Mk1 Escort lock/key questions

[Mr Day]

Basically i didnt get any keys when i bought my escort project,Just wondering how many keys there should of been i.e 1 ignition 1 doors 1 boot or did they all use the same key?

 

Also is it possible to get a locksmith to make a key up to fit the locks or would it be better to give them an old ford key and get him to change the locks to make it fit?I did buy a bunch of 70s ford keys the other week in the hope that 1 would fit but non of them do!

[l j shaw]

Im sure you can take the locks apart and move the brass tumblers around, and make them fit and work, it could be an easy job......plus you can adjust the locks in a warm living room, just take pics at each dismantle stage.

[evil knievel]

My dad gas literally hundreds of thousands of key blanks around, I know for a fact he has old escort blanks! If you want it done you could send a lock down? As we're in Kent.

 

Cheers

[evil knievel]

Ps if you do disnantle the locks yourself, be careful not to loose any of the tiny springs. And don't forget after a few decades brass wafers tend to be quite worn, let alone the old keys you've bought!

[Davewrc]

My locks are original and I have one for the ignition and one for the doors and boot.

 

Mind you anything will open the boot! I once played a game with some members at santa pod, will your mk1 escort boot open with my key? nearly all of them did

[Grizzley Dell]

if all you want is a key that fits a little cheat is, remove the barrel from the lock, dont let any of the pins fall out, put an old key in the barrel, file down the pins so there flat with the barrel. refit, job done. its not the proper way to do it but its quick and easy.

[Mr Day]

Thanks for all the replies chaps,ive taken my boot lock out,will get the door locks out in the next day or 2 and have a play around with them,see if i can make 1 of the old ford keys work in them!

 

evil knievel thanks for the offer,i may be in touch sometime soon!

 

 

Anyone got pics/sizes of there door/boot keys?

[PaulMags]

If i remember rightly if you can rattle the ignition should be able to do it with any key.put it on the first click drill a small hole direct with the key on the housing there should be a mark there.you should come across like a spring push that in and the barrel will come out then on the side of it will be the number of the key you need.

[DABESCMK1]

Hi Mr Day,

 

I have posted a new topic but wondered if you would be able to offer advice on the following:

I currently have a mk2 door  lock (external only/still on winder internally) on my mk1 escort ,I am looking to possibly replace with a standard lock.

My question is are they handed or universal?

If they are handed, can you kindly advise on which door would the lock suit in the attached photo (passenger or drivers)

Many thanks in advance 

[Ray]

mk1, the later doors and boot are keyed the same using an FV key, an FT key is the same but shorter, whilst you can easily mess around with theese and re do them to suit one key, firstly youll probably need a good few spare locks to get the correct fingers, but they can also prove to be a tad sticky if the alloy casing is worn, as this wears along with the fingers, but its do able, ive done a good few sets, the ignition barrel, new column barrels with the correct 3 lions keys are available on e bay for under a hundred quid and well worth the money, there were 3 barrel manufacturers and not all put the key number on the barrell, working from memory now, look at the 0 position on the lock, and opposite it, is where youll drill your hole approximately 15mm in from the casing edge, a 1.5 to 2mm hole is enough, push in the hole with a small pick, to push the spring in, then the barrel should pull out, use a new barrel for precice dims rather than my old fading memory

the door locks are not handed, however if you have mk2 van/estate locks in a mk1, they are a bigger diameter, so whilst you can file the hole to accept the mk2 lock, going back isnt so easy, as the hole is too big, some mk1s have been fitted with the mk2 van and estate doors and or skins during resto, and mk2 locks fitted, ive just finished off a car for someone that has this scenario, with this situation, a good locksmith can key the door locks to be the same as the ignition, but not the boot

[DABESCMK1]

Thank you Ray for your detailed response.

The current key/lock set up is 1 key would have operated the 2 doors and the boot (if it wasn't for the mk2 lock replacing the original lock at some point, on the passenger door) The ignition lock is operated by a different key to the doors and boot, which I believe is standard, the ignition key is a larger key not dissimilar to the mk2 in style  but a different cut i.e.. different profiles.

The car is a 1974 1.3l model and indeed the key is an FV type, so all good their.

I had understood that the key hole had been enlarged to accommodate the mk2 lock, due to the work involved I probably will not change the lock but wanted to purchase a  standard mk1 door lock, if any time in the future it was a requirement.

Now you have advised that the locks are not handed, I will seek to purchase a single lock to keep with the car.

Thank you again for taking the time to help, very much appreciated.

Dave B

Edited June 4, 2024 by DABESCMK1

[DABESCMK1]

Apologies, I forgot to ask whether it would be possible to key the mk2 lock on the passenger door for the key from the boot and drivers door to work on that lock?

[Ray]

2 hours ago, DABESCMK1 said:

Apologies, I forgot to ask whether it would be possible to key the mk2 lock on the passenger door for the key from the boot and drivers door to work on that lock?

unfortunately not, the mk2 van/estate door lock should use the same bigger key that the ignition uses

[DABESCMK1]

Many thanks again!