Classic Car Keys
No Dealer Needed
Your classic doesn't need to visit a main dealer for a key. Pre-OBD, pre-CAN-bus, pre-smart-key — we cut and programme keys for classics the way they were designed to be made: with skill, not a computer ordering system.
Tibbe keys, early transponders, mechanical-only, resistor pellets. British Leyland, Ford, Vauxhall, Jaguar, Triumph, MG — from the 1950s to the modern classic era.
Key Types by Era
What key your classic takes depends on when it was built. Here's what to expect — and what it costs.
Pre-1980: Mechanical Only
£35-£55 per keyPure mechanical keys — no electronics, no transponders, no immobilisers. A correctly cut key is all you need to open and start the car. These keys are cut on the same type of manual machine that locksmiths have used for decades.
1980-1995: Transistorised Ignition
£35-£75 per keyThe transition era. Ignition systems became electronic but there's usually no immobiliser chip in the key. The key itself is still mechanical, but the ignition system requires a correctly-coded resistor in some cases (early Vauxhall, some GM vehicles).
1995-2005: Early Transponder
£80-£150 per key (cut + programmed)Immobilisers become mandatory on new cars. The key now contains a small transponder chip — usually a glass capsule or a small black chip in the key head — that the ECU reads before it will allow the engine to start. This is the era where main dealers start quoting 3-figure sums for a key... but we can do it for significantly less.
2005-2015: Modern Classic
£100-£200 per key (cut + programmed)Fully integrated remote keys with transponder chips. The 'modern classic' era — cars old enough to feel characterful but new enough to have proper security. The key is a sealed remote unit; cutting and programming are both needed but well within our capability.
How We Make a Classic Car Key
The process — whether you have a working key to copy from, or they're all lost.
Find the Key Code
For mechanical-only keys, the key code is usually stamped on the ignition barrel or door lock. We remove the barrel (carefully — no damage to 40-year-old trim) and read the code. Alternatively, the code is in the owner's handbook, on a key code card, or derivable from the VIN on later cars.
Cut the Key Blank
We stock blanks for most British, European, and Japanese classics. The key is cut on a manual or electronic cutting machine depending on the key type. Tibbe keys need a specialist Tibbe machine — we have one. Laser-cut sidewinder keys need the electronic machine — we have that too.
Programme the Transponder (If Needed)
For 1995+ cars with immobilisers, we programme the transponder chip to the ECU. This means powering up the car's electronics, connecting to the diagnostic port (the round 16-pin OBD2 connector, or the proprietary round connector on pre-2001 cars), and adding the new key to the ECU's authorised key list.
Test Everything
Key turns in the ignition, engine starts, remote locking works, door lock turns. We test it all before we leave. 12-month warranty on every key we make.
Classics We Work On
British, German, Italian, Japanese — if it's a classic, we likely have the blanks and the tools.
Ford
Sierra, Escort, Fiesta, Capri, Cortina, Granada, Anglia, Cortina, Zephyr
Tibbe and mechanicalVauxhall
Cavalier, Astra, Nova, Victor, Viva, Firenza, Magnum
Resistor pellet + mechanicalJaguar
E-Type, XJ6, XJ12, XJS, XK8, X308 XJ, S-Type, MK2
Tibbe + early transponderMG / Rover
MGB, MGB GT, Midget, TF, Metro, Maestro, Montego, SD1, 75, ZT
Mechanical + early transponderTriumph
Spitfire, GT6, TR2-TR8, Stag, Dolomite, Herald, Vitesse
Mechanical — pure and simpleAustin / Morris
Mini, Minor, A30/A35, A40, A55/A60 Cambridge, 1100/1300, Maxi, Allegro, Princess, Ambassador
Mechanical — the backbone of British motoringVolkswagen (Classic)
Beetle, Type 2 Bus, Karmann Ghia, Mk1/Mk2 Golf, Corrado, Scirocco
Mechanical + early sidewinderMercedes (Classic)
W123, W124, W126, W201 (190), R107 SL, W116 S-Class
Mechanical — laser-cut sidewinderBMW (Classic)
2002, E21, E30, E28, E34, E32, E36, E38, E39, E46, Z3, 8 Series (E31)
Mechanical → early transponderLand Rover (Classic)
Series I/II/III, Defender (early), Discovery 1/2, Range Rover Classic, P38
Mechanical → early transponderVolvo (Classic)
Amazon, P1800, 140/240/740/940 Series, 850, early V70/S60
Mechanical → early transponderOther British
Sunbeam, Hillman, Singer, Humber, Riley, Wolseley, Standard, Reliant, TVR, Lotus, Morgan, AC
We love a challengeGot a Tibbe Key?
The Tibbe key — that distinctive figure-8 profile used on Fords and Jaguars from the mid-1980s to the mid-2000s — needs a specialist cutting machine. Not every locksmith has one. We do. If you've been told "we can't do Tibbe keys", you've been talking to the wrong people. Ford Sierra, Escort, Fiesta, Granada, Scorpio, Ka, early Focus... Jaguar XJ (X300/X308), XK, S-Type... we can cut them.
Ask About Tibbe KeysYour Classic Deserves a
Properly Cut Key
Not a dealer order form and a 2-week wait. Call us — we'll talk classics, work out what you need, and get you a key that works properly. Fixed prices, 12-month warranty, proper old-school service.