Turbo-Jet

What, if any, means due we use to prevent theft? The factory alarm is better than nothing, but really isn't going to do much to deter a skilled thief.

Aftermarket alarm? What options? Not 'stock', but can a system be installed with little intrusion to the original electrical system?

I use a steering wheel lock most of the time. Seems to be simple, but effective. Of course I never park in an unsafe area.

What about proper appraisals? I have a settled at an ‘agreed-value’ with my insurance company because the car is worth than a generic book value.

(ps- hope that fellow in Seattle gets his ride back. :cheers: )

Surfer69

I was looking at a new "club like" product in Autosport mag. that locks the pedals but does not grab the steering wheel. Most thiefs use drills now to attack clubs and this claims to be drill proof for $40.

SanDiegoPaul

I think that a good alarm is a great investment. Not just a noise-maker but rather, one that kills the starter crank circuit also. I figure that in ten seconds while an alarm is going off, an thief can pop the door, pop the hood, and snip the wires to the siren if he wants.

But then if he still cannot start the car he is bound to go elsewhere. Just my two cents worth. I have cliffords in both of my cars and they cost about $300 installed with the starter kill.


[Modified by SanDiegoPaul, 6:49 AM 12/11/2002]

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A garage with a Rottweiler in it :jester

Brettmc

A battery cutoff would be very effective if you could hide the switch good enuff. I'm thinkin of getting the one made for the side post battery to go on my Optima. A good thief would know to check the battery tho. I've asked my wife to get me a good club for christmas. I use one in my daily driver truck after it was stolen 2 yrs ago.

Do thieves drill down thru the keyhole on clubs to disable them?

Brett :thumbs:

SBcoupeC3

I believe the product is called Auto-Loc. Usually it is on late night T.V. It was made by actual police officers. The product would lock against the floorboard and go around either the clutch or around the brake pedal. No drilling or any modification to vehicle is necessary. It came with three keys that cannot be dupicated(only from factory) and was tested against the club and other anti-theft devices.
Scott

Skyhigh82

After seeing the movie "Gone in 60 seconds" I'm not sure if there is such a thing as a theft-deterrent device. I was thinking about an electronic fuel switch. If the car is taken it won't go far and I think most thieves would leave it instead of trying to troubleshoot the problem. But, then again if they have a flatbed tow-truck near by then it's gone. I'm not sure if there is anything that works. :confused:

Wrencher

LoJack would be my tool of choice for recovery if it did get stolen, but to prevent that I chain the frame to big a** "eye" bolt that I have buried 2 feet down in the concrete driveway when it's outside.

I've mentioned this before, and if I thought I could get away with it I'd invent a device that reaches up from under the driver's seat and forcibly removes and dices the perpetrators most valuable private parts. That should prevent them from attempting that type of thing again in the future...

Hans

Hans

NHvette

All of your theft deterants are just that. They will slow a thief down, but not stop them.
The best the will do is make the thief look at the next car in line - an easier take.

The pedal lock sounds like it may have it's virtues.

I would never waste my money on a club. All a thief needs to do is hack-saw
through the steering wheel rim - bend it a bit - and voila, it slides right off.

An aftermarket alarm system (properly installed) is a step up, but far from
infallible. Good thieves have code readers, so they can duplicate your remote
code on the spot. Or - you can be like me and drop your keys next to the car
before going furniture shopping. My luck - an honest person did not find them first. They found the car a week later - every electrical switch (LOTS) was
destroyed with a screwdriver. They stole the radio and child car seat, while
leaving a $300 sheepskin seat cover and a $200 pair of sunglasses. Go figure.

Lojack may be the best bet for getting your car back with the least damage.

... just my $0.02
:seeya

68shark

I use "the club" combined with a well hidden kill switch. There are better ideas out there, but I'm careful as to where I park and when at home, my car is in a securely locked garage.

TurboJet....I concur that agreed value is the only way to go with respect to insurance. Am in the business and strongly recommend this to all Vette (or other special interest vehicle) owners. In Ontario, Silver Wheels sold through Lant Insurance is an excellent product at a very reasonable price. :cheers:

chevyjeff

on my 82 i traced the circut for the electric fuel pump and wired in a hidden switch. concealed it under the dash area. if someone does get in and drives off they will get 50 feet and then no go. The only real theft deterant is something that will make it take longer for a thief to steal your car. Most professional thiefs can get by the club, alarms, locks and kill switches but the longer it tqakes for him to get going the less likely he is going to keep trying. :reddevil :smash:

bob

I use a club, the stock alarm with a new warbler mounted in the rear wheel well ( can't get to it with the muffler in place ) a motion detector with a pager and a hidden switch for the ignition. I also have it insured for value.
bob

Turbo-Jet

If your are going to use a steering wheel lock, use this style, called DE-VISE i think. It was recommended by my insurance company.

Note the two 'fingers' per side which make it very very hard to remove with a hacksaw.

ps: haha, i just noticed that this pic is pointless. the fingers should go on either side of the wheel spokes. duh...

regardless, it works perfectly on a vette wheel.


[Modified by Turbo-Jet, 9:43 PM 12/11/2002]

RJR99SS

In all my hotrods i just replace the fuel pump relay (i always use fi) with a simple toggle switch. Then i just mount the switch somewhere out of sight. That way, they can crank all they want...but they aint getting the car. Sometimes i wire up an ignition kill switch too, but that usually is slightly more complicated and dosnt really offer and better protection.

Now...obviously this dosnt deter someone from braking in your car....but what does? Alarms are fairly useless, as nobody pays attention to one when they go off. I've always believed that if they want IN the car...they're coming in.

But with a simple kill switch, you can make sure they dont take it anywhere.

74FLCONV

If someone has a tow-truck, forget about it...your car is gone.

I have a locking shifter **** (only works on autos), and a hidden kill switch. I've also re-wired the seatbelt kill switches ('74 only option?) to not allow cranking unless BOTH are buckled (with or without someone in the seat). That will really confuse the hell out of 'em if they find the kill switch! This feature may thwart carjackers too if you can stall the car after getting out at gun-point...(gotta think of these scenarios here in Miami).

I plan on adding some way to lock the hood closed (if they can't get to the wiring, they can't undo much) and a fuel-line lock. You can also add a brake-line lock (mounts inline with the brake lines and locks the wheels as if your foot is on the brake pedal).

Now that LOJACK has dropped their monthly maintenance fee, it's a very good deal! I was quoted $600 ~ $650 for the installation in my driveway.

On top of that, a locked garage (with pins that secure the garage door to the floor) is the best defense while at home.

Best regards,

D. Ocean
Miami, FLA

mrvette

On this car you have to punch the correct button on a garage door opener with ignition on, and or be an absolute genius with wiring....

Earlier GTO I had was rigged with 3 interlocking latch relays....
one activated with interior lights....the rest of the sequence was TWO buttons well hidden that had to be pressed IN SEQUENCE...with ignition on....

GENE

zwede

If someone wants to drive off in my '71 they have to be an electrical genious. I figure someone that smart would be able to get a real job and won't be out stealing cars. Only way to get mine is with a tow-truck. Unforunately I can't think of anything that would protect a car from a tow truck.

zwede

Also regarding code scanners and keyless entry: If you do get a keyless entry system, be sure to get one that uses code-hopping. The remotes and the unit in the car share a long list of codes. Each time you use the remote that particular code will not work again. This way a code scanner is useless.

SBcoupeC3

Um......Regarding the steering wheel lock, like shown in Turbo Jet's thread in my opinion should not be used. For one, what is stopping the would be thief from not cutting off the sterring wheel lock but, instead cutting the steering wheel itself to slide off the opposing lock. The reason that I say this is because the steering wheel of any car is made to be the weakest link incase of a accident. Come on lets face it that you would want a steering wheel to give in those type of situations(accident). If it didn't do this, I for one would probably have a nice scar on my chest because of that wheel.

Turbo-Jet

well, an anti theft devise is designed to deter. and this style of wheel lock is 10x better than the original Club, and the Club is 1000x better than no devise at all. coupled with the fact that my car is never parked in a 'back alley', i believe it to be a fairly accetable solution.