The parking meter had no lock for the lower coin box and no key for the upper meter case.
A local locksmith picked the upper lock and then removed the tumbler pins so it could be
opened with a blank key. He also supplied an Ace lock for the coin box.
The locksmith could not help me with the 3/16 key required to wind the spring in the meter.
I found out the local hardware store has 3/16 steel stock.
A little work with a torch and I now have a Parking Meter Winding key.
When I opened the meter case at home, I found out some kid had inserted glue into the coin slot.
I cleaned out the glue, cleaned out the inside and the outside and mounted the parking meter
on a piece of oak.
This project is unusual in that most of my projects take months if not years to
get worked on and completed. This project took three weeks from when I bought the parking meter.
At my wife's suggestion, I did not sand blast it and re-paint.
I cleaned it with an SOS pad and left it alone.
It looks like it just came off the street and works very well.
When I get a chance, I will mount the parking meter on a pipe in front of the house
so when friends come over, I can ding them for come coinage.
Last updated 10/07/2007