So I rifling through the local pick-n-pull and i spotted two 3rd Gen with the t-tops still on. Upon further inspection I had noticed that the t-tops were locked, any ideas on how to get the t-tops out without damaging the glass or other parts?

 

Find the key? If you didn't already know theres a key for the ignition and a key for the door. Its the key for the door that your needing. And to take them off without that key would probably require you taking out paneling and manually undo the lock somehow. Idk 100% though. But thats where I would start.

 

No ya, it was in a salvage yard. They dont have the keys for the cars anymore..

 

I swapped the locks on my 91 when I changed from the plastic to glass tops. You'll need to remove the plastic trim panel from the top, but doing that without damaging it is going to be hard since the lock pins are going through it on both ends. Ok, once you've snapped the panel off (oops), you'll need to drill out two rivets to remove the metal security cover that shrouds the lock. Once the cover is off, you'll be able to unscrew the lock. Repeat for the other side. Note: don't try to "force" the latch handle open, it isn't going to work and you'll only wreck something you don't want to.

 

The salvage yard I stea...buy things from has keys in the ignitions or gloveboxes of a lot of those cars.

 

3 options for you.

1 get the vin, go to the dealer and have keys made,

2 plastic emergency keys (one time use) are like $3 at auto-zone.

3 third gens only had 20-30 key patterns for the whole generation. Try your keys, you may get lucky.

 

Any body interested in a pair of glass t-tops.. Im in N California

 

1. Ain't going to work. You need proof of vehicle ownership before the dealer will even talk to you about doing that, and that's if they can even do that on a car as old as the 3rd gens.
2. That does no good without the original key to cut from.
3. Who in the heck told you that story?

 

1 Not if you only request one or the other (at least thats what they do here) , or get a document from the junk yard saying you have permission.
2 Plastic emergency keys don't need cut, they are one time use keys that you stick in and turn and the lock cuts it...
3 my tech teacher in high school had 4 3rd gens, and 2 of them had the same keys for everything, when he realized that he did some digging and found that out. Just so you know, 71 VW beetles, only have 13 key patterns.

 

I'd like to see some information on how the lock tumblers can cut teeth on a plastic key blank. Because if what you're saying could actually be done, it would be so simple to rip off someones car that way. I've rebuilt a few lock assemblies before, and if you've ever been inside one before, you'd understand my skepticism. A car lock contains a handful of spring loaded wafer tumblers that slide sideways inside the lock barrel. With the key out, those tumblers stick out past the outside of the barrel and fit into a slot on the lock body, and that's what keeps it from turning. With the key in, the tumblers ride against the keys teeth, and each one is cut a specific length so that they are all retracted inside the barrel leaving the outside smooth, then the barrel can be turned. So how would a blank key know what the height of each tooth needs to be to retract the tumblers? Not to mention, the lock doesn't contain any cutting device to cut teeth.