Amazon: Advice please on drilling out the ignition barrel

[fishyboy]

Hi all,
After a great first day of Amazon ownership day two has taken a turn for the worst.

When i picked the car up the ignition key was a bit sticky, but managed to get the car started and drove 70 miles home no problem (no mean feat given the car had only done 130 miles in the last 7 years).

This morning tried the key and it just would not turn. tried some graphite powder and jiggling the key to no effect. Went off to town to a get a replacement cut on a spare blank for my 1800 hoping that would do the trick. Tried tapping the new key when all the way in to see some of the "pin-stacks" would drop. No change. Resigned myself to having to put a new barrel in so I ordered one from Simon.

After a few hours of trying lots of different key positions the key turned as far as Position 3 (Driving position). Rather oddly the key wont go to the Start position or the Radio position.Great i thought push the release pin (with the key in position 3 and out will pop the old barrel and no drilling required. Well after another hour of lying on my back (penetrating fluid sprayed on the button) I could not get the pin to move. Sounds like its time for the drill.

Has anyone any advice regard drilling?
Where to start?
What am I trying to achieve by drilling?
If the pin won't move will the barrel ever come out?

How will day 3 turn out?

Phil