'72 Vette Lock Cylinder Removal

Honestly, no, but have you tried posting that question on one or more Corvette forums?

I am just guessing, but there actually may be more people that own the car on that forum and thus have a higher probability of actually finding someone with experience.

Been there already. It sounds so simple when you read it.

" You need to reach into the slot with a small screwdriver to push the tab back into the lock cylinder. You should then be able to pull the cylinder right out of the column."

I'm just missing something and I can't figure what it is.

Next, I'll try a thinner probe, I guess.

Frustration has set in.

It's a little while since I've change one, but if I remember right you need the key in it and either in the "on" or the acc. position the depress the pin at the same time pull the lock cyl. out

I've tried all positions. The black object at the top of the cylinder is the lock tab. At least on the new one.

I don't remember having this much difficulty doing it last time.

Guess I'll have a look on-line at some other cylinders.

I'm doing this before I take it back to the upholstery shop to get them to fix the + ignition lead they pulled out. The car wouldn't start until I got it home and jumped 12 V to the distributor terminal. I'm not crawling under the dash to fix this.

Oh, the joys of restoration.

I can say that I had a similar experience with my German car. In the end it really worked as advertised, but I just kept doing it wrong to the point of frustration multiple times.

Keep trying.

I had that same problem on an older GMC. Tried as documented until I gave up and ripped the damn thing out with extreme force!

Of course that's NOT an option on a restoration!

Have beer, relax - try again - repeat.

I remember pushing a paper clip in a hole in the column notice the tumbler has a small hole in the lower posts

Lyn the pic that you have here is a pre 70 column or a truck column. Check for a later column picture it might show the bolt location. As well as this is not a pic of a tilt nor telescopic unit like your vette should have. If you dont have the spring compressor you will have real fun time getting it back together. Duke

It's a '72 and it does not have the capture bolt.

The hex head cap screw you see is well below the cylinder. The L shaped slot at 1 o'clock is, I believe, the slot I need to use.

I've replaced cylinders that used the capture screw, but this vehicle does not. The cylinder has that provision, but.........................................

Hay Lyn the buzzer part I was talking about earlier is probably what stopped you from removing the switch. The little plastic tab on your new lock that moves in and out freely is engaged in the buzzer part. After your comment about the good pic I looked at the #20 and saw that the two prongs of the buzzer were sticking up to your left of your push in point it must be removed to remove the switch it is caught up on that plastic in the lock, also remove the key if it is in the lock since that is what pushes the plastic tab out into the plastic and brass switch for the buzzer. Duke P.S.that is whenever you decide to go at it again.

Pulled the key out far enough to retract the plastic tab. Took the key out. Wiggled, turned, shook, rocked back and forth, and generally did tons of other variations, before putting it back together.

I don't think I'll try it again, until I have to. But I will try to find the fault in the + dist. wire.

That's the only thing keeping it from being drivable.

Thanks for your help.

Did you say you have a HEI distributer in it? 72 would not have had the HEI as stock. If that is correct, the original harness had a resister wire running from the engine side of the fire-wall connector to the + side of the coil. The resister wire is the only fabric covered wire on the car. It was white when new, and will feel stiffer than other wires that thickness. If the car was converted to the HEI, check the work of the person that ran the power to the HEI. It should be non resister all the way. Good hunting.

It's converted to stock GM HEI and I've got pretty new red Mallory to put it.

The car ran and started fine for a month till it went to the upholstery shop, so that's not it.

So far, I haven't cussed, yelled or thrown anything.

I'm done for the day. I appreciate the support.

I've been tinkering with it for 5 hours, off and on.

Thing that pisses me off is the cylinder really doesn't need to be replaced to drive the car. I just wanted to do it as a preventative measure.

I'll try again tomorrow. I'm not ready to rip it out by brute force.

I had a beer when I came in the house to look for more clues. About 3 times, so far.

This isn't a factory resto. It has a small block (now) with HEI ignition and giant aluminum radiator. Motor, tran, rear end, brakes and suspension are all new or rebuilt. Interior is 80% new. Lots more to do.

It was last driven on the street in 2002.

We all have priorities.

Why not simply hire a car thief and be done with it?

Yer not holding your mouth right.....

http://corvette.wikia.com/wiki/Corvette_Wiki

Thanks. I'll check it out.

Our almost 16 year old sent this picture to his friends.

He wants it. He'll have to stand in line.

Hi Lynn

I can't understand why your sixteen year old would want an old junker like that....

I am sure you or I, or none of the rest of us would have---besides, it was a brand new year model car that year and cost 6000 bucks...LOL

It is a beauty! Good luck with it.

Expat007

Lyn do you see the groove in the new cylinder that is the holding component on that year column. Take it from a guy that replaced thousands of them. There is a bolt head in the area of the groove. It could be a counter sunk Phillips, torx's, or a bolt head sticking up but it will be one of those types of fasteners. Around 1973 or 74 they switched over to the bolt to keep thieves from using a slide hammer from removing the key-switch and steal the car. Believe me I have seen a lot of destroyed column's where they tried to slide hammer them out to no avail and destroyed the column to the point of total replacement. Oh yea! there is also a plastic piece at the end of the lock in the column that is part of the key buzzer it has two contacts on it slide it out as it may catch you up when you try to install the new lock as you push it in. if you are still having trouble PM me and I will give you my phone number I can probably talk you through it. Duke P.S. I am leaving at 4:30 in the morning I may not reply to you until late in the evening, having to drive 600 + miles for work tomorrow but I will get back around 5PM eastern time to respond Duke

It's more like 'Take A Number And Stand In Line' Nice ride! Small block or not

I do feel for you, if you have to have AC evaporator or heater core work done on it, what a nightmare. I've done 4 of them and they never got any easier. But the road race tests afterwards made it well worth all of it!

And the Key should be in the "ON" position, depress the lock tab and pull the lock cyl. out

I've replaced the heater core in this one. When I was much younger. It was a royal pain. I could not do it today.

I'm about to give it one more try with a tool I'm going to make myself.

If that fails, it's going back together as is.

Since my wife will be driving it every day, I wanted it to be smooth. Maybe a little lubricant will help.

I've got the GM factory service manual somewhere. All the tricks are covered.
I put 15 minutes into looking for it this morning. It's got to be somewhere.

I've been to all the web sites. I'm a member of Corvette Forum (thanks by the way) and others and I think if the tool I'm going to cobble up doesn't work I'm just going to put it back together and drive it.

The main problem is the + lead to the distributor is now dead. It ran fine when it went into the upholstery shop. But when the wife went with me to pick it up, it would not start. After I had it hauled home, I figured out that the lead was now dead. Hooked 12V to the "BATT" lead on the distributor and it fired right up.

The lock cylinder was just "because I wanted to".

I can get it to run, but I want the guys who broke it to fix it, and I didn't want them pointing to a sluggish ignition switch. One more try, then it's WD 40 and back together.

The boys are all drooling, especially Alec who will be 16 in Feb. I drifted it around the cul-de-sac with one of them in it when I got it fired up.

Time out. Back to the car now.

Is it possible that the steering is putting pressure on the rest of the lock mechanism and so jamming it against the lock cylinder? You might try turning the wheels a bit to ease the pressure, maybe refit the steering wheel and turn it a bit, or jack up the front wheels and have someone joggle them as you try to get the cylinder out.

No pressure on the lock mechanism because the lock plate has been removed.

There is no connection between the lock cylinder and the steering wheel. All that has been taken out.

Welcome to the world of progress.

The hand driven windows in my 71 chevy worked fine. I just HAD to upgrade to a 1986 truck, and the body is like tin, the electric windows suck, and every time I want to make a left turn, my windshield wipers go off.

I've given up. Put the lock plate back on, returned the loaner steering wheel puller. Had one once, can't find it now.

I'll put the wheel back on and tackle the real problem next week.

I fired it up for the wife. She grinned from ear to ear.

You gave up!!!????

Geez!

Did you at least call a locksmith while you had it apart?

I replaced the cylinder in my truck about 10 years ago. I remember it was a pain, but doable once you find out the process.

What's the real problem?

The real problem is that you don't pay attention.

There was nothing really wrong with the cylinder. It was difficult to get completely into the full off position and I've had this new cylinder for 15 years.

The real problem is the + lead that run from the ignition switch (not lock cylinder) is broken or just disconnected. This really needs to be fixed.

I just put a small amount of WD 40 on the cylinder and it's fine.

Locksmith would have cost $100.00 for a house call.

"She grinned from ear to ear."...and when momma's happy, everybody is happy!

Like aircraft cockpits, if you want to do anything in there, it's faster and easier to take the time and take the driver's seat out, especially under dash work, ( been there and had to do that) And if your soon to-be 16 year old wants dibbs on the Vett, it might be a fine time for him to learn more about it, like under dash work!

Could be time.

It is necessary to have the key in the cylinder, and rotated to the "Run" position. Did you have it in that setting? I have don the job. It works well with the correct settings. Let me know if I need to make a road call?

This may sound strange coming from an Aussie, but I have owned 4 Vettes, an 86 and a 93 coupe and fully restored a 58 and a 69 ragtop.

One of the jobs that I did on the 69 was to replace the ignition lock cylinder.

The manual tells you to insert the key and turn to the run position, but actually the lock will come out without the key inserted.

I found that you have to be very precise with the depressing of the spring tab as it tends to tilt to one side or the other and so still retain the lock, so make sure you are depressing it squarely. Be very gentle with the wings on the switch as they are quite fragile.

In case you're interested, here are a couple of pics of the finished resto's

http://www.corvetteforum.com/forums/c3-tech-performance/1771515-ignition-lock-cylinder-removal-problems.html

Lyn,

I worked for a chevy dealership during the late 60's and early 70's.

You must insert the key, then once the release pin is depressed you must depress and rotate the key in the counter-clockwise direction and pull when it releases.

If it does not come out you may have to squirt some WD40 or other penetrating oil into the assembly and try several times. (Be careful as some penetrating oils have solvent that dissolve plastic.)

If the lock will not release after a few attempts you will have to remove the steering wheel to access the retaining screw that holds the lock cylinder in place.

I can send you scanned copies from the original Chevrolet service manual on the procedure if you need them but it will be late tonight before I get home.

Thanks, I'll give this a try.

#20 shows my column with wheel removed. The only screw even close to the lock cylinder is 3/4 inches away from the bottom of the cylinder.

My '78 Chevy K10 had such an arrangement, not this Vette.

I've put the wheel back on, because the cylinder R&R was not essential.

I'm stiff and sore from messing on it for part of 2 days. It still needs more work, wiper and headlight door motors and relays. I'll worry about this issue some time later.

Here's what I really need. The lock cylinder won't keep the car from running. It is functional and I'm not replacing it now.

But the dead + lead coming out of the ignition switch does.

The upholstery shop replaced the carpet and did some under dash work when they had the car.

I had them (their vinyl dye guy who is independent) re-color the dash, also. To do that (they said) he'd have to remove the gauges. I think that's when the wire got disconnected/cut or rendered "dead".

I can pay someone else to fix it and the shop says if I bring the car back to them they'll look at it. Now, everybody's already been paid.

I can jump a hot wire to the distributor and the car runs fine.

But I don't want to try to get "emissioned" with a toggle switch for ignition control. They probably wouldn't even test it like that and it needs to be put right.

I'm too old to crawl under the dash and fix it myself.

But if I had some pictures/drawings to reference so I know where things are I could maybe rewire that one circuit. It's spade lugs on both ends and I have everything I need.

Maybe it's as simple as re-connecting the spade lug at the switch. That I could get the teenager to do if he could find it.

I've got two weeks to get it tested and licensed before the temp license expires.

Any thoughts?

They do emission tests on '72s??? I think it's an opportunity to have a "security system".

They emission test vehicles from '66 to 2009.

I could have it classified as collectable, but it will be driven lots, by one of us. Wouldn't you?

I'm just starting to look on the web for diagrams and pictures of the switch and wiring diagrams. Most forums are not much help for older Vettes. Make that all.

Lots of people confuse the lock cylinder, where the key goes with the ignition switch, which is located at the bottom of the steering column.

Don't know if you've ever tried to wiggle yourself under the dash of a Vette, but you have to take the T-tops off and stand on your head with your feet sticking out the top to get under there.

I can't do that any more.

Been under many a dash..can't do it anymore either! The biggest problem I have is my bifocals...when you are up-side-down they just don't work right!

I know right where that switch is...just beyond my reach!

I converted an old rear view camera into an under dash viewer for just that reason. the camera has infra-red LEDs and makes the under dash area as bright as daylight, and the screen is big enough to get good clarity.

The last time I went for glasses, the place told me they can make the bifocals inverted for me. It is a common design for mechanics that work on creepers. If you are up for another set, think about having a set done that way for inverted situations.

I played pool with an old electrician that had his bi-focals cut on the top and bottom...killer pool shark!

"Don't know if you've ever tried to wiggle yourself under the dash of a Vette, but you have to take the T-tops off and stand on your head with your feet sticking out the top to get under there."
I believe that the T tops were invented so that Blondes would have more leg room.

Here are some wiring diags taken from my 69 manual. There may be slight differences, but best I can do for you. They show colour codes which may help in tracing the wiring. If you want bigger pics, PM me and I will Email them to you.

Thanks. First things first. I need to look under there somehow and see if the wire is damaged, or broken.

Thing is, one day the car started, then it didn't after they were under the dash.

I can't prove who did it or when it happened, so I'd just like to get it fixed and if I can do it here, fine.

I think I'll start with a phone stuck under there and just take pix.

My new phone takes killer pix. See # 20.

Lyn, I am pretty sure that the ignition key just drives a linkage that extends down inside the steering column and the ignition switch is actually mounted on the steering column under the dash.

it is a royal pain to get to especially in a vette but it is doable if copious amounts of liquid painkiller is consumed. (Bud, Coors,?)

Yes, you're right.

The lock cylinder is fine after lubing it, and myself.

I'm rewiring the + to the distributor, until it goes in for its next round of shop work.

I can drive it like that with no problems.

Be sure to check the starting/running resistor circuit and replace it if it is damaged.

Not sure of which ignition system you have so be aware that in the old points system the coil will fail and/or rupture if the current limiting resistor is not in series with the coil when the engine is running.

If you have converted to the newer solid state distributor the resistor circuit is not necessary.

Yep, new HEI.

Thanks.

My own personal opinion is, they should have never got rid of the HEI system, it's probably the most reliable system GM had. Tho it never hurt to keep a spare module in the glove box

Lyn, the power for the HEI is pink in color. It runs from the distributer to the harness connector on the fire-wall. From there it goes directly to the ignition switch. NO Fuse. The ignition switch has a separate power feed for that pink wire. It is protected by a section of fusible. The link can be located on the battery, the starter, or the alternator lug. It might be attached to a junction block on engine side of fire-wall. The burned fusible link will stretch like a rubber band. If the wire to the distributer is shorted, the fusible link will melt and open. To test, use your jumper wire that is feeding the distributer. MAKE SURE TO USE A FUSE. touch it to the original feed wire to the distributer (pink). If the fuse in your jumper blows, your wire is shorted. If not, it is probably disconnected, or the fusible link has popped from the last person that touched it. If you bring it here, I will climb under the dash for you. Let me know.

OK. Thanks. I'll try that, with the ignition switch in the run position I assume.

I'm not a fan of fusible links.

The Vette runs. I took the T tops off and took the boys for rides today. (One at a time) I expect the wife will want to drive it tomorrow.

Just as soon as Santa leaves, I'm coming to your house till the snowbirds go back. Take a look at the wires feeding the + on the HEI. If there are two, ( One yellow, and one fabric) these are the original wires from the point system. The yellow is the resister bypass coming up from the starter. The fabric would be the resister wire. They may be joined at the old connector that attached to the old coil. Split them and test them. If the car had a replacement starter designed for an HEI, there may be no post for the resister bypass wire. And, the resister wire may not get power in the start position. Check these and make room for me......