Secure your fender tags

[69bronzeT5]

I just got an email from a fellow Mopar buddy here in B.C warning me of recent Mopar fender tag thefts at show and shines. At a recent event, 3 individuals were attempting to steal fender tags from cars. 2 of them would distract the owner and the third was removing the tags with a cordless screwdriver. They were actually able to get a few tags off before someone caught on but they managed to escape with the tags. Just a heads up to everyone, this is becoming a common occurance so make sure you secure your fender tags or just do what I did and removed mine all together. My Duster's tag is locked up safe and sound in my shop.

[68X426]

Those Canadian thieves are bold indeed. 

Why not just steal the entire car?

[ChgrSteve67]

Some people steal just for the event of steeling.
Doesn't matter than they can't do anything with it.

I removed my original and had a reproduction made.
Its the only true piece of documentation I have about how my Charger was originally built. (I don't have a build sheet)
I have heard of some people spray painting the interior of show cars, throwing lit cigarettes in the car, taking a key to the side and so on.
No matter what you do or where you go there is the possibility that some a$$wipe is going to try to ruin your day.
Don't let it stop you from showing your car and having a good time.
Keep an eye on your property and others property at the event and others will do the same for you.
Its always a good idea to find a group to hang out with that way there is usually someone around watching the cars.

I have seen more than a few people open car doors and take a seat for a picture without asking the owners permission.
And of course the person that likes to lean on cars because they don't feel like standing up.
They are not trying to do any harm but just seem to have a brain malfunction that these cars are not their property to do with as they please.

Bicycles freak me out the most.

-Steve

[twodko]

Bicycles, babystrollers, people with big buckles, chains on their wallets and/or dangling key rings............oh shit, oh damn get away from my car!!!!!!

I was considering riveting mine in place but a re-pop sounds even better. Steve, where did you get your reproduction plate? Thanks.

Tom

[John_Kunkel]

Instead of the original sheetmetal screws, substitute threaded screws with a self-locking nut on the bottom.

[69bronzeT5]

I just heard it was at the big Mopar show here to boot. I was at that show and there was AAR 'Cudas, Hemi Roadrunners, 340 Dusters, Hemi Challengers....I really wonder what tags got stolen. Actually, I better email my buddy with the '70 R/T SE Challenger to see if he still has his

[ChgrSteve67]

http://datatags.com/

I put it in a scanner and scanned the back of it then flipped the image so the letters and nunmbers could be read.
The front was really hard to read.

[68X426]

My tag is locked up. No where to put it in the engine compartment anyway (generous use of stainless steel on the fenders (for show)) plus safety of the tag. Like Steve said, no broadcast sheet means the fender tag is the only physical link to the factory and the history.

I took numerous photos of my tag and finally got one to look great (lighting, quality). Then enlarged it slightly and put it in the car's show "book", with the info on the de-coding. One could do it in a picture frame, too. Looks professional and is way cheaper than the repro tag (though I have heard datatags does superb work).

I assume the tags are stolen for blackmail/ransom purposes. Maybe there is a market for stolen tags for the guy who wants to build a fake Hemi Cuda. I figure it's the druggies who want to ransom it back to the owner for a few hundred bucks.

[Highbanked Hauler]

 
   

I assume the tags are stolen for blackmail/ransom purposes. Maybe there is a market for stolen tags for the guy who wants to build a fake Hemi Cuda. shruggy I figure it's the druggies who want to ransom it back to the owner for a few hundred bucks. flame
 
   It'd be a quick way to end up seriously injured.

[Back N Black]

I was at a car show on the weekend and someone stole my wheel wrench, i did not notice until the next day......

[RD]

i try to turn the other cheek, but after all the work i did to my car, if I was someone doing anything to it that should not be done, I am afraid I would put a 55 gallon drum of whoopass all over them.  2 things you dont mess with.. my car and my wife.. in that order

ps dont tell my wife i said that hehe

[MoparManJim]

the easy way to secure your dang fender tag to the car so that NO one can take it is just to weld/braze the dang thing on! I like to see them try to steal it then.

[bull]

the easy way to secure your dang fender tag to the car so that NO one can take it is just to weld/braze the dang thing on! I like to see them try to steal it then.

Brilliant! While I'm at it I think I'll weld my lug nuts to the wheels too.

[bull]

Instead of the original sheetmetal screws, substitute threaded screws with a self-locking nut on the bottom.

Or...

http://www.tamperproof.com/categories/products.html

[MoparManJim]

the easy way to secure your dang fender tag to the car so that NO one can take it is just to weld/braze the dang thing on! I like to see them try to steal it then.

Brilliant! While I'm at it I think I'll weld my lug nuts to the wheels too.

While you are only joking, I am being very serious bud. 

Now if you have a flat or a major blow out, how in tar nations are pose to get the rim off the car? where as a fender tag is different it's only there to show people what the car came with from factory and there for it doesn't have to change out unlike a tire does. 

[bull]

the easy way to secure your dang fender tag to the car so that NO one can take it is just to weld/braze the dang thing on! I like to see them try to steal it then.

Brilliant! While I'm at it I think I'll weld my lug nuts to the wheels too.

While you are only joking, I am being very serious bud.  

Now if you have a flat or a major blow out, how in tar nations are pose to get the rim off the car? where as a fender tag is different it's only there to show people what the car came with from factory and there for it doesn't have to change out unlike a tire does.  

Really? I never thought of that. I'm glad you said something before I fired up the welder and went crazy. I was also going to weld the gas cap down so they wouldn't steal that too. Is that a good idea?

And where is Tar Nations? I can't find it in my world atlas. Is it near the United Nations?

[MoparManJim]

the easy way to secure your dang fender tag to the car so that NO one can take it is just to weld/braze the dang thing on! I like to see them try to steal it then.

Brilliant! While I'm at it I think I'll weld my lug nuts to the wheels too.

While you are only joking, I am being very serious bud.  

Now if you have a flat or a major blow out, how in tar nations are pose to get the rim off the car? where as a fender tag is different it's only there to show people what the car came with from factory and there for it doesn't have to change out unlike a tire does.  

Really? I never thought of that. I'm glad you said something before I fired up the welder and went crazy. I was also going to weld the gas cap down so they wouldn't steal that too. Is that a good idea?

And where is Tar Nations? I can't find it in my world atlas. Is it near the United Nations?

Where is Tar Nations at you ask? that's a good question.. he must be a racecar driver I guess..   

I looked up the so called place "World Atlas" and couldn't find that either.. so where is that place at? 

[bull]

I looked up the so called place "World Atlas" and couldn't find that either.. so where is that place at?  

It's a planetoid in the Degoba System. I'm sure you've passed by it once or twice during one of your many Astral travels on the Crazy Train.

[twodko]

Thanks ChgrSteve67!

[ODZKing]

bull, you crack me up  
I tell folks all the time that you'll love those locking lug nuts in the winter, on the side of the road in the freezing cold with a flat, and they're frozen on!  Get rid of them.
The goofy screws are actually a great idea until you loose the screwdriver to remove them. Fact of the matter is, if they want it bad enough, they'll take it.  And the more difficult it is to get it off/out, the more damage they'll do.
I'm not saying remove the screws and just let it sit there, but what happened to keeping an eye on your posessions?
On another note, back to the original discussion ... I had a dog jump up on the door with his paws as if to look in the car.  When I went to the cruise-in-person-in-charge, they said (quoting here) "what would you like me to do"?
So I don't go to that one anymore because it has gotten completely out of control.  Hey, that's the way it goes, I guess.

[Khyron]

punch the owner of the dog.... dog doesn't know any better.

[charger_fan_4ever]

Instead of the original sheetmetal screws, substitute threaded screws with a self-locking nut on the bottom.

Real good idea. Never thought of that.

[ODZKing]

punch the owner of the dog.... dog doesn't know any better.

Almost did.  Probably should have.   

[bull]

The goofy screws are actually a great idea until you loose the screwdriver to remove them. Fact of the matter is, if they want it bad enough, they'll take it.  And the more difficult it is to get it off/out, the more damage they'll do.
I'm not saying remove the screws and just let it sit there, but what happened to keeping an eye on your posessions?

Well, as Jimbo alluded to with his lame welding idea, it's not really an item you frequently need to take off. I'd be more apt to use security screws since the bad guys are probably much less likely to "screw" with something they can't remove quickly. One look at a couple of spanner screws and they'd probably move on to an easier target whereas a locknut setup would be messed with (paint likely scratched) until they figure out the bolt isn't backing out. Part of keeping things secure is the immediate visual warning such as a padlock on a door, a blinking red light on the dash, a funky screw head you've never seen before...

[ITSA426]

Why not just use a #8 screw with a not quite tight self locking nut to hold the tag on if that's the issue?  They can use a cordless screwdriver hooked to a car battery and still not do anything but make noise as the screw turns loosely in the hole.  Better yet, don't leave the hood open; and don't open it unless someone asks.  Most of these cars look better with the hoods closed anyhow. 

A taser might be a good dog/owner training device.  It's too bad some of the dogs are so much smarter than the person at the other end of the leash.

I guess if theft is such an issue we should just drive them like they were meant to be; or at least be choosier about which shows to attend.

[mauve66]

usually if you go to a show you want to see things also, kinda hard to "keep an eye on your stuff" if your walking around

having said that i've been looking for ways to convince the wife i need some attention so i thought these would be a good start

http://www.tamperproof.com/categories/one-way-sex-bolt.html

[Shakey]

Robertson screws also work well.

[Brock Lee]

It's a planetoid in the Degoba System. I'm sure you've passed by it once or twice during one of your many Astral travels on the Crazy Train.

[89MOPAR]

   "Better yet, don't leave the hood open; and don't open it unless someone asks.  Most of these cars look better with the hoods closed anyhow. "

Mopar shows i used to attend up here were " participants choice " -if you entered a car, you got a tear off sheet , with a tab for each category... pull the tab off, and put it in an envelope tucked under the wiper of your favorite car in that category. Show organizers / Club members pick up the envelopes and tally up the tabs.

   Any car that had its hood closed i would not vote for.  Just a matter of principle.   If your car is truly nice you'll show off the engine compartment.   Otherwise what are you hiding ?

[bill440rt]

Really? I never thought of that. I'm glad you said something before I fired up the welder and went crazy. I was also going to weld the gas cap down so they wouldn't steal that too. Is that a good idea?

And where is Tar Nations? I can't find it in my world atlas. Is it near the United Nations?

Where is Tar Nations at you ask? that's a good question.. he must be a racecar driver I guess..   

I looked up the so called place "World Atlas" and couldn't find that either.. so where is that place at? 
[/quote]

I looked up the so called place "World Atlas" and couldn't find that either.. so where is that place at?  

It's a planetoid in the Degoba System. I'm sure you've passed by it once or twice during one of your many Astral travels on the Crazy Train.

Bull, I think Tar Nations is here on planet Earth. It's not far from Rhi Chea.

Effing hilarious. 

[twodko]

Didn't any of you have geography in school? Tar Nation is a suburb of La Brea/LA area!

[Back N Black]

Here's a Tar Nation game.....http://www.cbc.ca/money/story/2010/03/22/alberta-oilsands-game-tar-nation-polaris-calgary.html

[histoy]

Instead of the original sheetmetal screws, substitute threaded screws with a self-locking nut on the bottom.

I did something similar to that on our car.  I threaded the hole through the fender, inserted a threaded screw, then double nutted it under the fender.

[HANDM]

Take a picture of it, size it properly, print picture, laminate the shit out of it and screw that down. Or just get a reproduction as previously noted 

[bull]

  "Better yet, don't leave the hood open; and don't open it unless someone asks.  Most of these cars look better with the hoods closed anyhow. "

Mopar shows i used to attend up here were " participants choice " -if you entered a car, you got a tear off sheet , with a tab for each category... pull the tab off, and put it in an envelope tucked under the wiper of your favorite car in that category. Show organizers / Club members pick up the envelopes and tally up the tabs.

  Any car that had its hood closed i would not vote for.  Just a matter of principle.   If your car is truly nice you'll show off the engine compartment.   Otherwise what are you hiding ?

Um, we're hiding our fender tags from thieves.

[loudmouthaussie]

at least i dont have to worry about that down here i guess with a '70 500

our aussie built cars generally have the VIN on the tag too. not a bad idea. pretty hard to steal then 

[89MOPAR]

[/quote]

Um, we're hiding our fender tags from thieves.
[/quote]

Here's an example of what i meant Bull - At one of these shows an acquaintance of mine [former] brought a barracuda to the show, his car was Originally EV2 orange / 318 2barrel carb / bench seat
He entered it in the "Stock" category - the rules state - original color scheme, factory manifolds, etc.  --- any color changes, headers, etc, puts your car in the "Modified" category.

   His car As Entered was Dark Blue / 318 4 barrel headers, w/ Ugly engine compartment.   He never opened the hood the entire time.  He won 3rd place in stock category.  There were very few cars in the 'stock" category that year, and loads in the modified category.  Had he been in the category where his car belonged, would not have won an award.  I feel this is winning by deceit.

Anyhow,another time, after insulting my girlfriend, with me restraining myself from feeding him a knuckle sandwich, a couple weeks later he wanted me to help him find a "used 340 engine mount" - Geez dude, buck up and learn how to save $50 already.   Hence, former aquaintance.

   Besides, you first have to get your car to a show to worry about a car show theif....      [ says this in a joking manner - i know you're spending lots of time and $$ on your car]

[bull]

I hear you. I was just referring back to the main topic.

[BrianShaughnessy]

Robertson screws also work well.

Only in Canada 

Probably any type of non standard or anti tamper screws or bolts would deter the common fender tag thief.  I don't really understand the need to steal fender tags anyway

Covering them up or removing them if Galen is at a show before he takes pics of them I can understand 

[Magnumcharger]

Robertson screws also work well.

Only in Canada 

Probably any type of non standard or anti tamper screws or bolts would deter the common fender tag thief.  I don't really understand the need to steal fender tags anyway

Covering them up or removing them if Galen is at a show before he takes pics of them I can understand 

But, your Robertson screw idea doesn't hold water...these are "Canadian theives" right?

[UFO]

I just leave the hood closed.
Most folks like to take photos with it down anyway.

[bull]

Or just skip the car shows altogether. It's more fun to drive than it is to have a parade of experts telling you about all your shortcomings anyway.

[tan top]

was more worried about the original screws vibrating loose  , & loosing the tag ,  well just in case coming loose ! ( I'm crazy like that) SO i stuck mine on with windscreen glue as well    , still looks stock both sides of the inner fender