Note: this is not a commercial - I am sharing vendor info.

OK, with most of the major work completed; the small ticket items are now coming about. I was taking off the interior door handles and window cranks in order to clean them and to add a few escutcheons where needed. Escutcheons, you know those little round things behind the handles...

 

 

 Hover to see additional image
Escutcheons

 

What I KNEW all along is when you pull the door handles in one direction the door opens. I mean I have been getting in and out of the car for YEARS now. I assumed that you locked the doors by putting the key in the door lock, which may or may not be true. I say it this way because I did NOT have a key to the front doors and the rear doors do not have external locks.

What I LEARNED, while working on the door handles, is that if you pull the handle in the opposite direction the door locks. This was a total shock to me. Why did I not know this??? It simply never occurred to me how to lock the doors because I never tried and the Chevybaker is always kept in the garage. In pure hindsight, how did I never think this through?

So now I am completely focused on getting keys for the doors. The ignition has been replaced so I can't copy the ignition/door key. I did try contacting local locksmiths but no one seems to make keys by feel anymore or "We don't work on classic cars.". It was then I learned that you can purchase "code cut" keys if you know the code and well - I have the Production Order from the Studebaker National Museum.

Casting about on the Internet I found a GREAT Ebay seller name "Rfurtado1 Keys for Classics" who sells classic car key blanks AND can code cut them. After an inquiry I was offered a deal for 2 keys and the purchase of "cut to code". This seller offers the following keys for Studebakers:

  • Studebaker & Jordan transmission locks 1920's (1014DX)
  • Studebaker 1964 - 1965, Avanti 1964 up (64SP/64SS)
  • Studebaker 1937 to 1942 (199AR)
  • Studebaker 30's 40's 50's (1125H)
  • Studebaker glove box/trunk 1960 to 1962 (L1122A)
  • Studebaker 1951-59 glove box/trunk (except for some that used the flat back keys O1122A)
  • Studebaker Champion & Crosley 1939 to 1942 (O1122AR)
  • Studebaker 1937-42 ignition/doors (1199AR)
  • Studebaker ignition 1949 to 1963 (X1199AR) More on this in a moment.
  • Studebaker Pre 1933 997X Y6
  • Studebaker 1937-48 gbox/trunk (H1122FR)
  • Studebaker 1925-37, Willys, Checker (H1122M)

In my intial inquiry I listed the X1199AR but he responded with there being two lock types (which I knew) and my code was to the HURD brand (which I have) and changed the key type to a 1125H blank. Truly great service!

  Hover to see additional image
New Keys



I received the keys 4 days later (the time to deliver from Massachusetts to California) and they work perfectly.

keyindoor

Update: The glove box lock is being repinned to use the door key!  

Update on the Update:  Well the Studebaker Glovebox lock was tougher than the locksmith as they were unable to get the lock apart.  They were however able to make a key for the lock which is weird because when originally called they "did not work on classic cars!"  Regardless, the ChevyBaker has 4 keys, the ignition, trunk, doors, glovebox.