Door keys.

[redruthman07@gmail.com]

My 1931 RN does not have any numbers engraved onto the door locks.
I would like to have the limited security that locking the car provides. 
I see that I can buy complete new handles with locks from our cherished suppliers but the design of these do not match those on the car.
Any experiences or suggestions would be gratefully received. Thanks.

[AustinWood]

I have used Keys Galore to make keys for car locks. They are worth talking to. I've found them helpful, efficient & quick turn-round.

[Colin Wilks]

I had to rebuild the ignition switch on an old landrover and the tumblers can be replaced in any order you like, so assuming A7 doorlocks are a similar design, you may well be able to modify your locks to fit any suitable key you have on hand. I have never disassembled my A7 locks so am not sure if this can be done without some level of destruction - worth investigating though.

[David.H]

Was it not a very simple blade key? Or was that just ignition. My 32 AH tourer has nothing so fancy on the doors

[Rick F]

When bought, my AVJ van had a locking driver's side door and what looked like a cupboard door lock on the inside of the passenger's. This I replaced with a conventional Ruby door lock, but soon got fed up with fiddling with and mixing up two similar keys.

I dismantled the new lock and ground down the tumblers until the driver's key worked the lock. Easily done and safe enough to leave on a showground (or pub car park).

[Howard Wright]

Hi Redruthman

I’m not sure 31 cars had door locks.  My 30 RK doesn’t.

I got around the problem by fitting sliding glass locks on the window and turnbuckles on the inside of the door.  Of course the RN doesn’t have a sliding window so not much help really.

I have seen an RN with a small hole drilled under the handle into which an Allen key can be fitted. Probably with a cam on the inside preventing the door catch from opening.

Cheers

Howard

[AustinWood]

In the car park at VSCC Prescott last year there was a delightful vintage Humber.
Many years ago a conventional domestic door lock had been fitted to the door with a key-hole complete with escutcheon.

[Peter Clayton]

As Colin says above , the door locks should be removable from the handles . but this usually requires a correct key to align the lock "wards" to enable removal. Having said that once removed these wards along with the tiny springs can be swapped around to get a key to fit. With any luck you may find stamped on the lock barrel which holds the wards a key number. I've reclaimed quite a number of locks by swapping wards which enabled the car owners to only require one key, although these were on more modern vehicles. On my RP  there was no key provision on the passenger door, so I drilled a discrete 1/8" hole through the latch and into the mortise of the lock which enabled a small pin to be used to lock the door.

[redruthman07@gmail.com]

Thank you for all your help and suggestions.