Mike77

I am installing power locks on my 77 cutlass. I have all the correct parts out of a 4-door donor car. Not sure of the year. I am having trouble finding the "correct" switches for my year. I see a switch listed on e-bay GM#20043224 for a 77-81 model year. "lock" is embossed on the bottom face of the switch. I also see GM#1725099 from one of the parts supplier listed as 72-77. 'lock" is embossed on the top of the switch face. However I have seen switches with the "lock" embossed in the recess of the switch face, also listed for model year 77. These are all the square corner type switches. Can anyone give me a heads up on the "correct" style for my 77 Cutlass. Maybe a correct part#
Thanks, Mike

Lady72nRob71

According to my old parts book, the LOCK switch for trim-pad mounting apps for A bodies is part number 1725099. It showed its use from 1971 to 75 (75 being the last year my book covers).

The lock switch looks just like the single window switches, shown in the picture below, aside from the LOCK word. The wiring plugs right in.
New LOCK switches are hard to find working (high-current-arc damaged) and when you find them, they are costly. If junkyard hunting, grab the right hand ones, as they usually see less use.
These switches cannot be disassembled and cleaned easily, but I am going to try with my bad one - what is there to lose?? JB Weld to the rescue!

I bought a bunch of the $10 Dorman window switches for my PW conversion and used one to replace a bad LOCK switch. See picture for comparison...
The 0.4" long LOCK word may be applied by a clear label or a transparency cutout. The LOCK word was in the recess of all the original Olds 71-75 lock switches that I have seen. Might other makes gotten different ones? Is so, a different part # should apply. Of course this is GM...
See Post 30 in this thread to find out more about the Dorman/Napa replacement switchs.
https://classicoldsmobile.com/forums...onversion.html
Beware on the ebay switches, as often they are offered for functionality, not for originality.

Hopefully some 77-78 owners will chime in and tell us what they have. Do you know if your year uses a relay for locking? 1975 and older do not.
Later years like in the 80's will look much different and are used with a relay system in the mid 80s. I have an '86 switch set; I need to look at them...

My442

Here is a set of 71-75 NOS power lock switches that i sold on e-Bay a few months ago.

Lady72nRob71

Yours seem to have the newer long part number. That is how my old switches looked.
I hope you sold them for a fortune! If not, I will be for not knowing!

My442

I think I got $200 for them.

The 70 only round corner power lock switches for for at least $500 NOS...

Lady72nRob71

I feel better with my NEW $20 set of Dorman switches with clear LOCK labels on them!!!

According to the parts book, 1969 and 1970 shared the same lock switch.
1968-1969 used a lock switch of a different part number (mid-year change).

I do know the rounded window switches are widely available as repros and MUCH cheaper than the 71-75, esp the 4-ganger! Look at a Camaro parts depot and they are a dime a dozen compared to the square ones.

Bluevista

Parts Place has repos on evilbay for 59 bucks. They say that they're the replacements for #1725099 which is for 1971-1977. The lettering is on the inset. They do look a little different than the originals.
GM parts direct shows they have part #20043224 and it's for '77 up, something isn't right? Maybe they "switched" them mid-year?

http://shop.ebay.com/items/?_nkw=172...+%2F&_osacat=0


http://www.gmpartsdirect.com/

Mike77

I tried parts direct #20043224 came up as Keyless entry Fob and batteries. What did you get? I think I'll go with the Parts place stuff. Looks correct.

Lady72nRob71

Those sentences brought back lots of painful experiences... That was was when i bought their incorrect correct "original style" power window kit...

Please call them first and get a really good explanation of what it looks like - maybe even a picture emailed to you. They do not seem to know the switch styling-to-year too well.

Bluevista

I think that GM Parts switch is in that PDL section, says "switch ay"? I guess it could be a power lock key fob.
I just saw those on evilbay from Parts Place and used it for reference, search around with the number and others may have them. The lettering looks heavier on mine.

power lock 003.jpg

Mike77

Good call Rob. I have been fooled more than once. I bought a new re-pop gas pedal that looked exactly like my worn original ended up being 25% smaller. I can't remember if there was a rely on the diagram. It's been a few month's since I got the parts. Waiting for nice weather to work on the install. Not enough garage room to have both car doors open wide for wiring up.

Your right Blue the lettering is different on the Parts Place ones. I am sure they are made in China which has me worried. I 'll keep looking for NOS or good used ones.

Anyone else know for sure which ones are for a 77 cutlass. Pictures?
thanks ,Mike

2blu442

I had some switches I believe came off a 1984 and they were chrome plated plastic not metal like the earlier ones, but from a picture you couldn't tell the difference.

Rob, I know the full sized Olds used vacuum locks in the mid-1960's, not sure if the A-body did and if so what year the electric ones were first made. That would make a difference in the switches. John

Lady72nRob71

I looked at my chromed plastic mid-80's lock switches and they are MUCH different. They are more rectangular, much flatter on the front, have lock word on the top, have light duty contacts for relay systems, and have 3 contact pins in a row diagonally. See pictures below.
These are far different than the 71-75 switches for sure.
Not only will they not fit in the door, they will not plug in.
If one modifies an older car to use the newer switch, the high current solenoids will eat them up in no time.

2blu442

Thank you for the information Rob, I'd hate for someone to buy a plastic one incorrectly identified on ebay. I had not set the two side by side but thought they might be close enough in appearance that they could be mistaken. John

Bluevista

That would be an instant fry situation. I have four of those actuators and it sounds like storm troopers marching if you keep cycling them. That button is a lot different, better off finding nice originals or NOS. I saw those NOS ones on evilbay, I would sell them if I found any too, mine are good enough.
I sold a complete power window set-up for a Vista on there last year and should have kept the nicer switches for mine. I wasn't going to do them on the Vista but cabin fever set in this winter worse than usual and I happened to have all the parts laying around.
The switches are in $candinavia now.

Lady72nRob71

Sure thing...
The proof is in the pinout...
Any prospective buyer should see a front and back picture of any switch they buy.
The 69 to 75 switches will plug right in, fit in the door and work right, but the 69-70 are rounded and the 71-75 are square.

Beware of buying these switches used, unless the place has a good return/exhange policy.
The contacts pit over time due to high current arcing and the die-cast metal breaks easily if you try to open them to clean them.
See picture below.
I bought some from a yard at a rediculous price, one of 2 failed and I could not exchange. - Enter the $10 Dorman repros!
If one is revamping their doors and removing the lock solenoids, I suggest soldering in 3A rectifier diodes for spark surpression (1N5406 is a good one) in parallel with each lock solenoid terminal - Anode to GND, Cathode (white band end) to 12V sides. Verify correct polarity to prevent blowing them up.
Adding these correctly will greatly reduce inductance arcing from the solenoid coils. This is highly recommended if you are using costly NOS switches.

The 80's switches are totally different. These switches drive a relay, so the diodes are not a big neccessity here.

Lady72nRob71

I could not leave this thread alone, so i posted some supporting pictures to some of my posts above...