cluosborne

Caveat: I've only done one lock and only on the passenger side door handle. This should work for the driver side door handle too but you will not be able to fit the original lever switch bracket. Other locks from later models like the Miata could be modified to fit, but there's still the question of the storage bins and glove compartment. So I apologize for the title. It's a bit misleading since I'm using a lock with the same keyway. It would be more accurate to say the title of this thread is: Adapting a Mazda lock from another model to fit a FC door handle.

Another thing: even if your old locks are worn out, don't get rid of them. it might only be the wafers that are worn out and not the cylinders. Finding cylinders outside of a locksmith is possible, but you might be spending more time and money than it's worth.

Years ago, my driver's side door lock had gotten worn to the point that I could easily unlock the door with a pocket knife (which was a good thing since I did once lock my keys in the car). So I swapped over my passenger side door lock and created a blanking plate for it.

Fast-forward to the present day and not being able to unlock my passenger side door when the battery is disconnected is a pain. Yes, I have since retrofitted power door locks and keyless entry, but there are times that if you have the key, it's faster to just unlock the door with the key rather than put the battery back in the car, reconnect it, use the remote and then reverse the steps. Or even going in from the driver side and unlocking the door from the inside. Plus, the blanking plate at had gone out of position (it was held in with silicone).

Looking at prices of OEM locks; the ones for the FC RX7 door have gone up to $80 each. Which is more than I wanted to spend.

So, on eBay (where used FC locks are rare and then expensive), I started looking for other Mazda locks that might fit the door handle, have the same key way and were cheap.

From eBay, I came across a new pair of door locks with keys for a 93-95 323/Protege for just $22. Note that other door locks for models like the MX-6, MPV and others from the same era can be found for cheap too.

So the locks and keys arrive and I can say that they are the same overall diameter and the original lock actuating bracket (the part that attaches to the lock cylinder and in turn to the rod that leads to the door latch) fits. Unfortunately, as-is, the lock won't fit inside the door handle and the bracket that contains the lever switch won't fit on it either.

However, as you can see in the picture, the only thing that stops the lock from fitting inside the handle are the two locating "wings" on either side of the lock. Using a Dremel tool with a metal cutting bit, you can narrow those wings down to fit inside the door handle. You could modify the door handle to fit them, but given the lock is cheap and easy to find and the door handle is expensive and increasing hard to find, it's a no-brainer.

As to re-keying the lock cylinder, I actually lucked out here in that my original factory key almost fit except for two wafers that only had to be swapped around. You might have to go to a locksmith, re-arrange wafers or get a set of wafers. Or even just use a dremel to cut down the wafers until the cylinder moves freely inside the lock housing. However it goes, these locks are easy to take apart. You just need a pair of needle-nose pliers, a screw driver to pull the cylinder out. The wafers themselves just come out of the cylinder using pliers or tweezers. The cap that covers the lock cylinder can be removed; the FC has a black trim cap that covers lock when installed. The door handle lock retaining clip fits perfectly and the lock stays in place like the original.

Now, without being able to use a lever switch, there is an alternative for these later locks. Mazda used a rotating switch that snaps on directly to the back of the lock cylinder. The only thing is that you need to check for clearance between the back of the cylinder and the door glass; I didn't use or need a switch for this door so I didn't bother. The switches themselves are reasonably cheap on eBay too and some locks include the switch along with cut keys.

Looking at other models, it might be feasible to swap in locks from the later Miata and MX-6; though there's still the question of getting that later key to work with the glove box and storage bins. Maybe swapping in the lock cylinders from the later glove boxes and consoles is possible, but you can buy used or even new lock sets starting at under $100.


You can see the two locks right here. The top one has its original rod bracket in place while the FC one fits perfectly. You can also see that the side "wings" are too thick to slow into the door handle. When grinding these "wings" down, make sure the lock is oriented straight up and down. Getting it crooked slightly may result in you not being able to fully lock or fully unlock your door. But I did find that there's a little margin for error here. Plus, I had an extra lock if I needed it.

cluosborne

I thought it would be a good idea to add some more pictures from an unmodified lock assembly.


This is the other lock assembly from the eBay Mazda 323 lock set. This is not an OEM part as the keys are generic. From the pictures I've seen of the OEM ones, the included keys include a tag that is presumably the key code.

The back of the lock. You can see that the cylinder shaft is a bit longer because this fits into a switch that snaps onto the lock.

Here's a better look at that "wing" that needs to be thinned.

Another perspective. Apart from having to thin these wings, the lock fits an FC handle perfectly.

Here's a look at the lock disassembly. The lock is held together with a c-clip that can be removed with a flat-blade screwdriver or needle nose pliers

Under that bracket is a washer that's keyed.

From the top of the lock you can see the wafers.

An exploded view of the parts.

Closeup of the lock cylinder. These are the wafers. What you don't see are small springs that allow the wafers to return to their positions after the key is removed.