TheSamba.com :: View topic - Re-Key or Replace ignition housing?

Sun Aug 28, 2005 4:58 pm

The Story is long and embarassing but the end of it leaves me Keyless to my 64' Bus. The Doors and ignittion keys were not matching. A rekey is quoted at 200 bucks, a new ignition switch is 30. How hard is it to change out the ignition switch?

Shaka,
Adam

Sun Aug 28, 2005 5:23 pm

As long as the door and ignition are the same key profile, it's fairly easy to rekey them yourself. The ignition is very easy to remove. Remove the battery cables first. I can't stress enough how important this step is. One of the wires at the ignition switch is coming, unfused, directly from the battery. If it grounds out, it will at the very least fry that wire and could fry all the wires in the harness coming from the engine compartment. Battery disconnected? Good. Now remove your parcel tray. Loosen screws in the steering shaft grommet to swing the parcel tray support out of the way. Remove wires from back of ignition switch. Remove screw (there's only one) from bottom of ignition switch. Pull switch out.
Now that it's out, take a jeweler's screwdriver and remove the clip in the back that holds the switch together. The tumbler assembly can be pushed out the front and you can rearrange the wafers in there until your key works. At least some of them should work with your key and you can leave some out or file them a little to make them work.

Sun Aug 28, 2005 9:37 pm

I removed the ignition switch from my 1963 bus fairly easily without removing the tray.

Sun Aug 28, 2005 9:48 pm

Campy wrote: I removed the ignition switch from my 1963 bus fairly easily without removing the tray.

Me too!! I even put a different one in and then had to remove it because I think it was a bug ignition. So now I have the bug ignition one hooked up on the outside until I can get a replacement bus one!!!

justcruzin

Mon Jul 06, 2009 11:47 am

justcruzin wrote: Campy wrote: I removed the ignition switch from my 1963 bus fairly easily without removing the tray.

Me too!! I even put a different one in and then had to remove it because I think it was a bug ignition. So now I have the bug ignition one hooked up on the outside until I can get a replacement bus one!!!

justcruzin

Going to change my ingnition switch - removed the "electrical cabel-plate" on the other side... BUT it seems that the switch is locked by a "pin "(?) - not a screw - from underneath. On the attached picture - you'll see hole where the "pin" enters,..... http://www.justkampers.com/shop/type_2_split/vw-ca...14354.html

how do I get the switch loose ?

Mon Jul 06, 2009 12:04 pm

Yalmar wrote: Going to change my ingnition switch - removed the "electrical cabel-plate" on the other side... BUT it seems that the switch is locked by a "pin "(?) - not a screw - from underneath. On the attached picture - you'll see hole where the "pin" enters,..... http://www.justkampers.com/shop/type_2_split/vw-ca...14354.html

That's a threaded hole - just a crappy picture.

Mon Jul 06, 2009 1:08 pm

thom wrote: Yalmar wrote: Going to change my ingnition switch - removed the "electrical cabel-plate" on the other side... BUT it seems that the switch is locked by a "pin "(?) - not a screw - from underneath. On the attached picture - you'll see hole where the "pin" enters,..... http://www.justkampers.com/shop/type_2_split/vw-ca...14354.html

That's a threaded hole - just a crappy picture.

So its a screw then - not a bolt...... ? just have to find the corect screwdriver then....

Mon Jul 06, 2009 7:36 pm

Quote: At least some of them should work with your key and you can leave some out or file them a little to make them work.
Thats a really sorry ass way to rig an ignition switch. Heck, might as well take all the tumblers out and just use a screwdriver as a key! If you can't redo the tumblers properly, using all of them, send it to gabvwkeys who advertises here and he'll fix it right. And it won't be anywhere close to 200 bucks. Geeze, he can probably even make your ign match the doors (1 key like factory) for less than 200 bones!

Mon Jul 06, 2009 8:50 pm

I recently replaced my ignition( by myself!!) and it came with 2 keys. I'm kind of paranoid and like to have more than enough keys. The two biggest locksmiths (and 3 smaller) in the area could not find a key blank to match. Am I stuck? Or could the vw key guy come up with one? The problem is it's a generic switch from BusBoys. But where could I get a VW one?

Mon Jul 06, 2009 11:18 pm

Yalmar wrote: thom wrote: Yalmar wrote: Going to change my ingnition switch - removed the "electrical cabel-plate" on the other side... BUT it seems that the switch is locked by a "pin "(?) - not a screw - from underneath. On the attached picture - you'll see hole where the "pin" enters,..... http://www.justkampers.com/shop/type_2_split/vw-ca...14354.html

That's a threaded hole - just a crappy picture.

So its a screw then - not a bolt...... ? just have to find the corect screwdriver then....
Originally it was a flat-head screw but yes, it removes quite easily. One of the wires is live so you should disconnect the battery first.

Tue Jul 07, 2009 10:47 am

rebapuck wrote: I recently replaced my ignition( by myself!!) and it came with 2 keys. I'm kind of paranoid and like to have more than enough keys. The two biggest locksmiths (and 3 smaller) in the area could not find a key blank to match. Am I stuck? Or could the vw key guy come up with one? The problem is it's a generic switch from BusBoys. But where could I get a VW one?

Yep the "replacement" switch (available for Bugs too) are some weird key profile that I have not heard of any blanks around (but still trying...).

Tue Jul 07, 2009 7:41 pm

CaliforniaShagWagon wrote: The Story is long and embarassing but the end of it leaves me Keyless to my 64' Bus. The Doors and ignittion keys were not matching. A rekey is quoted at 200 bucks, a new ignition switch is 30. How hard is it to change out the ignition switch?

Shaka,
Adam

A rekey should not be that expensive. Talk to this guy. You should be able to just send him all of your handles and ignition switch and he'll cut you a set of VW keys and key them all the same for less than $200.

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/profile.php?mode=viewprofile&u=7058

rebapuck wrote: I recently replaced my ignition( by myself!!) and it came with 2 keys. I'm kind of paranoid and like to have more than enough keys. The two biggest locksmiths (and 3 smaller) in the area could not find a key blank to match. Am I stuck? Or could the vw key guy come up with one? The problem is it's a generic switch from BusBoys. But where could I get a VW one?

You're not going to be able to get a VW key for a generic switch. You'll have to replace that generic switch with a VW ignition switch. Talk to the same that I just told the guy above to talk to and he should be able to set you up with an ignition switch and a set of keys and be able to key it to the rest of your VW.

Tue Jul 07, 2009 9:27 pm

rebapuck wrote: The problem is it's a generic switch from BusBoys. But where could I get a VW one?
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/search.php?...ton=Search
To have the one key system you need to buy the ignition switch with the correct key profile for your bus.
67 only is L (like 20L123),
64-66 is T profile (like T1234),
55-63 is the kind that have number letter number like 4Z1
55-60 are screw terminal, 61 & later are push terminal.

They are physically interchangable and fit 55-67, like the new ones, but the above are particulars to keep in mind if you want a one key system, and don't want to mess original wireing up.
The key code is here:

Wed Jul 08, 2009 1:43 pm

huuuh - mine is stuck. Does someone have any photos showing the inside.

Do I have to un-screw the hole steering-shaft - and "enter from above"... :roll: :lol:

Tue Feb 06, 2024 12:47 pm

Is it possible to make a key with a key code from the ignition?

Tue Feb 06, 2024 3:13 pm

scottydub wrote: Is it possible to make a key with a key code from the ignition?

A proper old fashioned lock shop should be able to cut such for you. That is why the key code is there.

Tue Feb 06, 2024 7:04 pm

This guy will make and mail it to you.

https://gabvwkey.com

Tue Feb 06, 2024 7:19 pm

Great! Where can I find the code? Is it on the ignition

Tue Feb 06, 2024 9:12 pm

scottydub wrote: Great! Where can I find the code? Is it on the ignition

Wed Feb 07, 2024 1:41 pm

Excellent! Thanks