Keys - Original Mark II

[Jack Bowser]

I now own my 4th Mark II and only got one set of original keys with my first one I bought 59 years ago.

I'm wondering how many of you may also not have original keys for your car.

I'm going to see how much it will cost to have a local 3D Printing place print sets out of brass as they originally were.

Then I will have them plated to look like the originals.

The original set I have pictured here looks like the plating was soft Nickel.

Naturally I will have the keys made as blanks to you could go to your locale key shop to have them cut to match your keys.

If I get enough interest here I will pursue this and see how much they will cost.

Please tell me how many sets you would be interested in if the price is right.

I'm guessing they could cost between $50.00 and $100.00 each key but hopefully less.

I will follow this post with another when I get a quote.

21242

[Matt Cashion]

I'd be interested in a set--
Matt---

[dseaman]

Count me in, too.

Dave

[Pat Marshall]

This is interesting! Starting with Buddy Holiday back in the 70's, there have been a number of efforts to reproduce the original keys. None have worked out, mostly, as I recall, because of the significant number of keys that would have been necessary to make for it to be economically feasible.

For 13 pages of interesting reading about Mark II keys go to this thread - https://www.markiiforum.com/showthread.php?611-Mark-II-Keys/page13&highlight=keys

The 3-D printing technology is a new look at it. Making something that looks like a Mark II key has always been easy. Making something that works like a Mark II key, that's always been the issue.

Good luck on this. If it can be done, I'll take a set!

[Pat Marshall]

Check this thread, too!

https://www.markiiforum.com/showthread.php?8462-Keys-blanks-again&highlight=Keys

[Don Kelnhofer]

Count me in for a set.

[Jack Bowser]

I see I am not the first to look into this.

I thought the new technology of printing parts might be economically feasible but our keys are pretty difficult to print for a couple reasons and would be very expensive if we don't get a lot of people to buy some.

The set that Don Kelnhofer pictured would be a lot easier because they don't have the very smooth surface around the star but of course they would not be correct.

They sure are beautiful however.

I have never seen a set of these and doubt they were for a Lincoln.

I'm still looking into printing some however.

[Jack Bowser]

I guess it just isn't feasible to try 3D printing the keys. Every Mark II owner would need to buy a set in order to cover the costs of the set up etc and the cost of each key.

Sorry

[dseaman]

Jack - appreciate your efforts in researching this endeavor!

[Don Henschel]

There were NOS keys for sale about a year or more ago on eBay. Seems to me it was even mentioned on this forum and there is no use asking again because they sold out

[Don Henschel]

And here is how they look