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Question about keys

Posted: 17 Feb 2008 04:46
by TR7Aaron
Hi all,
I'm a newbie and just bought a 1980 TR7 last weekend. It's not quite a basket case, but it needs a lot of work. I plan on dropping in a 3.8 V6. Anyway, here's my first question of many...
My car didn't come with any keys. Do 1980 TR7's have 1 key that fit all the locks (ignition, doors, trunk, glovebox), or seperate keys?
Thanks,
Aaron

Posted: 17 Feb 2008 06:32
by 1980dhc
Mine has three keys, one for the door and ignition, one for the glove box, and one for the trunk. At least I think thats right as I haven't driven mine in a long time (see pics in my thread about the car). Also we need more info in general like is it a FHC or DHC, color, how many times it has already broken down on you stuff like that.

Regards
Holt

Posted: 17 Feb 2008 09:37
by Odd
From the factory they, well most of them anyways, came with one key for the doors and ignition. And another key (much smaller!) for the luggage compartment and the glove box.

Posted: 17 Feb 2008 15:32
by Rich in Vancouver
Broken Down?



How can that be?



[:D]

1975 TR7 ACL764U
Image

Posted: 18 Feb 2008 14:03
by calex59
My 1980 has three keys, one for the ignition and doors, one for the trunk and another for the glove box. I would say that is the way it came from the factory.

Posted: 20 Feb 2008 07:48
by FI Spyder
[quote]<i>Originally posted by Odd</i>

From the factory they, well most of them anyways, came with one key for the doors and ignition. And another key (much smaller!) for the luggage compartment and the glove box.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></font id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

This is correct. Two keys total. (July 80 manufacture date). If you have three one of the locks have been changed. Worn out lock, broken lock or Ex crazy glued one shut when she saw you driving around with your new main squeeze.[:D]

TR7 Spider - 1978 Spifire - 1976 Spitfire - 1988 Tercel 4X4 - Kali on Integra - 1991 Integra
Image

Posted: 20 Feb 2008 08:09
by trphil
Mine has two keys (one for ignition/doors and one for boot/glovebox) but the ignition/door key also fits the glovebox and the boot.

Posted: 20 Feb 2008 10:15
by TR Tony
Aaron, there should be 2 keys ( one ignition & doors, 1 boot & glove box) but that presumes no one has changed one of the locks in the past with one that doesn't match the original.

Do you have the key numbers? You may have trouble in geting replacements as the key numbers are not marked on the locks. There was a little tag supplied with the original keys that had the keys numbers but if you do not have that then your choice is either buy a whole used set of locks with matching keys (in fact some of the locks are still available new with the keys), or get a Heritage Certificate from British Motor Heritage in the UK which should give you the original key codes. Once you have the codes you can hunt around for someone to cut new keys to code for you.

Of course, with the latter method it is not foolproof because you may find that the locks are not original, so the original codes will be useless. May end up being simpler to buy a replacement set with keys.

Tony
Image
<font size="1">1981 2L FHC Cavalry Blue - very original & not rusty!
1980 3.5L V8 DHC Regency Red - on the road again.</font id="size1">

Posted: 20 Feb 2008 23:59
by TR7Aaron
No, I don't have any keys at all. There's not even an ignition switch, so I'm kinda screwed regarding that. I'm thinking that I might have made a poor choice buying this car even though it was cheap - it needs so much work. I might start looking for a better condition running TR7 and part this one out.

Posted: 21 Feb 2008 08:05
by gaz
if you havent got a lot of money in the car i wouldn't get rid of it just yet..... if you do buy another then spare parts will be a plenty if you have the room to keep it....... just something wish i had done/planning to do

It rides again
Image

Posted: 21 Feb 2008 13:23
by MickeyR

Posted: 22 Feb 2008 14:52
by wilkpauled
Mine's a 75 from Speke--3 keys, all original (BL insignia on them, except for the glovebox key). 1 for doors, 1 for ignition, 1 for glove/trunk.
They must have gone to two keys later. Makes sense, I must admit, 3 seem like overkill for such a small car.
Paul