Herald and Vitesse glovebox locks

[Colin Lindsay]

I've been of necessity having fun with glovebox locks from old Herald and Vitesse dashboards, trying to match them to keys. Were they originally meant to use the ignition key, or the door key? In any case there are at least three types of key.

Two of the key types are single sided with the key slot off to one side but each single-sided key, one pointed and one more square-ended, will not fit the other style. The other is a double-sided key with a larger more central key slot.

    

The problem I had was identifying the actual key, but thankfully there are clues if you look hard enough - I had to look very hard on some.

Here the key number is on the end:

Here it's on the side of the end:

This one is different; it's the double-sided key:

NOW: locating keys. A quick internet search has revealed https://www.replacementkeys.co.uk/strebor-ss-series-keys.html - these keys are Strebor with the SS code and still available.

The '923' code above is an FS series key, also still available from many online suppliers. This is the key with the pointed end.

The flat-ended, slightly wider single-sided keys... well, I have no idea. They won't fit the FS locks, but the FS keys also won't fit some of the spare locks I have so there must be other keys and codes. All I have is the 3-number code, no letters. 

Two questions then: what other key codes were used? Secondly how do you remove the barrel from these? I have spare barrels and keys but no way of removing the fitted ones without breaking them. Is it just a case of prising off the stainless end and pulling out?

 

[ahebron]

Hi Colin

All I can say is I have done it but how I cannot remember.
I keyed my Vitesse to be one key for all locks which meant a mix of locks are from different era Herald/Vitesse.
IIRC the glovebox was the hardest one to do.
Luckily I have a bin of various Triumph locks and latches.
i also put a barrel in the passenger door lock

[Josef]

I believe that the glovebox lock is supposed to match the boot lock, with the door and ignition also being paired. The reasoning being you could give the ignition key to a garage (or valet!) but leave stuff locked in the glovebox or boot. I think the keys you can’t identify might be FP series. I have some boot locks marked with numbers that are too low for the FS series, but look to have similar barrels, I have intended to get an FP to try out but not yet done so.
I don’t know how to change the glove box lock barrels, I ended up rekeying a boot lock to match for my Herald.

[NonMember]

1 hour ago, Josef said:

I believe that the glovebox lock is supposed to match the boot lock, with the door and ignition also being paired.

That was how my first Vitesse was, when it was only 21 years old and stood some chance of still having an original set of locks.

[Chris A]

The keys on my 13/60 are a mixed bunch, like many after 50+ years.

Here is what the owners handbook for a 13/60 says:

I haven't included the bit about how the locks operate, I assume you can figure that out yourselves 😁

[Colin Lindsay]

It's amazing what you learn here!! Love it. I have boot locks with the keys in, so chances are they'll fit one or more of the glovebox keys too... 

[Josef]

I’ve just got an FP683 key for a boot lock I had which was marked ‘683’ and it is the correct key. So the FP series are correct for the locks that look FS style but have numbers outside of the FS key series. Though there may of course be a further key series that’s similar I suppose. 

[Peter Truman]

I like @ahebron have fitted a keyed push button in my Vitesse Mk2 passenger handle and I keyed it the same as the drivers door/ignition fortunately the key barrel was nearly the same as the ignition only one lock barrel pin significantly protruding when the key was inserted so filed that down! Been like that 53 years!

ironically my Vitesse Door/ignition key opens my daughters Spitfire Mk2 boot? Her ignition switch has been replaced and uses a Lucas key