Spare tire compartment lock for 1970

[Duane D.]

Was the spare tire compartment lock an optional or standard item for a 1970 Corvette? Are points deducted if one is not installed on the car?

[Richard R.]

Re: Spare tire compartment lock for 1970

It was standard equiptment on 70's. The key for the glove box and the spare tire were the same. You will lose points if you don't have it to show the Judges. Hope this helps

[Joe L.]

Re: Spare tire compartment lock for 1970

Was the spare tire compartment lock an optional or standard item for a 1970 Corvette? Are points deducted if one is not installed on the car?

Duane-----


Not only was the lock standard equipment on 1970 Corvettes, it was standard on ALL 1963-82 Corvettes.

[Peter L.]

Re: Spare tire compartment lock for 1970

Duane - The spare tire lock should have a "K" keyway lock cylinder that should operate with the key that operates the compartment. The spare tire lock also had a rubber cover/boot on it. Pete

[Gary B.]

Spare tire lock usage; minor correction

I believe the spare tire lock was used thru the 1979 model year, but not for '80, '81, or '82. The story I've heard is that the mini-spare tire appeared in 1979 and soon after GM realized that no one really wanted to steal a mini-spare, so the lock was dropped after the '79 model year.

Gary

[Duane D.]

Re: Spare tire compartment lock for 1970

Wow! For a 2-week member of NCRS, I have received an amazing amount of info. on locks for my 1970. Here is my delima, I bought my 1970 in 1975 and it uses an "E" key for the doors and ignition; a "K" key for the glove compartment; and, the car does not have a spare tire compartment lock. Someone told me that my car needed a "J" ignition key to pass NCRS judging so I bought a "J" blank and cut the same profile as the "E" key. The new "J" key will open the doors, but will not go into the ignition switch. It sounds like I need to throw everything away and start over. Is there anything I can salvage?

[Richard R.]

Re: Spare tire compartment lock for 1970

Duane get in touch with Gary Beaupre. He answered you on this thread. Between Gary and your local locksmith you can get out of this jam. He helped me and I was very satisfied.

[Patrick H.]

Re: Spare tire compartment lock for 1970

Wow! For a 2-week member of NCRS, I have received an amazing amount of info. on locks for my 1970. Here is my delima, I bought my 1970 in 1975 and it uses an "E" key for the doors and ignition; a "K" key for the glove compartment; and, the car does not have a spare tire compartment lock. Someone told me that my car needed a "J" ignition key to pass NCRS judging so I bought a "J" blank and cut the same profile as the "E" key. The new "J" key will open the doors, but will not go into the ignition switch. It sounds like I need to throw everything away and start over. Is there anything I can salvage?

What key originally worked for your doors, your ignition and your rear compartment?

That knowledge will help us figure out what you have and what you need.

for 1970, J (square) should do your ignition and doors, and K (round) should do your glovebox and spare tire.

Your ignition or your door locks or both may have been swapped before 1975, thus causing your mismatch.

Patrick

[Jack H.]

Re: Spare tire compartment lock for 1970

To add on to what Pat said, the keyway coding became a functional feature of key/lock coding permutations when it was introduced in 1967. During a Performance Verification, the functionality of keyway coding is tested.

A lock designed for, say, 'J' coded keys should 'accept' a J key (key will insert fully into the lock) and 'reject' any/all other keys (non-J key will not insert more than approximately 2/3rds of the way into the lock).

Locks can be 'universal' (will accept any/all keys) and that's a failure during Performance Verification. So, there's more here than just getting the right set of key codes to match your car; the locks have to agree and be functional.

Last, the keyway code is stamped on the side of the key. Factory originals were embossed either in the direction of the key shank or at right angle to it.

This might be an identification means, but Briggs & Stratton sold out to StraTek. Today's service replacement keys have the keyway code emboss at a 45-degree angle to the key shank. That's another aspect of originality that judges look for...

[Terry M.]

Re: Spare tire compartment lock for 1970

Duane,
Get in contact with Pete Lindahl -- another of the responders above -- he can fix you upwith what you need. He is the "key" man.