Over the years I've acquired some 240s sans ignition key. Sometimes I want to get one running & test drive before I put it in the barn to await cannibalization. Moving them with the front wheels turned is a pain. Drilling out a lock cylinder is time-, energy-, and drillbit-consuming.
This time I decided to cut through the slide-bolt between the ignition cylinder & the column. There are 3 pics in the gallery. Having done it once, I think it's a < 30-minute job. If you're careful and don't cut through any wires, you could attach the ign tumbler to the dash, put the dash back together, start it with a screwdriver in the hole where the key used to go, and drive the car on the road.
Here's the procedure:
1. Remove gauge cluster, plastic around steering wheel, and steering wheel itself
2. Remove wiper stalk and pull other wires out of the way.
3. Insert reciprocating saw blade above lock housing and cut between ignition tumbler and steering column
4. Prise up with pry bar to break housing
5. Remove leftover piece of locking bar from column side
6. Remove ignition tumbler, start car with screwdriver.
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240 drivers / parts cars - JH, Ohio
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