Cost of replacement keys

[Kevin G.]

Re: Cost of replacement keys

Many years ago, while taking delivery of a brand new Camaro, the salesman punched the knockouts from both sets of keys, right in front of me. Then turned to me and said, "when you default on your loan, we will use these, to reproduce a set of keys and come take the car back!" I found a way to pay off the car in just a few short months, returned to the dealership, and got my knockouts back! I really wanted to knock out the salespunk!

[Steven B.]

Re: Cost of replacement keys

Joe
I can't speak for dealerships across the country, but in the mid-1970s the dealership I frequented in the suburbs near Chicago had both tools. My friend who worked in the paets department once lamented to me that the "new guys" working there would not build the locks using the wafwes necessary to code the locks. He was the last to do that. It required more work to select the right size wafer and a good deal of patience to get it in the right slot, Much more work than the "new guys" wanted to do.

He proceeded to show me a clipper that had interchangeable disks to cut different generations of keys. The "new guys" would use the grinder to make keys for customers who wanted duplicate keys even though with a VIN there was a phone number they could call to get the key codes iff the vehicle was ten years old or newer. Next thing I noticed at the parts counter was a sign that said you had to provide proof of ownership before they would make a key and the "moderm times" were with us. As my friend became ill with a terminal illness I noted the locker with all the key and lock parts was gone, Not long after that a computer driven key maker appeared to mate the double-sided keys.

As a somewhat aside note as an illustration of the esteem they held my friend on his passing they made a display cabinet with his Chevrolet jacket with a card with his name and date of birth and passing. Even though the dealership has changed owners twice since he passed the display case is still om the wall in the parts department. I doubt anyone working there now knew him, but I still get the discount that he used to give me, Sorry for tthe bit of nostalgia, but I still chocked up when I think of him.

To stray a bit here my parts guy who was also a neighbor did keys in that way Terry. He also gave a 14 year old kid who rode he's bike, painted Roman Red with Ermine White trim in the dealership prep department, a discount on Corvette parts even though his were all 1/25 scale. The first place the 16 year old stopped after getting his '57 Corvette was to see Charlie in parts and get floor mats. Yes Terry, those guys leave a real mark on us.

[Owen L.]

Re: Cost of replacement keys

Many years ago, while taking delivery of a brand new Camaro, the salesman punched the knockouts from both sets of keys, right in front of me. Then turned to me and said, "when you default on your loan, we will use these, to reproduce a set of keys and come take the car back!" I found a way to pay off the car in just a few short months, returned to the dealership, and got my knockouts back! I really wanted to knock out the salespunk!

You take his girlfriend or something?

[Jeffrey S.]

Re: Cost of replacement keys

That tool is called a Curtis Clipper and it is how I cut all the keys I do. I never have a locksmith grind keys since however worn the original is, that is how the new one will be.
Jeff

[Mark E.]

Re: Cost of replacement keys

I sent an email to the $450 vendor asking why they're so expensive. They replied 1970 keys are one year only.

Is this true? I thought they used J and K blanks like several other years.

[Joe L.]

Re: Cost of replacement keys

I sent an email to the $450 vendor asking why they're so expensive. They replied 1970 keys are one year only.

Is this true? I thought they used J and K blanks like several other years.

Mark------

The same blanks were used for other years including 1974, 1978 and 1982. However, the blanks available from GM before 1979 included (un-stamped) knock-outs. After 1979 the blanks had the rectangular knock-out holes but no knock-outs. Otherwise, the blanks were identical.

[Mark E.]

Re: Cost of replacement keys

Mark------

The same blanks were used for other years including 1974, 1978 and 1982. However, the blanks available from GM before 1979 included (un-stamped) knock-outs. After 1979 the blanks had the rectangular knock-out holes but no knock-outs. Otherwise, the blanks were identical.

Thanks Joe. I'll email the vendor with this information and see what they say.

I wonder why GM stopped putting the code on knockouts?

[Gary B.]

Re: Cost of replacement keys

Thanks Joe. I'll email the vendor with this information and see what they say.

I wonder why GM stopped putting the code on knockouts?

Mark,

I think Joe is talking about key blanks, i.e., uncut keys, that had the knockouts not present as of some point in time, which Joe says is circa 1979.

Gary

[Joe L.]

Re: Cost of replacement keys

Thanks Joe. I'll email the vendor with this information and see what they say.

I wonder why GM stopped putting the code on knockouts?

Mark------

GM never stamped any code on on the knock-out portion of key blanks. That would have been impossible anyway since the code referred to the key's final configuration which, of course, no key blank possesses.

Why they stopped including the knock-out section of the key on key blanks, I do not know. Perhaps, they figured that since, in SERVICE, the key code was virtually never stamped on these knock-outs, there was no reason to include the knock-out section on the keys. Or, there may have been some other, less obvious reason, perhaps relating to some sort of security concern.

[Jeffrey S.]

Re: Cost of replacement keys

As Joe said, key blanks never had the key numbers stamped in them unless they were with a lock either in the car or service replacements. GM had nothing to do with the manufacturing, stamping, etc of keys and locks. That was either Briggs & Stratton or Rochester Products. Replacement blanks came in boxes of either 50 or 100 and almost always had the knockouts in them. In my experience, I have only seen some "E" and "H" keys come out of B&S boxes without knockouts (I have no idea why). When Strattec bough out the lock division of B&S they never had knockouts. BTW- you can always tell Strattec keys from B&S and Rochester because the rail code letters are on a 45 degree angle where the B&S and Rochester are either parallel or perpendicular to the rail.
Jeff

[Joe L.]

Re: Cost of replacement keys

As Joe said, key blanks never had the key numbers stamped in them unless they were with a lock either in the car or service replacements. GM had nothing to do with the manufacturing, stamping, etc of keys and locks. That was either Briggs & Stratton or Rochester Products. Replacement blanks came in boxes of either 50 or 100 and almost always had the knockouts in them. In my experience, I have only seen some "E" and "H" keys come out of B&S boxes without knockouts (I have no idea why). When Strattec bough out the lock division of B&S they never had knockouts. BTW- you can always tell Strattec keys from B&S and Rochester because the rail code letters are on a 45 degree angle where the B&S and Rochester are either parallel or perpendicular to the rail.
Jeff

Jeff------

As far as I know, the original 1969+ SERVICE keys were of 7 digit GM part numbers beginning with "702". These had the un-stamped knock-outs. About 1979 the key part numbers began to change to 7 digit part numbers beginning with "115". These had no knock-outs, just the holes for them.

I opine that the reason for the change of part numbers is a result of the elimination of the knock-outs in the later series because I can see absolutely no other difference in keys of either series of part numbers. Of course, there could be some unseen difference or, possibly, just a change in manufacturers. However, a change of part numbers just because of a change in manufacturers would be VERY unusual.

[Jeffrey S.]

Re: Cost of replacement keys

Joe,
Thanks, as always, for your insight. I think Stratec didn't purchase B&S locks until the mid 90's so B&S was still making the locks and keys for GM well after 1979. I do know that all cut keys that came with locks until the end of the B&S era had knockouts and key numbers stamped on them tying them to a particular lock. Maybe, for blank, service replacement and aftermarket locksmith use, it was cheaper for B&S to make them without the knockouts and, since they are not with locks, it was approved by GM.

[Kevin G.]

Re: Cost of replacement keys

I sent an email to the $450 vendor asking why they're so expensive. They replied 1970 keys are one year only.

Is this true? I thought they used J and K blanks like several other years.

Corvette Taxed

[Daniel Y.]

Re: Cost of replacement keys

Steve Walker is very reasonably priced. Steve took over from Pete Lindale and has taken a price increase since he took over. Jessers is very very expensive

try Steve Walker in New Mexico 505-5732-6363

[Gary B.]

Re: Cost of replacement keys

Steve Walker is very reasonably priced. Steve took over from Pete Lindale and has taken a price increase since he took over. Jessers is very very expensive

try Steve Walker in New Mexico 505-5732-6363

Dan,

I discussed pricing with Pete several times over the years, and more recently with Steve. Pete often sold things at well below market rates. And in my opinion, Pete often sold at below break-even rates, unless he valued his labor rate at close to zero.

Gary