More of the key saga.
Last week I was passing the Toyota garage in Canterbury and needed some oil seals (more on that story another day). So whilst I was there I thought I'd order a key. One cut from the chassis number.
No problem, part number comes up, order goes onto the system. Happy days. That was easy!
Tuesday:-
Brrrring brrrring… (or whatever noise phones make these days).
Mrs Sweetpea - "Hello."
Toyota Chappy - "Hello, it's Mr Toyota Chappy here!"
Mrs Sweetpea - "Hello Mr Toyota Chappy…"
Toyota Chappy - "I'm afraid we can't supply the key for Mr Sweetpea's car. "
Mrs Sweetpea - "Oh dear, he'll be distraught. Inconsolable. Upset to his very core."
Toyota Chappy - "Yes, sorry about that. All we can suggest is that he pops into 'ACME Locks' up the road."
Mrs Sweetpea - "Ok, I'll tell him. Thank you."
Given that others have had problems with getting keys made for early MK1s I'm not too surprised by this. I suspect they have lost the ability to convert the chassis number into a key number. But I might have the key number. There is a number stamped on the lock actuator arm. It's the same number on both doors. It might just be the key number…
Today I popped into Toyota:-
James - "Hello Mr Toyota Chappy"
Mr Toyota Chappy - "Hello Sir!"
James - "I'm here to not pickup a key."
Mr Toyota Chappy - "Ah yes, I'm afraid we couldn't cut it."
James (Crestfallen look passing over face) - "I'm distraught. Inconsolable. Upset to my very core. "
Mr Toyota Chappy - "Yes, your wife said something to that effect."
James (Brightening noticeably) - "But I might have the key number! Would that help?"
Mr Toyota Chappy - "I'm afraid not sir. They do it from the chassis number these days you see."
James - (Looks glum again) - "Oh well, never mind. Thanks for trying." Surely they use the chassis number to get the key number which is converted into the bitting code which is dialled into the machine which cuts the key? Surely the key number would be useful? It's one step closer to the key. Ah, frankly I'm not arguing. I've run out of arsedness. Time to try the improbably named 'ACME Locks up the road'.
ACME Locks, Canterbury:-
James (Now also running out of optimism.) - Aw gawd. Yet another poxy key cutting shop. This one looks like it's falling down too. There's boxes of 'stuff' all over the floor, dead locks littering the counter. The computer's keyboard looks like it's black with key filings. Had a massive leak through the ceiling at some point too… Not looking promising really…
James (As brightly as I could muster.) - "Hello, I don't suppose you have a blank for this ancient Toyota key?"
ACME Chappy - "Oh probably" (Disappears to the back of the room.) "Yep, It's either one of these, or one of these…"
James - He's got a blank! I, er, I don't know what to think now. "I, er, wow! Fantastic!"
James - "But, you see this key is knackered so I didn't want to cut from it."
ACME Chappy - "That's no problem, we can cut an accurate one from a number. We don't need to copy yours."
James - "Well, I have a possible key number off the back of the door locks."
ACME Chappy - "Well lets check it on the computer." (Types number into computer, recovers bitting code. Inspects my key.) "No, sorry, that doesn't match up. That's not it."
James (Face falls yet again) - "So we are sunk? It was going so well. I was so excited. I'm going to cry in a corner for a while. Excuse me…"
ACME Chappy - "No, it's no problem. We can just measure your key and work out the number from that. It'll cost you 20 quid but it shouldn't be a problem.
James (eyes wide in astonishment) - "Didn't they teach you the phrase 'Oh no, that won't work sir… You'll have to talk to the manufacturer.' when you were at lock school?" (Clearly he wasn't paying attention that day.) "Yes please try and make a key!"
When we say 'measuring the key' he's so good he he just looked at it and read the bitting code off it. To be fair, it took him a couple of goes but, 30 mins later…
Worn old key at the top, new crisp key at the bottom.
Because I'd cleaned and lubricated the locks and I now have a correctly made key they all just work. It's almost like a new car. No more jiggling about trying to get the doors opened.
Admittedly my new key is a generic silver topped key but that's not a problem because I now know the cutting code. At some point in the future I'll get a couple of proper Toyota blanks and ACME can cut them from the code.
I am a very happy bloke.
Forgive me for 'advertising' but this chap deserves a recommendation.
www.acmelocksofcanterbury.co.uk/
The owner is called Frazer. He's a proper, old school locksmith. And, more importantly, he gives a curse word and looks after his customers. In a previous post I said I wanted to support local businesses - this is the business I was hoping to support.
I said I'd put a note on the forums I'm on. He said, if people aren't in the Canterbury area he can probably make a key if you post him a barrel or, I guess, a key. Call him and have a chat if you are interested.
James
Good to hear that there are still people with manual skills and a good eye.
Maybe the local dealerships all want to keep him in business and refuse to cut older keys so you go there. Maybe.
I was surprised they're actually called acme though - I thought it was a generic name you'd used in the story
