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odd business partnership

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notjustair

Well-known Member
I noticed something today and I just wonder if anyone knows anything about it.

Three of my old Chevy grain trucks have the original ignition switch and key in them - the '35, '54, and '55. The key has a hexagon shaped head on it. One side says something like "GM family of fine vehicles" or something to that effect. Definitely GM original equipment. The other side has the Briggs and Stratton logo and says Briggs and Stratton on it. I actually got my readers and went to the one with the lowest miles (least worn key) to make sure I was seeing it correctly.

Did B&S provide electrical components for GM years ago? It's odd to me that a small engine manufacturer would be supplying something like that to a big auto maker that would no doubt need a large number of switches. Was it just for the grain truck/large vehicle sector or did the car keys have the same thing? It seems odd that Chevy let them "advertise" on their product.
 
I think my 300 utility key has the B&S logo on it.It has the original key in it as well,from 1955.Been a long time since I looked closely at it,tho.Mark.
 
Don't know about that but I'll throw out something else. Dad has a 60 Chevy pickup. When we bought my '55 Chevy wagon the key was missing and you needed the key to remove the lock cylinder from the lock body, in order to take the whole switch out of the dash. On a lark Dad stuck the key from the truck in my car, and it actually fit.

In another instance a buddy lost the key to his '87 Ford F350. I tried the key to my '87 F150 and it fit his.

I've heard over the years that each mfg only used so many key combinations, but what are the odds of finding matching keys on vehicles 6 years apart in age, or even of the same year model.....and for one person to do it twice?
 
B&S were suppliers for GM, and many other auto mfgs over the years.

They had a lock and key division along with the small engine business.

Anyone remember back when GM cars came with different keys? One fit the ignition and doors, the other fit the trunk.

The ign key was hex handle, the trunk was round.
 
Wayne, that is pretty common for the same key to fit different cars.

The older locks were not real secure, basically to keep honest people honest. After a few years, most would turn with about any key.

I had an 01 Silverado with a very worn ignition lock and key. Had to be careful it was really off when I pulled the key, as the key would come out in any position.

But that key, combined with the shape and wear, would open just about any GM door lock of that era. I was the "go to" at work when someone would lock their keys in the car/truck. Just put the key in, hold steady pressure toward the direction you wanted it to turn, wiggle up and down, in and out, soon it would begin to turn!
 
When I got the ignition key to the 1973 International Loadstar grain truck I bought last summer, I noticed that it had a familiar leaping deer embossed on the key.
 
Even the earlier Australia GM brand Holden had B & S keys. And the ignition lock let you take the key out while the engine was running.
 
A Cousin was traveling on the Interstate, stopped at a rest area, went in, came back out, realized he'd locked the keys in the minivan. Fooled around a while, then he noticed another minivan like his nearby. He walked over and asked the owner to try his key in the locked minivan. It worked! Opened my Cousin's minivan, and both were on their way.
 
I have the original key with the code peice still in the center for my 1938 GMC right here and it says Briggs and Stratton also.
 
There are only so many variations a lock cylinder length will allow. Short cylinders have fewer variations while longer ones have more. Don't hold my feet to the fire over this but at one time I was told that GM had 13 variations. So out of every 14 vehicles off the line the key would match one of the prior 13. That was a big reason that the doors and trunk keys were different from the ignition keys. Gave more variations. Odds of 2 vehicles matching both doors and ignition was less. That was a big reason they started going to chipped keys because with a computer code embedded even if the keys fits making run was another thing all together. Sure the early systems like that would start and run for a very short time, then would shut down as owners had chips start going bad found out. Now look at the new ones today? Keyless???


Rick
 
(quoted from post at 18:16:19 12/21/17) I have a 79 F150 and a 77 F250 and the same key fits both perfectly.
Click to expand...

Those Ford Locks door and ignition use three tumblers, Three on the key are for the door three for the ignition switch. Lets say the first three are for the ignition switch you are not going to have many combinations if only three are used. Its not uncommon for a different key to open the door but not unlock the ignition switch are not unlock a door but will the ignition. That's why they are so EZ to pic you only have to hit three to unlock it.
 
A few years back, I had a 1994 Ford Taurus, and a 1982 Ford F150. The ignition key from the truck was an exact match to the trunk key on the car....
 
(quoted from post at 00:48:19 12/21/17) Even the earlier Australia GM brand Holden had B & S keys. And the ignition lock let you take the key out while the engine was running.
Click to expand...

My father rarely used the key in our '53 Chevy. He pulled it out in the off, but not locked position where it could be started without the key, and just never used it,
 
Here's my key story (not gonna help your question) ...... a few years back I bought a '91 Jeep YJ as a bit of a project. Ran and started well, a day after I picked it up I noticed that you didn't even need the ignition key to start it, somebody had taken the tumblers out of the mechanical part of the keyed start switch. That same key opened and locked the doors so it would have been the original one. I could start it with or without the key into it's slot enclosure on the side of the steering colulmn. After a year, I bought a new lock assembly from Rock Auto and installed it, works fine, now I have two keys ..... one for the doors and the other for starting up.
 
(quoted from post at 20:48:41 12/20/17) Don't know about that but I'll throw out something else. Dad has a 60 Chevy pickup. When we bought my '55 Chevy wagon the key was missing and you needed the key to remove the lock cylinder from the lock body, in order to take the whole switch out of the dash. On a lark Dad stuck the key from the truck in my car, and it actually fit.

In another instance a buddy lost the key to his '87 Ford F350. I tried the key to my '87 F150 and it fit his.

I've heard over the years that each mfg only used so many key combinations, but what are the odds of finding matching keys on vehicles 6 years apart in age, or even of the same year model.....and for one person to do it twice?
Click to expand...



Not that unusual for one years key to fit another years switch.In the late '50s a good friend had a beautiful HD motorcycle stolen.He still had his key and whenever he came across a bike that looked like his he'd try his key.His key fit and worked in several bikes,none of which were his.
 
Years ago the ignition key for my personal vehicle fit the door on the school owned driver ed car.
Other day I walked out in the parking lot and stuck my key in the door - it unlocked. Then I realized I had the wrong vehicle. Mine in next row... identical vehicles. Locked door and beat a hasty retreat. Door and ignition same, could have driven it off.

All above were Chevrolet
 
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