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nomad

Yoda
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Anyone know how many different lock numbers/combinations were used on Spridgets?? I've heard that there were not many and that being able to unlock another persons British car with your cars keys was common.

Kurt.
 
Kurt,

I don't know how many key combos there were, but it was pretty common to be able to use your key in different cars. The thing I always found amusing was that the key code was stamped on the face of the ignition barrel, making it very easy for a prospective thief to just go out and buy a key and stealing the car without hotwiring it.
 
On the same topic a few years ago a friend test drove his neighbour's Mustang and was half way through the drive when he realized he had used his own Taurus key to start the Mustang
 
Similarly, few (well, several) years back, I drove our blue Ford Sable over to a nearby building supplies box store, parked, went in, did my thing, came out, hopped in 'my car' and turned on the key and got hit with country and western. WTF? One of the kids or the wife playing games? WTF? Then I realized that colour was right but the options weren't: not my car! Door lock: check. Ignition key: check. I hung around for a few minutes in case the 'owner' came by, but left with 'my' car, and never chatted with my doppleganger. Doug
 
We're currently bringing back to life a bugeye that we've owned since 1972. A couple of the changes are under the dash, attached to a large piece of wood that the 'chicken handle' bolts to. One of them is a cigarette lighter (sorry: power take off, with dual USB connections); another is a switch for the electric fuel pump that the 1275 demands, and another is for an ignition over-ride. No door locks, and an ignition switch that is extremely simple. Touch wood, these additional interconnects will slow down any would be 'desirous of owning a wondrous example of British engineering and styling but not willing to pay for it' enough to discourage him or her. Doug
 
Doug, a friend and I were conversing on the subject of our cars being stolen just the other day. According to him only 3% of the vehicles being sold today have a standard transmission so we shouldn't worry about our cars being stolen. There aren't any thieves out there that can drive a standard transmission car!!:highly_amused:

Kurt.
 
And then there is the story of a Car Jacker recently that fatally shot the Car Owner because the car he was trying to steal had a manual transmission and the idiot was too stupid to understand how to drive a manual transmission.
 
On my Sprite, the door locks and the ignition key appear to be different. Or, let me put it this way...my ignition key does not work on the door or trunk locks. I know the door locks are generally not used, but it would be nice to be able to lock the truck. I imagine if I pull the cylinder, a locksmith could change that out.
 
SaxMan said:
On my Sprite, the door locks and the ignition key appear to be different. Or, let me put it this way...my ignition key does not work on the door or trunk locks. I know the door locks are generally not used, but it would be nice to be able to lock the truck. I imagine if I pull the cylinder, a locksmith could change that out.
Click to expand...

They are different keys. Door and trunk locks key is about 1/3 shorter. BTW I lock my doors when the top is down but unlock when the top is up.
 
JPSmit said:
They are different keys. Door and trunk locks key is about 1/3 shorter. BTW I lock my doors when the top is down but unlock when the top is up.
Click to expand...

If you don't have a key for your doors and trunk you can pull the trunk handle assembly and get the number for them off the shank. You may be able to read it or enough of it off the shank with the unit installed if you use a mirror and light. Keys are available from triple-c already cut if you know your number.

Kurt.
 
nomad said:
Doug, a friend and I were conversing on the subject of our cars being stolen just the other day. According to him only 3% of the vehicles being sold today have a standard transmission so we shouldn't worry about our cars being stolen. There aren't any thieves out there that can drive a standard transmission car!!:highly_amused:

Kurt.
Click to expand...

add in RHD and the number drops to below zero.
I don't even lock mine generally, as if they want in to steal the POS Japanese cassette deck, they can have it. I don't want glass broken just so they can find out there is nothing of any value.

Heck, finding reverse with your left hand is a deal breaker for thieves.
 
And don't forget the fly-off handbrake, today's most effective antitheft device.

The driver who delivered by TR4A got all upset because, according to him, the rear brakes were locked. I looked at what he was doing. "Don't push the button on the emergency brake handle," I told him. He continued to push it. I repeated this about four times before he got the idea and then it released easily. So, even when you are shouting the instructions in a guy's ear, he often STILL can't work the thing.

Super theft deterrent!!

And, when you consider additionally the manual transmission, RHD (maybe), manual choke, and separate ignition and starter switches, it's amazing that any of us can drive the freakin' things, let alone a car thief.
 
Back in college, my friend and I discovered by accident that my Honda Accord key and his Prelude Key were identical. A wonderful 2 years of back and forth pranks began....
 
My brother and I drove numerous Sprites back in the 70s and 80s, they usually died rather than being sold on, we came up with quite a collection of keys. Many were interchangeable with other Sprites and Midgets. Somebody was telling me there were only 12 different keys for some 60s cars the other day, but I don't remember which model for sure (British or American can't remember).
 
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