early chimaera door lock barrel

[Smokey Boyer]

I have a 94 plate Chimaera, that has key operated door lock barrels on both sides of the car. Same place where the large silver push button is on the mid age cars before the later cars went to wing mirror buttons.

It also has central locking that works fine, and I have not yet needed to use the door lock key, which is a good thing as the keys I have with the car are not the right ones for the door locks. The barrel is essentially just being used as a push button door release at the moment.

It appears the ignition barrel has been changed in the past, and the keys not matched up.

The point of my post is that the ignition barrel is ready to be changed again. I have 3 options for the door locks.

1. leave it as is, and accept I have no key for the door lock.
2. replace the door lock barrel, or if possible change the pins on the barrel, to match the new key I have for the ignition.
3. replace the door lock barrel with the later silver push button (racing green or one of the TVR Breakers for parts).


Any words or wisdom gratefully received, and if anyone has a set of instructions or parts required related to option 2 or 3, please do let me know.

[Dungman]

I replaced the key barrels with the later metal buttons.

I bought the parts as new old stock, which came with the metal buttons, housings and spring. The housings attach in the same way as the key barrels so just a case of swapping them over. I don't recall if different length bolts were needed.

The old link rods were too short so had to make up new ones with steel rod from B&Q. Again straight forward.

I could not find new rubber gaskets which sit flush with the body so had to use the original ones.

Only downside really is if the central locking fails you don't have the key as a fallback.

I still have the locking barrels with keys, feel free to PM.