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Beetle and Bus Key Variations

VW made though out the years many different keys for the Beetle and Bus. A common request on the phone is to send me a key for my door or ignition thinking that they are all the same. Quite the contrary! VW made many different key profiles or blanks for their cars. Profile is the key (pun intended) word here. Just because the key has the classic cutout emblem in it does not mean that they are all the same.
From 1952 - 1979 VW used not less than 13 different key profiles. The profile of the key would consist of the grooves cut in the key usually on both sides from tip to the area that you grasp with your fingers. These grooves are cut at the factory and are what make up the key profile or blank. VW named these different profiles with a system of 1 or 2 letters i.e. SG,SE,SC,L and so on. From this profile the key is cut to fit its particular lock. This is what you see done at the local hardware store when they copy a key. VW labeled the unique key code by numbers which were contained within the profile letters i.e. SG240 or SC153. This key code was either stamped into the handle or ignition switch in an area that was not visible from the outside and/or stamped into the original keys that came with the car. So here is the bottom line when it comes to keys Keys with different profiles are not interchangeable. If you have an SC key on one handle and a SE key on another then the two handles cannot be keyed the same. (unless you find a matching tumbler). We cannot supply keyed alike door/ignition sets. Before calling on availability of an original key blank. Investigate to find out what the profile is. Some of the key blanks VW used throughout the years;
  • Beetle
    P ---Sometime in 1951-1953 (ignition only)
    SG---1952-1959
    SE---1960 only
    SC---1961-1966
    SV---1961-1966
    SU---1961-1966
    K-----1967-1970
    M------1971-1979
  • Bus
    A---1950-December, 1951 (ignition only)
    P---January, 1952-Febuary 1955 (ignition only)
    E,Z,D,V,F (all same profile but different letters, go figure?) 1950-December, 1963
    T--- January, 1964-1966
    L--- 1967-1970
    R---1971-1979

Blank Key "SG"

Blank Key "SC"

Blank Key "SC" Generic
 

Blank Key "SU"

Blank Key "SV"

Blank Key "E"

Blank Key "K"

Blank Key "L"

Blank Key "R"


Blank Key "M"


Blank Key "M", Generic


Blank Key "A","D","E","F","V","Z"

Blank Key "T"