67SS427
Ultra Senior Member
Posts: 12697
Loc: Lawrenceville, GA, USA
Reg: 05-26-01
|
05-23-09 07:11 PM - Post#1703445
In response to beejay
Beejay's idea about getting a key made from a door lock is very good...IF the ignition lock cylinder were original and still matches the rest of the locks. But, since you said your lock cylinder face has 2 holes in it, it must be a replacement, because the original cylinder has only one hole for the paper clip. You probably have the kind of replacement lock cylinder with the "wings" that overlap the chrome ignition bezel, right? So, if yours is this type of replacement cylinder, using a door lock to make a key probably won't do you any good.
Ray's idea is good. You have to pry off the chrome face part of the lock cylinder anyway to drill it, if you decide to. So, take some channel-lock pliers or vice-grips and grab the face of the cylinder and trying pulling it off. That leaves you with a flat face on the cylinder. Then you can remove the chrome ignition bezel. Then you can should be able to remove the retainer nut, and remove the ignition switch from the dash. It will be alot easier to work on when it's out of the dash.
Then you could take the switch to the locksmith and let him take the cylinder out. But, as I mentioned in my earlier post, if you drive the car, don't take the switch out...just drive to the locksmith and have him do the job with it still in the car and avoid some work(but pay some money  ).
But, maybe your car isn't driveable right now. So, if you want to try drilling it yourself, it can be done without damaging the switch, if you're careful. So, if you want to drill it, go ahead and take the switch out as described above, so you can work on it on a bench.
The lock cylinder has a bar on the left side of the key slot. This bar is the locking bar which prevents the cylinder from being turned all the way left to the LOCK position, unless you have the key. You goal is to drill out and remove this bar. So, just to the left side of the key slot, I suggest starting with a 3/32" drill bit and drill a hole 3/4" deep. Don't go deeper or you can damage the switch. Then switch to a 1/8" drill bit and drill the hole again to open it up some more. Then switch to a 3/16" bit, so that now the hole is 3/16" in diameter. Again, don't drill deeper than 3/4". To make sure you don't drill deeper than 3/4", measure from the bottom of the drill bits up to 3/4" and wrap some tape at the 3/4" spot. So when you drill down to the tape edge that will be 3/4" deep.
Once you have your 3/16" hole, pour out the drilling debris and look for the bar I was talking about. There are some tiny springs that you will have drilled through too. The bar should have been drilled loose. Use a pick to pick out the bar. You might have to do some more work in the hole to get the bar or pieces of it loose and out. You may not even have to remove the bar, if after drilling, you can rotate the cylinder because the bar can be pushed inward toward the key slot. I normally try to remove the pieces. Either way, you can rotate the cylinder further to the left with some pliers. Now, you have achieved the LOCK position. Now, put in the paper clip in the small hole(upper hole if you have 2), push on the clip, and turn the cylinder further left again and it will pull out.
Here's a picture of what you're doing. The lock cylinder on the right shows the bar I'm talking about. This cylinder is probably like yours with the wings on the chrome face.
And on the left side, that's the switch assembly which shows where I'm talking about drilling.
Edited by 67SS427 on 05-23-09 07:23 PM. Reason for edit: No reason given.
|
Gain extra benefits by becoming a Supporting Member 
