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Ignition Key & Door Key


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My '51 B3B had the wrong ignition switch when I bought it, but I found the correct switch online. It came with a working key. So far so good. Today I was amazed to discover that the ignition key also operates my passenger door lock. Obviously the ignition switch and door lock did not come off the same truck. Are there any Pilothouse lock experts out there? What are the chances that my key would operate the ignition and the door lock? Did Dodge have so few key combinations that I just got lucky? Also, were Pilothouse truck keys meant to operate both the door lock and the ignition when the trucks were built or did Dodge provide two separate keys? Just curious.

 

 

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Edited by Jocko_51_B3B
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It happens.....in mass production of locks with 5 tumblers..only so many configurations are possible....I have on my place a 1990 Dodge Dakota LE and a 1991 Dodge Ramcharger...the keys work on both cars.....also in 1962 my aunt bought a Dodge Lancer.....the key on that car would also interchange with the 1961 Belvedere my dad bought.    He freaked my aunt out by moving the car out of the driveway....

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Plymouthy, that explains it. Since the key came with the ignition switch I purchased online and with only five different tumbler possibilities for the door locks, there was a 1 in 5 chance my ignition key would work in the door lock too. That's pretty good odds. When these trucks were new, did they come with one key for both the ignition and door? Or separate keys? In other words, did Dodge match the tumblers?

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9 hours ago, Plymouthy Adams said:

5 to the power of 5 but in production numbers, bounce that across the full spectrum of Mopar cars for a series of years....

 

4 or 5 tumblers, but each one usually has 2 or 3 possible lengths. So that expands the spectrum a bit more, but still possible to duplicate combinations. 

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11 minutes ago, Merle Coggins said:

My truck only has one key for ign and door. 

it better...that's the right way!

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10 minutes ago, Merle Coggins said:

 

4 or 5 tumblers, but each one usually has 2 or 3 possible lengths. So that expands the spectrum a bit more, but still possible to duplicate combinations. 

 5 tumblers at 5 positions is 3125  combinations if my math is right.   

 

In college I had 2 friends that met and started dating, their keys worked in each others cars they found out after the fact.

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  • 1 month later...

I had the same situation. Truck came with an after-market ignition switch. Bought a correct switch with key on Ebay. Removed the door lock and had a locksmith rekey it to the switch key. Only problem, I had to drill out the set screw to remove the door lock.

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On 6/15/2018 at 5:19 PM, Buttiman53 said:

I had the same situation. Truck came with an after-market ignition switch. Bought a correct switch with key on Ebay. Removed the door lock and had a locksmith rekey it to the switch key. Only problem, I had to drill out the set screw to remove the door lock.

 

In my sig line you will find an option to remedy when the set screw needs to be removed.

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