Which is why I said what I said in post 2 . Unless it's full of solid concrete, it is squeezable
Lost trunk key to -71 300, advise wanted
- Thread starter Hansson72
- Start date
Which is why I said what I said in post 2 . Unless it's full of solid concrete, it is squeezable
Well, here you are! I was lost in the other post... 
There is one more thing to try - if there is a remote control trunk opener in the glove box (unfunctional, of course, otherwise you would have used it already). Usually these won't work because the vacuum line is broken somewhere under the dash or in it's way there.
But but but! If the line is intact from the glove box to the trunk, you can still open the trunk. You just need to find that line and suck it. BOOM! And the trunk opens...
Since this option was in many 300's, I thought I could make a fool of myself and make this suggestion
There is one more thing to try - if there is a remote control trunk opener in the glove box (unfunctional, of course, otherwise you would have used it already). Usually these won't work because the vacuum line is broken somewhere under the dash or in it's way there.
But but but! If the line is intact from the glove box to the trunk, you can still open the trunk. You just need to find that line and suck it. BOOM! And the trunk opens...
Since this option was in many 300's, I thought I could make a fool of myself and make this suggestion
yes not a joke !!
remove the back seat is 5 minutes work and you can access to the trunk.
That' all I'm sayin
traintech55
Senior Member
Look at all the knowledge on this site. 25 post's on how to open a trunk. Gotta love us.
Hansson72
Member
Thanks guys.... i will kill the homless, cut my cushions and suck the vaccum hose for all Im worth..
During the weekend I (or my daughter) will remove the back seat and try to reach the lock...
During the weekend I (or my daughter) will remove the back seat and try to reach the lock...
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Another possibility would be to find a Mopar dealer that has been in business for a long time. There was a"Master" key set available. Some good locksmiths might also have a master key set.
Dave
Back in the days before computers, there used to be very large key rings with numbered keys on them. The dealerships would keep that big key ring in a safe someplace. When Granny Smith called because she could not find her keys, they would look up the key code on the car invoice and cut a new key from the master set.
Dave
traintech55
Senior Member
When I was with G.M. all you had to do was look up the code, in the master book for each year and it told you what notches to cut in the key. Also ALL, door, and trunk lock cylinders came bare, you had to code them to the key.
traintech55
Senior Member
Our friend could also take his glove box, or counsel lock cylinder to a locksmith and have a new key cut.
This is probably the best solution offered to date. The locksmith can cut the key to match the pins in the glove box lock. A lot less leg work than trying to find a master book or master key set for a vehicle that old. It is also possible that that the pins in the trunk lock may be broken, which is why your copied key did not work in the first place. In that case, plan to open the trunk from the inside.
Dave
Wile E Coyote
Super Genius
Call me. I got this...
Whether a dealer had those "master sets" would be variable. They could change from year to year?
In many cases, the glove box cylinder didn't have ALL of the tumblers in them, just a few, so there would be "something" in there, by observation. The door cylinders would, though.
In earlier times, GM stamped the code number on the door cylinders. GM did only supply bare cylinders, to be coded, BUT coded door cylinders were supplied (with keys) by the aftermarket vendors, as they still do.
In the mean time, I'd find a long broomstick, use some screw clamps to firmly attach a flat blade screwdriver to one end. Wiggle that through the cushions and insert it into the slot on the "inside side" of the latch. No need to remove the attaching bolts and have the flat-stock rod from the key cylinder to the latch fall out "somewhere". The slot is usually vertical.
IF the "doesn't work" key was "machine cut" with a code cutter, it's highly possible that the key blank was not fully/correctly inserted into it before the cuts were done. It might be just a hair too far back or forwards, from where the cuts should be, that can make a correct code cut not work. I have two like that! But when the best one was duplicated in a NC cutter, THAT key works fine. Just 3 "hairs" off, I suspect. Those two keys cost me about $200 one night, from a mobil key service. That'll buy lots of broomsticks and clamps, plus a few wood handle screwdrivers!
In my case, I bought the car used, with one key and one remote. I happened to leave them in a motel about 400 miles from home so no spares available to me.
OR, considering the season, give the resident homeless person a steak dinner if you hand him/her the flat blade screwdriver to put in the latch's slot and turn it to open the latch.
CBODY67
CBODY67
In many cases, the glove box cylinder didn't have ALL of the tumblers in them, just a few, so there would be "something" in there, by observation. The door cylinders would, though.
In earlier times, GM stamped the code number on the door cylinders. GM did only supply bare cylinders, to be coded, BUT coded door cylinders were supplied (with keys) by the aftermarket vendors, as they still do.
In the mean time, I'd find a long broomstick, use some screw clamps to firmly attach a flat blade screwdriver to one end. Wiggle that through the cushions and insert it into the slot on the "inside side" of the latch. No need to remove the attaching bolts and have the flat-stock rod from the key cylinder to the latch fall out "somewhere". The slot is usually vertical.
IF the "doesn't work" key was "machine cut" with a code cutter, it's highly possible that the key blank was not fully/correctly inserted into it before the cuts were done. It might be just a hair too far back or forwards, from where the cuts should be, that can make a correct code cut not work. I have two like that! But when the best one was duplicated in a NC cutter, THAT key works fine. Just 3 "hairs" off, I suspect. Those two keys cost me about $200 one night, from a mobil key service. That'll buy lots of broomsticks and clamps, plus a few wood handle screwdrivers!
In my case, I bought the car used, with one key and one remote. I happened to leave them in a motel about 400 miles from home so no spares available to me.
OR, considering the season, give the resident homeless person a steak dinner if you hand him/her the flat blade screwdriver to put in the latch's slot and turn it to open the latch.
CBODY67
CBODY67
For information purposes, the master set was good for more than one year as not all of the keys on the set would be used in any given production year. I was told years ago that Mopars shared these key sets between the various divisions, so your Dodge key this year might fit a Chrysler or Plymouth next year.
Dave
The GM codes were not specific to particular carline divisions, that I know of. I would not expect Chrysler to have been different in that respect. The GM code books were thick and in small print and covered an in-specified, though general, model year range.
If a larger dealer had one of the Chrysler sets, it probably was more because salespersons could be "bad" about losing keys to stock units. In that situation, it made financial sense to have the master set than to call a locksmith each time a set was lost, or disassemble a new car to get the code off of a cylinder (if Chrysler did that).
I saw too much of that as we got larger in inventory. Salespeople showed a car, put the keys in their pocket to "protect" that potential sale. Keys never found again! We'd cut about 150 keys/month for that reason, which the new car dept paid for.
CBODY67
Lost keys were certainly one reason, the other was that people would drop cars off for service and then stick the keys in their pockets. Also cars often came in on the "hook" with no keys to be found.
Dave
Just picked yours to reply to, as it was on target for this. IIRC, and I'm not stopping to look it up right now... 68-90 used the same blanks and cuts... 170ish combinations??? the "try out keys" are cut on a universal blank which fits both the primary and secondary key grooves, but is a little weak due to so much supporting material missing. Mine are well used and many are cracked, but still useful if you're careful with them.
As to one key working in another car... stupid common... in a parking lot with similar era cars, there is a really good chance your key will work in at least one other vehicle. Plus, mechanical lock sets are made to operate throughout a cycle of a LOT of wear... even a wrong cut that is close may work, even if not perfectly. The keys and pins are brass and both can wear dramatically with use.
The wear of the existing key often relates to why a duplicate key may not work. A well tuned key duplicating machine would be set to either be "dead on" for cutting extras of new keys or even given a slight increase to help compensate wear for cutting worn keys. The minimum wage help would have no clue about any of that.
Pro's will likely have very expensive machines and be able to read and cut to code. I haven't fooled with impressioning, it seems too much like work to me, but should be easy enough for any competent locksmith on old pin and tumbler locks like these cars have.
Newer cars with transponder keys still have mechanical limits and rely on the electronic code variables to prevent cars starting with the wrong key.
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