1965 230SL Door Key Question

[Klaus Pieper]

I have misplaced or lost the keys for the driver's door and would like to replace them.  I do have the data card showing the key number for the car, but need to confirm that this is the correct key number.  I do not know if the door handle or tumbler were ever replaced.  Does the door handle or tumbler show the key number?

[BobH]

Hello Klaus, i thought a door handle specialist might have answered

I have read that the actual handle casting has the key number engraved, but i don't know for sure, and if it has it doesn't mean that the barrel hasn't been changed at some time in the past

You may just have to take a chance and order against your data card and keep your fingers crossed

[Pawel66]

I saw key numbers on parts of the lock in various places.

When you obtain proper profile blank (and this you can check) the locksmith will either adjust the key to lock or lock to key as per the number.

But you need to have a blank with correct profile. The lock (tumbler) needs to have the correct profile as per the data card. You will not be able to change profile of the lock/tumbler if it is not the correct one. You will need a new tumbler with correct profile.

Maybe you can check it on what I enclosed.

[Klaus Pieper]

Thank you BobH and Pawel66 for your replies.  I removed the doorcard to search for the key number on the door handle and the number on the door handle is the same as that shown on the data card.  This does not, as mentioned by you, confirm that it is also the correct tumbler, but I will take a chance and order the key with this number.
Pawel, could I check the correct key profile from the tumbler?

[BobH]

This is my door key from a 65 car, TV profile

[Pawel66]

Thank you BobH and Pawel66 for your replies.  I removed the doorcard to search for the key number on the door handle and the number on the door handle is the same as that shown on the data card.  This does not, as mentioned by you, confirm that it is also the correct tumbler, but I will take a chance and order the key with this number.
Pawel, could I check the correct key profile from the tumbler?

You can check the profile on your current tumbler by looking at the key profile that fits your key hole. They are shown on attachment 1. The black cross sections on the drawing is the image of the key hole (not the key!).

Then you can look at the key code from your data card and figure out profile from attachment 2.

Then you know what you have and you know what you should have as per data card.

If you do not have the profile from the data card and you would like to have one, you have to find the tumbler with the profile you need. Maybe the locksmith will have it or you need to fight for it on ebay - difficult because people who sell used door handles or tumblers have no idea what you are talking about, so the only hope is that they can send you picture of the key for you to figure out profile. The late Pagodas, with master key, had just one profile. I have no idea if earlier Pagodas had more profiles.

It is easy to cut key to tumbler or tumbler to key, but no one was able to change the tumbler profile for me.

I went through this re-creating key sets for 190SL and Ponton - a true nightmare. The only one I did not find was the ignition key as I could not find original ignition switch for 190SL (the early one, with starter activated by key, not by button).

[Klaus Pieper]

Thank you Bob and Pawel,  I have unfortunately not had the time to look at the profile of my tumbler, but hope to get to it this weekend.  If my memory serves me correctly, the photo of Bob's key looked very similar to mine - it was the same shaped YmoS key.

Do you know if Daimler still supplies these keys?

[Pawel66]

No. There are a couple of suppliers of blanks for those, but not the original brands and not from Daimler.

You can spot original blanks on eBay.

[BobH]

Hello Klaus, i was just wondering how many keys you originally had, was it 3, or more?  The door key should also fit the fuel cap, unless the cap has been replaced in the past, as mine has, so i now have 4 keys.  Sounds silly, but could your door key still be in the fuel cap, do you keep the door keys on a different ring to the ignition and boot keys?

[Klaus Pieper]

Pawel, thank you for the information.  It is a pity that Daimler does not make the keys anymore.  I researched a bit on the German forum Pagodentreff.de and there was a recommendation for http://www.keyprof.com/de.NetWrx who cut keys using the key number.  Unfortunately they do not supply the original key blanks.

Bob, as in your case, I had four keys as I also replaced my fuel cap.  I feel somewhat embarrassed to relate this story: originally I only had one set of keys, but many years ago I had the spare set made.  I never felt the necessity to lock my car as it is garaged in a safe place and I only park the car in secure parking areas and hence never noticed that I did not have a door key on my key ring. For some reason or other I wanted to check the door locks and realized that I do not have the keys.  What happened to the keys I do not know.  One explanation is that when I had the second set made the locksmith did accidentally not return them to me together with the other keys, but that is pure speculation.  Who knows, maybe one day they will pitch up somewhere unexpected.

[Pawel66]

Klaus, any better locksmith around the corner will cut for you keys or tumblers. They have these machines for it and all the codes are in those machines (I mean, they probably connect to some database with codes). I had one issue with ignition key to my 190SL from 1956, it was a very old Bosch key. My locksmith took it to a fellow locksmith who had a different machine.

At least this is my experience after re-creating key sets to 3 cars from 1970, 1960 and 1956.

[BobH]

From what i've seen, these are the nearest blanks to the original, i think these are steel, rather than brass

NOS?:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Key-B-5-Blank-for-Older-Vehicles-Mercedes-Ford-Profile-Kv-TV-V-/335508518145?var=0&mkevt=1&mkcid=1&mkrid=710-53481-19255-0&campid=5338757644&customid=e300f238ea58abfbed2ad5d6240fd584&toolid=20006

Or new:

https://keysearch.boerkey.de/index.php?path=51_47_1

[Pawel66]

This is the vendor I used:
https://www.ebay.com/str/oldtimerkeys

[Klaus Pieper]

Thank you Bob and Pawel, you have been a great help.
I am going to Germany in September and will snoop around in the locksmiths for the original Ymos key blanks. Maybe I'll get lucky?
Kind regards, Klaus

[Pawel66]

Have you checked the vendor I provided? They do not have it?

[Klaus Pieper]

Hello Pawel, it says "we are sold out".

[Klaus Pieper]

Just a short update.

I ordered the keys from www.keyprof, supplying them with my key number.  Within four days two keys were delivered at a cost of Euro 25,00 inclusive of shipping.  Unfortunately I could not source the original YmoS blanks anywhere - I tried my luck, without success, at many locksmiths in Berlin and on Ebay.

Just for interest, the reproduction key blanks are manufactured by Dominion Lock Co., Montreal, Canada.

I am happy to say that the keys fit both locks perfectly.