Hey guys. I have a 68 chevelle i recently bought. When checking the car out before it was bought the previous owner unlocked the drivers door with the key. But now when i go to stick the key in on either door it wont turn. I tried the trunk key and the ignition key. The iginition key fits in, but i cant turn it at all. I can push the knob down from the inside of the car, but 1 door will always be unlocked and it defeats the purpose lol. Any ideas on where to start?

IS it pretty worn (the key)? I had problems sometimes with my original and had to kid on pull it eversoslighty out and then turn...Got a new one cut and seemed to work fine.

FWIW---try the key (both keys) upside down in the lock and jiggle it a little. worked for me.

Do what I do.Drive,tow,push it if you have to,to a locksmith and have it re-keyed.It sounds very much like what happened to my son.He bought a 70 Elcamino.The previous owner gave him the ignition key and the door key.Trouble was it was not the right door key,just a key that worked if you knew how to wiggle it just right.The poor kid comes home with his new ride and in less than twenty four hours its stolen.When he got it back a week later the 4-speed and the 400 small block were gone.The car was not broken into.The police found the engine and trans at the previous owners shop.Needless to say putting it back together,looking for all the small parts that got tossed was a real pain in the ass.I never buy a car anymore that I don't get it re-keyed unless its a brand new car.Just my.02

As a Last resort you can pull the door pannels and just replace the lock it's self. cost less than 20 bucks for new locks and once you have the pannels off only about a 5 min Job. Just pull the retainer clip and slip the new ones in.. Though it may be an easer job to pay a locksmith.

Well i had a fresh set of both keys made the other day, my dad tried them and he said they werent working either, but i wanna give it a shot my self lol. Im not to familiar with pulling out locks and stuff, this is my first classic and i dont have a manual or any sort of guide to go by just yet.

Langss, if i drive the car to the lock smith, he can make me a set of door keys right there? or will he have to pull it apart as well?

1. This is a '68, right? The door key and the ignition key should be the same. Glovebox and trunk key should be the same.

2. WHERE did you have the new key made? If the "new" key was cut from the original at a hardware store, it's no wonder that it doesn't work. But if the new key was made "fresh" at a locksmith, and still doesn't work--maybe the lock cylinders in the doors or the ignition switch have been replaced in the last 41 years; and now the same key doesn't operate the doors and ignition like it should.

1. This is a '68, right? The door key and the ignition key should be the same. Glovebox and trunk key should be the same.

2. WHERE did you have the new key made? If the "new" key was cut from the original at a hardware store, it's no wonder that it doesn't work. But if the new key was made "fresh" at a locksmith, and still doesn't work--maybe the lock cylinders in the doors or the ignition switch have been replaced in the last 41 years; and now the same key doesn't operate the doors and ignition like it should.


Yes its a 68, and yes the "new" ones are from a CVS :angry: Whats the diffrence between the hardware store and the lock smith if he's copying the same key? Im thinking you may be right about the ignition if it has been replaced and the doors arent the same. If thats the case, i can have a locksmith make me door keys right? I just have to pull out the lock, another member PM'ed me and said there is a code on it that the locksmith can cut a new one from or something along those lines.

save some time and replace the locks cheaper in the long run plus you get to spend some time with your new baby. just went down the whole ignition tumbler road. locksmith does lock's kinda like the same reason you don't take a porsch to a guy that works at a pizza place and does oil changes on the side. hit or miss. good luck and welcome to the site. hint also check the search feature lots of threads there just search door panel removal, etc. lots of info there. should cover anything for the job.
good luck james

Thanks for the input James. Im going to dig in and see how it looks, any tips on what to look for that may hint towards needing replacment? If i get new locks, will i still need to get keys made or what? So many options, I love it haha.

Yes its a 68, and yes the "new" ones are from a CVS :angry:
Yeah, I kinda figured that.

Whats the diffrence between the hardware store and the lock smith if he's copying the same key?
Nothing. But you don't WANT the locksmith to COPY your key. You suspect your key is worn, so a cheap "copy" is AT LEAST as bad as the one you have, maybe worse. It's "new" but it's still worn-out.

The locksmith can make a new key that has the proper-sized "points" on it--it's what your key would have looked like BEFORE it wore out. That way the new key really is new and un-worn.

This is what I'd do FIRST. Take the keys to a competent locksmith and have him tell you how badly worn they are. If they're toast--get new keys and see what happens. If the keys you have aren't so bad--then start pulling lock cylinders and get them re-built/re-keyed as needed.

Im thinking you may be right about the ignition if it has been replaced and the doors arent the same. If thats the case, i can have a locksmith make me door keys right? I just have to pull out the lock, another member PM'ed me and said there is a code on it that the locksmith can cut a new one from or something along those lines.
Yep. Pull the door panel; the lock cylinder is probably held in place with the linkage rod and clip; and a simple spring clip along the sheetmetal.

The ignition lock cylinder is super-easy to remove. There's a small hole in the lock cylinder face; insert a paper clip wire into it and turn to accessory position--it should pull out. (or something simple like that--I haven't done that since I had the lock cylinder on the Toro rebuilt last summer. Maybe you turn to accessory then insert the wire...I can't remember.)

The "guts" of the lock cylinders wear; especially the driver's door and the ignition cylinder. Getting them rebuilt can make a world of difference!

The "usual" story is that the locksmith will want the passenger door cylinder; it'll be the least worn unit and therefore the best one for him to work with. And that's fine on cars where you know the history. On older stuff--that you don't have any history with--it's somewhat risky because you don't know that the other cylinders haven't been replaced. This happened to me with a '93 Lumina I bought as a parts car--and decided to keep. I pulled the passenger door cylinder, had keys made. The driver's door still wouldn't open because that cylinder had already been replaced. So then I had to pull the driver's cylinder and have it re-keyed to match the other! End result: I still have to use the electric trunk opener; 'cause that cylinder is still original and doesn't match the door keys now.

I didn't see it mentioned above but, some graphite lube helps sticky pins and tumblers working correctly again. In most cases, a gummed up tumbler causes alot of key wear over time.

Alright the door panel is off, heres a pic of what is probably the lock cylinder. Do i just take of the bolt and thats it or?

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v252/Cr85rRida/doorlockchevelle.jpg

Langss, if i drive the car to the lock smith, he can make me a set of door keys right there? or will he have to pull it apart as well?I cannot speak for what a locksmith in your area will or wont be able to do.The place I use has been in business forever and they were very careful taking everything apart and putting it back together.They re-keyed the locks I already had in the car.Yes I could have bought new locks from the dealer,but my time and frustration with taking things out was worth what it cost to have it done.Not to mention that since they do this for a living they had on hand the little clips and things that if I broke anything its off to somewhere for a replacement.Just my.02

Its tough to read the 4 digit code. the last two numbers are clear as day, but the first two are weird. My dad says we should just get new locks and be dont with it. Do new lock cylinders come with keys or is it a code and i have to get them cut?

Its tough to read the 4 digit code. the last two numbers are clear as day, but the first two are weird. My dad says we should just get new locks and be dont with it. Do new lock cylinders come with keys or is it a code and i have to get them cut?

a lock set comes complete with keys.

Its tough to read the 4 digit code. the last two numbers are clear as day, but the first two are weird. My dad says we should just get new locks and be dont with it. Do new lock cylinders come with keys or is it a code and i have to get them cut?

Here ya go

http://www.ss396.com/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=chevellecamino&Product_Code=LCK-68A

Here ya go

http://www.ss396.com/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=chevellecamino&Product_Code=LCK-68A


Thanks, I think this is the best bet. I tried removing the ignition lock, but the housing its in is kind of rigid and it wont let the ignition slide out (this is with the key turned counter clock wise and with the paper clip inserted in the little hole). Ill get a picture up in a bit.

Alright so we went ahead and ordered the kit in the link. Ill let you guy know when it gets here so you all can help me with the installation haha. In the mean time here is what i was talking about with the ignition being "rigid". I should probably get a new one of these. Its the bezel right?

Also am i going to have to pull off the dash to insert the new ignition or no?


http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v252/Cr85rRida/chevelleignition.jpg

If you turn the key to ACC and use a paper clip in the hole to push the pin, hold the pin down and turn a bit more towards ACC and then pull the lock out. With the lock out you can unscrew the bezel and remove the switch if you like.

Paul

This is what holds the switch in. If I recall you can't unscrew the bezel to remove the switch unless you remove the lock cylinder first. Hope this helps.

http://www.ss396.com/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=chevellecamino&Product_Code=IDK-44&Category_Code=DASHTRIM

Here ya go

http://www.ss396.com/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=chevellecamino&Product_Code=LCK-68A
That is a really good deal.That's about what it cost to have my locks changed.

Cant get the ignition out:sad: stupid thing isint sliding out, im trying to bend the metal out of the way but its being a PITA:mad:

The country boy would simply remove the lock cylinders, take them apart and remove the springs and pins.

Then any key that fits will open it. I did that on my toy/race car.

Use at your own risk.

It is also easy to simply buy new lock cylinders. My Chevelle came with no locks, and I just ordered new ones. Works fine. Easy to install.

Cant get the ignition out:sad: stupid thing isint sliding out, im trying to bend the metal out of the way but its being a PITA:mad:

Did you read my posts above? I am sure that the lock cylinder needs to be removed from the switch to get the bezel off.

Paul

thats what i cant get off, i turn it to the left with the key, insert the paper clip, it moves further to the left and out like it wants to come out but it wont.