In Canada Chrysler used the same key blanks for all the cars. The Imperial
used different keys, but it was imported.
The ignition key on the Forward Look cars used an ignition key with with a
large, almost rectangular head, while the trunk key had a round head. Both
had the Forward Look symbol on them.
The pre-Forward Look cars had a smaller igntion key with an octagonal head
while the trunk key was also a smaller key with a round head. Both keys had
the D-P-D-C symbol on them.
And they did appear to be made of aluminum. I can remember the keys for my
father's 1950 Dodge Special DeLuxe and 1955 Dodge Regent. The keys had the
same aluminum blank style, and had a very unique smell to them. Only the
Chrysler keys smelled and felt like that, undoubtedly due to the aluminum
composition of the key.
Chrysler Canada did not start using brass key blanks (chrome plated), I
believe, until the pentastar replaced the "arrows".
Bill
Vancouver, BC
> --- Bill Watson <wwatson@DIRECT.CA> wrote:
>
> > Do not know about pre-1955 Hudsons either, or
> > Kaisers, but Studebaker keys went in cut side up.
>
> Thanks as always, Bill. Did you get the Valiant
> running?
>
> I should know about Hudsons, having driven Nick's
> extremely sweet '54 Hornet home from a photo shoot
> once, but my main Hudson key memory is that the round
> headed one was the ignition while the octagonal was
> the trunk -- and apparently that was the way the
> factory cut them...
>
> Getting back to Forward Look keys, I'm reminded that
> the '59 models (and possibly some other years) had
> different key blanks for each make. It'd be
> interesting to see the whole collection of these if
> anyone has them. The original blanks (with the
> possible exception of Imperial) appear to have been
> made of a very soft aluminum, and I suspect many of
> these have not survived. (These are not to be confused
> with the aftermarket series of brass blanks with
> cloissoned or painted emblems.)
>
> My '59 DeSoto apparently came from the factory with a
> Chrysler ignition blank and a DeSoto trunk key blank.
> I've seen the DeSoto ignition blank and the Dodge
> trunk key blank, but have not seen the Plymouth
> blanks. The Imperial blanks I've seen have been brass,
> and appear to have survived in larger numbers.
>
> =====
> Mike Sealey, San Francisco CA
> '57 Plymouth Sport Suburban
> '64 Chrysler 300-K 2dr Hardtop
>
>
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