locks and keys, rekeying

[Mike Arman <armanmik@n-jcenter.com>]

>Hello list.....
>


snip


 I kept the old driver's door with the
>intention of swapping entire lock units from old door to new. However, on
>the old door lock, the chrome cover peice, spring hatch, and end of pot
>metal lock body was destroyed, consequently, I can not do a simple swap of
>entire unit. The individual metal peice/spring sets inside the old lock are
>all in good condition, and sets are located as follows:
>
>ASCII key lock unit image:
>
>  |   |   |   |   |       |
>|===============================|
>| $   $   $   $   $   $   $   $ |  <--{insert key here} 
>|===============================|
>                      |       |
>
>"|$" represents location of metal peice/spring sets (8 sets total)
>
>The question is, before I go to the trouble of pulling the lock in the new
>door, I need to know if the locations of all the "|$"'s are the same between
>locks. If so, I can replace the individual peices and use one key for the
>car. If not, I'll need two keys for the car (or do what I'm doing now:
>unlocking passenger door and unlocking driver's door from inside).
>
>TIA,
>Dylan Jenkins
>


Whis type of lock is known as a "wafer" lock, and is fairly simple to rey-key.

Answer - yes, you can do this, and it is no big deal. What happens here is
that when you put the key in the slot, the flat metal wafers (part with the
spring) are moved up a distance corresponding to the height of that part of
the key directly under them. When everything is correct, the wafers will
NOT protrude above the surface of the lock cylinder, so you can then turn
the lock cylinder in the housing. That's why the wrong key won't work -
some of the wafers stick up (or down) and prevent the cylinder from turning.

Take it apart on a clean surface, and replace the wafers in the same
position in the new lock cylinder as they were in the old one. Test by
inserting the key and verifying that no wafers protrude above the surface
of the cylinder. Swap them around a little if you have to.

Takes ten minutes - I learned to do this when I had a 914 which I built
from two wrecks - it had no less than six locks (front trunk, two doors,
glove box, rear trunk, ignition) all of which were different - local
locksmith offered to make everything match for $100 - on the REMOVED
locks!!!! Did it myself in half an hour, first time. One key.

Best Regards,

Mike Arman