Lost My Key for Oakes Spare Tire Lock

[RansomEli]

Don't ask how. I lost my keys for the 2 Oakes spare tire locks on my '29 sedan.  How do I go about getting a new key or the locks rekeyed? The few locksmiths I've talked to can't comprehend anything before 1966. One proprietor said his father might know, but I'd have to wait until he felt well enough to look at the car. 

 

Any advice is welcome. I've already beaten myself about the head over this. How could I have been so dumb as to lose the keys?

[mikewest]

The locksmith I use is great at prewar cars. His Name is Joe Ferararra in Geneseo, NY . He has made scores of Franklin ,Auburn and any other keys you need. Ive given him a least a dozen of the Oakes locks to rekey over the years. He has the old style nickel plated blanks as well most of the time. Call him anytime at 585 729 1637 Tell him Mike West sent you. . The problem you have is to get them out of the housings without spoiling them. Ive drilled 2 holes in the sidemount arm across from each other so you can push the tabs in and pull the lock out but then you need to braze the hole shut and refinish the arms. Good l luck.

[mikewest]

I was just thinking about the problem getting the locks out. On the Franklins you can remove the screws that hold the fender block and pull the arm off with the lock in it . It should be a easy solution and mail the arms and all to Joe. He is very careful with parts.

[RansomEli]

Thanks for the info. I have leads on 2 people nearby. If they don't work out I'll contact Joe.

[61polara]

Contact Key-Men at sales@key-men.com  Great service.  These guys do this on the side.  They've done great work for me and others on here.

[RansomEli]

GOOD NEWS!

 

I needed an extra key (one of expensive electronic ones) for my Toyota Yaris and the key maker came to my house. While he was programming my Yaris key I asked his wife if she could look at my Oakes lock and give an opinion.

 

Well, she went into the back of her van and pulled out a blank key and a rat-tail file. She stuck the blank key into the Oakes lock, wiggled it around a few times and then pulled the key out. She carefully examined tiny scratch marks on the key and then deftly filed a few indents in the key. She repeated this process about 4 times and...

 

POP! My Oakes lock popped open. Holy Toledo! Took only about 15 minutes. 

 

We went to the other spare tire lock and, fortunately, the same key worked.

 

She charged me $10 for the key. Best money I have ever spent on the Franklin. By the way, the Yaris key cost me $180. The guy used a special hand-held computer to program the key to the car.

 

For anyone faced with a lost key, the blank is a Y11 (for Yale).  Don't know if each Oakes lock is different, but I'll be glad to make a copy of mine for duplicating costs plus postage.

 

A pleasant ending to a sticky problem.

[Guest Launchpad]

RansonEli.  That's excellent news. What luck. I would recommend a very very big keychain however. It sounds like you lose as many keys as I do. ?

 

 Lock smithing is beginning to become a lost art. The big box stores have vending machines that cut keys now. Sounds like you found someone with years of experience. Hold on to that number.