We have lost the only keys for our 1972 cutlass convertible. Anyone know how we could get new keys?

 

Call a locksmith

 

If the doors are unlocked, you can remove a door cylinder and derive a key to fit it with a locksmith. That will get you halfway there and will do doors and ignition. The trunk key, well, I don't suppose you have power trunk release? If so, hit it, pull the cylinder, and same thing. If not, either have the lock picked by a smith and take the trunk cyl to him for keys, or pull back seat and go in there with a long extension and either unbolt latch from trunk, or wedge a thin blade screwdriver bit in there with the lock rod and twist till it actuates and opens.

Edit: maybe you can get in through the top well.

 

I don't know how far back they might go (year wise), but when my son lost his keys to his '82 Chevy, we went to the local GM dealer's service department and as long as we had a valid registration and the VIN they could send off a request to the GM home office to cut a new set of keys. It took about a week and cost $25, but he got his new keys.

 

I doubt that will work. There are no Oldsmobile service dept. to go to.

 

Yeah. But the worst that they can say is "no". And he's there already. It never hurts to ask.

 

Be sure to get the key code. With that any GM dealer can cut a key.

 

For 72 the number of key combinations are finite. For this reason another option is to buy a set of try out keys. Once you identify the correct keys for your car, have more keys made locally. Then resell the try out key set. Here is a link to a set:

https://www.lockpicks.com/gm-try-out...SABEgLDifD_BwE

 

Finite but not small. There are six tumblers in the lock cylinder and five possible heights for each tumbler. That's 6^5 possible combinations = 7,776 possible keys for both the ignition and trunk. Granted GM did not use key configurations where all six tumblers were the same (ie, the key is just straight) or where there was a dramatic change from one to the next (ie, #1 tumbler in one position and #5 in the other), but that still leaves several thousand possible keys per lock. I've never figured out how effective those tryout key sets could be.

In any case, it's extremely easy to pull the ignition lock cylinder without the key. That will definitely have the four character code number on it. The trunk lock should also have this code, but obviously opening the trunk without the key is a little problematic. The glove box lock may or may not have the code in 1972. Once the lock cylinders are out, even without the code one can read the tumblers to make a new key. Unfortunately the glovebox lock only uses four of the six tumblers, so that won't let you cut a trunk key.

 

If ignition and door are the same key then remove door lick and have a key made. If trunk and glove box is the same key then remove glove box. It should have a code on it for 72 model. If not the glove has 4 of the 6 cuts needed to open trunk. Locksmith would need to be at car to easily find the last 2 cuts of the key.
Dealerships only go back 10 years on keeping codes.
If you do see a code on glove box lock I'm sure either Joe or myself will give you the cuts and or a cut key.

 

I have suggested several try these key sets. So far one of the keys worked for each car. The last time was for a 73 Vette. Lucky maybe. It could also be that GM focused production on a narrow range of possible combinations. A narrow focus is consistent with the seller’s representation that a set of 62 try out keys yields success 80% of the time. Another possibility is that these try out keys are cut in a way that work with multiple codes.