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My practically new 49 Business Coupe


Loren

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An update:

Somewhere along the line a previous owner lost the keys to this 49 Business Coupe.

So they replaced the ignition lock (or perhaps the whole switch assembly) with a later Pentastar key switch.

That happens.

I bought the car to drive and enjoy, which means I need to park it unattended often. So I want the door locks and truck lock to work.

Generally I like to hand off the specialist stuff to the specialists, but there are no locksmiths within an hours drive of my little town. So...

I got 2 sets of NOS DPCD keys and proceeded to make them fit the existing locks.

Heres how I did it.

Unless someone has changed the ignition (as in this case) if you disassemble one lock for the combination, you can make a key.

I started with the door key because I knew the ignition was changed. Once I got the key to work I had my hardware store duplicate it on my blank.

The door key is the easiest to remove and disassemble.

There is a strip of sheet metal across the top of the tumblers and springs. I filed the end of the lock case and pried the strip off.

Then working from one end I took the springs out, then one by one the tumblers.

The tumblers are two pieces. The piece that contacts the key is the variable one. The piece that contacts the spring is the same size as the others (and so is interchangeable with the others like it).

The first thing I do is put them on a paper towel in the order I take them off and I measure the variable tumbler.

On the door lock I could not take the cylinder out of the housing, so once I measured the tumblers I put the new key in and took a drill and touched the key through the tumbler holes. This marks the key so you know where to file.

The start at one end and file the key one tumbler at a time.

When it will turn in the lock you go to the next one.

Once I finished filing I tried the key in the other door and it was PERFECT.

So I reassembled the lock and re-staked the metal strip and put the lock back in the door.

The photo is the trunk lock, which is ready to reassemble.

This one you can take the cylinder out because in order to remove it from the handle housing you have to grind off the nub that holds it in the housing.

That allows you to release the clip holding it together after you remove the tumblers.

Other than that they are the same.

The pin you ground off can be replaced with a small Allen Head set screw after you tap the hole it came out of.

5E4890A0-AFCC-4A5D-804E-F9E14BA62A53_1_201_a.jpeg

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I just pulled all my locks, took them to the local family owned 4th gen locksmith and had them do it.  Cost for two sets of keys for the trunk, doors and ignition was about $65.

 

Beats trying to figure out where all the springs flew when you pulled the cover pate off, BTDT.

 

I know my limitations, lol.

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2 hours ago, Sniper said:

I just pulled all my locks, took them to the local family owned 4th gen locksmith and had them do it.  Cost for two sets of keys for the trunk, doors and ignition was about $65.

 

Beats trying to figure out where all the springs flew when you pulled the cover pate off, BTDT.

 

I know my limitations, lol.

 

That is the best way to deal with the issue!

I am in total agreement on that. However, I don't have that luxury here. There are no operating locksmiths within an hours drive. So being a DIY person, I just did it.

The good news is the Plymouth is "Bog Simple" to fix! All the parts are metal and they were made to be assembled by humans (not robots). So they are fixable.

With no computers, no warning lights and most of all no "Limp Home Mode" there is a certain beauty in their operation.

My little town has 20 mph school zones, 30 mph speed limits in town,  55 mph highway speed limits and except for summer very little traffic. It's like turning back the clock to 1949. The Plymouth fits very well here! The place reminds me of "Jesse Stone's town of Paradise" but on the left coast (I don't know about any murders however).

 

My spouse's Mini has tire pressure sensors. Every time the weather changes the tire pressure goes out of range and the light comes on and freaks her out. She looks longingly at the Plymouth knowing it has no such things. For me it's the "Limp Home Mode" that tethers me to the dealer (who since my move is now 200 miles away).

I love diesel engines but the ones with electronic engine controls are maddening. My GLK 250 is at the dealer's right now for an emissions make over demanded by the government. They told me the work is finished (after 3 days) but it is having "Driveablity Issues" after the work was done. If the dealer can't fix your car how can you?

The 49 Plymouth has even more beauty to it when you consider that the government will not be re-designing it for you!

I like the idea of being self sufficient, it's liberating!

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There is a sizable dent in the trunk lid that really offends me.

I got my local good ole boy body shop to look at it. Without painting the whole car the quote I got was around $280!

I can't let that price get away from me so... it will be done.

There's couple of places I am going to try to protect myself, but I've got more immediate things to work out like a windshield seal.

When I do get it painted it is going to be first class cause I really like this old car.

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My friend’s Mercedes 500 AMG sedan of 2018 vintage has already ringed up more than 30 K Canadian in warranty repairs and has like only 60 thousand kliks on it. If it were mine I would remove the Burmeister sound system and ditch the rest of the heap! Some car for close to 200,000 dollars! This is why I drive a Tacoma which costs you regular maintenance and that’s about it. Loren, in my opinion new paint would not detract from your car at all and share the same opinion as you do. A word of advice on the re paint would be to use a one stage like PPG Concept since the final finish would closer resemble the original Chrysler finish. Base clear will look shiny but not right. I have both types of paint on my two old cars my Mopar is in ppg concept and wish my Master 85 was finished with it too! All my best wishes and that 3 pane deserves someone that will give the car the best it deserves as you plan on doing. M

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As for the windshield seal go with the one from Steele rubber products. It has a built in centre strip seal and is one piece. The seal sold by the of the other supplier has to be cut to length and glued. It also does not have a centre piece. I will be ordering one from Steele and not using the one I purchased elsewhere on my coupe. M

Edited by Marcel Backs
My poor grammar
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