WTB foldable blank key

[fouad]

Hello I am looking sînce a while for a foldable blank key. if anyone has one for sell, i am open to offers.

Best regards

Fouad

[2002Scoob]

There's a section in Classifieds on this site for WTB's. Give that a try. 

[g_force]

I recall the foldable keys having a metal top. This one looks plastic (like maybe it's a beamer key, instead of a bimmer key). This gets me thinking that some enterprising fellow with a good quality 3D printer might be able to make key tops for converting a stock key to folding. Imagine cutting the keyed part off a stock key, drilling a hole through the keyed part (on a drill press), and installing a plastic key top by driving a pin through the key top and drilled hole to effect the hinge.  

[Mike Self]

6 minutes ago, g_force said:

I recall the foldable keys having a metal top. This one looks plastic (like maybe it's a beamer key, instead of a bimmer key).

The blank Fouad pictured is identical to the ones that came with my '69--plastic head, metal shank--when I took delivery on it from the dealer.  I was suspicious of their longevity so never used 'em and had the local locksmith make metal copies.  The key code number was stamped on the shank.

 

mike

[Conserv]

2 minutes ago, mike said:

The blank Fouad pictured is identical to the ones that came with my '69--plastic head, metal shank--when I took delivery on it from the dealer.  I was suspicious of their longevity so never used 'em and had the local locksmith make metal copies.  The key code number was stamped on the shank.

 

mike

+1

 

Also identical to ones that came with my ‘70: plastic head, metal shank. I’ve not yet seen one with a metal head.

 

Regards,

 

Steve

 

[JsnPpp]

I believe that the plastic covers the metal head. I have one (not a blank) and it feels like there is more than plastic holding the two pieces together.

 

Casual evaluation of the forces applied during turning a key leads me to believe that BMW engineers would not rely on plastic alone to hold up in any test.

 

I've been wrong before however!

 

Jason

[JohnP_02]

The folding keys were in fact hard plastic tops, and we made by at least two key manufacturers, Huff and Kolb. I have a set of both, but don’t have a pic of the Huff key handy. I may have an extra set of the Kolb keys, will check and let you know. John

 

 

[JsnPpp]

Nice photo John, that is helpful.

 

I got up and explored the key I had. Checked with a magnet and then disassembled (didn't know this was possible till now). I stand corrected!

 

Confirmed that the top is 100% plastic! I'm surprised. Here is a play by play:

 

Thanks folks, learn something new every day..

Jason

 

 

 

 

 

[fouad]

2 hours ago, JohnP_02 said:

The folding keys were in fact hard plastic tops, and we made by at least two key manufacturers, Huff and Kolb. I have a set of both, but don’t have a pic of the Huff key handy. I may have an extra set of the Kolb keys, will check and let you know. John

 

Thank you guys for the discussion, and thank you John! A blank interest me a lot, i have a preference for the huff one, but the kolb one will do the job! Let me know

 

 

 

 

[Conserv]

4 hours ago, fouad said:

Thank you guys for the discussion, and thank you John! A blank interest me a lot, i have a preference for the huff one, but the kolb one will do the job! Let me know

 

 

 

 

Caution: there are two different lengths for the key shank. I believe — this is some vague memory — the 1966-67 1600-2’s used a shorter key than the later cars.

 

Regards,

 

Steve

 

[Conserv]

I’ve not been able to collect any data, but the folding keys were not issued throughout the ‘02 era.

 

My ‘67 had a folding key. My ‘70 had a folding key. My ‘73 came to me with no folding keys, even though it came to me with two original-looking keys — very well-worn and coded. If both were, indeed, original, there was no folding key. My ‘76 — bought new — came with no folding keys. Based on this non-statistical, strictly-personal experience, I’d conclude that the folding keys disappeared sometime between VIN 1668093 (September 8, 1969) and VIN 2762757 (October 19, 1972). Feel free to add data so we can refine and/or correct my proposed timeline!

 

Thanks and regards,

 

Steve

 

[ray_]

[JsnPpp]

57 minutes ago, ray_ said:

The winnah!

 

Jason

[Conserv]

2 hours ago, ray_ said:

So... what does it fit, and what is the manufacturing date (I’m guessing both keys fit the same car)? Are you proposing that plastic folding keys yielded to metal folding keys, yielded to no folding keys?... 

 

Best regards,

 

Steve

 

[ray_]

I'll never tell!