keyed up

[zhead240]

i guess the right terminology is series5 and series6. as u know there is no upside down on these keys but one is a mirror image of the other. if u look at the key as u would down the barrel of a gun the grove starts on the right and for the other series on the left. i know that one key fits all locks supposively but on my zed on key fits all except the hatch and it takes the other series key.i hope this clear it up a titch.

[Unkle]

Ebay is a great place to get rid of old key blanks for large $ ! I am a locksmith

and it never ceases to surprise me what some common key blanks go for at auction . Please don't pay more than 5-10 bucks for these - they are readily available ! The fool who pays upwards 100.00 US has a hoarding problem !

[MikeW]

Ebay is a great place to get rid of old key blanks for large $ ! I am a locksmith

and it never ceases to surprise me what some common key blanks go for at auction . Please don't pay more than 5-10 bucks for these - they are readily available ! The fool who pays upwards 100.00 US has a hoarding problem !

So where can I get one for $5-$10? If you're talking about an aftermarket blank then never mind. I think that people are only paying big bucks for an original Nissan key.

[Unkle]

Go to an old school locksmith shop . Ask the owner to see what he has in the way of original Datsun blanks . You'd be surprised ! Also , replacement ignition plugs can be had for a reasonable cost to replace those worn ones . You don't have to replace the entire ignition , just the center piece where the key slides in . Same with door locks ! Just be smart and source them besides running to ebay with your hard earned dollars .

[26th-Z]

I sold two of them a year ago for $20 each and you should have heard the bitching! Wish I had not sold them.

[stevemasum]

Go to an old school locksmith shop . Ask the owner to see what he has in the way of original Datsun blanks . You'd be surprised ! Also , replacement ignition plugs can be had for a reasonable cost to replace those worn ones . You don't have to replace the entire ignition , just the center piece where the key slides in . Same with door locks ! Just be smart and source them besides running to ebay with your hard earned dollars .

I've been to several locksmith shops in my years and have never seen original Datsun key blanks sold. They've always been aftermarket blanks. Even as far back as the 1970's when I had Zcar keys made in locksmith shops (not the parking lot kiosks or the local hardware store) they were made from aftermarket blanks. I'm not sure why a locksmith would carry OEM blanks when the customer would not expect or appreciate the added costs. If a customer wanted OEM they would go purchase the blank from a dealer. In fact that's exactly what I did on several occasions.

I do agree with you on the ignition and door lock plugs. You just have to be sure that your worn out key will still work with the new lock plugs.

[=Enigma=]

zhead240, sounds like the lock on your hatch got replaced at some point. One of my keys fits the ignition, doors and hatch, and the other fits only the glove box. I assume this is the natural order of things. Do you have a 3rd key the works in the glove, or are you missing that one?

[montoya_fan01]

On my 72 240, all locks are operated with one key, including the glovebox, using an original key like the one shown in the auction that started this thread.

A couple years ago I bought one of the last OEM Lock sets that Courtesy Nissan had in stock. I believe that the set was actually a 280Z lock set, but I have not confirmed that by way of part number (too lazy, and really don't care enough to bother), but all locks in this set are also operated by a single key.

[zhead240]

one key fits ignition,doors and glove box(series5) and one key fits the hatch(series6).(1972)it's a mystery because everything looks to be original on my zed.

[Unkle]

I've been to several locksmith shops in my years and have never seen original Datsun key blanks sold. They've always been aftermarket blanks. Even as far back as the 1970's when I had Zcar keys made in locksmith shops (not the parking lot kiosks or the local hardware store) they were made from aftermarket blanks. I'm not sure why a locksmith would carry OEM blanks when the customer would not expect or appreciate the added costs. If a customer wanted OEM they would go purchase the blank from a dealer. In fact that's exactly what I did on several occasions.

I do agree with you on the ignition and door lock plugs. You just have to be sure that your worn out key will still work with the new lock plugs.

Many customers appreciate ORIGINAL dealer blanks . As a locksmith , I am

happy to supply them where I can . New cars have keys that must be programmed into the vehicle's computer - but old dealer blanks from the 60's and 70's are getting harder to find - I'm in Canada and I CAN still find dusty dealer blanks hanging on hooks or stacked in boxes to be recycled .

The customer appreciates the added quality to the dealer blanks , not the crap offshore stuff trust me - the next time you break a crap quality key off in your door or ignition you will remember this thread ! :stupid:

[sblake01]

I agree with Unkle. I found an original dealer blank for my 79 810 about a year ago. The 810 also used a series 5 key though by then the top had been changed from the earlier style. He had one and it was just thrown in a box of old key blanks from different auto manufacturers. He sold it to me for $1.50! They can be found though it isn't easy but I can see no reason to pay such an outlandish price as the eBay auction. It's just a key, for Christ's sake! If your're worried about originality at the car show, keep your keys in you pocket.

[Mike B]

Since there has been so much discussion about this, I’d like to clear up the mystery for everyone. I bought the keys being commented on and I must say that it strikes me as funny that so many people are willing to offer up their opinions about my eBay purchases and me without my asking for them. Since everyone is so interested, here is some additional information. I’ve always liked the look of the original Nissan keys and have looked for several years trying to find one. It sounds like a few others have as well. By the way Unkle, if there are so many original Nissan keys in Canada you should buy them and sell them yourself. Surely an old school locksmith such as you must have cases of these things laying around? This is the only time I have seen NOS Datsun keys for sale anywhere that fit my 72 Z. Yes, of course I tried lots of locksmiths and Nissan dealers first. Everyone said basically the same thing; those keys haven’t been available for many years. I bought a total of 5 keys for an average price of $73.16 each, and although that is more than I really wanted to spend, I think it not a bad deal. I bid on (and wound up winning) all five keys because I wanted to have backups for several reasons – in case the locksmith made a mistaking in cutting them, in case I lost a set of keys, in case I get another Z at some point in the future, etc. I hardly think that is “trying to corner the market”. I realize that they are not cheap, but it is something I look at everytime I drive my car, so it is worth it to me. There are lots of 240z parts that I think are overpriced and I could criticize people for buying (hubcaps, dashes, taillights, most any true NOS part) but it is a matter of supply and demand and if they are willing to spend their money, more power to them. If these keys really could be had by visiting the local dealer or locksmith, they would only sell for 5 or 10 bucks each, but they can't, so they don't. Here’s something else to keep in mind, the only reason my bids went as high as they did was because someone else was willing to spend a dollar or so less to buy them as well. I saw another post on this site where someone recently completed a restoration of his Z at a cost of $40,000+ and some of the same people making these comments about me are congratulating him. I have no problem with him spending that much, I just find it ironic at how some people are attacked on this site while others are encouraged.

Regarding some specific comments that were made towards me:

Unkle: “The fool who pays upwards 100.00 US has a hoarding problem !”

Regardless of what you think of my purchases, I don’t appreciate being called a fool and I don’t have a hoarding problem.

Carl Beck: “I wonder how many blank keys dag1955 has stashed away... and how much uwhusky89 will spend in total... What if dag1955 has a whole case of them!! too funny...”

I would expect more out of the president of the IZCC. You know what I find too funny Carl? Someone that bids $99 on a RARE 25 page dealer service bulletin (eBay Item number: 8024377624) and then criticizes me for buying NOS keys.

zhead240: “hey the guy that won the dec auction won the five auctions in oct. what's he doing, trying to corner the market?”

See my response to Unkle and thanks for butting into my business and posting this to being with.

sblake01 – self proclaimed “Datsonologist”: “They can be found though it isn't easy but I can see no reason to pay such an outlandish price as the eBay auction. It's just a key, for Christ's sake! If your're worried about originality at the car show, keep your keys in you pocket.”

Again, if you can find them, sell them yourself and thanks for the unsolicited opinion. I never said I was worried about originality at a car show, just wanted the keys to complete my car. I’m happy with them and could careless what you think.

Ddezso: “We UW Huskies are smart like that.......”I take it you are also a UW alumni then ddezso? If so, thanks for uninvited personal attack. Or maybe you are just a bitter WSU Cougar?