SOLVED...Help! Cant figure out correct ignition lock cylinder

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Joined
Feb 3, 2013
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1,233
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Location
So Cal
My Car
1972 Q Code Convertible
Hi guys,

Was to the point of being able to install a new ignition switch and lock cylinder. Problem is the replacement lock cylinder is different than what came out.

Apparently there was a changeover that occurred on 5/14/73 and my car has a build date of 6/7/73. I purchased the replacement that is supposedly correct but the end looks different. Does anyone know how to tell if the replacement I got is correct or the original in my car was wrong etc? Cylinder on left of pic is replacement and right is my original.

52yipu.jpg


 
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Good luck with that one Jeff. I'd consider taking them apart and reassemble as you need it. I'll check some columns I have to see if they match either.

 
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Totalled,

Thanks for the info/pics....

Well it is clear from the pics you provided that my car has the before 5/14/73 lock cylinder even though it's build date was 3 weeks AFTER that. So do I put back in the same as what came out or with what the book says is supposed to go there? Does it matter? The problem I have is not knowing if what I have is original or was replaced at some point with the incorrect one.

The one on the right is the earlier application. Lets see if this link works:

http://www.rockauto.com/catalog/racatalog.php?carcode=1132995&parttype=10041
 
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One is a 5 pin and the other is a 7 pin. Look at your harness where it plugs in.

 
Thanks to all for input as it helped to get this figured out. Turns out that the steering column is different between the changeover date of 5/14/73. If you take a look at the below pic you can see that the width of the cylinder where it slides into the column is different.

So, my car had a actual build date of 6/12/73 nearly a month past the change and had the OLD column and lock cylinder...interesting.

OLD/original on left and NEW on right.

fohto0.jpg


 
Thanks to all for input as it helped to get this figured out. Turns out that the steering column is different between the changeover date of 5/14/73. If you take a look at the below pic you can see that the width of the cylinder where it slides into the column is different.

So, my car had a actual build date of 6/12/73 nearly a month past the change and had the OLD column and lock cylinder...interesting.

OLD/original on left and NEW on right.

fohto0.jpg
Interesting...Now ill have to check mine Jeff..lol...Being our cars are so close on dates...Just goes to show on decoding these cars..Ford sometimes just grabbed old stock or whatever they needed to get the car out the door.

 
That happens more often than you think. A lot of times if a person asks for a part for a specific year and it is wrong, I look up a year earlier or a year later and it is correct.

Manufacturers were good for sticking on whatever parts they had left over from the previous year, or if they ran out of this years parts, they installed parts that had been ordered for the upcoming year.

 
That happens more often than you think. A lot of times if a person asks for a part for a specific year and it is wrong, I look up a year earlier or a year later and it is correct.

Manufacturers were good for sticking on whatever parts they had left over from the previous year, or if they ran out of this years parts, they installed parts that had been ordered for the upcoming year.
Yeah, we saw that with the 73 seat backs, they started using Pinto parts toward the end of production.

 
Wow, it's going to be interesting when I change my lock cylinder. My car was also produced 6/73.
Here's something interesting. Mine car was built on the same day as Jeff's 6/12/73, same plant. Mine got the 73 lock, he got the 72 lock. Mines a vert, his is a mach1.

 
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And so came the day (yesterday) when I was going to change lock cylinder and I learned the hard way my car also uses the old version! FUUUUUUU! I need to order the correct set. :-(

 
I now installed the older version lock cylinder and it worked without hassle. I suggest to anyone unsure to take an extra look on your old look cylinder and compare it to the pictures in this thread before ordering.

 
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