Need to start car w/o using key

krash kendall · Nov 25, 2004

D.Hearne said:
You don't need a key to remov ethe complete switch, just the tumblers. Any good locksmith can make a key for it without removing the tumblers. There's a guy here that can do it. Watched him make a key by hand and "feel" on my old 67 FB Stang. And Y'all are right, the door & ignition were the same key, it's been awhile since I had my 67. My 89 Ranger is the opposite, the door key is different from the igniton.

I'd love to know how you remove the ignition without removing the core first with the key or completely destroying the front of the whole unit. The core retains the bezel of the ignition so you can't manipulate the bayonet style fastening system. It also sounds like when you took your 67 ignition in for a new key to be made it was still attatched to the dashboard of your car.

P.S. I have one on my desk right in front of me. The locksmiths I work with, who have 35 yrs. experience each, would also like to know.

ForceFed70 · Nov 25, 2004

krash kendall said:
I'd love to know how you remove the ignition without removing the core first with the key or completely destroying the front of the whole unit. The core retains the bezel of the ignition so you can't manipulate the bayonet style fastening system. It also sounds like when you took your 67 ignition in for a new key to be made it was still attatched to the dashboard of your car.

Word.

With my 70 at least, you need to have the key to remove the whole lock assembly. Unless the locksmith can cut a new key without removing the whole assembly, I'm at a loss as to how this would work.

GaPonyFarm · Nov 26, 2004

It only takes 5 minutes to remove the door lock... That's the route I'd take.

D.Hearne · Nov 26, 2004

I've removed the ignition switch assembly from both my old 67 and the 68 Merc I have now many times without using the key. All you have to do is unplug the wires from the rear, unscrew the bayonet ring, and it'll come out from the backside. And if your locksmith friends don't believe me, then tell them to make a trip to Ivan's Locksmith Shop in Opelousas La. and ask for Ivan. I saw him make a door key by hand from scratch ( a bare key blank) using nothing but a small hand file and "feeling" his way thru the process.I've no doubt he could do the same thing with the ignition switch. Maybe your locksmith friends aren't as good as they think they are.

krash kendall · Nov 26, 2004

I never said making a key in that manner wasn't done a thousand times a day. That is a very common way to do it.

The actual ignition unit, however, has to be pushed foward through the bezel before it can be turned and released and is prevented from doing this by a ridge on either side of the bezel being blocked by the journals containing the wafers (or tumblers as they are incorrectly referred to) on the core. ONLY IF THE RIDGES ARE BROKEN OFF THE BEZEL COULD THE LOCK BE REMOVED WITHOUT THE KEY!

I'm only trying to give this person the best information possible without him compounding his problem by destroying a perfectly good ignition and having to shell out more cash for a replacement.

Can anybody back me up before this pissing contest goes on to long?

D.Hearne · Nov 26, 2004

There's no pissing contest going on here. You said that the switch assembly couldn't be pulled from the dash without the key. You're completely mistaken. I've done it many times.(I last did it when I bought my 68 Merc. There were no keys, so I just pulled the switch assembly with the tumblers in place from the dash, just the way I described, and replaced the whole unit with another unit with a different set of keys. There's nothing holding the bayonet ring in the dash, just the threads which are on the outside of the switch body. All it takes to remove it, is to unscrew the ring. Piece of cake, nothing to it. Maybe you should actually try it before saying it can't be done. The tumbler assembly is held in place separately and does need the key or some other device to release it from the switch assembly.

CochinoFilipino · Nov 26, 2004

67coupe351w said:
ITs bad becasue you arent running the voltage through a Ballast resister, That resister knocks some of the voltage off but the jumper wire directly from the battery is providing the full 12 volts. I beelive the stock wiring harnesses has the ballest resister bulit into the wire comeing from the switch. If the ballast resister is external like it is on my aftermarket coil, you would want to run the jumper wire to the balast resister then you could run the engine like that as long as you wanted.

And now I know this too. Thanks.

krash kendall · Nov 26, 2004

We are talking mustangs here and I have an ignition sitting right beside my keyboard. The bayonets studs are on the switch body and the bezel contains the threads. The two are sheilded by a pressed steel collar retained by a strong spring against the switch body. I believe it is slightly different than the unit you are describing. I have taken it apart before posting everytime just to make sure I wasn't overlooking anything.

I apologize if my writing style is a little abrasive.

ForceFed70 · Nov 26, 2004

I don't understand the point of having the little hole that you insert a paper clip into to remove the lock assembly, if you can just remove the lock assembly from the back?

If you were able to remove it without the key, that would make it dead simple for someone to steal the vehicle.

In my 70, the lock assembly is in the colum.. no getting at it from the backside.

And I agree, door lock would be easiest.

D.Hearne · Nov 26, 2004

70_Nitrous_Eater said:
I don't understand the point of having the little hole that you insert a paper clip into to remove the lock assembly, if you can just remove the lock assembly from the back?

If you were able to remove it without the key, that would make it dead simple for someone to steal the vehicle.

In my 70, the lock assembly is in the colum.. no getting at it from the backside.

That's probably why Ford moved it to the steering column, but even that ended up being easily removed as well. Seen it done countless times in the movies. in the blink of the eye at that

D.Hearne · Nov 26, 2004

krash kendall said:
We are talking mustangs here and I have an ignition sitting right beside my keyboard. The bayonets studs are on the switch body and the bezel contains the threads. The two are sheilded by a pressed steel collar retained by a strong spring against the switch body. I believe it is slightly different than the unit you are describing. I have taken it apart before posting everytime just to make sure I wasn't overlooking anything.

I apologize if my writing style is a little abrasive.

Maybe it's because yours is a 65 and we're talking about 67-68's here. Both my 67 Stang and the 68 Merc I now have, had the same easily removed ignition switch. Just unscrew the ring and pull it out the bottom/back

TheEvII · Nov 26, 2004

What a great thread! I was able to hotwire and steal 3 vintage Mustangs over the holiday. HAPPY THANKSGIVING to me!!!

D.Hearne · Nov 26, 2004

TheEvII said:
What a great thread! I was able to hotwire and steal 3 vintage Mustangs over the holiday. HAPPY THANKSGIVING to me!!!

Damn, so you're the one I got lead into last night.

GaPonyFarm · Nov 26, 2004

TheEvII said:
What a great thread! I was able to hotwire and steal 3 vintage Mustangs over the holiday. HAPPY THANKSGIVING to me!!!

Dude, you're slow... You could have gotten all of these guys cars, while they were "debating" the best way to get the bezel out...

reenmachine · Nov 27, 2004

OK guys -- you were driving me nuts, and I too thought that you had to have the key to get the ignition switch assembly out via taking the core out. So, before I said anything I went out to the shop to a '67 Fastback, hopped in, unscrewed the ignition switch bezel from the front with my fingernails in the 3 little slots, and the ignition switch assembly basically just fell out the back. So there you have it.

D.Hearne · Nov 27, 2004

See! I told you so! Some of Y'all youg'uns think I'm just an old fart that's pullin their legs, I was figurin out this stuff when they were in diapers Didn't have an Internet then to ask others how this stuff was done. Just started pullin parts to see what was what.

Need to start car w/o using key

krash kendall

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