FE-FC Holden Discussion Forum

 ???

 Hi all,

A question. "How do I get the ignition switch and barrel out, without a key?"

 Rusty

Do you want to get it out of the dash? or is it out and you want it apart?
It should be a doddle for a locksmith to knock up a key for you.

Rusty, if you have the key no. I have every key here bar a few, then it's just a case of a bit of wire to remove it

Stinky and Gary,

The dash is out of the car, the ignition is not locked and there is no key. Do they have a lock #.

Rusty

Hi Rusty,
Yes they do have a lock number but the ignition switch must be in the lock position (with the key) to be able to push the retaining clip and turn the cylinder anti clockwise to remove it.
Then you can see the lock number stamped on the side.
Big problem is a catch 22 that you still need an ignition switch with a working key so you can remove it to replace with a re-keyed one to match your doors and glovebox etc.
I just had a look at FErgus and if the ignition lock is the same key as the drivers side door lock the same 4 digit lock number is stamped on the arm of the door lock.
This lock can easily be removed by opening the door and pulling the retaining clip back and taking the lock out.
Otherwise Garys bunch of keys could be the answer
Hope this helps
Cheers Stewy   8)

Rusty,
Stewy is 100% right with everything he said. I am a locksmith and would help you if you were in melbourne. My suggestion is if you remove the door lock and find the number stamped onto the tail peice and give it to me, i will cut you a key that should work providing the door or ignition has not been previously replaced. Alternatively you could take the dash to your loccal locksmith and most have "try" keys they could use to turn the lock and dismantle although some of the locksmiths may have disposed of these keys by now.
Regards Brett

 ;D ;D

 I know it's a bit late for a reply, but Gary (Zulu) came over with a bucket (20ltr) full of keys. Well believe it or not ,the 3rd key I tried locked the ignition switch, which allowed me to take out the barrel, find the # and dive into the bucket. 410 keys later I found the key that matched the barrel.

Thanks all
Rusty

Fantastic news Rusty  ;D
I love it when a plan comes together :D
Gary, you had better keep that bucket under lock and key or none of us are safe  :D
Thanks for letting us know

Cheers Stewy   8)

Rusty,

How lucky are you.

Cheers
John

I'd like to know how Gary accumulated 410+ Holden keys!!!!!  ;D
Regards
Alex

Seems to me that Gary had a plan, a very long... and most likely a devilishly devious 40 year plan.... or one day, he just got lucky!
Thanks for the answer Gary... although the question was not known at the time.
Geoff

Ok, manys years ago, I was lucky, and stumbled into an old inner city Surry Hills? Holden parts supplier, who allowed me to go through his stock!

The building was over 2 or 3 floors but only small floorspace, anyway, sitting in a corner were 2 wagon timber floor spare tyre covers full of rows of nails, each nail held about 10 pre cut and numbered keys

So unlike when you go to a locksmith with your key number, they had the keys ready cut.

The owner had a lot of NOS just covered in dust, some of it just chucked in boxes ready to throw out, so I obliged and freed up some of his floorspace, sufice to say my EK Wagon which was my daily driver at the time was stuffed full.

I wasn't flushed with funds at the time otherwise I would have gone back and paid for some more, anyway, not sure how long after this I was driving by and there was a skip outside the building, it had been gutted, the skip was empty but for an FC quarter glass still wraped in it's paper, I climbed in and got it.

I often wonder if the balance of the stock went to the tip or a safe place, prefer not to know

Sweet Nasco dreams

When I worked at a wrecking yard years ago, there were 20 litre bins of keys, Ford, Holden Valiant etc. All keys went into the 20 litre bins... sometimes we had people come in and try to see if they could get a spare set for their car, or a set because they had lost theirs. Some were lucky and able to get the keys that they were after.

I initially thought that Gary may have scored his collection of keys from a wrecking yard that had done something similiar.

Keith

I knew there was an interesting story in there somewhere.
Thanks for sharing it with us Gary.
Regards
Alex