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Mar 14, 2016 11:23 am
Mar 14, 2016 11:23 am
Subject: Re: Key for LG45 door handle
The FS lock series was made by Union (or at least that is what it says on the key! That series would date to the late 1950s at the earliest, so would not be original to the car. The series goes back to FA, which commenced late 40s/early 50s. It was preceded by MRN, and my V12 has MRN series keys, which are original, as the key numbers match the works record.
Unfortunately I don't know when MRN started. Rather bizarrely, Union stamped the key number onto the visible face of the lock barrel, which must have been a bonus for car thieves.
So Bill, if no key number is stated on the barrel face, it won't be MRN, and I suspect it might not be Union either.
I did have, but can't find now, quite a few non-Union old car keys, I do recollect several were Yale, so that might help.
As an aside, my 1951 Riley has FA series locks, most of which have been replaced by FS series due to wear. An easy swap, except that the barrel protudes a little, where the FA ones sat flush.
A source of MRN pattern keys you could try is keys for filing cabinets! Although stamped (from memory) L & F, I suspect they "borrowed" the MRN tooling, as they are a direct fit...no correlation of numbers though.
It might help to know that, the more worn the lock, the more keys that will work it.
Laurence
The FS lock series was made by Union (or at least that is what it says on the key! That series would date to the late 1950s at the earliest, so would not be original to the car. The series goes back to FA, which commenced late 40s/early 50s. It was preceded by MRN, and my V12 has MRN series keys, which are original, as the key numbers match the works record.
Unfortunately I don't know when MRN started. Rather bizarrely, Union stamped the key number onto the visible face of the lock barrel, which must have been a bonus for car thieves.
So Bill, if no key number is stated on the barrel face, it won't be MRN, and I suspect it might not be Union either.
I did have, but can't find now, quite a few non-Union old car keys, I do recollect several were Yale, so that might help.
As an aside, my 1951 Riley has FA series locks, most of which have been replaced by FS series due to wear. An easy swap, except that the barrel protudes a little, where the FA ones sat flush.
A source of MRN pattern keys you could try is keys for filing cabinets! Although stamped (from memory) L & F, I suspect they "borrowed" the MRN tooling, as they are a direct fit...no correlation of numbers though.
It might help to know that, the more worn the lock, the more keys that will work it.
Laurence