Leland steering wheel lock circa 1920

[Doogs]

I picked up a Leland steering wheel lock for a Ford Model "T" on ebay and have been trying to research it without much luck. One article and a patent is all I've come up with so far. Anyone know anything about these aftermarket accessories?

[Steelbacks]

Wow!

It'd be impolite to ask how much you paid, but I'm sure im not the only one here who would love to see the key! Also, how did it work? How did it fit on and lock the steering wheel?

Maybe it's just a lack of imagination, or the fact that I don't have a Ford model 'T', but I'd like to get an idea at least of how it was used.

Thanks for the great pics though. A great post!

[Doogs]

Wow!

It'd be impolite to ask how much you paid, but I'm sure im not the only one here who would love to see the key! Also, how did it work? How did it fit on and lock the steering wheel?

Maybe it's just a lack of imagination, or the fact that I don't have a Ford model 'T', but I'd like to get an idea at least of how it was used.

Thanks for the great pics though. A great post!

Well as It looks like I will have to gut it in order to pull the cylinder to rekey I'll be sure to document the process for you Steelbacks.I still don't know what blank I will need whether it uses a Model' T' key (Briggs and Stratton I believe) or a proprietary style.

In the meantime I will post what I have found so far.

http://www.mtfca.com/discus/messages/257047/261213.html
http://www.google.com/patents/US1395609 ... 609&f=true

[cheerIO]

That's really cool.

Here's an ad from the Automobile Trade Journal 1922:

[Doogs]

Excellent find CheerIO. Thank you! That's the first pic I've found with a key. At least now I have something to go from. Looks like a B&S four pin if I'm not mistaken. This should narrow it down for me.

[cheerIO]

Cool, glad I could help. Here are three other pics with keys I found on ebay:

[Squelchtone]

Cool lock, that's a part of history. Instead of gutting it, is there a chance you can obtain a blank and impression a working key?

Look for keys on ebay to use as examples so you know how the cuts are spaced out. Briggs & Stratton use to make a lot of ignitions if I'm remembering correctly.

looks like CheerIO beat me to it, nice pics!

[Doogs]

Wow!

It'd be impolite to ask how much you paid, but I'm sure im not the only one here who would love to see the key! Also, how did it work? How did it fit on and lock the steering wheel?

Maybe it's just a lack of imagination, or the fact that I don't have a Ford model 'T', but I'd like to get an idea at least of how it was used.

Thanks for the great pics though. A great post!

Steelbacks i forgot to add i paid $9.00 US for the lock plus shipping (Canada). So apparently I paid $1.50 over retail LOL.

[Doogs]

Excellent research cheerIO thanks again.

After closer inspection of the cylinder I noticed some stamping and bit the bullet and hit it with some steel wool (hated removing the patina) and it's stamped 'Sargent' so we have a maker now. It is also stamped 'L2' on the left side of keyway and '44' on the right. Inspecting the keyway it is chock full of crud so it's going to need some work to even fit a key into it. The model you posted is I believe a second generation Leland which is newer than my particular lock. The last patent date on mine is 5-20-19. Proceeding to dis-assemble and pick the lock.

[billdeserthills]

I saw an AC Cobra in a guys garage the other day, it's steering wheel was removed and it made me think how owners had been trying to keep folks from
stealing their car, by removing the steering wheel for soo long

[Doogs]

The promised pics but first a follow up after dis-assembly there seemed to be no retaining clips so I'm assuming the cylinder is threaded like a mortise cylinder or pressure fit. Unfortunately the housing is too damaged to attempt extraction.Picking was easy (CCW) once I flushed the keyway and loosened the 4 pins. Impressioning seems to be my on;y option as although I could remove the tailpiece there is insufficient room to use a follower.

+






That just about covers what I have for now. hopefully I can find a suitable blank and get an impression soon. Any more info is greatly appreciated and thanks for looking.

[cheerIO]

That looks awesome. Really cool lock.

I would try an impression first. But with the amount of crud in there you may want to disassemble. If you are able to remove the tail piece to the inside, it might be a cleaner over all job to disassemble, make a key with the plug outside the body, and then use the plug as a follower from the front. It will be a pain setting all the drivers and springs, but there are only four. And you would be able to completely clean everything inside and make sure the key is perfect.

Looks like a fun project to get it working.

[billdeserthills]

You could use a sectional follower, you would prolly need to make your own, my guess would be .395 diameter, you cut small pieces from a .395 diameter bolt, maybe 1/4 inch each and slowly push them in the backside, until the cylinder has been pushed out far enough to make the key. I have found old pin tumbler locks have sometimes been soo used that the marks are very hard to see, while impressioning.

[1mrchristopher]

Unfortunately L244 doesn't pull anything related up for me as far as codes go. I'm really curious about that cylinder now, and how it's held into the lock body.

[Squelchtone]

How exactly did this lock the steering wheel on the Model T? Was it installed and removed every time a person got in the car, or was the steering wheel removed, this thing installed onto the shaft, then the the steering wheel bolted back into place? Are there any photos or drawings out there?

Thanks,
Squelchtone