Keys cut from build sheet code?
 

I recently bought a 64 GTO, salvage title, didnt come with keys... The build sheet I got from PHS has a key code on it... Is it possible to have new keys cut from this code?
Best, Wooftfd

Yep.

Might be a good idea to find an older locksmith because I imagine you'll need an authentic black for the ignition and another for the trunk.

K

Yes. I had it done recently. Works perfect and cost $12 for the first key. Duplicates were cheaper.

Did you use a local vender, or something online?

Any locksmith should be able to cut them for you with the PHS key codes IF the car still has the original lock sets in it.

Any GM dealer should also be able to cut them.

I used a local locksmith shop. The first one I called sent me to the one I used. They had a computer with keycodes back to the 40s - that also actually cut the key.

I took a door lock cylinder with me to confirm that it worked.

I have the build sheet for my 69 GTO. What box has the key codes?

Can you re code a ignition cyl to match the codes on the phs? My ignition key was changed along the way. In one of my cars

If you mean you have the Dealer Invoice from PHS - some early 69's don't list the key codes. Some later ones do.
It is an oddity
Up top where this one says IM51 (ignition) and TJ77 (trunk) are the key codes.
If yours is blank there ... no go
Factory Buildsheets found in the car usually do not have the key codes either.


I can't , but a good seasoned veteran locksmith can and will have the pegs.

Thanks Baron, I have the factory build sheet. Found it on top of gas tank. Remarkable how well the condition is. PHS will be ordered soon.

What is the build date on your cowl tag (example 2C , 3D , 11A)
and which plant was it built ?

I can try to see if there is an approximate start-stop timeframe on the key codes, and if it was a plant to plant issue.
Have never paid close attention to it before.
It might be a shame to buy PHS if you mostly just want key codes - and then it not even have them on there.

P.S.
browsing through some various 69 GTO invoices on file, i am seeing a lot more WithOut Key codes than With Key Codes.

Letter code ('69 & later) GM keys "revolved" key blanks every 5 years till GM went away from those style keys. '69 key blanks are same as '73, 77, 81, 85. For '69-73 GM models, the door lock & ign lock cylinder take the "square" head key. Glovebox & trunk lock used the "round" headed key. For '74 & later, only the ign lock set used the "square" headed key.

more on key blanks
http://www.camaros.org/keysandlocks.shtml. (scroll 1/3 the way down the page)

In the late 80's & early 90's, my Dad had one of the HD pliers style key makers, as well as the keycode books, & would occasionally bring them home from work, & we'd make keys. After the notches were cut, would take the freshly made keys out into the garage & run the cut edges on the fine wire wheel in the bench grinder.

As part of a serious restoration it's wise to replace the locksets, ESP, if the ignition lock tumblers are well worn. Swapping out lock sets also provides some peace of mind, that a "loose" set of kets weren't made from the key codes on your cars invoice copy.

.....Thanks for the help Baron.....

BUILD DATE: 03B162
PLANT: BT00377

Realizing that we have just hijacked this thread might we move the follow up to its own thread or is the info benificial to the ops original question?

Yes, if you could start another thread in the 68-69 section, that would be best.
Probably might need as many 69'ers as we can get to nail down this oddity about some 69 invoices having key codes - and some not.

I had never noticed this before. It is Odd

List it as 2nd Week of March build , from Arlington Plant.

For a quick reference - just found a 3rd Week March and 1st week April - Arlingtons -with key codes. So its looking better.
June Arlington - no codes
I have a LOT more to check.

March 2nd Week Baltimore - no key codes.

I went ahead and started a new thread in the 68-69 section.

I discovered an unusual and interesting to me anomaly on my '64 during restoration.

When I bought my car, a non-correct ignition switch had replaced the original but by all accounts all other locksets including the console lock were original and matched to the original set of keys that came with the car (Ign/Door and Compartment keys).

A 3rd key also came with the car that operated the replacement ignition switch.

About 30 years before the resto began, knowing that I'd eventually want a correct Ignition Switch, I picked up a '64 Ignition Switch from White's Pontiac Salvage in Rolla, MO out of a '64 Tempest in his yard.

During the final stages of resto, I brought my correct ignition switch to Dedge's Lock in Jacksonville. Before doing so, I decoded the pins needed from my original key (the pin decoding info is in the Shop Manual).

So I gave them the pin combination and I also gave them the Ignition key Code from the PHS manifest record.

For about $25 they rekeyed my Switch. To my dismay, they rekeyed it to the Code but told me the Code did NOT match the pin decode I supplied!

I didn't know what to think, how could that have gone wrong?

I then checked the Code stamped on the original lockset in the door (in '64, the door lock and Ignition Switch used the same key).

Lo and behold, it was stamped with the Code that was on the PHS record.

Now one could assume that BOTH original door lock cylinders had previously been rekeyed for some inexplicable reason. But when I bought the car it was pretty rough, by no means a previously restored car.

The explanation that made the most sense to me, when Briggs & Stratton originally produced the locksets, that were eventually installed in my GTO at Final Assembly, they must have miscoded the set and shipped it to PMD.

All the Fremont Plant knew when they installed the lockset was the Code that identified it. That Code was printed on the Manifest and nobody had any clue that it was misidentified until more than 50 years later when I attempted to have a replacement cylinder rekeyed to the Code.

At that point, I had two choices, rekey the door locksets and the Ign Switch to the Code on the PHS and stamped on the door locksets.

Or, leave the door locksets alone and rekey the Ign Switch to match how I believe B & S had originally keyed my locksets. This is what I chose to do.

Dedge's rekeyed the switch once again at no additional charge, they were great to work with. Dedge's was also able to identify the Code that my locksets should have been identified by according to the decode of the original key.

So I have kept a record for the Code that the locksets are actually keyed to along with the Code that is stamped on the door locksets which matches the PHS.

So believe what you will but my belief is that by an apparent error my original locksets were keyed by B & S to one code but stamped with another.

wooftfd, I think it is very unlikely that your original locksets will be incorrectly keyed like mine were.

But one thing you can do before having keys cut to your Code is to check the door lock cylinders to confirm that they are stamped with the same Code that is on the PHS.

If the door panels are off, you should be able to see the Code stamping without having to remove the lockset, at least that was true of mine.

In my case, if I didn't have keys, I would have had some trouble determining what key I needed since the Code on the PHS didn't match the lockset keying. But pretty sure I could have brought Dedge my door lock cylinder and they would have been able to determine the pin combination with picks and used that to cut a correct key.

OPH mentioned wire wheeling the cut keys. Dedge's explained to me that new keys might "hang up" a bit until they "wear in". I'm guessing wire wheeling helps the keys to operate smoothly right out of the box. But with use, they will also wear in to the pins. After very high use, keys might not operate as well as when new.

BVZ, on the side topic, I was surprised to learn '69 GTO invoice records don't always include key codes. My '69 records are probably about 95% Firebirds and I don't recall ever noticing missing key codes on any Firebird record. I do have a few '69 GTO records and don't recall seeing missing key codes on them either, so that is interesting to learn about.