Ford Spare Tire Lock Key

[Rowdy]

I found this in a box of stuff I bought at an auction last year. I mentioned it on the old barn, but finally took some pic's of it this last weekend. The Number on it is DF-841 and looks simular to the Chicago Lock Keys for other spare tire locks. Thought I would share the pic's. Rod

 

[BruceUpstate NY]

Cut like a Model T key, but not a T number.

 

[Steve Plucker]

Where is it Rowdy?

Pluck

 

[Rowdy]

Right now it is on my desk with the other keys I am sorting though. Rod

 

[Rowdy]

Simular, but wider than the T keys and also has a recess down the center unlike the T keys. The number I don't have a clue what the DF stands for. I will see if I can get some pic's of my Chicago spare tire lock keys also. Rod

 

[Joop]

Keys like that were also used on office furniture locks used at the Ford factory.
Info is from Cal Allen.

 

[Rowdy]

Thanks for the info Joop. I also wonder if they were used with the Kari-Keen trunks. I may try this one in a lock on one of those. Rod

 

[Bruce Lancaster]

It reminds me of the keys used in many common 1930's--1950's locking gas caps, including Ford ones supplied as accessories in the flathead era.
I had a number of nice but keyless V8 ones, and went hunting. What I found was a simple picking key for those, really just a flat piece thin enough to bypass the center groove with a couple of bumps on each edge and costing very little. It was marketed as a gas station tool specifically for coping with gas caps.
Just pushing it in and wiggling it a bit unlocked every such lock I owned, many of them almost as easily as the proper key could have. Generally, if you can turn a lock cylinder the big problem is over, as you can then work its latching system and get it out to have a key made.