Does anyone have any information on re-keying the door locks?

It's on a '56

I know it be easier to just buy a new set, but right now my project funds are basically gone after doing the bed.Currently I just have the one on the passenger side, but no key for it. I'd rather not have to leave everything, including the vent windows unlocked, it could be several months to a year till I get to putting in a new set.

I'd like to just key it to the ignition key right now, it fits in the hole so I'm thinking it should work. If re-keying isn't an option, does anyone know a way to figure out what the original would have been?

Thanks

 

Don't know about the 56 lock set but a friend that is an amateur locksmith took about 30 minutes to key my 50 lockset to my ignition. There are 5 tumblers, if you're really unlucky you can take all the tumblers out and the key will open the door but so will a screw driver, keeps honest people out. I told him that would be ok for me, any think more would be a bonus. By just rearranging the tumblers he got 3 to work and the two left over were a little long so he shorten them by .020-.040" and I had 5 working tumblers. Homerun.

If you don't want to pay a profesional locksmith to do it there are a lot of amateurs out there ask around. Again worse case they will not get the tumblers back in and you will have a very insecure lock that works.

Now if you decide to try it yourself, the only thing I really learned is there are two tumblers per hole with a spring on top. When the right pair of tumblers are in a hole and the key is inserted it pushes the tumblers up till the gap between the two lineup so the lock rotates, do that 5 times and you have a full lock set.

 

Those locks are easily rekeyed, as is the glove box lock if you have one. The ignition key will fit in all of them.

Just call the local lock smiths and ask them if they have the Old Ford Pin sets for door locks. Most do. If not they can order them. It should cost about $15-$20 per lock.

If you can't find anyone, let me know, there is someone here in El Cajon who does them and I would be happy to take them out there for you if you want to send them. But I don't think that will be necessary.

 

if you can pull a lock out there's a number on it that a GOOD locksmith could cut a key to.....of course if the lock has been re-keyed then it wont work.

 

Thanks for the help guys.

Since I plan on getting one for the DR door later, and thus probably get a set, I think I'll try my hand at re-keying it. I'm curious and would like to give it a shot (I was that kid who took whatever he could get his hands on apart...)

 

you can sometimes find a pin kit on ebay for that also.

 

Or ask the locksmith for a pin kit. Could be fun to tear one of those apart.

 

I had a lock smith do mine about $20.00 for the deuce.

 

I have made these locks work with existing keys. If you have a Ford key that fits, you can pull the lock apart and match the pins to the key. Move em around and file them till it works. It has been a while since I did this, but I don't think it is that difficult. If you can rewire, fabricate, rebuild, I am sure that you can fix a lock.

 

I gave it a shot, was real easy and pretty cool to see how it all works. Managed to use 4 ouf the 5 original pins. Sweet.

But I seem to now have another problem, when I lock the door from the inside and close it it unlocks it. I can lock it from the outside though. Are they all this way or do I have something failing?

Thanks

 

Consider yourself lucky. On my 50 you can lock the inside close the door and it stays locked so you can't unlock it form the outside. As Julie pointedd out to me a month or so back, the inside lock and the outside lock are independent, the inside locks the latch the outside locks the door handle.

Wish mine worked like yours.

Edit 5/27/2010: The more I thought about it I never tried to lock and close the door. I only tried to unlock the opened locked door. I tried it and my 1950 works just like your 1956. Now I'm not as afraid of locking myself out by mistake.

 

Nope, that's the way they work I think on 56. So, you lock one side from the inside then slide out and lock the other door from the outside with the key.

 

ok, so i have no key at all for my 49 f1-do i just take my ign switch to a locksmith and have him make one? if so, will it also fit the door locks? these locks are the originals, i'm sure. sorry if i'm asking the same question as the original, just want to make sure i understand the answer to the question.
thanks all-dave

 

Oh nice, I was afraid it wasn't supposed to work like that (and thus critically fail later)


Dave, I used my ignition key, it fit the hole, not sure if a '49 will, but if mine is 7 years newer and the ignition key was the same shape, I would think yours would be too, if it goes in the hole, it fits. They make reproduction key blanks if you want something that matches the style and possibly but don't quote me on it, I believe you can take out the lock, look at the code on it, and order a replacement from a vendor if you want a different key for the outside.

 

Well it's a gamble. Perhaps the ignition and the door lock (you should only have one - on the passenger side) are the same, maybe not. They take the same key blank but may not be pinned the same.


You have a couple of options: 1. Buy an ignition cylinder and door lock set that are all keyed the same. 2. Take the ignition switch and door lock out and tell the locksmith you need a key and to make one for the ignition and rekey the door lock if they are not the same.