'69 key codes

[Jeffrey S.]

Hello all!
I'm not sure if I discovered something new or everyone already knows this and I have just been unaware of this all these years so I will share my experience with you. When I bought my '69 36 years ago the knockouts and key codes were not with the car. I am now trying to put together a set of keys with knockouts and have gotten the oval keys and am waiting for the square ones. Out of curiosity I went to a very reputable locksmith that has been here forever and tought maybe he had some blanks with knockouts left over or even cut and stamped original "in the drawer" that were discarded. He didn't but in conversation he said that he had software that could reverse search a key code if I had good keys that work. This morning I brought him my keys and he did the search and found the codes. In order to test the codes he had to cut 2 keys from the codes and then I had to see if they worked. Well, low and behold, they did! The total cost was $30. I now know the original codes which I can stamp into blank knockouts. I hope this information is helpfull.
Jeff

[Harmon C.]

Re: '69 key codes

Jeff
Did your locksmith read your key first with a tool and then use the cuts or numbers to do the software search? I have read a key but looking through 1000 codes in code order to find the cut numbers takes some time. If you had keys with little wear the job is eaiser than with worn keys. Your 69 keys are the newer type I think like the ones I worked with.
Lyle

[Jeffrey S.]

Re: '69 key codes

Lyle:
He took my keys and put them in some sort of reader in the back room. He then came back out to his computer with a string of numbers which he entered into it. It then spit out the codes. I recorded both the codes and the string of numbers (measurements).
Jeff

[Jack H.]

Re: '69 key codes

Info has long been known + there are prior threads. If you remove your door panel and pull the door lock, you should find the original key code embossed on the side of the lock assy. On C1/C2 + 1968 cars, it's easier to remove the lock cylinder from the ignition switch and recover the code (on C3 and later cars you have to partially disassemble the steering column to get the ignition cylinder out).

But, either way you go, you wind up with the factory original key code and you're not 'guessing'. The only 'opps' issue is if a locksmith has been into the car before and he's re-coded the lock cylinder leaving the factory original code sequence on it vs. re-stamping the lock cylinder to agree with the re-code...

Crack open your copy of the Chassis Service Manual and in the information section you should find a side view of a key with lines on it that translate to the 'cut' sequence to match your key. You should be able to reconstruct the cut sequence (4-3-2-1-5-1) of your key on the spot.

The problem is when a key has been used and is worn OR it's a copy of a copy, the cut sequence may be indeterminate. Is this a #3 or #2 cut?. The factory code sequence (9A24) that's stamped on the key corresponds to a tabular entry in the Briggs & Stratton (now StraTech) data base. MANY locksmiths have the code tables on microfiche....

You typically go from the code sequence to look up the corresponding cut sequence, but it's not rocket science to go backwards by finding the cut sequence and crossing the table in reverse to come up with code. Guys in my neck of the woods charge an extra $5 for the reverse table lookup labor.

Now, once you've got the cut sequence, you can re-code a lock (change out wafers or tumblers) to match AND the locksmith can enter the cut sequence into his code cutting machine to spit out a fresh key that's smack dab on the money vs. making a copy from an original. They ususally get a few bucks more to cut a key blank from code/cut sequence than they do for making a simple copy.