MTFCA Forum

Someone stole the key out of my car. How do I know which one to get to replace it and get her running again?

What year? 1919 up easy with stock switch, just look at the face of the switch, the number should be right there.

Mine is a 1924

Ok look at the switch.

John, As Mark indicated you should find 2 numbers on the switch face and they ranged from 51 to 74. If the number is 55 it may be a modern replacement, except for a modern #55 you should try to find an original key or older replacement as the new replacement keys from the vendors do not seem to fit well in the older switches. The original or older keys should be found for about $10.

Thank you guys!

It looks like 52 to me. Anyone concur?

Looks like a 52. If you know someone with a 52 you can borrow the key to see if it fits. If not, the price is not too great, so you buy one and see.
Norm

Jac: Here's one randomly selected from t-bay.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/ORIGINAL-FORD- ... NMXmXea_mg
I have nothing to do with this vendor or product. Good luck, jb

When the key area gets wore, inside the switch, the Key can jiggle out on it's own. Seen it happen about 3 times. The first Model T I learned to drive, when I was 14, had a Shoe lace through the eye of the key, and the other end, tied around the steering column. That didn't interfere with the running, at all, but if you parked it, you had to turn off the switch, somehow, which meant pulling a Battery cable.

Just for fun, look on the floor.

Herm.

A lot of guys leave their keys in the vertical ‘off’ position after they drive it up on a trailer to go to a tour. As the T bounces while the trailer is in motion sometimes the floorboards shift and the key falls onto the trailer floor. If you don’t remove the key before the trip, the only other alternatives to not lose a key is to turn it on either BAT or MAG. Well, .... if you turn it on BAT, it’ll ruin the points on the coil and deplete the battery. And if you turn the key to MAG, that’ll drain all juice from the magneto - unless you throw the emergency brake lever forward to place the T in high gear. Now the key won’t fall out...BTW, I have a #52 key I’ll send to you for $10...

It was definitely stolen. Not to be found anywhere. I think George is hooking me up with one. In the meantime I just took the switch panel out and hotwired it. Got projects to do now that the weather is getting better.

There was masters available at some vendors key nos. 51 - 56, 57 - 62, 63 - 68 and 69 - 74 all in a crimped set.

Key is chain secured.

Keeps quick passerby from pocketing 'em. Always in place for fast get away.
Never known to fall into the transmission abyss when adjusting the brake and reverse bands.

This is why when my car is unattended, the key COMES OUT and goes with me!
Especially important with the early cars, first, when I had a '12 with a brass knob key,
it was very inviting to prying eyes and hands. Not to mention expensive as heck to buy.

My '13 is "just" a black knob key, but it still comes out of the switch every time I leave
the car alone. Don't need the aggravation of trying to jury-rig it to start the car to go home,
and again, the dang switch is just too costly.

I’m baffled as to why someone would steal the key but not the car

I have had people laugh at me when I park my T somewhere and I take the key out.

I always tell them that I’m not afraid of the car getting stolen but I am afraid of someone stealing the key.

I never worried about anyone stealing the car, figured they couldn't drive it, even if they could start it. But I never thought anyone would steal the key.

jachady wrote: ↑

Sun Mar 01, 2020 9:09 pm

I never worried about anyone stealing the car, figured they couldn't drive it, even if they could start it. But I never thought anyone would steal the key.

I have known quit a few T owners on tours who left the key in the ignition. That was always their argument, i.e. no one will know how to drive it. My response was always that they probably wouldn't (or couldn't) steal the car, but nothing was stopping them from stealing the key. The world is full of low-life jerks. I always put the key in my pocket. I have had enough problems through the years with Model Ts without inviting preventable ones.

Go Figure! Some people will steal anything. When I go to the big auto show in Houston there are always some new cars with gear shift and radio knobs missing. And when I take My T to a show I remove the Key. At My first show a small kid while sitting in my car tried to turn the key and then take it out.I disconnect the battery too. since someone stepping on the starter getting into or out of the car is easy to do.

I always take mine out not so much because I'm worried about someone stealing the car maybe the key but my car free starts frequently and if someone were to turn it And the stars were all lined up properly it might just take off.

I carry some wire to use as jumper to start the car in case the key is lost/stolen or switch wont work. It is easy to run a wire to the coil box and hook it to a battery. You would need to hand crank the car but not a big deal. Just to be safe I would remove the wire that goes to the mag post but to kill it I had to pull the jumper wire off or cut it. When the switch stopped working on my wifes 27 touring I did this and just twisted the wire together to start it and pulled it apart to shut it down till I had time to fix it. No key needed.

"You would need to hand crank the car but not a big deal." ? The key has nothing to do with the starter, it only turns the ignition off and on. The switches on both my cars can get a little iffy at times so I carry a jumper. I just connect it between the battery terminal on firewall and coil box terminal. A 6-10" jumper with alligator clips works fine. Even with the key in the off position, the generator is on it's own circuit so will still charge the battery and supply power for lights etc. (unless the car has non standard wiring)

I need to make one of those jumpers and carry it in my tool box, just so that the ignition switch knows who's boss and never fails.

Mark is right about the starter working without a key in the switch. Guess its been a couple of years since I had to jump the coils in the 27 but the starter did work just fine. Now all my cars are hand crank only so I need to get out anyway unless it gives a free start.

Just a warning, be careful that you do not apply any DC (battery voltage) to the AC voltage circuit of the Flywheel Magneto while using a jumper wire. That action will kill the magnetism in the magnets.