I am new to the forum and am looking for some help. I recently bought a collection of cars out of an estate and a 1976 XJ-C convertible was one of them. The family could not find the keys for the car so I need to have new ones made. I removed the ignition lock cylinder/key switch and took it to a local locksmith to have a new key made. He was not able to get an "impression" of the key which is the easiest way to make a new key. It looks like there is a paper tag on the back of the mechanism where the switch goes but it is smudged and hard to clearly make out. Are there any other ways to have a key made other than drilling out the tiny roll pins that hold the lock cylinder in place. Are there any other keys that use the same code? Glove Box? Doors? Trunk?

I have attached a few pictures of the car to satisfy curiousity.


Thanks!


Jason

 

Very nice looking car!!!

Dave

 

Ignition key also unlocks driver door.
Trunk key also unlocks glove box.
Gas cap key also unlocks passenger door.
So originally there were 3 keys. all of different shapes.
I have re-keyed the gas caps, not a big deal as long as it's not locked.

These are the keys I got with my Series 2.
Left key is what's left of Nix's original ignition key, which had a rubber nonsense that perished.
I had several copies made with Solid heads.
Center is trunk/glove box key
Right is gas cap/passenger door key.

Removing the driver door lock might be a way to have a key made without drilling the ignition lock.
You take the door card off, release all the lock links, remove the locking tab that holds it to the door skin and pull the lock out.

I wish you success.
(';')

 

Hi,
On the series 3 XJ6, there are originally three keys; one single sided ignition key, a key for the doors / truck / gas tanks / glove box, and a valet key that only worked on the doors & gas caps ( because it was too thick to fit the other locks ).
Diagram below ( Think this was posted by Jose, thanks ! )

https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/a...-3-s3-keys.jpg

I THINK all the series 1-3 XJ6's used the same ignition key / steering wheel lock assembly but not sure. My local locksmith was able to make keys to fit my spare series 3 ignition locks, not sure how he did it but only about $25 each with key included.
Do you have another locksmith to try ? If not you could check with David at https://shop.everydayxj.com/ , he often has ignition locks with keys already made so you could just replace yours. If he's out let me know, I might have an extra one.

Nice looking convertible !

Cheers,
Brian

 

Thanks for the replies guys. The locksmith has not been able to make a new key as of yet. The person who plans to buy the car told me the glovebox key was the same as the ignition key. I brought the glovebox cylinder to the locksmith only to find that it uses an entirely different key.

Brian,

Based on what you said above, the driver's door key is not the same as the ignition switch? Talking to the locksmith, it would be easier for him to try making a key for the door lock cylinder than the ignition switch if they are in fact the same.

Thanks again,


Jason

 

Hi,
All the series 3 cars I've seen use a double sided key for the doors etc & a single sided key for the ignition. I've never had a series 1 or 2 but believe they were the same way from the factory, I think Nix may have been somehow modified to use the same key for both. How I don't know, I'm not a locksmith .

If you get stuck, there's always the option to just swap the ignition lock to a used one with keys since you already have the old one removed.

Cheers,
Brian

 

Thanks again for all the replies everyone. I ended up removing the door panel and got stuck figuring out how to remove the lock cylinder from the door. To be on the safe side, I went to the locksmith and got a key blank from the ignition and tried it in the door. No go. So I told the locksmith to go ahead and drill the toll pins out of the ignition do he could rekey it. It was no cheap but the car now has a new key. It also has a new owner. He picked up the car and paid me today. It’s a bittersweet moment.

thanks again,

Jason