KW Ignition key

Topics Last Day Last Week Tree View    Getting Started Formatting Troubleshooting Program Credits    New Messages Keyword Search Contact Moderators Edit Profile Administration
Model T Ford Forum: Forum 2012: KW Ignition key
Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Sam Humphries on Wednesday, April 18, 2012 - 05:02 pm:

I am a first time poster and first time T owner, a 1916 3Dr Touring. It has a KW ignition auto lock switch with a Yale and Towne tumbler lock. Anyone know where I can find key blanks. I have only one key and at my age I sometimes misplace things

Thanks, Sam


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By David Chantrell - Adelaide, Australia on Wednesday, April 18, 2012 - 05:47 pm:

Take the switch to any good lock smith and they should be able to find a compatible blank. I found a American Yale blank for my KW Master Coil with a Yale lock and made the key. Silca also make a range of Yale compatible blanks with a 'YA' prefix...


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Hap Tucker on Wednesday, April 18, 2012 - 07:32 pm:

Sam,

I noticed this is your first posting. Welcome aboard. If you go to one of the older Not antique but in business for the last 30 years lock smith -- they most likely have the blanks. I took just my key down to the one in Shreveport Louisiana and they ask me how many keys I wanted made. Same cost as a house key.

When you have a chance please take a look at the posting “Home for the Holidays” at: http://www.mtfca.com/discus/messages/29/40322.html It shows you where to look for a body number and letter on the 1913-1922 Model T open cars. If you find any numbers or letters on your car’s body would you please let me know?

Also I would highly recommend that you check out which local clubs may be near you. See the listings at: http://mtfca.com/clubpages/chapters.htm and also http://www.modelt.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=5&Itemid=15 Technically the first listing MTFCA is the site you are currently on. But the MTFCI is another group of T folks and many of us are members of both clubs. The one that is nearest to you would probably be the best help and you will meet some great people. Remember if you are close to another state, sometimes the club in the next state is closer than the one in your own state.

You mentioned this is your first Model T. They can be a lot of fun and a great way to meet folks. But they do not meet any of the modern day safety standards. Just like the faithful horse they replaced if you run up behind the horse and startle it -- you may get kicked. And if you forget or do not know several of the Model T's know safety "gotchas" you can spend some time repairing the car, yourself or a relationship (one husband forgot to retard the spark and asked his wife to crank the T -- you guessed it -- she didn't look very happy with the cast on from the broken arm. And you can safely crank the T or you can set it up so it will break your arm. It was even called a Ford Fracture back in the day -- but other cars of the time also could cause the same type of break.)

Below is a list of safety items that can possibly save you some time, frustration, and money. Be sure to check the car over to make sure it is in safe working order. An engine that burns oil is not a critical safety issue (at least not in my book) but the front end castor if it is set up negative can flip the car. If the rear axle still has the original babbit thrust washers you can lose your normal service brake. Pushing down on the hand crank with the spark not properly adjusted and set can break your arm/wrist, etc. Those and similar items are well documented "oops" for the T. But if you have not been around them much -- they may be new "data points" for you. Some of them are listed below – not to scare you but to let you learn from others rather than discovering all the lessons on your own.


Safety Glass is nice: http://www.mtfca.com/discus/messages/50893/72116.html

Use safety wire and not lock washers or cotter pins on the two studs holding the wishbone to the underside of the engine – the lock washers can prevent the nuts from backing of the studs but the studs have been known to back out and it causes the front end to become lose initially and if not corrected it gets worse and worse and can cause an accident. Types of safety wire: http://www.mtfca.com/discus/messages/29/41859.html pick one to use if you need it.

Lots of safety items http://www.mtfca.com/discus/messages/50893/69429.html

Over center steering – shouldn’t happen on your later T – but if someone replaced your later steering gear housing or rebuilt it without the lock pin – it might happen: http://www.mtfca.com/discus/messages/80257/86345.html


Example of loss of brakes caused by drive shaft failure: http://www.mtfca.com/discus/messages/29/47804.html -- note anything that causes the drive line to fail will also cause the main service brake to fail.

Top T tips – many of them are safety related also: http://www.mtfca.com/discus/messages/80257/85208.html

Tour safety check list: http://www.mtfca.com/discus/messages/29/44331.html

And if you have a gas hot water heater in the garage – be very very careful. The float in a Model T Carb will sometimes stick (or trash in the valve) and the carb will leak gasoline. Not too bad if there are no sparks – several homes, garages and cars have been lost when a gas hot water heater was near by and someone started the dishwasher other item that caused it to turn on the burner at the wrong time. Note gas fumes tend to be heavier than regular air …. so they tend to hug the floor. If you adjust your garage door to let the mice in and the air out – that is a temp work around. But replacing the gas fired hot water heater with an electric heater or having the gas one relocated away from the garage is the best thing.

If you have some general questions about the car – check out the owner’s manuals at: http://mtfca.com/books/bookmenu.htm the 1911 and 1921 as they both will have some pointers that may help you.

Not a safety issue, but you can use your car to help build the relationships – T’s seem to be a natural for that. But you can also use it to hurt the relationship you have with your family. Sometimes it is better to spend less time “making it perfect” and more time driving it to get ice cream as a family.

Again welcome aboard.

Respectfully submitted,

Hap l9l5 cut off


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Sam Humphries on Friday, April 20, 2012 - 05:45 pm:

Many thanks for the suggestions. I found a shop that could cut me a key though it is not an identical blank. Goes in the tumbler and turns, so that is good. Thanks Hap for the suggestions. Learned the retard and do not push down quick. Have just gotten the T where it will start easier. Rebuilt coils,and cleaned carb plus remove cleaned and properly adjusted commutator.

Have been checking this forum for several months on a lot of topic on T's.

Hap, if there is a mfg and blank number on your new keys could you sent it to me.

Thanks again, getting ready to enjoy a "T" summer.

Am a MTFCA member and AACA member and have met with locals of both. By the way VIN 1265xxx,

Sam


Posting is currently disabled in this topic. Contact your discussion moderator for more information.
Topics Last Day Last Week Tree View    Getting Started Formatting Troubleshooting Program Credits    New Messages Keyword Search Contact Moderators Edit Profile Administration