FV series Locks and Keys

[Ian43]

Hello all,

I would like to increase my knowledge of this series of locks/keys. These can be fitted to many classic British FV series vehicles including the AEC Militant (Mk1), Alvis Saracen, Austin Champ, Daimler Ferret and others.

I have information on the following;  FV6, FV11, FV16 and FV18 but I would like to know if there were any others?  I know that there is an FV7 series but so far I've not been able to find any locks/keys from this range.

Does anyone have or know of any FV locks or keys from the FV7 series or any other unusual numbers?

Any help with this request would be appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

Ian.

[Richard Farrant]

10 hours ago, Ian43 said:

Hello all,

I would like to increase my knowledge of this series of locks/keys. These can be fitted to many classic British FV series vehicles including the AEC Militant (Mk1), Alvis Saracen, Austin Champ, Daimler Ferret and others.

I have information on the following;  FV6, FV11, FV16 and FV18 but I would like to know if there were any others?  I know that there is an FV7 series but so far I've not been able to find any locks/keys from this range.

Does anyone have or know of any FV locks or keys from the FV7 series or any other unusual numbers?

Any help with this request would be appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

Ian.

I have to say that working for the army in their vehicle workshops for 22 years, I never came across a vehicle with a FV type switchbox that had a key barrel fitted. This includes AEC Knockers, Scammell Explorers Ferrets, Saracens, etc. No Champs they had all gone by that time.

regards, Richard

[Ian43]

On 10/31/2018 at 11:24 PM, Richard Farrant said:

I have to say that working for the army in their vehicle workshops for 22 years, I never came across a vehicle with a FV type switchbox that had a key barrel fitted. This includes AEC Knockers, Scammell Explorers Ferrets, Saracens, etc. No Champs they had all gone by that time.

regards, Richard

Thank you for your comments Richard.

I appreciate that these locks were probably not fitted to the switch panels in service, after all, it would make sense not to, especially with the multiple variations of locks and keys available. 

Whether during service or retrospectively, these types of locks have been fitted to Champs (Switch panel & Toolbox/Lockers) and other FV vehicles using the same switch panel. It also appears that they have been fitted to door handles either on cabs and/or box bodies.

I have attached a photo of some strung tags that I have attached to some FV keys. The Austin Champ tag and the Humber Wireless one both appear to have the Military Registration Numbers written on them so it would appear that these were either still in service or had not long been released from it.

These FV lock barrels are, as far as I can tell, unique to Military Vehicles and don't appear to be used in any other vehicle application (Car/Commercial). If these were not fitted in service, I cannot understand why the lock manufacturer would design and produce tooling for these unless there was a substantial demand, the MOD would surely fit this criteria.

Regards,

Ian.

 

 

 

[ruxy]

FV  possibly does originate for WD  ,   Ex-MOD vehicles always seemed to me to have a restricted number of key Nos. to aid problems with lost keys.

 

Remember the days garages had boards on walls with all the common 'pre-cuts'  + blanks for cutting on-the-job  ?    I am certain I have come across FV keys for plain classic cars , so did a search  - FV101 to FV225 ,  so seems there was a call and still is.

https://www.key2code.co.uk/classic-car-keys.html#/

 

[fv1609]

Looking at the CES for all Humber variants & at varying times. The use of an ignition barrel lock is quite rare. The only examples that I can find are:

FV1604A "Keys, ignition door. For replacement demand - Keys Blank to F.V. series of Lock Barrel and to Part No. LV6/MT13/87149"

FV1613 "Keys ignition"

"Key, lock" turns up many times but the part no. is for the square tapered T handled key.

I once ordered a replacement FV key on line but although the key was to a FV pattern, it was a civilian pattern similar to the FS, FP series that bore no relationship to the military FV series.

[Richard Farrant]

I have just checked out the Vocab for 6MT4 section, dated 1956 and found the FV switchboards, and all components are listed  and available for demand separately. The switchboards listed for the following vehicles;

Thornycroft 6x4, AEC 6x4 and 6x6, Champ, Humber FV1601, FV1100 10ton 6x6, Ferret, Albion/Jones crane, Blaw Know grader, AEC AA tractor, Dennis excavator truck, Scammell Explorer.

Nowhere is there a lock barrel listed for the switch. They might only have been issued on an as required basis for vehicle security in certain circumstances.

[fv1609]

Richard I did the same as you in my Humber ISPLs but couldn't find anything either, not even for Hornet.

Although the CES does list the ignition key for the FV1613 (Pig Ambulance) & as an ignition & door key for the FV1604A (Wireless Light).

Given that the barrel has a role in the ignition switch & a door lock, I don't think it would be catalogued in LV6/MT4 as it is not exclusively an electrical item but would be a hardware item in LV6/MT13.

I've looked through all the UHBs for all variants of Humber from 1953 to the final one in 1960 with final 5 amendments & they all make reference on the procedure for using the key in the switchboard.

I thought we had been here before & we seem to have had similar conclusions: