VCCA Home Forums TECHNICAL - 1945 AND EARLIER 1912-1928 1928 ignition key

Can anyone help me on obtaining a key for my 28 AB,so i can lock the steering? I have never had one and am not sure if a locksmith could help,providing the age and blank key match. :confused:

Check out Jesser Keys. They were able to help me with my 28 I am sure they could help you

good luck
mromano

Hi 28chevrolet,

Hope I can do better on this answer for you than I did on the ignition problem.

According to the parts book(s) there is only one Ignition and Steering Gear Lock with Keys part number 361181. This unit is for both the C & N cars. My fleet of 27’ & 28’s with spare parts is not huge, however I have two different units in my inventory. Both of these units serve the same purpose.



The unit in the front has a very long cylinder lock housing. The other one is much shorter. If you have the unit with the long housing you may as well save your time working on it as there are pot metal parts inside and will crumble before you can get it disassembled.



This shows the two different lock cylinder and key combinations used in the shorter version. One key is double sided and the other is the standard single sided key.

Now for the confusion. There are two keys for the C (27). Chicago series H251-H500 and Basco series CH751-CH1000. Also two keys for the N (28). Chicago series H25l-H500 and Miller series CH501-CH750. Are you beginning to see the reason why the locksmiths who try to help us restore these cars would not return your phone call?



Before you can get a key made you must liberate the lock cylinder. Each cylinder is held in by a pin. Sometimes by a squeeze pin (almost impossible to remove) and sometimes by a soft metal pin. Once that pin is removed (don’t go too deep or you will ruin the cylinder) you can remove the cylinder and read the key number which is stamped into the side of the cylinder. You can see this number in the picture above of the cylinder with keys. The number tells us it is the Chicago series.

Once you have a workable key and are ready to reinstall the lock, thread the hole that the pin was removed from and select a small set ***** of the size you threaded the hole. Line up the cylinder and tighten the set ***** .



The Ignition and Steering Gear Lock serves two functions. In addition to sliding a pin into a slot on the steering rod and thereby locking the steering it also serves as the ignition switch. This switch is very unique. By use of the lever on the side of the mechanism you can still turn off the ignition for operating the engine during repairs or other work that requires the steering to be unlocked..

For key and lock service try Jarvis ModelTBug@aol.com and listed in the back of the G&D.

Ray Nice reply if this doesn't answer the question I don't know what will. Hope to see you at the All Cal in May.

Kirk

Mr Ray: As i understand it or maybe not ? , is the difference from the short one and the long one,(key switch) is that the long one has the ignition cut off/on switch inside itself/ with the lever on right side ? also they both seem to bolt steering colume to the dash panel at the bottom !

The function of both units is the same. They both lock the steering wheel and act as an ignition switch. It's just that one cylinder housing is longer than the other, as a result a piece of pot metal makes up the difference in length. This piece of pot metal is extremely fragile.

The understanding that i got from the replies,is that the 2 differ length ,also has the ignition switch contact.The unit on my 28 AB is only locking the column.There is a lever switch mounted on the left side of the instrument panel,under neathe.WASSSSSSUPPPPPP !! lol Did I miss read the info from Antique Mechanic ?

Paul, it sounds perhaps, that your ignition switch on the lock has been replaced with a toggle switch mounted under the dash. The ignition switch is a small box that is attached to the lock assy with two screws. Maybe Ray has a picture of the entire assy ??
Herb

Here is a view from the bottom of the ignition switch and steering column lock. In the center of the circle you can see the plunger that locks the column. The switch is on the right and the lever that operates both the switch and locking mechanism is on the far right.