Packard Forum Index » Post-War (1946-54)

I've been able to come up with several trunk lock cases but none have keys. Is it possible to replace the lock cylinder without having a key? Did Packard have a set of keys for the trunk locks so there might a chance that a friend's Packard trunk key would work? What is an "un-coded" lock cylinder.

Joe

There were 250 different key combinations so it is possible you could find one that fits but that is still a large number to sort thru or even locate in the first place. The door and ignition used the round head key and the trunk and glovebox had the octagonal.

An un-coded lock cylinder is one that has not been cut for a specific key. The usual drill was if a lock was defective and an owner still had a key, the key was inserted in the uncoded cylinder and then the protruding tumblers were filed so they were flush to the cylinder.

After filing, when the key is removed the tumbler pieces will then go to their normal resting positions and stick out again to block the cylinder rotation.

Some locks have an emergency release but I don't think the trunk lock is one that has a second hole to release the tumblers in emergencies such as no key. If you have a decent local locksmith maybe they could pick the lock or you could send yours to someplace like Jesserhttp://www.jessersclassickeys.com and have keys made to match the glovebox and trunk.

I had this issue on my Imperial where the keys got lost during the shop move a decade ago. I simply took out the lock and had it rebuilt by a local locksmith to the same code but with new tumblers so it works like it should now. I thought I could save myself some trouble by just making a key to fit the glove box lock which was more easily accessible for removal, then use it to open the trunk (before I remembered the remote electric power trunk switch) but it turned out that that lock, which uses the same key, has only a fraction of the tumblers that the trunk lock has but once the trunk lock was re-keyed, that key also fit the glove box as it should. Bottom line it so not use the glove box lock in order to try to make a key to fit the trunk! Maybe Packard's two locks are the same but I doubt it.

Also, you can sometimes get a different Packard key to work by keeping gentle radial pressure (clockwise as I recall) while at the same time sliding it in and out a little. If you're lucky and if the key is already one that is close to yours, you just may be able to make all the tumblers move enough to get it open for removal and re-keying.

I got several sets of keys with the car all were round and the only one that worked was for the original ignition switch. It had been replaced with a turn to start switch. I returned to the original ignition switch. No keys to fit the doors, glovebox or trunk. I have changed the door locks with new keyed cylinders (one was broken), I'll leave the glovebox unlocked and if I can't find an economical solution for the trunk, I'll leave it unlocked. I'll try the local locksmith.

Thanks for the help!

Joe

Good Morning Tinman...For what it is worth, our 1949 Deluxe had only one ignition key and it was cracked when we received the car. I found a new blank at ACE Hardware (the blank is still in daily use) and they made me a couple of new keys. A friend looked up the oldest locksmith in Scottsdale for his Dodge trunk and the locksmith was able to figure out a key for him. Maybe your local dude used to crack safes! Ernie

http://www.jessersclassickeys.com/

There's always, Joey!