something like a Toyota) is hollow and very soft and is just there to stop wind noise & water. Yesterday's weatherstrip also was used as an anti-rattle device to keep the doors from moving around and rattling so much...which they will do as the cab flexes. A very tight rubber will help with that, but you want to just catch that fine line before it gets too thick. If you want to check the door to body measurement, buy some Silly Putty and make a ball about 5/8" around. Once your doors are mounted and adjusted, set there where your weatherstrip will be and close the door...both latches of the door lock. Then open the door, remove the Silly Putty and measure the thickness. Good luck!

I bought mine from Classic Parts. Although I didn’t measure, it was fairly soft and supple, and I don’t have to slam the door to get it to close (Just a firm push) and the doors now don’t rattle. [LINK]

I will ask, but does anyone know what style key the 54 GMC uses? Is it the B-10 style key? If so, gm dealers had a set of what were called tryout keys. 60 or so keys that would open 95 percent of the locks. I have a set. If you can find a locksmith that has been in business for a while he may have a set of these keys.

What other locks are on the truck, if any? If you don’t have a key at all, but there is at least one lock, say a door lock or glove box lock, you might be able to get the 4 digit code from that lock. Then, have a code cut key made. If you are having real trouble finding someone that can code cut a key, send me a private message.

Thanks for the info, Mike

The four other 1954 Suburban locks/keys match each other (side doors, ignition, and glove box door).

The rear door lock does not match those keys.
That is the lock that I cannot find a key for.

It would be a big pain in the a** (arm) to try to reach up to the key housing/socket hold-on-clip (from the opening in the rear-bottom of the Suburan's panel-truck type door).

If I could easily reach the socket/housing, I could unclip/release the socket/housing and I would then be able to find the key code on the housing and/or I could replace that lock/housing with a new key/socket/housing that I have already obtained.

Do you know a friendly GM dealer that might have a set of try-out keys that I could rent?

Thanks,
Tim

No door or glove box locks, just the ignition. I am going to replace the lock and switch set. Anyone know where I can get the original style switch assy? I am not even sure what the key and lock supposed to look like from factory. I'm assuming the one in the truck has been changed as it doesn't seem to look like most. Photo or link would be greatly appreciated.
It has foot petal start and 3 connections assuming Off-On-Fan/Acc.

Right now I installed a wire to the ignition coil with on off switch just to check spark and try to start it. No luck on spark, limited time, hopefully this weekend I'll check it some more.
Have put mystery oil in cylinders and oiled the rockers. Made sure everything turns freely by hand. Valve cover has 4 vent holes on top, someone said to plug them, what is the best way to plug the holes? Have tig welder if needed. If plugging, do I need to find something else for vent?

Have the 6v positive ground setup using a 6v tractor battery, doesn't seem to spin as fast as today's engines. Read that I can use a 12v battery on the starter? If so, assuming hook up positive ground? The coil will hook up to the 6v battery. I'm using a stick to push the starter button. Truck is sitting on my trailer as I am supposed to get it out of the shop during work hours.

Sorry for the many questions, my first classic. Used to work on cars in my teen years then got too busy working, time to settle and enjoy what I love doing as well as teach my grandkids the truck which will be theirs someday.

Regarding the “try out keys”, the ring of about 60 keys referenced several times above. I lucked out some years ago with a local locksmith that had a set and was able to help me with a lock on my ‘37.

I suggest letting your fingers do the walking through the yellow pages and try calling local lock smiths and asking if they can help or if they might know of someone locally, another locksmith likely, that might have a set. My guess is within five or so contacts or contact with a recommended contact someone locally will have a set. I am sure these sets were a common tool of the trade and recognized as such and passed along to another tradesman. That’s how I found the guy that helped me.

Good luck!

With the eyes I have now doing a key "impression" is long gone but I used to do quite a few. You can do a search on impressing a key for a good explanation but it is basically using a soft brass key blank that you turn firmly with a small vise grip to imprint the tumblers onto the soft metal. You then file till every trace of the tumblers are gone to make a key that will work the lock and then read the tumblers position onto a key cutter to make a permanent key.

Evan, from what I've seen of the workings of the Briggs & Stratton locks used on 35-66 GM vehicles, that wouldn't work, because the tumblers (actually just a metal slider - see pic) all come to rest in the same position when the key is removed. You'd wind up with marks on the key that were all in the deepest cut position.

Tim, are you sure that there isn't a lock retainer hiding under the weatherstrip on your rear door like there is on the right side door? It doesn't make sense that the only access would be from a panel that far from the point needing access. Or if your read door lock is the pushbutton type like the 52 and later door handles, the whole pushbutton/lock assembly can be removed after removing the handle. No key needed.

46Sparky's suggestion of looking for older locksmith shops for the try-out keys would be a good idea. My offer of using the keys I have for anyone who would like to send me a lock still stands.

I will take a look, Kevin - thanks

I am away from home for several days.

I will report. back.

"Tim, are you sure that there isn't a lock retainer hiding under the weatherstrip on your rear door like there is on the right side door? It doesn't make sense that the only access would be from a panel that far from the point needing access."

Well, Duh, Kevin . . .

It was a long time ago when I glued-on on new rear door weather-strip that hides that retainer-clip.

I owe you a few beers and/or a few shots of a good Single Malt Scotch Whisky.

I'll report back - when I succeed.

Thank You very much

Keep that Scotch handy.

I checked it out, Kevin - thanks

I was able to remove the rear door lock.

The lock retainer-clip fell inside the door, but, I was able to reach it with a long flexible magnet, after removing the right-rear door-lock assembly.

That rear door lock is a different style from the side door locks.
The replacement side-door-lock that I bought is no good.

And, there are are no codes/numbers on the side of this lock.
However, maybe a locksmith can figure out how to make a key for it?

Well, my Suburban's rear door lock is now working like new.

Here is a run-down of the solution (I feel like a fool - sorry to bore you with my long story):

I first bought a new lock (with its own key) for the rear door (part number given by members here). The lock matches the side door locks, the ignition lock, and the glovebox lock.

When I removed the rear door lock, I quickly realized that it was a completely different style/shape lock from all the other locks.

Before I removed the lock, I sprayed WD-40 into it. The key to the other locks goes into the rear door lock, but that key does not turn the lock. So I figured that I needed to find a new lock.

Nobody has a part number or replacement for the lock.

After talking with all the places on the Outer Banks that have lock/key department, I was unsuccessful in finding one who could make a key for the original lock. The knowledgeable key-makers told me that I needed to take the lock assembly to a real locksmith.

Yesterday, I found a locksmith in Chesapeake, VA (about 60 miles away). He said (over the phone) that he could try to make a key. I could send the lock to him or drive it to him. I decided I might as well make the 120 mile round trip (I am retired).

I went to the counter at the locksmith shop and showed the lock to the young man behind the counter.
I explained that I needed a key made for the lock (to match my other keys, if possible).

The locksmith took my lock and my ignition key (that works in the 4 other different-design locks on my Suburban).
He put the ignition key into the rear door lock, and immediately and quite easily he turned the key.
He politely said, "I do not see any problem".

I was astounded and jokingly said "you must have the golden touch".

He said, "I bet you sprayed the WD-40 into the lock while it was mounted in the rear door"?
I said yes.

He then said "the WD-40 probably could not reach the 68 year old original grease/lubricant at the rear of that small cylinder when the lock was laterally in place. During your trip here, the WD-40 got a chance to "move around".

He then sprayed his "professional" lubricant (no silicone in it) into the lock barrel, and he cleaned up the lock, and he handed it back to me.

I was astounded and I was dumfounded.
I thanked him and I asked what I owed him.
He said,"nothing".
I said "at least can I buy a small can of your lubricant spray".
He could not find a small can of the spray, so I bought the larger can of spray ($16) and handed him $20 and said "keep the change".

Ain't life grand - ain't good luck grand?

Tim,

This is an awesome close-out to report your success!

Thanks for sharing!

And yes life can still be grand and good luck does still exist!

Amen & Hallelujah

Well, you got to go on a joy ride! You went on a ride, learned something new and are overjoyed about it! Its great when things turn out so well.

Tim, Congrats on the successful trip. That's awesome that you got things working.
And thanks for the story. Maybe it'll help someone else with lock issues.