Date:         Thu, 7 Jul 1994 16:07:49 -0700 (PDT)
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         John Grunkemeier <grunke@u.washington.edu>
Subject:      Getting a Key Cut From the Lock Code '65 Type II

In response to Richard Kurtz's question about re-keying locks:

  I just got done re-keying my passenger door lock to match all of the other 
locks in my 1969 vw camper.  I went down to a junk yard and bought a used 
door handle with 
lock; and after I got it home I realized that my key did not fit in the 
lock even with all of the tumblers out.  So make sure that the key you 
are using currently fits all the way into the lock you are going to try 
to rekey before taking everything apart.  If your key does not fit the 
lock initially then you will not be able to rekey it to match that key.  
I ended up having to buy another handle and lock that my key fit into.

I don't know if it is possible to rekey the ignition; but it is fairly 
easy to rekey the door locks (at least the front two I'm not sure about 
the others).  In my door locks there are 8 tumblers.  Each tumbler can be 
one of three types.  This gives 3 to the eighth power combinations.  I 
rekeyed the lock I bought at the junkyard as follows.  First remove the 
lock barrel from the handle.  Some of them simply slide out and some have 
a very small set screw covered with paint that you have to scrape off.  
Once you get the lock barrel out, remove all of the tumblers by pulling 
them with small pliers or your fingers.  Lay the tumblers out and you can 
see that there are three different kinds.  Choose one and put it back in 
the first slot of the lock barrel.  Insert your key into the lock.  If 
you have chosen the correct size then when they key is in the lock the 
tumbler should not extend out from the lock barrel.  If you have 
chosen the correct tumbler move onto the second one, if not then try 
another size until you get it right.  In this trial and error fashion 
match as many tumblers as you can.  I was only able to match seven of the 
eight tumblers using the tumblers from the used lock and I used one of my 
old tumblers from the lock that was broken for the eighth.  If you omit 
one of the tumblers that is probably o.k. since the number of 
possible combinations is still 3 to the seventh power.

The above description works for the front door locks; but I'm not sure if 
it applies to the ignition or the other door locks.  If you can rekey the 
ignition as I described then it would probably be easier to rekey it to 
match the door locks than rekeying all of the doors to match the ignition.

About getting a key made from the number on the lock.  Go to your local 
VW dealer they will do this for you for a small fee.

Good luck

John  '69 camper


-- 
John Grunkemeier			(grunke@carson.washington.edu)
University of Washington		(206) 522-3557 (home)
Center for Bioengineering		(206) 543-5789 (work)
Benson Hall 331
BF-10
Seattle, WA 98195