Rear hatch handle question
 

Did the 1972 Blazer rear hatch handle have a locking mechanism from the factory?
I have not seen any info in the owners manuals and they only show the one square type key shape. Did this square key service the door locks/ignition AND the hatch lock?
I have what must be a reproduction handle as it has a lock but its not functional with the ignition key.
Thanks,
Tbruz

Re: Rear hatch handle question
 

I've got one [square] key for the doors, ignition and rear hatch.

Re: Rear hatch handle question
 

Ditto but I have 1970 Blazer.

Re: Rear hatch handle question
 

Yep, My door key also works the rear hatch lock on our 72.

Re: Rear hatch handle question
 

If you dont have the key scrap it and buy a garage door handle at Home Depot for $8.95 and install it. the "square" shaft wld have to be cut down a little but it works and you get two keys. The design is almost identical to the "T" handle on the hatch.

Re: Rear hatch handle question
 

Firebird, what keys do you have originally with your Blazer??????

Reason I ask is we used to have a '70 NOVA, bought brand new, that had the square key for the ingnition and an oval key for the doors and trunk. All of the GM vehicles I've had after that all had the same key setup, square for ignition and oval for doors/trunk. We have members here that use the square key for ignition and doors. I just replaced all my locks, and of course they come with square for ignintion and oval for doors.

Confused :)

Thanks

Re: Rear hatch handle question
 

We have several 60'-70's classic cars with original keys as well as the Blazer. I just checked a few of them, here is how they work on ours.

71 Ventura the square key works the ignition and the doors. The round key works the trunk and glove box. Original GM keys.

72 Chevelle is the same way, with original GM keys.

70 Firebird is the same way also with it's original GM keys.

56 nomad one key does everything, and you don't need an ignition key to start it if it's unlocked, talk about simple :lol:

My Blazer however, which also has the original GM keys is a bit different. The ignition is it's own key and works nothing else. The doors and rear hatch work with it's own key. My wife has the original GM keys at the moment, she drove the blazer to work today so I can't verify if her door key is round or square. But I can tell you I have my own set of GM keys for the blazer (probably cut as extras at some point many years ago, possibly could be an original extra set but seem to be too nice for that age) and they are both square, but one is ignition and the other is doors and hatch....I color coded them so I can tell them apart. I'll have to check my wifes original set when she gets home. But one thing is consistent with it,,,the iginition key is it's own, and the doors and hatch are another.

I checked my 79 chevrolet pickup, which I have original GM keys for and it differs from my cars. Square key is ignition only and the round key is used to open the doors and glove box.

At some point during the 70's and obviously on some models, GM changed the square key from working doors and ignition to working just the ignition only and the round key took on more responsibility (so to speak ;))

Re: Rear hatch handle question
 

Thanks Firebird for checking all those keys. Wish I had a garage full of vintage metal. :metal:

Now that you said it and I've had more time to think back I do believe the NOVA was the same as your cars, square door/ignition key and oval trunk/glovebox key. Makes sense, when you use a valet you give them your square key to get in and move the car but you don't want them in the trunk or glovebox.

As far as the new set of door/ignition locks I bought they only came with a square key, not what I said in previous post. I should really get out into my garage more often. :uhmk:

Thanks for clearing this up for me, I can finally get a good nights rest. :lol:

Re: Rear hatch handle question
 

Not a problem, your question really peaked my curiosity so I went out to check some of them. Now that my wife is home with the original blazer keys, I can tell you they are both square too, just like my pair.

You know, I never really thought about it at all until you brought it up.

Re: Rear hatch handle question
 

The 72's had just one key to fit it all. But no lock on console or glove box.

Re: Rear hatch handle question
 

I don't think that's true for all 72's. We still have the original GM keys for ours, and it's one key for the ignition, and the doors and rear hatch are another key.

I haven't seen a car with "one key fits all" since the 50's. It's how my 56 nomad is. That was popular in the 50's.

Re: Rear hatch handle question
 

Having owned several 70-72 blazers and still have several 65-72 chevy cars. In restoring many I have learned to say never say never in what they did at the GM factory. However, If I was a betting man I would say #1 your blazers ignition switch failed very early and was replaced with a new GM switch or failed at sometime and was replaced with a aftermarket and someone had GM keys made for it. Just ordered and had cut a set of GM keys for my 69 camaro. Also if you owned my 71 blazer you might believe that one key worked the doors and ignition and the other GM key worked the hatch and it came that way from the factory. When in 1981 my hatch lock came apart and I went to the GM dealer and got a new GM hatch handle and installed it. Thus 2 different keys

Re: Rear hatch handle question
 

I can assure you it is true. If you have a seperate key for the ign. Somebody has put a new one in it. I agree all my old cars have two keys. But not the 72 blazers & jimmys. I've had mine since it was built, and it came with two sqare keys, both the same.

Re: Rear hatch handle question
 

Negative on mine, Aunt bought it new. Only 70K on it when I bought it last year. She swears it's never had locks changed or a new ignition switch. Never even took it back for any warranty work. She said since it was new with 3 miles on it that it always had seperate keys.
In 1999 it only had 40,000 miles, cam went flat. Engine was rebuilt at that time. That's all that's ever been done to it.