Today I learned something trivial about our trucks...

[midniteblues]

I forgot too add that when we did take the kids truck too in for state inspection they did razz me about the driving lites it took alot of convincing for them too let it go.

I was pretty curious when i first bought my 67 that the po handed me 3 identical briggs and stratton keys????
By now i knew it should only have one key but a briggs key?

I was so used too the square&oval gm keys.
after i tore the whole truck apart i found another briggs key taped too the bottom of the windsheild washer jug bracket.
and yet another briggs key hanging on a small hook up above between the regulator and headlite.

Also thought it was odd that it didnt have any arm rests and only one visor.

[Davidf]

My '71 Camaro (in family since new) had two keys. My '71 Chevy truck has two keys, but no way of knowing if any of the locks had been replaced before I purchased the truck. So, what is all this about the parking lamps?

[dazza]

Originally Posted by Davidf

My '71 Camaro (in family since new) had two keys. My '71 Chevy truck has two keys, but no way of knowing if any of the locks had been replaced before I purchased the truck. So, what is all this about the parking lamps?

I'm not sure either, maybe one is square and one is round??

[Ken O.]

Maybe it's just mine (67 GMC) but the door must be locked from the outside. If you push the lock down then shut the door it pops back up. And I only have 1 key..And I just read some of the earlier posts about the door locks... haha.

[cleszkie]

1 key for ignition and doors, 1 key for glove box door, and 1 key for rear hatch on my 72 Blazer.

[LockDoc]

Originally Posted by dazza

And just what makes you a lock expert!??

... The only credentials I have are a card that says I completed a correspondence locksmith course in 1977 and 39 years of working on this old junk. I guess I don't have enough sense to give it up.....

Originally Posted by midniteblues

I forgot too add that when we did take the kids truck too in for state inspection they did razz me about the driving lites it took alot of convincing for them too let it go.

I was pretty curious when i first bought my 67 that the po handed me 3 identical briggs and stratton keys????
By now i knew it should only have one key but a briggs key?

I was so used too the square&oval gm keys.
after i tore the whole truck apart i found another briggs key taped too the bottom of the windsheild washer jug bracket.
and yet another briggs key hanging on a small hook up above between the regulator and headlite.

Also thought it was odd that it didnt have any arm rests and only one visor.

Only the '67's and a few early '68's used the small Octagon head key. GM had a lot of complaints because the key was hard to turn with the ignition lock cylinder being recessed inside the bezel.

Briggs & Stratton has supplied GM with automotive locks since 1927

LockDoc

[special-K]

My '63 Riviera only used one key. My surprise, way back when, was discovering you can pull the key out without locking the ignition and use the car with no key. the other surprise was when it got stolen and recovered, leaving me with no key. I had a key from a '55 Chevy I used to have and that one fit and started the car! No locksmith necessary!

[midniteblues]

Originally Posted by LockDoc

... The only credentials I have are a card that says I completed a correspondence locksmith course in 1977 and 39 years of working on this old junk. I guess I don't have enough sense to give it up.....




Only the '67's and a few early '68's used the small Octagon head key. GM had a lot of complaints because the key was hard to turn with the ignition lock cylinder being recessed inside the bezel.

Briggs & Stratton has supplied GM with automotive locks since 1927

LockDoc

Back when i first got "my" 67 you explained that in "my new truck thread".
someone also said that people complained too gm that there fat fingers had hard time fitting in and turning the small key in the small 67 bezel.

Thanks Loc doc,rock on dude

These gen trucks 67-72 have door lock mechs that only lock from the outside with the key..i suppose so you cant lock your keys inside.
If you can lock your door,push the button in and close it and it stays locked then there is something wrong with your latches.

67's and i suppose some early 68's only have turn signals up front when the headlights are turned on.
There is no driving lite with the headlites on.
You have too pull the headlite knob half way for the driving lites too be on but your headlites wont be on then.

So when you go too check all the lites with the headlights turned fully on in a 67 and your turn signals are not lit up as driving lites now you know why.

Its just one of the many unique features of a one model year only 67.

One other thing that "got" me was the non working acc. Postion.
on the kids 67 that was just alot more time wasted and another just live with it deal.
i didnt know any better back then.

You can tell by the pigtail connector on the turn signals.
a 67 has one vertical spade and one spade is canted at about 25 degree angle.
68's pigtail connector that has a vertical and a horizontal spade.
Since so many asked whats with the driving lite/turn signals now we all know.

Here are some briggs keys for those who havent seen some.
now fella's we are all honest ingins here so nobody has gotta copy my knock outs and stop on by to
get "they're" truck.

I think alot of us are starting too figure out that these trucks just have that chevy truck lean from the rear also.
trivial learning.

[67ChevyRedneck]

Tried my 65 Mustang... holding the button in does nothing, lock still pops up.

[Killer Bee]

dad's '65 been in the farm its entire life until I shipped it out here after he passed and mom wasn't able to maintain it..

no idea where any other keys are/where other than the one that had always been in the ignition..

so after trying to lock it up I discovered the inside door handle lift and key lock outside.. key worked in drivers handle but not passengers.. for a while I thought it was keyed differently..

I found an original pair of the correct briggs blanks complete with knockouts for $7.50, $9.58 shipped.. matched it up to sellers pictures.. seems there were 4 blanks available then..



so took the handles and keys to local locksmith to match them up and found out some retainer slipped and cylinders were correct.. and they cut my new keys for free.. also replaced some little disc dodad with tabs on it with some updated dodad in both handles..

now all three cylinders turn alike and I have a pair of vintage spare keys..



and I too chased my tail around for a bit cleaning grounds and changing lightbulbs.. seems the front parking lights go out when headlights go on.. that one had me for a spell but I finally wised up..

[Keith Seymore]

'65 GTO - you have to push the door handle button in to lock the door from the outside when shutting the door.

Also - '63 Grand Prix - parking lights are not on when the headlights are on. Some of my fellow enthusiasts have reworked their vintage Pontiacs so that all lights are on at the same time.

K

[Overdriven]

Originally Posted by Overdriven

Dad wishes his 67 Camaro had only 1 key like the newer cars and my truck.

Originally Posted by davepl

I had my '69 Pontiac re-keyed so that everything takes the same key, so it can be done on GMs, at least that year. The only downside of course is you can't lock people like a valet out of your trunk, but I've never really had the need in that car.

I don't doubt that it can be done, whether it's worth it or not is up to you. For him it's just one of those quirks he lives with but wonders why they did it that way when trucks had only 1 key that same year.

[LockDoc]

Originally Posted by Overdriven

I don't doubt that it can be done, whether it's worth it or not is up to you. For him it's just one of those quirks he lives with but wonders why they did it that way when trucks had only 1 key that same year.

GM considered the two key system an upgrade and the passenger cars generally got the upgrade treatment before the trucks did.....

LockDoc

[FirstOwner69]

I still have the little envelope the dealer gave us when we bought the truck in 1969 containing the spare key and one of the knockouts as seen in the picture below. I also still have both original keys. I was surprised that the doors would not lock from the outside after pushing the inside knob down then holding the outside button in as the door was closed. Every GM car that I can recall our family owning had locked that way. This was at least as early as our 1960 Olds and possibly the 1957 Olds.

I believe parking lights on all GM cars, (and possibly most, if not all manufacturers) did not illuminate when the headlights were on until 1968. It was part of the mandate to have side markers or reflectors starting in 1968. The lighted parking lights were included to add a margin of safety if one or both headlights burned out.

[In The Ten Ring]

I tried my truck keys today.......and I got a bit of a surprise! I have copies of the original keys, dad keeping the originals which were nearly worn out. I have two square keys and both unlock the door and turn the ignition!

I had to find this thread and post that, so that Lock Doc would be vindicated.

[Ken O.]

So on my 67 I push the lock down inside, then hold the handle button and shut the door. The button pops back up inside and the door just bounces back open. Gotta lock it from the outside, nothing else works.

[In The Ten Ring]

Mine is like that too. At least you'll never lock yourself out. Not entirely a bad thing.

[Ironangel]

For me, the most surprising quirk about my 72's was the fiber optic cable that illuminates the shifter selector on the column...Fiber optic illumination in 1972, really? How many knew that? :P

[LockDoc]

Originally Posted by Ironangel

For me, the most surprising quirk about my 72's was the fiber optic cable that illuminates the shifter selector on the column...Fiber optic illumination in 1972, really? How many knew that? :P

I didn't realize it until I started messing with these old trucks...

LockDoc

[palallin]

Fibre optics were popular at the time in kitsch-y stuff like lamps and decorations.

[Jarvis-69 GMC 1500CK]

I was having difficulties with mine until I realized I had to body tackle&lift my door. Now it locks no problem, problem is I have noticed the hinges start separating and throws out the alignment of the lock.

[ls1nova71]

Holding the door handle button in and shutting the door only works on cars from 1970 and older, never worked on the 67-72 trucks. Starting in 1971 you no longer had to hold the button in to lock the doors from the outside.