well, took home a new '01 z28. but a problem kind of came up with the t-tops. the key that opens the doors and trunk works fine on the doors and trunk... but they don't seem to be unlocking the t-tops. is there some trick to this i'm missing? i put it in and it won't turn either way. i'm waiting to hear back from the seller on this. when my friend went to inspect the car for be before i flew in, i gave him a list of things to check, looks like we both forgot to try removing the t-tops, doh! i think i just got pwned.

if the guy just doesn't have the keys for it, or the t-tops got changed, what do you guys think i should try to do? is there a number i can read off the locks to have another key made if a locksmith gets one of them off?

 

my guess is that the tops got switched out. i know many people that have accidently broken the lock just by trying to open them when they're locked. if you want to try that you can at least get them off. otherwise i'm sure a locksmith can get them off.

 

Lock cyl should turn, then enable the handle to move. See what the seller says first, might have another door key for the tops...would still be a pain though. A locksmith can rekey them to your key, seller should have to pay for it. If they're locked someone had a key.

 

the seller should have the key. If you don't care about keeping the locks intact, you can just drill the lock out. it won't damage the car if you are careful. I have done it before (to a tool chest, not a t-top). this might incite a riot that I told you to damage an otherwise perfectly beutiful car, but if worse comes to worse, and you don't feel like paying a locksmith, get a heavy duty drill bit about the same size as the metal circle that you put the key in (should be a .5 inch or a full inch) then drill SLOWLY SLOWLY SLOWLY so you don't damage the plastic. You might want to take it slow because that drill bit will get HOT. That is no big deal, except for the plastic. Don't want to melt it. If you are careful, you can do it and still make the latch efective. I don't lock my t tops, so I have no idea if my key even works. Just make sure the latch still works so you don't drive down the express way and lose your ttops, they are expensive ($100 a piece or more).
LT1 Hawk
P.S. make sure the drill bit is SMALLER than the piece of metal. There should be two circles, the outer and the inner. you want to REMOVE the inner one. Also, take breaks so you don't get to hot. Have some needle nose plyers handy so you can yank. Also make sure that you have a GOOD drill.

 

When I bought my trans am, it had a passenger side t top from another car, I know this because like in your situation.... key wouldn't turn to unlock t top. I guess I was lucky, after messing with it, it finally gave off and got unlocked!!, at first I thought that it just needed some lubrication... but no, once off the car, the lock wouldn't turn. I had connections with a friend that works at a GM Dealer, with the vin# he got the key code for doors, which is the same for the t-top lock, except that on doors it uses 6 tabs in cylinder and in t top lock, it just uses four. I deciphered the key cylinder tab numbers and sequence using the key code that the electronic key cut machine gave me, I ordered a t-top cylinder, got misc. brass tabs to assemble new cylinder(brass tabs don't come with cylinder, GM assumes you will be using tabs from old cylinder!!), and done, it has been working well after that and same key for door unlocks both t-tops!!!!

 

i talked to the seller, he points me towards a key in the glovebox, but it obviously does not work because it's not even a GM key. last thing he said was that he could look around, lol. guess i'm stuck. i'm calling some local locksmiths, the first few i called said they don't do this type of work.

 

that guy sounds a little shady. he could have told you.. it's not like it's a dealbreaker.

Josh

 

well, went to the GM dealer, looks like the seller was telling the truth. the original keys for my car unlocked the t-tops but not the doors/trunk. i wonder why the hell they changed the doors/trunk, even if the wife lost the keys, since getting an original key only cost $20.

 

seriously, I would just drill the dang lock out. its not a real big deal. You just need 20 minutes and a little elbow grease. and to be careful. totally worth it.

 

im ****..i would get the key that matches the vin from the dealer then change out the lock cylinders that dont match the correct key..i have lost a t-top before...forgot to latch them down and they took flight....got a replace t top and went to the dealer to get a lock cylinder...they come blank and for 5 bucks they coded it for me....your round key should open the doors, trunk and t tops

 

yeah, one day i may return the doors/trunk to original, but for now i'm happy. it's only 40-something out right now, i'll worry about it later when the weather warms up.