Mopar Muscle Association UK

I decided to have a go at a bit of DIY "locksmithing" the other evening and was pleased with the results.

I had 4 barrels with three different key combinations between them.

One key and one barrel that matched the key.

I stripped down the three barrels that the key wouldn't open and emptied out all the tiny springs and tumbler pins (45 differing pins ) and separated out the upper from the lower pins.

Then I carefully removed the first spring and pair of pins from the working barrel, measured them with a vernier caliper and then went through all the spare pins to find a matching pair.

After putting the donor pins and spring into the first hole of one of the spare barrels I tried the key and it worked

I repeated this method one at a time until I had filled each hole in the spare lock barrel, checking the key for each pin as you don't need much of a variation for it not to work. I soon found the "that's close enough" method wasn't going to pay

In all the pins I had, only one needed to be filed down to match what I needed.

Half an hour later and I now had a matching pair of working locks. This was very satisfying and quite therapeutic

I had better get a spare key cut though as I only had the one. The key was the one I found by chance in a rusty old magnetic keybox hidden inside the front bumper of the Demon and it's like brand new. I had been driving around with it under there oblivious for nearly two years

I had a key for the drivers side but it didn't do anything else. The one I found did the passenger side so I replaced all the barrels on that a long time ago.

The newly built ones will now go on the Dart. Not that they offer any real security but it does stop oiks letting themselves in at shows etc, which to my surprise I have had the NSHRA Old Warden in the past.

Anyway, here's a couple of photo's if it's of any interest

Complete tumbler about 4x actual size

Nifty, I've done similar stuff with locks over the years. I can highly recommend trying that approach on a Transit, I guarantee you'll be throwing all the bits across the workshop in dispair...

I tried similar with Wilmot Breedon Triumph keys, but did the cheat version of just filing them to fit. It sort of worked but not to the precision you've worked to James. Very impressive.

When I had my Barracuda the door locks wasn't working, none of the keys would turn it, so I end up doing the same and made 2 that can turn with same key, so it works.

Done the same myself but,for $15 new why?

I've attempted that but with less patience.
Dummy and tumblers were thrown out of the pram

Not very secure without any tumblers, but who the hell would want to break into the Truk

those US ones look nice and robust

planned similar for the aussie, sealed for life filmsy units like those off a roof rack would have needed various crimped on bits uncrimped with no guarantee of them ever going back together

found NOS lock barrels ignition switch and keys with the "do not loose! this is your key number" fob still attached

I now have 1 key for doors and ignition and 1 key for boot.

just how it should be

previously had one for each and 2 spares that seemed to open anything...

When I got the Road Runner the ignition key fit the drivers door but not the passenger door so I had to do the same thing. I stripped the barrel down and rearranged the tumblers. I think I had to make one pair of tumblers to get it to work with the ignition key.

Nice work... could one have a single key for ignition, doors and the trunk? Or is the trunk a different lock style?

Not sure about lock styles without looking. I have a feeling the trunk may be slightly different but maybe only in the way the rod attaches maybe?

I got Anton do do mine, to small and fiddly for me. ðŸ”￾

my ignition and front doors use a jaggy on two sides key

my trunk lock is like any US trunk lock with a single sided key and round or pentagon head


i.e the doors and ignition are aussie and the trunk is US

if the US trunk key is anything to go by its never going to work in an ignition which usually have a 2 sided key.

so I assume the cars had a key for the trunk/turnk and glove box
and a key for the ignition and the doors


Dave

Dave, on my A body both keys are single edge and by eye look to be the same length. I have the standard pentastar single sided key for door locks and ignition and the round key for the bootlid.

I've had Jaguar XJ40's in the past supplied with (as described in the brochure) a green valet key. It would operate doors and ignition but not bootlid and glove box.
I had always therefore assumed that in much the same vein the mopar boot lock was supposed to be a different cut to the ignition / door key to enable you to give the pentastar key to the parking valets and retain the round key to prevent them being able to access the contents of the boot?

-Jon.

That sounds like it could be the reason for two keys. My pentastar key opens the doors and operates the ignition, the round key opens the boot and the glovebox.