Avoiding car theft

[vick79]

Hey guys, Now that my 70 is in a pretty decent drivable shape (and not the hard starting, 1 rear brake death trap it was when I got it), I get a little nervous parking her in public. Ive had expensive 'new' cars before, and usually never find myself worrying about whether someone will try to steal it. But these cars are a lot more unique and pretty difficult to replace. Not to mention pretty easy to steal since all the wires are pretty visible, and I can pop the hood open without a key.

My method right now is to pull the main ignition wire every time I park in public. I want to hear what other people do?

[ITSA426]

My hemi car had a cutout switch wired into it that I didn't know about until I found it accidentally.  I've read about thieves just loading cars on a flatbed if they want to take them badly enough.  I get more worried about someone stealing my dual quad air cleaners, fender tag or something while I'm not watching.  Now I just insure the snot out of them and enjoy them for what they are.

Keep good records and photos to document what you have.  You can keep it covered and locked up in a shed and hope that 30 years from now it becomes someone's barn find.

[Dino]

I'm installing an alarm system pretty soon.  It won't make it impossible to steal, but it'll make it a bit harder.  I bought the Avital 5303 kit.

[Ghoste]

The flatbed method is probably more likely to happen to collector cars than the smash the window and hot wire joyride I bet.

[Dino]

The flatbed method is probably more likely to happen to collector cars than the smash the window and hot wire joyride I bet.

Yep very true.

[Cooter]

There are many insurance companies that will insure your ride for the "thief" among you.

I just never leave my junk unattended. Someone is ALWAYS watching. I'd be more afraid of someone damaging my junk than stealing it. Hell, let 'em steal it, I need the insurance money. It's worth more stolen and never recovered than it is now.

[1BAD68]

If someone wants to steal it bad enough, nothing is going to stop them.
But when you notice it gone, it would be nice to be able to find it quick.
This was a great idea but was discontinued...
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B004H1K9H2/?tag=googhydr-20&hvadid=12851939724&hvpos=1t3&hvexid=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=884328049453136273&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=e&ref=pd_sl_9izpt1p3pj_e
I had thought about hard wiring it into the electric system so it would always stay charged and ready for tracking.

[Baldwinvette77]

Yeah thats my method for my cars too, remove the coil wire,classic car theft isn't bad in ontario, so thats really all i need in public, yeah a towtruck could take it away, but unless you have a tracking device on it, you won't be able to avoid losing it that way, and although i'm sure it's happend to people before, it's unlikely to happen in my opinion, unless they tow it from the back, tow it from the front and remove the driveshaft, or break into and switch gears, but this takes time, and most thieves are in a hurry.

[Bob T]

If its an automatic, just put in a kill switch that interrupts the wiring to the starter relay/ inhibit switch up under the dash or in under the front edge of the console so it cant be seen. I put in a dual pole switch that also turns off the console lights because the lamps make the lenses get so hot and will long term discolour them when the door is left open for a length of time. The purpose is two fold, if I open the door and the console lights dont come on, then I know the kill circuit is in the active position and the car will not start. Cant beat a roll back though, if they really want to hook it there's not much beating that, my device will only slow them down. With the tracking device, not much point hardwiring to the vehicle battery only I reckon, once that is it disconnected its all over, the unit would need to have its own supply source battery or trickle feed supporting that battery

[Mike DC]

Stopping pros - Seems like the best would be a tilt sensor and a GPS, with the GPS being well hidden with its own power supply.

Stopping amateurs - kill switches, etc. 

[polywideblock]

My hemi car had a cutout switch wired into it that I didn't know about until I found it accidentally.  I've read about thieves just loading cars on a flatbed if they want to take them badly enough.  I get more worried about someone stealing my dual quad air cleaners, fender tag or something while I'm not watching.  Now I just insure the snot out of them and enjoy them for what they are.

Keep good records and photos to document what you have.  You can keep it covered and locked up in a shed and hope that 30 years from now it becomes someone's barn find.

i had a 75 vj regal (aussie) taken just like this neighbours thought they were suposed to be there because it was a "tow truck" never got the car back! 

[UH60L]

Well, after putting a new gas tank, new exhaust and new wheels and tires on my '69 to make it safe to drive, the next thing I did was have my friend install a keyless entry alarm system on the car, including a hood pin for those who to "check out the engine".

In the four years after that that I drove it and parked it almsot every day in public, I never had anyone mess with it, but I got a few funny looks when I got out and hit the button and it locked the doors.

My biggest worry was that someone would hit it with the their car or their door in a parking lot.  Most people have no respect for anything these days, especially other people's property.

[Homerr]

I was figuring I'd insure the car for an agreed value and get a Lojack for classics.

http://www.lojackforclassics.com/

[stripedelete]

My concern is securing the car while traveling.  IMO the only way to protect against a flat bed, aside from only staying in B&Bs, is a tilt/ mercury switch that makes a hell of a lot of noise.  Are they still available commercially or do you have to make your own?

[stripedelete]

I was figuring I'd insure the car for an agreed value and get a Lojack for classics.

http://www.lojackforclassics.com/

Let us know what you think.

[1974dodgecharger]

you could always NEVER drive it?  Leave it in the garage and just look at it, was it daily, clean it, polish it, like a museum piece or something 


I always drove mine no matter what fck it I say if they want it they are gonna take it no matter what you aint gonna stop them 

[Chargen69]

we just put a switch under the dash for the msd box, which is also hidden in the dash, hopefully that works, if not, it is insured

[Cooter]

They once asked a car thief on some documentary one time...."What's the best way to keep you from stealing my car?"


Reply: "Don't buy one"....

[WHITE AND RED 69]

I was figuring I'd insure the car for an agreed value and get a Lojack for classics.

http://www.lojackforclassics.com/

This is what I did along with a remote alarm system with a 2 way pager that lets me know if someone bumps into it or if the doors open. The alarm is annoying but at least it gives me a warning if something happens. And works up to 1 mile away.

The lojack for me is just piece of mind knowing that I have increased my chances of getting the car back if its stolen. The system doesnt rely on the cars battery power and will work even if its in an underground parking garage or locked in a container. It is only powered when I report it stolen to lojack. Check with lojack to see if your area is covered by the local police. Lucky for me most of California is covered.

If a professional thief wants your car, they are going to get it. No matter what security system you have. I'm more worried about joyriders who will beat on it and leave it in a ditch. I'd highly recommend some sort of tracking device for any of these old cars, at least if the worst happens you increase the chances of finding it.

[mauve66]

this code might still work, but their shop has to install it for the warranty, so you hope their shop is close to you

$400 off lojack

http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,95472.0.html

[WHITE AND RED 69]

this code might still work, but their shop has to install it for the warranty, so you hope their shop is close to you

$400 off lojack

http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,95472.0.html

They have licensed installers all over the country that will come to your home. Mine was done in less than an hour in the driveway.   

[Drache]

I kept finding handprints on the Dart (the first year I had it) every time a car in the parking lot got broken into. It made me sick thinking of someone smashing my window. So I put a sign on the inside of my car that had one of the targets I shot with a caption saying something like "If I can do this at 100 yards, what do you think I can do from my balcony only 25 yards away". No one has touched the car since.

[FastbackJon]

One of the better ones I heard was to take the ignition rotor out.

When we were on our honeymoon road trip last year, I thought about taking the '66 Charger, but was worried about leaving it in some of the hotel parking lots.

My plan would have been to buy a wireless driveway alarm for about $20 from Harbor Freight. You place the sensor face down in the driver's seat, and if it is disturbed, it sends a radio signal to the receiver which then makes a loud annoying chime. That would have given me some piece of mind. One could also go under the hood, facing down if you wanted, in case it's opened.

http://www.harborfreight.com/driveway-alert-system-wireless-69590.html
http://www.harborfreight.com/wireless-driveway-alert-system-93068.html

But I still worried about some idiot taking off the emblems with a screwdriver or door banging it, etc. Or us breaking down hundreds of miles from home. So we rented a Mustang and saved on gas too.

[twenty mike mike]

we just put a switch under the dash for the msd box, which is also hidden in the dash, hopefully that works, if not, it is insured

I was just thinking of moving mine from the engine bay to the cabin, but I didn't see any likely places under the dash in my '69. Where did you put yours, and where did you route the wiring through the firewall?

How much heat do those things generate, anyway? Seems that since the case is aluminum, under the hood it would be a heat sink, rather than radiating any heat away from itself.

[1974dodgecharger]

revelle I think has a special key fob that wont let you start the car unless the fob is in and the key together.