Buying a car without keys
- Thread starter moparker
- Start date
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If 69 and older take ign switch to locksmith. If 70+, that's a whole other story, involves removing column switch I would imagine.
Charrlie_S
Well-Known Member
Keys are not a big deal. remove the door panel, and the door lock, and take to locksmith (door and ign should be the same key, unless one has been changed). Remove rear seat to gain access to the trunk and open trunk from inside, remove lock and take to locksmith. Or if you don't want to bother, take the whole car to a locksmith, and let him do the job.
Keys "lost" or was the car stolen. Just something for the back of your mind....
With a lock removed, you don't have to "make" a key to fit. Then re-arrange the tumblers to create any key you want. Another trick= remove all the tumblers and now any key will work.
TrailBeast
AKA Mopars4us on Youtube
One of my kids bought a car with no keys and a locksmith came to the house and made keys for it.
$100 bucks
mopardude318
Well-Known Member
I bought a 1998 ram 2500 with no keys. A locksmith came out and did his thing. Took off the door panel, made a key and had to do something with the computer/ electronics so the security system would recognize the new key. Cost was $300 bucks.
Its just as easy and cost effective to buy a lock set and replace all of them. I have modified tumblers before, the problem is the tumbler covers are swaged in so its hard to get them apart. A locksmith can make a key for a lock without removing the lock but I would guess the end cost will be close to what a new lock set would cost. If that has tilt steering it may be hard to find a ignition lock because they are different and im not sure if that is repopped.
Is it a big block car?
MopaR&D
Nerd Member
That's what I did for my Duster after some dipshit thief destroyed the ignition lock cylinder trying to steal the car in 2013. Luckily the car was a 70 so locking steering column, I also was doing some engine work so no way he was going to start it anyway. I think I got a kit off ebag with new keys, door and ignition cylinders.
Nothin wrong with a 360!
JDMopar
Well-Known Member
Take the passenger side door lock out and take it to the locksmith. The passenger side lock won't be worn out as bad as the drivers side. If you can take the back seat out and crawl into the trunk with a 1/2" socket to remove the trunk latch mechanism, you can then remove the lock from the trunk lid and take it too. The trunk lock may be the same as the glovebox lock if it has a locking glovebox.
I've bought a few cars without keys, usually just do what JDMopar suggested in post #18. Of course on one occasion I had gone through the process and was starting to clean out the interior of the 72 Plymouth Fury II that I had bought from an auction a few days earlier, when there, under the seat, were 2 sets of keys!
Lesson learned, the hard way.
Lesson learned, the hard way.
ajarofclay
Well-Known Member
Back in the day, I had a '79 LeBaron, only New car I ever owned. While hastily loading the trunk to return from a fishing trip, I locked the keys in it. Luckily, I had a spare door/ignition key in my wallet and made the 8 hour trip home. Had a cooler of fish in that trunk so the first stop was our local town locksmith. He took an aluminum blank, inserted and turned it with a little pressure, then proceeded to file the knicks with a triangle file. repeated that a few more times and in a minute or two, he was in. Blew my mind. Charged me 10 bucks.
harrisonm
Well-Known Member
Amen, brother. I wish I had a dollar for every time I heard somebody say, or heard somebody tell me that somebody said, “just put a battery (or starter…) in it, and it’ll start up fine.” If it would do that, the person selling the car would pop a battery (or starter) into it. Unless I can hear an engine run, I assume it has to be rebuilt.
DON BURKHOLDER
DonsPar
I faintly remember finding a small spring loaded button on the ignition switch that when pressed would allow the guts of the switch to be removed.
Don't know if this helps.
Don't know if this helps.
fireguyfire
Well-Known Member
A question along the same lines of the gent that started this thread.
I bought a 67 barracuda from the original owner who was in the middle of a move when he sold me the car. He’s sure he has the keys but has yet to find them as he unpacks boxes.
I would love to get into the trunk but I don’t want to drill the lock as I’m still hopeful he will find the original keys that came with the car on day 1.
Is there a way to open the trunk on a fastback barracuda without a key?
I bought a 67 barracuda from the original owner who was in the middle of a move when he sold me the car. He’s sure he has the keys but has yet to find them as he unpacks boxes.
I would love to get into the trunk but I don’t want to drill the lock as I’m still hopeful he will find the original keys that came with the car on day 1.
Is there a way to open the trunk on a fastback barracuda without a key?
harrisonm
Well-Known Member
Some people will not like this, but I have done this several times. Drill the lock cylinder out. Yes it may seem a bit extreme, but it has always worked for me. When the center of the lock cylinder is gone, the trunk will open easily.
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