oops! My keys!

[Guest billybird]

I'd like to discuss something on the lighter side. Whenever I haul my car to a show, I'm always fearful of leaving some important key at home. {car key, trailer key,etc}. So far i've avoided this misfortune. Has anyone a "key" story? If so, stand up and tell us all about it.

[msmazcol]

We got in the ball park when my buddy locked his truck keys in his pickup during a truck convention in Auburn. A lock smith was happy to assist. I do try to cover my bases with a spare truck key and a extra trailer key in a second location during every trip. My key chain is big enough that you cannot carry it in your pocket but I find splitting them up into smaller loops never worked out.

[Steve Braverman]

I was delivering a car that I had just sold (1933 Chrysler Imperial Dual Cowl Phaeton $$$). I got onto a ferry with the car in my enclosed trailer (very expensive ferry ride) and realized that I left the keys to the trailer at home, so the car was locked up in the trailer. I called home and had my wife give the keys to a deck hand, and waited several hours for the next boat to bring the keys.

[auburnseeker]

I was at a car show with my 56 Olds. I had just opened the trunk and put something in it. I took the keys out went to close the trunk and someone stopped and asked me for something I had in the trunk. I stuck the keys on a box in the trunk then when the guy left closed the trunk. Well the keys were still on the box in the trunk.

I Figured no problem, I noticed after I bought the car someone wired one under the hood. I took that out and tried it. Not a good time to realize the key didn't fit anything on the car. So I had to take the back seat out and get into the trunk.

THat done. I stuck the key in the ignition and that battery was dead. It just wasn't my day.

[Trulyvintage]

A few years ago I was dropping off a vintage trailer

It takes a couple hours to unload from my trailer

During that time I locked myself out of my truck (3) times

The first time I tried to find a magnetic case w/ spare keys

I had hidden on the frame the previous year - wasted a half hour on that

The second & third time someone helped me out which

is really embarrassing when you have to ask twice

By the way has anyone seen my train of thought :confused:

I think it derailed awhile back ......

Jim

[Dave Mellor NJ]

The year was 1978 and times were very bad in the electric construction business in Philly for years. I finally got a job wiring up a ship that had caught fire and nearly sank out at sea. One of the bosses had his 70 Chrysler out on the pier next to the gangplank with the trunk open. only the bosses could park near the ship, the rest of us had to walk the 1/2 mile from the street. As he was pulling the key out he dropped them and they went right down through a slot for the crane to the bottom of the Delaware River probably about 40-50 feet.. So he goes and gets a magnet tied to a string and proceeded to fish for keys. He was there for hours after the rest of us went home till he packed it in. The next day we asked him if he caught anything, perhaps a Mafia Don. He said no, but in a dream he got them and brought them in saying,"See here you guys,HAH". The day after that he told us he looked the number up in the "Dream Book" but he didn't play it. Sure enough, it came out.

[RU22]

I was in the FLA Keys once it was very hot and got drunk out:)

[Vila]

Dad's 1955 Buick had the same ignition key code as his 1966 Pontiac. It saved space on the key ring, since you only need to carry one key for both cars.

RU22, I had the same problem in the Florida Keys a few times.

Visit my website at: Bob's Vintage Cars

Vila

1933 Chevrolet

1962 Triumph TR4

1984 BMW 633 CSi

[ply33]

Dad's 1955 Buick had the same ignition key code as his 1966 Pontiac. It saved space on the key ring, since you only need to carry one key for both cars.

From at least the early 1960s through the 82 model year Chrysler used a limited number of key blanks and the typical hardware store stocked a blank that would fit all the years. I got all my Mopar vehicles keyed the same. It did save space on the key ring. Unfortunately with the electronic locks on cars nowadays that does not seem to be possible.

[keiser31]

One time while in a local wrecking yard a while ago, I was looking for a needed interior part for my wife's 1981 Datsun 510 hatchback. Someone had locked all of the doors on the wrecked car. Just for grins, I tried the key for my wife's car that was on my keyring...it worked! I got the part she needed and a few other goodies and I was on my way.

[DAVE A]

Due to a faulty ignition switch, I replaced the one on my Hotshot with one I had in a cabinet. I didn't notice when I installed it that it had an aluminum key, and I didn't have a spare cut right away. 1 week later after a show near home, I put the key in the ignition turned it and came away with pieces in my hand. I caught a ride home got my truck and trailer and came back and loaded it up and took it home. Then I remembered that it is a simple on off switch. I could have just put something accross the poles and drove home!!!

[Matt Harwood]

My father is an archaeologist who studies the Maya in Central and South America. In 1990, he and I went to Guatemala to visit the Mayan city of Tikal. We rented a Suzuki Samurai for the trip to the ruins, since they are miles and miles from civilization. While we were there, we also drove to Xaxictun, which is a completely unexcavated city site some 30 kilometers from any paved road, let alone the AAA. So we plunge into the jungle in the little Suzuki, which proves its mettle as a very capable off-road vehicle. The jungle is so dense at times that the rubber fender flares are torn off by brush as we drive, and the mud is occasionally so deep that it sinks up to its frame rails in it. Just remember momentum is critical: don't stop, don't stop, don't stop!

We arrive in Xaxictun (pronounced Waa-shock-toon) and there are people living there who are still in the 13th century. No technology at all, although they have apparently seen cars before, and it's not a big deal to them. They speak some Spanish, as do I, so this fellow gives us a tour of some of the ruins while the rest of the village looks on curiously at the tall, white men with strange clothes.

Afterwords, we thank him and my father actually gives our guide his watch, which thrills and delights the fellow, whose name is Lorenzo. We walk back to the Suzuki only to discover that yours truly, a sophomore in college no less, has locked the keys inside.

Yep, I left the keys in the ignition, rolled up the windows, then locked the doors and walked away.

To make a long story less long, we manage to pry open one of the rear vent windows that are on one of those rotating latches like in the back of a van, and shove a long stick in far enough to pop up the door lock button.

30 kilometers from pavement, and probably 50 kilometers from a tow truck, in a place where they barely have fire, we almost end up walking home. Or being eaten. Or more likely just breaking a window on a rental Suzuki Samurai. Whatever, it was a bad moment.

No, I'm not making this up. That was the most awesome trip I've ever taken. A real adventure, and seeing the sun set over the Guatemalan jungle from atop one of those massive Mayan pyramids was an experience I'll never forget.

[RU22]

Always carry a piece of string

LiveLeak.com - Opening a locked car in 10 seconds in russia

[LINC400]

In high school my friend had a 1969 Buick Electra 2 door hardtop beater. We went someplace in it and came out to discover that he had locked the keys in it. he went back inside and got a wire coat hanger. With cracked, missing, and dehydrated weatherstripping, it did not take long to get the door open.

He thought this worked so well that he said he was going to keep this coat hanger in the car in case he locked his keys inside again. After we managed to stop laughing long enough to explain why this would not work, he said "Oh, well I'll put it in the trunk then." I think it took 20 minutes for us to stop laughing.

[Restorer32]

I judged an AACA show in Greenville SC some years ago. As part of a goody bag at the judges breakfast we were given a 6 pack of expensive (I've been told) golf balls. I don't golf. When I returned to my truck after judging I had locked my keys in the truck. I finally flagged down a security guard who was no help but who flagged down a passing policeman. I ask him to help but he responded that his department didn't do lockouts. He did however notice the pack of golf balls on the seat of the locked truck and mentioned that they were good balls. I immediately responded "Get my truck unlocked and you can have those balls". He worked like a dog for maybe 20 minutes after finding a coat hanger in his trunk and finally got the thing open. Sometimes all you need is the right motivation...

[DAVE A]

OK one more. About 10 years ago, we gave my 17 year old son my wife's 85 Olds Cutlass. He soon nicknamed it the "batmobile" because one night while coming home, he hit a bat and it remained entangled in the grille for 2 years. Anyway, he had gone to wrestling practice and afterwards I noticed he was late for dinner. After a few anxious moments the phone rang (that tightened my stomach even more) and he told me he had locked his keys in the car. Knowing I had given him 2 spare sets to put somewhere, I asked him where they were. He told me they were ALL on his keyring locked in the car. I mumbled something about getting a few tools and hung up. I went to my garage and in random order grabbed a pair of large screwdrivers, a folding tent support post, a hammer, a clothes hanger, a roll of duct tape, a wrecking bar, and a few other tools. By the time I had arrived at the school, a crowd of his wrestling teammates had gathered around. I looked the situation over and took the first screw driver and gently pried the door window frame away from the body on the passenger side. I then inserted the second screwdriver into the space and slid it forward opening the space a little wider so I could insert the wrecking bar to hold it open. I then unfolded the tent post and put it together. Next I unfolded the hanger and used the duct tape to hold it to the tent post. I inserted it into the space that I had made streched it accross the seat to the ignition and hooked the key ring from the ignition and started to pull them out toward the opening. At this point one of his team mates could restrain himself no longer. He blurted out "Dude....Your dad is freaking McGuyver!!!" I almost dropped the keys laughing!!

[Guest greg walsh]

A buddy of mine that I had car pooled with who had later passed away had a bit of a drinking problem but was a hell of a nice, funny person. Anyway told me that his wife had to come rescue him because his car wouldn't start. Apparently his car had the ignition switch come out with the key and he in one of his drunken states was trying to put the key in the cigarette lighter hole!

[Amphicar BUYER]

I had a '78 Toronado that had some "gremlins" in it. One LATE nightI was filling it up (-15 deg and snowing) I had closed the door with it running to keep it warm and the battery was weak. About 30 seconds into the fill I hear a soft "THUNK" Wazzat?? It was my doors locking. Now she's got a full tank, running and all my keys inside! After that I put a new battery and hid a spare key.

My brother decided he wanted to take my Harley for a spin. He took off with his mega-keyring hanging out of his pocket, held in by a couple keys stuffed into the pocket. They fell off someplace in his 5 mile ride. My sister walked along the route and about 1.5 miles into the trip she found his pile-o-keys on the side of the road. Strewn out on the pavement and into the grass. She found every single key! (about 30+ keys)

I still have keys to cars I haven't owned for 20 years!

[John_Maine]

Back in the late 80's, I took our three kids to the public town beach for a swim after supper. It was about 5 miles from home. After our swim, we went to the car and I couldn't find my keys. It dawned on me that I must have layed them down in the trunk when I got out the kids inner tubes. Of course, that was pre-cell phone, it was getting dark and the youngest was getting a little panicky. As we were standing by the back of the car trying to figure out what to do, another family walked by. We must have looked distressed as the dad asked me if anything was wrong. When I explained what happened, they offered to take us home and bring me back with my other set of keys. They had a Suburban so we piled in. I was very grateful for their kindness.

[Harold]

In the early nineties I managed to lock myself out of our '89 Century with the engine running. The car had a defective electric radiator fan and I was watching the temperature guage rise sharply from outside the car, panicking that it was bye-bye engine. I was ready to smash a rear window when I remembered that the car had an electric fuel pump. I slid under the car and disconnected the wire from the tank so the engine stalled. Later, AAA unlocked the door. I've carried two sets of keys with me at all times since then.

[ch1929]

Back in the early eighties a friend of mine wanted me to drag race his 72Cuda. I went over to his house with my trailer, he pulled the car on while I strapped the car to the trailer. I hopped in to my truck and away I went by myself. After an hour drive the track I unstrapped the Cuda from the trailer and jumpped in to pull it off. Imagine my reaction not finding the key in the locked steering column. Wow!!!!

Roland

[Pomeroy41144]

I drove my beautiful 1973 Cadillac Coupe DeVille to work one day.

Something was out of place somewhere and when I got to the parking lot I started fussing with it (I can't remember what the problem was). I got out, was messing around, closed the door. Oops, the keys are in the car and I just locked the door. After standing around for about 15 minutes figuring out how I was going to get home and get in my house and get some keys, I walked around to the right hand side of the car and noticed that the right window was open. I reached in and pulled up the plunger. Problem solved. Wow.