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Looking for a tailgate lock/switch for any GM A body wagon with the power tailgate window, but needs to be from a '71. Key is not necessary but certainly helpfull.
Pat, The parts book shows a 3996651 Lock Assy w/switch, coded (Gr 12.248). But its application is '69 thru '72 so that says the key type may not be an "A" key. Also it was superseded twice 3996651 > 8786259 > 6259511 and was used in the 70's Blazers and possibly Suburbans. At that point though the key was a glove box style (rounded head).
Thanks, Karl
Thanks Pat, When you locate it, the part should come with a key or 2. On the shank of the key on one side will be a capital letter (A, C, E, J, etc), can you tell me what it is?
Karl
The key groove style used is almost entirely dependent on the date of manufacture. As we all know about the older vehicles, mostly, they changed up key slots nearly every year on a rotating basis, so if they were making ones with an A key, then started making them with the "new" key for that time frame, it might be a C or E key or what not (could be a D or H as well) depending on when the lock was produced. It isn't just limited to wagons. It affected ALL the locks made by Briggs & Stratton (Strattec), which GM just stuck them in another package and gave them a GM number. So you always have to ask or check the key that comes with coded locks. If buying uncoded cylinders alone, it makes it even tougher. Interestingly, from 83-86, they used A/B keys for the most part before they started changing up for 1987 with the C/D slot keys.
There are some cylinders that B&S made that are considered "unrestricted" and were made without a key slot. Meaning that any key would actually fit into the slot. If it had the right key cuts, it would operate the lock. Key can still only go in one way, but isn't restricted by that extra guide that dictated which series key would fit that cylinder. Unfortunately for these power tailgate locks, they don't have any reference that I can find that they had any unrestricted cylinders. So far, I can't find any separate listing for the lock cylinder p/n, so not sure if that's even possible.
The question I have, is there anyone that's broken one of these switch/locks down to see what the cylinder looks like? It's QUITE possible, if they used a particular type of cylinder, that they actually have an unrestricted cylinder that would fit it. Only way to tell is to take one of them apart, which would necessitate taking the cap off (and pretty much destroying the cap in the process). I have a specialty tool to remove the caps with minimal damage and was designed to recrimp the original cap, but it would only get you by for emergency daily drivers and servicing needs, not for anyone wanting to show their cars. It would pass functionally and from 20 feet, but asthetically it isn't pretty up close. Thus, the cap would have to be replaced with the 4 flaps that you have to bend over style.
Well, I did take apart the lock assy, carefully. Here is a picture of the cylinder:
I took this to show the unique style at the back end of the cylinder. I can take a picture of the front side if needed. I can tell you that an A key will not slide in.
Ooofta. That surely is a specialized case and cylinder. That center section has to be able to be removed, such as that must be a big *** screw or something. It appears once the screw is removed, you can slide off the moveable tang, and the lock guts could then come out of the case.
Best case scenario is the ability to replace the wafers in it to either restore it or rekey it to another cut pattern. I made an urestricted lock cylinder from a D cylinder for the glovebox one time and it took me all afternoon to make that happen. Is it do-able? Probably. Is it worth the time and trouble? Not to me it's not.
