FyreLance

Hello, all. I'm new to the forum, so bear with me :-)

I may be getting a 1991 Firebird Formula V8 today (my first bird, I'm excited :-) ). However, the door lock on the passenger side was previously removed because of a car theft... how do I go about replacing the lock? Am I going to have to replace both locks so that they'll use the same key? Or can I have a replica of the driver's side door lock made? Where might I pick up the locks? Is the installation simple or should I have it done somewhere?

Thanks

okfoz

This depends on some factors, was the door lock completely riped out and does it need a patch?

If the door lock is simply missing then you can replace it, take a lock to a locksmith and they should be able to set you up. You might go through some junkyards and try the door key in some other (f-body) cars till you find a lock that your key fits into. The Locksmith should be able to modify the tumblers to get it to work in your car.

If your sheetmetal is damaged beyond repair, then for around $200-400 bucks you can have it repaird at a bump shop. they will either weld a new piece in to patch it, OR to do it right they can replace the whole skin of the door.

good luck

John

FyreLance

I am going to look at the car here in a few hours, I'll see if the metal is actually damaged or whatnot, and then I'll go from there.

Thank you kindly

Norm91GTA

Something else you might want to look at if the metal of the doorskin around the lock cylinder is just damaged and none is missing is a repair tool from Eastwood, Inc. I believe that this is available for around $40.00 and reforms the metal so that the lock cylinder can be reinstalled.
Norman

FyreLance

Okay, I have the car now (needs a few things, but I'm loving it so far :-) ). I don't think any of the metal is missing. Could you please elaborate on how that $40 repair would work?

TA

iTrader: (1)

Here's another way out. You can get a set of locks from AMES Performance (They sell Pontiac stuff, but have the locks for the third gen cars.) You can get a kit with 2 door and 1 rear hatch lock, new with GM Keys. I think it's about $50.00 Rear hatch is super easy to replace, the door panels have to come off the doors, so it's a bit of a hassle.

But all you locks will be matched to the keys, like they should.

Good luck.

383 Smoka

Do a door handle swap.... Some dude on thirdgen here did it to his TA i think it was? My door locks always got popped... Even before I had a system.. Just the look of the car and they knew it had the 383.. Also the rims are appraised at 4800 without rubber... But anyways, the bastards popped my locks.... I got em fixed, they popped em again... So I said **** it... Left em popped, with a 800 dollar paged alarm... When the kid tried to get in, the last time i knocked the little ****er out.... But my steering column, and door locks are all screwed still... Im doing a door handle swap before I paint the car again... And, I have an extra steering column.. If yer getting the car for really cheap, go for it forsure.... But if they want like 6500 for the car... Tell em its costly to get the locks done professionally and that u want money off the price because of it... A dealer around here was asking 7500 for this sweet *** GTA... Its mint... But I went underneath and made up some bull**** about the torque arm, suspension, told him its going to need an exhaust soon... Told him the floor is a little rough... Meanwhile the thing was perfect... I got him down to 4500 but decided not to take it cause I wanted a 5 speed....

phoenix350

i had my door in my pass side broken into, and i think for about 30 bucks (aprox. in like 1999) i went to GM and got a new lock cylinder and they matched it to my present key, might be better if u dont want to swithch keys or tear apart both doors, and the rear hatch. as far as the damage to the door, i did it myself with a little bondo (tempo job) but it was cheap and worked well. now the car is sadly gone......its in heaven. just my 2 cents, lata, and good luck....

Norm91GTA

The tool I am talking about for reforming the door skin around the lock cylinder is available from the Eastwood Company for $29.99. You can see it at:

http://www.eastwoodco.com/cgi-bin/sgin0101.exe

Sorry, after submitting the post, I tried the link and it does not work as they require you to sign in before entering their site. You will need to go to their homepage at:

http://www.eastwoodco.com

and sign in, then click on the first item in the left-hand column (Body and Fender), then click on Door Skin Tools under Dent Repair, then scroll to the seventh item (Door and Trunck Lock Reforming Tool) and click on it.

FyreLance

Yeah, I wish mine was a 5 speed, but I got a really good deal so I can't complain too much :-)

How would a door handle swap help? The handle is fine. The lock cylinder is missing. Here is a picture of it. The picture isn't great quality but you get the idea.

Am I going to need this professionally done? I'm all about DIY but I'm not a professional when it comes to body work :-)

383 Smoka

Holy ****.... Those were amateur thieves.... That is killed!

IROC-ZWV

yeah it looks pretty bad and will have to be done at a body shop


um..i wanna see these $4800 rims! please




chris

deadbird

You think that's bad.. this is even hard to fix ...
http://www.deadbird.org/a/k06.jpg

You could also fix that lock with a semi-small hammer & a large socket on the back side and hammer it out. The Eastwood tool would be the simpler solution though if you're not awfully comfortable beating on your car a little bit.

Autozone sells door lock cyls fairly cheap as well, your hatch key obviously wouldn't match the doors anymore though.

phoenix350

yea, both of those look pretty bad, bvut they can be done at home, as i have done the first one at home, really its not that hard to fix, u need a hammer, and something to put behind the doorskin (so u dont **** it up) that curves to the door, its a special tool, but i'm not sure of the name, then just bend the metal back and reform it with bondo (for a temporary fix) or u could make it with lead by leading the door, or hell, jsut get a new door fromt the junkyard for like a lil bit . i dont know, its kinda hard for me to explain the process online, but i've worked with worse before.....so yea, i guess do what u think will turn out the best and cost u the least,. just my 2 cents.

FyreLance

What kind of "something" would I need to put behind the doorskin? This kinda stuff is hard to understand online. Would there be anything wrong with fixing it permanently with Bondo if a good enough job is done, or will it never be the same that way?

Also, anybody know how much just getting a new door in a junkyard would be? Though I do shudder at the thought of driving my bright red car with a green door

phoenix350

ok, when i did my car, then i used a dolly, (just looked it up. 29.99 from eastwood GENERAL PURPOSE BODY DOLLY usxe the link above, and its under the body and fender--dent repair--body hammers and dollies ) sorry bout not looking it up before, i was kinda busy. about permanently fixing it with bondo, i'm sure ther is nothing really wrong with that, i was gonna just redo the doorskin, as i am not one that likes bondo on my car period. if ur good with it, then it can look very good, but be very patient, and take ur time. dont get mad at the stuff, just work ur magic. use the new lock cylinder as a guide till that one fits ver snuggly, and u have to be sure to get the back pretty smooth, becaus the lock is held on by a clip. then all u have to do is paint.....but make sure u get the right color fromthe shop, i sparyed my door down and they mixed it the wrong way, so i got a goofy color, and boy did it look nasty for a bit lol, good luck hope this helps some.

phoenix350

ok i jusst found this, DOOR & TRUNK LOCK REFORMING TOOL
$ 29.99
Item-no 31142 from eastwood under body and fender-- dent removal-- dent pulling systems, not sure if that would work better, but u might want to call them up and see.

2vmodular

some people would weld the mangled lock cylinder hole together and never bother installing a new lock cylinder. shaved look is unique, but you'll definetly want to have some sort of remote keyless entry system installed first if you're considering this route.

deadbird

I'm starting to like that swap idea.. lol



(383.. I know it looks like a TA but, deep down it's just a formula bird)

TonyZ83

I'm pretty sure Autozone carries a full lock kit, including the hatch lock, for around $20. I'm going to put new locks on my car, because it never came with the keys for them. What car are those handles from? They look pretty good. And I betcha they won't be a ***** to open anymore like so many 3rd gen doors are.

FyreLance

Actually I have considered this.. but I can't weld, where could I get that done (if I wanted to) and is it expensive?