I guess it's been a while since I had a 914 with a set of factory keys.

I thought the black key was a master for everything and the red was just doors and ignition. But when I went to order some blanks, it indicated that was the opposite.

http://914world.com/specs/rekey.php

Search the page for "Here are the keys, so you can see the difference. The valet key has 2 slots, where the normal key has only one."

Hmmm, i always thought the red one was the valet key.

But now looking at the "valet" wafer with the extra tab, it would seem that the only key to work with such a wafer is the one with the two grooves.

In that case, wouldn't the black key be unable to open that lock?

@TheCabinetmaker ...

Tumblers work by displacing individual wafers (other designs use double pins) a specific distance so that they no longer lie across the interface of the inner and outer bores of the lock. If that correct displacement does not happen then a wafer stays across the bore, restricting the tumbler from rotating.

The extra slot cut in the red key does NOT engage the extra internal corner of the valet wafer, therefore NOT displacing it. Since that valet wafer is NOT displaced, it restricts the tumbler from rotating.

Therefore, the red key is the valet key due to its extra slot not displacing the valet wafer.

It's possible that a supplier of the blanks has that crossed, but it can be visually identified with that photo above.

Which position does the valet wafer go in or does it not matter?

GA
That link is really helpful……still can see it is tricky. Thinking you need to give yourself credit for tackling this project.
Cheers

I stand eduficated!

yes black for everything, red for doors and ignition. So many of the locks have been changed over the years though, that who knows what fits what!!!

@rudedude it replaces any #2 wafer.

Thanks!

Dr. thanks for your straightforward answer to what I thought was a dumb question. I mis-read the description, thanks for making me look again. You are right on about the "who knows what fits" comment. My steel "red", "black" keys don't work in the rear trunk.

So, I guess this is the perfect example of "there are no dumb questions". If Sir Andy has learned something from my question, I will not hesitate in the future, the proposing of inquiries.

I find it fantastic that a simple question can get so technical!!!

You guys' rock!

I have a mess. The car came with two red keys and one metal one, which after this thread I realize in now the main key. But the red and metal ones are cut different. The red ones open the driver door but don't work the ignition. Neither key works the passenger door, front or rear trunks nor glove box. The front hood has half a key stuck in it. I hope to get all these pulled out to mix wafers and match the red ones at least for ignition and both doors.
Click to view attachment

From the factory, the black key was for everything, and the red key was for valet use.

However...

You can use the red key for everything on the car if you have the locks keyed that way. I did that on my six conversion so we could distinguish the keys between the two 914s we owned. Then we got a third 914-6 and that just screwed up the whole plan.

If you want to have all of your locks match, just buy a set of rekeyed locks and handles from @thecabinetmaker . It is possible to do it yourself, but Kurt has all the parts and wafers necessary to do it right.

All three of those keys are the valet key. Your driver's door handle was replaced at some time. Factory door handle replacements come with two red keys. They will not open the front trunk, rear trunk, or glove box, nor the passenger door handle. I agree that you have a mess. But it's easily fixable.

@clay Perrine. I usually do not key for the valet key unless an owner wants it for originality. Having a valet key makes no sense anymore. No one is going to give a parking lot jockey the keys to their 914. We park them ourselves!

I won't let a valet park my F150

I had the red valet keyed as the master key for everything in my Big Six. That way I can tell it apart from the key for the other 914s.

Plus I like the color red.

When you see a lot of 914's its commonplace to see all manner of lock mess, keys for different doors & ignitions are the obvious ones, but VW ignition tumblers are also pretty standard.
Anytime I encounter a multi-key mess I try to correct it. Including replacing cheaper metal repop keys with rubber heads including the valet.
While its true that the instance where the valet keys usefulness has kinda passed by, it was still an original part of the car as delivered.

I remember reading somewhere that the black and red keys are cut the same but because the red key has an extra groove it won't activate the valet wafer in the tumbler, protecting the two trunks and the glove box. ??

I like to get stuff like this figured out because if it's supposed to work that way, it should work that way.

Exactly. Anyone here ever valet their 914? Lol.

Some things are fun to do and right to do because they are designed to
be that way.

+1!!

You can remove the valet wafer and the red key then works everything.

Yep

Yep

Ditto. Not so sure any of them can drive stick shifts anyway.
I do keep my valet key as both originality and spare backups.

It may be misleading in the picture, but the metal one only has two cut tracks where the outer one is deeper than the red one which has three tracks which center the ridges where the metal one has the ridges offset all the way to the side.

I have it sorted now. I had enough wafers for the door handle and ignition switch. I just put what wafers worked for the hoods and will probably not put the glove lock back in at all. Not completely secure, but good enough.

Now I see the ignition switch is cracked. Are they really different by year and not the same as the VW's same years? Jbugs has one for like $9. And otherwise looks like you can pay as much as you want upwards of that. Though probably with shipping AAtlanta may be a fine deal - packed with a new floor.

look you guys.
all this stuff about valet keys.
yeah yeah yeah.

the truth is once upon a time in a far off galaxy 40 years ago when you chucked that set of red and black keys on the bar and ordered your drink every chick within 50 meters suddenly paid attention.

as stuart wagstaff used to say in the benson and hedges commercials.........
the international passport to smoking pleasure.
the reds and blacks are a language long forgotten that transcended all borders?



and.....you didn't have to be driving a expensive 911 to chuck the same keys on the bar.
brilliant marketing by VW-porsche.