my first car

[roaridan]

When I was 15 (a looooooooooog time ago)I bought a 1948 Dodge fluid drive car, it needed a hood and a distributer. I never got to put it on the road and it was sold for junk while I was in the service. Last month I found another one right here in town !!!!.  This one has all the parts....except an ignition key switch. I've bought 2 on line and neither one fit. the barrel is too big for the ho;e in the dash. NAPA doesn't list anything that old. Anybody got a recommendation on where i can look. 

 

Thanks fellers.

[TerryB]

Try Oldmoparts.com

[Harold]

Do you still have the original ignition switch and is it complete with the lock cylinder?  If so, take it to a locksmith and have him make a key for it.  The bonus is that the ignition key would probably fit the doors as well (assuming the new key was made to have the same cuts as the original).

[TerryB]

I still have one parts book for post WWII MoPars.  For an ignition tumbler and matching key pair there are two listings.  One is for a Hurd type ignition lock, MoPar part 1189676.  The second listing is for the non Hurd lock part number 1297756.  So how do you tell if it’s a Hurd lock or not? I have no idea. Hope this helps in some way.

[Frank DuVal]

By keyway, but without a key.....🤔  In Studebakers of that time period, the Hurd keys were small heads compared to the Yale keys. So, it kind of makes sense you need a Hurd key ignition switch, as maybe it is smaller cylinder. But, this is just a guess on my part from a long distance.

 

On the two switches you bought, are there any names or numbers on the keys?