Need source for 63-66 door lock face caps (bezels)

[Gary B.]

Does anyone know of a supplier of the stainless steel face caps (outer bezels) for 63-66 door locks? I know the replacement caps have the 4 tabs instead of the full 360 degree crimp, but that's the only game in town. I've recently seen NORS replacement caps on e-bay for $6 or $7 each, but that's a crazy price for an item that should cost at most $2.

Thanks,

Gary

[Scott S.]

Re: Need source for 63-66 door lock face caps (bezels)

Does anyone know of a supplier of the stainless steel face caps (outer bezels) for 63-66 door locks? I know the replacement caps have the 4 tabs instead of the full 360 degree crimp, but that's the only game in town. I've recently seen NORS replacement caps on e-bay for $6 or $7 each, but that's a crazy price for an item that should cost at most $2.

Thanks,

Gary

Gary,

If these are stainless steel, wouldn't this part be a good candidate for a good used original? Shouldn't be too hard to find, Joe Ray might have hundreds of them

[Gary B.]

63-66 door lock face caps (bezels)

Scott,

No, originals are not candidates for reuse because of the need to un-crimp the backside to remove them. There isn't a neat process to do the un-crimping. Also, there is no easy or neat way to re-crimp an original. At least I've never been able to do it and I've never seen one re-crimped in a way that looked original or at least professionally neat.

In any case, I believe I found the Stratec part # for the replacement caps. I just need to measure an original and confirm I've identified the correct cap.

Gary

[Michael M.]

Re: Need source for 63-66 door lock face caps (bezels)

Gary, that is your best source for the door lock cap. The used original cap can be taken off and reused. Just be careful taking the used cap off so you do not slip and hit your finger. Then place the used cap on the door lock cylinder and tap with a small hammer around the outside of the cap. You can get a nice tight fit with the cap that is stainless steel.

[Edward J.]

Re: Need source for 63-66 door lock face caps (bezels)

Gary, I wonder if any of the local lock smiths would still carry them?

[Gary B.]

Re: Need source for 63-66 door lock face caps (bezels)

Gary, I wonder if any of the local lock smiths would still carry them?

Ed,

That's one of my local errands for tomorrow. These days many locksmiths no longer deal in the old stuff. Hopefully, the same case cap persisted into the 1980's.

Gary

[Scott S.]

Re: Need source for 63-66 door lock face caps (bezels)

My mistake, Gary. I thought you were talking about a door lock knob bezel on the inside door panel (e.g., "Plate - Bearing", 1Doors-K15, Item 2), similar to the bezels for the the window cranks, instead of the outer door lock bezel (1Doors-K9, Item 5, 3725526 Escutcheon).

[Gary B.]

Re: Need source for 63-66 door lock face caps (bezels)

Gary, that is your best source for the door lock cap. The used original cap can be taken off and reused. Just be careful taking the used cap off so you do not slip and hit your finger. Then place the used cap on the door lock cylinder and tap with a small hammer around the outside of the cap. You can get a nice tight fit with the cap that is stainless steel.

Michael,

I know exactly what you're describing and I've tried this once on a practice door lock, and it worked OK, but the result was still far from perfection. For my own car I'd probably do it again, and spend whatever amount of time it took to make it as nice as possible. But I'm occasionally asked to work on door locks for other owners and in my hands it's not something that I can make a profit on given the time involved to get not so close to perfect coupled with the fact that most people are not willing to pay much for a less than NCRS perfect result. For me anyway, the easier to apply replacement face caps are all that I'm willing to invest in.

Gary

[Gary B.]

Exterior door lock face caps (case caps; bezels)

Thanks all. I found the current Stratec part number for the face caps and was able to procure some thru my neighborhood locksmith. As an aside, it's not so easy to buy the face caps via the internet since most locksmith websites will only sell to licensed locksmiths. In this day and age, one can't be too careful when deciding who should be allowed to buy face caps and who shouldn't...

Gary

[Bill C.]

Re: Need source for 63-66 door lock face caps (bezels)

Gary,
Its always been my experience that any of the replacement face caps from any source including Briggs/Stratton always had the 4 tabs to crimp over, if one carefully cuts a slit down the center of the tab, it will not distort the outer diameter of the face as much and the little overlap can be carefully trimmed away with a dremel bit.

The biggest problem I have always had is all the replacement faces have a center hole diameter that is just a bit smaller than originals, I do not remember by how much but if one is familiar with them its easily detectable.

I have tried to open the diameter and never been successful in obtaining a finish that looks acceptable. Please let me know what the case is with the ones you get?

Bill Caldwell

[Gary B.]

Re: Need source for 63-66 door lock face caps (bezels)

...The biggest problem I have always had is all the replacement faces have a center hole diameter that is just a bit smaller than originals, I do not remember by how much but if one is familiar with them its easily detectable.

...

Bill Caldwell

Bill,

The replacement face caps I purchased today have an ID of 0.471". One website I found listed a spec of 15/32" = 0.469". The only vintage door lock I have with an original 360 degree crimped face cap measures 0.470", but I don't know what year it's for. None of those ID differences would be detectable. Do you have an original C2 face cap that you can measure and tell us what ID you get?

Gary

[Bill C.]

Re: Need source for 63-66 door lock face caps (bezels)

Bill,

The replacement face caps I purchased today have an ID of 0.471". One website I found listed a spec of 15/32" = 0.469". The only vintage door lock I have with an original 360 degree crimped face cap measures 0.470", but I don't know what year it's for. None of those ID differences would be detectable. Do you have an original C2 face cap that you can measure and tell us what ID you get?

Gary

Gary,
Sure, after I started measuring I remembered what I learned in my prior research, so here I go learning it again.

Based on a small survey I did in the past I was able to determine that all the 63-66 door lock faces used an ID opening of about .518"/.520" on factory installed locks.

In 1967 and from then on it was reduced to the .469"/.470" dim. on factory installed locks, as you will find on the replacements for all years.



That corresponds to the first year they changed the key cuts and keyways and all the coding, so it appears the face was redesigned also. If memory is correct, all lock key ways and coding from 1966 and prior was the same.

I was never able to find even one example of a replacement face with the larger .520" dim. I would have thought there would have been some for the 63-6 time period but if there was, probably all gone. I searched for months with lots of internet searching and telephone.

I think the calls I made to the popularly advertised locksmiths only had the smaller version also, and did not seem to be aware of the difference.


The difference between the .470" opening and the 520" opening is easily picked up, especially with the key way door opening so close and used as a reference.



In addition, I also found that all the spring loaded key way doors on factory installed units from 1966 and prior used the door with the small, visible dimple in it, starting with 1967 and then on, that door is flat, without a dimple. I have been able to find some original doors, but very scarce. But one can scavenge one from a door lock from that period easy enough.

Bill

[Gary B.]

Re: Need source for 63-66 door lock face caps (bezels)

Bill,

Well, now you've got my curiosity up. I'll check the ID dimension on the original locks on my '66 tomorrow. You're recollection of a change post '66 matches with a change in the Briggs & Stratton part number between '66 and '67. I'll post a follow-up tomorrow.

Thanks,

Gary

[Gary B.]

Re: Need source for 63-66 door lock face caps (bezels)

Bill,

I measured the ID of the face cap on the original door lock for my '66 and it measures right at 0.469". Now my '66 has a July build date, so maybe the change from the 0.520" ID to the 0.469" ID happened sometime earlier in the '66 model year?

We need some '63-66" owners to take some calipers to their original door lock face caps to know more of the story.

Gary

[Ronald M.]

Re: Need source for 63-66 door lock face caps (bezels)

Gary,
My '66 (Nov 8, 1965 build date) has the original door locks with a 0.520" diameter opening and the dimple in the key way door.