1967 keys & locks

**67Bluebird** · 11-24-2011, 08:18 PM

Help me out guys.............to my best recollection the ignition key and the glove box keys were keyed alike, and the trunk and door lock keys were keyed alike back in 1967. I am trying to sort out replacement locks on my 67 Skylark, and the locks I find are not keyed alike in that manner. Am I right?

**Rivman** · 11-25-2011, 06:09 AM

Not sure about the '67s, but my '68 Riv is Doors 'n Ignition, and Glovebox 'n Trunk ?
I'm sure others will chime in.

**67Bluebird** · 11-25-2011, 06:40 AM

Thanks Rivman...........very interesting. I distinctly remember the doors and ignition being different keys. The doors used the rounded key, and the ignition used the squared off key. My understanding for that is if someone found your door key, they couldn't start the engine, and vice versa. A lame security theory, but it's what I was told.

I also recall the trunk being the rounded key, like the doors, so it really leaves the question, which key was used for the glovebox?

**Rivman** · 11-26-2011, 02:06 PM

. . . Hmmmmmmmmm,
Got me wunderin now. Gonna pull off the car cover and double check, as it's put away for the long winter sleep.

**raycow** · 09-09-2012, 04:28 PM

It looks like this one never got cleared up, so here goes:

The 1966-earlier keys used the same keyway for both head shapes (this pattern goes back to the mid 1930s). In other words, you could cut an ignition key (normally octagon head) on a trunk key blank (round head) and it would still work just fine.

1967 was the first year for the "new" GM keying system. The two keys now had different keyways, with the ignition/door stamped "A" and trunk/glove stamped "B". In 68 the keyways changed again, and were stamped "C" and "D". They changed again in 69 to "E" and "H" (these were the first of the large heads because of the change to steering column locks) and again in 70 to "J" and "K". For 71 they started over again with the 67 "A" and "B" keyways, except that these keys had the large heads to work with the column locks (they will still work fine in the dash-mounted switches). This sequence repeated every 4 years until GM changed to the double sided keys.

Note that blanks with keyways "A", "B", "C", and "D" were made with both small and large head styles (and are still available that way if you are doing a resto for points). "E", "H", "J", and "K" were supplied only with large heads (at least by GM - I suppose anything is possible from the aftermarket suppliers).

If you need more info, feel free to ask.

Ray

**67Bluebird** · 09-09-2012, 07:54 PM

Thanks Ray...................guess my memory was wrong.

It happens sometime. So the ignition & doors were keyed alike "A", and the glovebox & trunk were keyed alike "B". Thanks that's great to know.

I just checked a blank that I had purchased on Ebay, but there's no letter reference stamped on the blank. Should there be?

Now let me ask you, is an ordinary locksmith going to be able to adjust the tumblers in the ignition lock to match the cut outs of the door key as well as make the trunk and glovebox keys the same? Will it require special tools? If not, what about a dealership? Any suggestions as to who can pair them up?

Also, some blanks have the bell shape cut out on them, and some don't. Any significance to that?

Bill

**raycow** · 09-09-2012, 09:42 PM

Originally Posted by 67Bluebird

I just checked a blank that I had purchased on Ebay, but there's no letter reference stamped on the blank. Should there be?

OEM keys and replacement blanks manufactured by Briggs & Stratton and Rochester Products (the two OEM suppliers) should have the keyway identification letters stamped on them. Blanks from some aftermarket manufacturers may not have the letters. However, these can still be identified by the manufacturer's blank number which will be stamped on the head. Here is a link to one system, but keep in mind that different manufacturers used different numbers.
http://www.mrlock.com/mfg/esp/keyblanks/gm.html

Originally Posted by 67Bluebird

Now let me ask you, is an ordinary locksmith going to be able to adjust the tumblers in the ignition lock to match the cut outs of the door key as well as make the trunk and glovebox keys the same? Will it require special tools? If not, what about a dealership? Any suggestions as to who can pair them up?l

Any locksmith who has been in business for a while should have the little plates (called "discs") needed to re-key these locks. Only 5 depths of cut were used, so he doesn't need to stock a lot of parts to do this. No tools are needed that the locksmith wouldn't normally have anyway. However, if the lock doesn't have a code stamped on it, and you don't have a key that fits, he may want to charge you for picking the lock so he can get the cylinder out.

It couldn't hurt to ask a car dealer, but don't be surprised if they no longer stock parts for anything this old. I think your best bet is going to be a locksmith.

Originally Posted by 67Bluebird

Also, some blanks have the bell shape cut out on them, and some don't. Any significance to that?

On OEM keys only, that bell-shaped knockout is stamped with the code used to cut that particular key. Replacement blanks from B&S and RP also have that knockout, but it won't be stamped. Aftermarket blanks usually won't have the knockout.

Ray

**raycow** · 10-20-2012, 05:06 PM

Sometime around 74 or 75 GM changed their keying system so that the ignition switch was all by itself using the square-headed key and everything else used the oval-headed key. As soon as I can find documented proof of the actual model year I will do a follow-up post on this thread.

Ray