Home  |  Forums  |  914 Info  |  Blogs
 
914World.com - The fastest growing online 914 community!
 
Porsche, and the Porsche crest are registered trademarks of Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG. This site is not affiliated with Porsche in any way.
Its only purpose is to provide an online forum for car enthusiasts. All other trademarks are property of their respective owners.
 

Welcome Guest ( Log In | Register )

 
Reply to this topicStart new topic
> Making a key from a VIN? Possible?
gnomefabtech
post Apr 19 2023, 12:06 PM
Post #1


Member
**

Group: Members
Posts: 147
Joined: 27-December 22
From: Los Angeles
Member No.: 27,063
Region Association: None



Hi-

The patient is a 1976 that has spent some time sitting and the owner lost the ignition key. Is there a way to make an ignition key from the car's VIN? or is there a way to remove the lock cylinder without wrecking anything so I can have it keyed at a lock shop? Thanks
User is offlineProfile CardPM
Go to the top of the page
+Quote Post
StarBear
post Apr 19 2023, 12:37 PM
Post #2


Advanced Member
****

Group: Members
Posts: 2,118
Joined: 2-September 09
From: NJ
Member No.: 10,753
Region Association: North East States



@thecabinetmaker ? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/shades.gif)
User is offlineProfile CardPM
Go to the top of the page
+Quote Post
FlacaProductions
post Apr 19 2023, 12:40 PM
Post #3


Senior Member
***

Group: Members
Posts: 1,901
Joined: 24-November 17
From: LA
Member No.: 21,628
Region Association: Southern California



@TheCabinetmaker and @davep can probably help.
Message them or they'll find this.....
User is offlineProfile CardPM
Go to the top of the page
+Quote Post
fiacra
post Apr 19 2023, 12:42 PM
Post #4


Person.Woman.Man.Camera.TV
***

Group: Members
Posts: 541
Joined: 1-March 19
From: East Bay Region - California
Member No.: 22,920
Region Association: Northern California



I've been through this before..... Is the key for the ignition different from the door/trunk/frunk/glovebox lock? If you don't have keys for any of those you can simply pull either a door lock or the glovebox lock and take that to a locksmith to have a key made. Unfortunately there is a chance that everything is keyed differently (as it was with my car) and you won't have a key that works with the ignition, although at least now you have a key for the door or glovebox. If they have different keys then you're in a tougher spot. I couldn't find a way to get the cylinder out of the steering column without the key, but maybe someone else here has a trick? I ended up having a mobile locksmith come out and make a key. It cost $150. It was worth it. Good luck!
User is online!Profile CardPM
Go to the top of the page
+Quote Post
rhodyguy
post Apr 19 2023, 12:59 PM
Post #5


Chimp Sanctuary NW. Check it out.
***************

Group: Members
Posts: 22,238
Joined: 2-March 03
From: Orion's Bell. The BELL!
Member No.: 378
Region Association: Galt's Gulch



I used a mobile locksmith once. Watched him ‘read’ the cyl with a soft blank then matched it and cut a new one. Insurance covered the ‘lockout’. I did not have to take anything apart.
User is offlineProfile CardPM
Go to the top of the page
+Quote Post
TheCabinetmaker
post Apr 19 2023, 01:58 PM
Post #6


I drive my car everyday
*****

Group: Members
Posts: 8,335
Joined: 8-May 03
From: Tulsa, Ok.
Member No.: 666



Vin will not provide the key code. I would suggest you pull the front trunk lock and send it to me. It's the easiest to remove.
I can make you a generic key for $45.00. front trunk locks are the most likely to match the ignition. 75 model ignitions are difficult to remove. Please take a pic of the ignition so I can determine if your ignition is still original. A local locksmith will cost you 150.00-200.00.
User is offlineProfile CardPM
Go to the top of the page
+Quote Post
gnomefabtech
post Apr 19 2023, 04:32 PM
Post #7


Member
**

Group: Members
Posts: 147
Joined: 27-December 22
From: Los Angeles
Member No.: 27,063
Region Association: None



Thanks for the replies.

I tried all the keys that the owner has and they for sure don't fit the ignition. I'll see if I can pull the front trunk lock and send it to you Mr Cabinetmaker.

The car is a 76. Is that still a tough one to remove?
User is offlineProfile CardPM
Go to the top of the page
+Quote Post
76-914
post Apr 19 2023, 04:36 PM
Post #8


Repeat Offender & Resident Subaru Antagonist
**********

Group: Members
Posts: 13,698
Joined: 23-January 09
From: Temecula, CA
Member No.: 9,964
Region Association: Southern California



yep. 75 & 76 are the same car.
User is online!Profile CardPM
Go to the top of the page
+Quote Post
davep
post Apr 19 2023, 07:59 PM
Post #9


914 Historian
*****

Group: Benefactors
Posts: 5,260
Joined: 13-October 03
From: Burford, ON, N0E 1A0
Member No.: 1,244
Region Association: Canada



QUOTE(TheCabinetmaker @ Apr 19 2023, 03:58 PM) *

Vin will not provide the key code.

Not wholly true, probably about 50% of the time I get the key code with the data on the car. Probably not the cheapest route nor the most dependable route but it certainly can work sometimes.
User is offlineProfile CardPM
Go to the top of the page
+Quote Post
ClayPerrine
post Apr 20 2023, 08:09 AM
Post #10


Life's been good to me so far.....
***************

Group: Admin
Posts: 16,277
Joined: 11-September 03
From: Hurst, TX.
Member No.: 1,143
Region Association: NineFourteenerVille



A lot of 914s had the ignition locks replaced with VW units. It uses a completely different key that will not fit any other locks on the car.

Original:
Attached Image

Later replacement:

Attached Image

This lock was used on the 924 and all the VW products of that era. The lock mechanism was the same, so it superseded the original lock in the parts catalog.

You can find people on here who have the 914 locks used and get it rekeyed to to work with the rest of the locks.
User is offlineProfile CardPM
Go to the top of the page
+Quote Post
Jason74914
post Apr 20 2023, 12:21 PM
Post #11


Member
**

Group: Members
Posts: 76
Joined: 9-January 16
From: Dallas
Member No.: 19,544
Region Association: None



keys4classics can make a key from picture of key by email
User is offlineProfile CardPM
Go to the top of the page
+Quote Post
TheCabinetmaker
post Apr 21 2023, 10:35 AM
Post #12


I drive my car everyday
*****

Group: Members
Posts: 8,335
Joined: 8-May 03
From: Tulsa, Ok.
Member No.: 666



[quote name='Jason74914' date='Apr 20 2023, 01:21 PM' post='3072643']
keys4classics can make a key from picture of key by email
[/quote

I can do that too.
User is offlineProfile CardPM
Go to the top of the page
+Quote Post
TheCabinetmaker
post Apr 21 2023, 10:40 AM
Post #13


I drive my car everyday
*****

Group: Members
Posts: 8,335
Joined: 8-May 03
From: Tulsa, Ok.
Member No.: 666



QUOTE(gnomefabtech @ Apr 19 2023, 05:32 PM) *

Thanks for the replies.

I tried all the keys that the owner has and they for sure don't fit the ignition. I'll see if I can pull the front trunk lock and send it to you Mr Cabinetmaker.

The car is a 76. Is that still a tough one to remove?

Send me an email at cbntmkr at Gmail dot com and we'll chat.
User is offlineProfile CardPM
Go to the top of the page
+Quote Post
dr914@autoatlanta.com
post Apr 21 2023, 11:04 AM
Post #14


914 Guru
*****

Group: Members
Posts: 8,159
Joined: 3-January 07
From: atlanta georgia
Member No.: 7,418
Region Association: None



call your dealer, they have codes from 72 on but you will have to probably get their regional service manager involved.
User is offlineProfile CardPM
Go to the top of the page
+Quote Post
TheCabinetmaker
post Apr 21 2023, 02:22 PM
Post #15


I drive my car everyday
*****

Group: Members
Posts: 8,335
Joined: 8-May 03
From: Tulsa, Ok.
Member No.: 666



I tried thats a couple of years ago George. They wouldn't talk to me unless I was a certified member of the national locksmith association.
User is offlineProfile CardPM
Go to the top of the page
+Quote Post

Reply to this topicStart new topic
1 User(s) are reading this topic (1 Guests and 0 Anonymous Users)
0 Members:

 



- Lo-Fi Version Time is now: 23rd April 2025 - 09:50 PM