theft prevention

My recently purchased '66 Mustang looks extremely stealable, and the
door locks would be a joke for even an incompetent thief, so I'm
considering theft-prevention measures. My plan is to use The Club on the
steering wheel and to install a hidden ignition cutoff switch. Any other
suggestions?

--
Cut "to the chase" for my email address.

rw opined in ink.net:

> My recently purchased '66 Mustang looks extremely stealable, and the
> door locks would be a joke for even an incompetent thief, so I'm
> considering theft-prevention measures. My plan is to use The Club on the
> steering wheel and to install a hidden ignition cutoff switch. Any other
> suggestions?
>

Forget the Club!

Install a real anti-theft system with a hidden aux battery

--
- Yes, I'm a crusty old geezer curmudgeon.. deal with it! -

Backyard Mechanic wrote:
> rw opined in ink.net:
>
>
>>My recently purchased '66 Mustang looks extremely stealable, and the
>>door locks would be a joke for even an incompetent thief, so I'm
>>considering theft-prevention measures. My plan is to use The Club on the
>>steering wheel and to install a hidden ignition cutoff switch. Any other
>>suggestions?
>>
>
>
> Forget the Club!
>
> Install a real anti-theft system with a hidden aux battery
>

What is a "real" anti-theft system? I'm not interested in an alarm
system (other people's false alarms drive me nuts), and I don't want to
spend a fortune.

My guess is that my worst risk for thievery is joyriders, who would be
deterred by simple measures. I don't think the value of this car is
enough to tempt professional thieves.

--
Cut "to the chase" for my email address.

Dinsdale wrote:

> There's bound to be some quick disconnect kit...nascar style or a
> Grant system I recall from years ago. Jeep owners probably have some
> good leads. It comes down to a matter of how far you want to go.

I was thinking of just wiring a toggle switch into the 12v circuit
between the ignition lock and the starter solenoid, and placing it in an
inconspicuous place under the dash.

It wouldn't fool a serious thief for long, but it might work for a joyrider.

--
Cut "to the chase" for my email address.

Sorry... I think I accidentally dumped my response....he again...

First, locks only keep honest people honest. If they want it they got
it. And I totally agree about alarms.. neighbors hate you every time a
cat wants to sit on the warm hood, and hardly anyone does anything
about an alarm except complain.

Forget the club. In under 30 seconds it will be defeated either by
freezing the metal until brittle, or cutting the steering wheel, and
easily and cheaply replaced item.

There is the Boot as mentioned. Pricey but effective.

LoJack is another possible, but pricey. Your car gets stolen it is
tracked and cops are notified. By the way, some alarm systems have
features for automatic phone or pager notice to you and (I think) auto
notice to the cops. You'd have to check.

Pop off steering wheel.... some jurisdictions (I think my home state
of CA for one) they are not street legal. As I recall, I saw this
posted in the Jegs and/or Summit catalogs. If the steering wheel is
gone, and if the thief can get a wrench or pair of vice grips onto the
post, they could still steer enough to get away from the place where
it was parked.

Here are some more ideas to ponder....

My grandfather used an electrical cutout to the starter with a hidden
button you had to push while turning the key. As I recall, the
circuit is wired in ahead of the coil.

NOTE: An auto electric shop would be a good source for this kind of
thing and probably quite reasonably priced.

A fuel cut off. No gogo juice... no theft.

Remove the rotor as mentioned. I would suggest either hood locks or an
inside hood release (not obvious). Even if they had a rotor, if they
can't get to the distributor, they can't replace it.

Deterrents work for both cars and homes....

Prominently displayed decals stating the car is alarmed even when it
isn't. The corner of the window right by the door lock is a good
place. If they use a shim they'll see it and no thief really wants to
set off an alarm. Just might be that one neighborhood where some ol'
geezer will check out an alarm.

Acid etch license number, vin number, or whatever, in all glass, again
where it would be easily seen. Glass is a very expensive fix. A thief
doesn't want to invest money in a stolen car, they want to steal and
get money from it. Joy riders are a different breed.

Go to Radio Shack and purchase:
-a flashing red LED
-one 9 volt battery
-one 9 volt battery connector
-some wire as needed.
Solder the rig together.
Install in the dash area (even in the ash tray of your 66) where the
flashing LED can be seen by someone walking by.
When you park your car, attach the battery to the battery connector so
the LED begins flashing. Lock your car. When you return, pop the
connector off. All this should run about $5. The battery's last a long
time and are cheap to replace. The LED's last nearly forever.

Make a habit of using whatever system or combination of systems you
use EVERY time you park and leave your car so you don't forget to set
it.

Insurance....
I suggest collector car insurance if you can meet the minimum
requirements of the company (some require the car to be garaged).
Such insurance is based upon an agreed valued. For example, lets say
it would cost you $25,000 to replace the car. Normal insurance will
only pay Book Value.... which on a 1966 is next to nothing. Even your
multi thousand dollar stereo system may have a limit of only $250 or
$500 if that's all that gets ripped off. So the difference between the
two types of insurance may be the difference between Say a $1500
reimbursement, and a $25,000 reimbursement. Most of the collector car
insurance companies do not have a mileage restriction, so it's not
like you are only covered if you are going to a car show, etc.
Collector car insurance can be very reasonable. I know people paying
in the neighborhood of $65 per month. For that, I might be tempted to
have both if I know there is no restriction about it.

Other alternatives....(just for funs)
remove the wheels when you park
remove the battery when you park
hire a very big and heavily armed guard
buy a viscous guard dog and let it sleep in your car
wire a claymore mine to the bottom of the seat you can set when you
leave the car
wire a 220 volt line to your car....
add one of those message boards so when the car is started without
knowing it the thief is displaying the message "I just stole this car
from Tel 555-555-5555". Most cops have cell phones as do a large
number of motorists. It may not stop the theft but if someone calls
you, you can get right on the case.

On Tue, 21 Dec 2004 19:47:49 GMT, rw >
wrote:

>Dinsdale wrote:
>
>> There's bound to be some quick disconnect kit...nascar style or a
>> Grant system I recall from years ago. Jeep owners probably have some
>> good leads. It comes down to a matter of how far you want to go.
>
>I was thinking of just wiring a toggle switch into the 12v circuit
>between the ignition lock and the starter solenoid, and placing it in an
>inconspicuous place under the dash.
>
>It wouldn't fool a serious thief for long, but it might work for a joyrider.

Hey! Spikey Likes IT!
1965 Ford Mustang fastback 2+2 A Code 289 C4 Trac-Lok
Vintage Burgundy w/Black Standard Interior
Vintage 40 Wheels 16X8"
w/BF Goodrich Comp T/A Radial 225/50ZR16

http://www.mastergard.com/

Fuel, ignition and starter cut off. Only one of four theft deterrent
systems approved by the Insurance Bureau of Canada.

Brad


"rw" > wrote in message
ink.net...
>
> My recently purchased '66 Mustang looks extremely stealable, and the door
> locks would be a joke for even an incompetent thief, so I'm considering
> theft-prevention measures. My plan is to use The Club on the steering
> wheel and to install a hidden ignition cutoff switch. Any other
> suggestions?
>
> --
> Cut "to the chase" for my email address.

Around 12/21/2004 7:43 PM, Spike wrote:

> First, locks only keep honest people honest.

I *hate* that saying. If someone is truly honest, a little thing like
the absence of a deterrent won't suddenly turn them into a thief.

A lock might keep an *opportunist* honest though...


--
/ Garth - '83 GL V6stang Hatch <Former MW #7> \
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\ Mail for secure reply information /

Spike wrote:
>
> Other alternatives....(just for funs)
> buy a viscous guard dog and let it sleep in your car

I hate slobbery, viscous dogs. I'd rather get a mean one. :-)

Seriously, Spike, you had some great suggestions. I especially like the
fake alarm decal and the flashing red LED. Those are devious. Anyone
know where I can get some fake decals?

I'm still buying The Club, though. This will be my daughter's car on her
Dec. 26 birthday, and The Club will make a nice Christmas gift (in
addition to the front disc brakes and the three-point safety harnesses,
which are hard to put under the tree after they're installed).

I find it kind of odd that on the one hand I totally disapprove of
spoiling my daughter with this car, while on the other hand I'm wildly
excited about it because I remember how much cool cars meant to me when
I was her age. I had a '64 MGB and then a '64 Porsche 356 SC Coupe,
followed by a succession of motorcycles and beaters during my long
starving-student era. When I drive this Mustang around the neighborhood
I frequently get thumbs-up signs and hollers from teenage boys, so I can
imagine what my daughter is in for. :-)

--
Cut "to the chase" for my email address.

On Tue, 21 Dec 2004 17:11:35 GMT, rw >
wrote:

Hi

I bought a Crimestopper 2015 ($175-brand new) off ebay. It has
ignition cutoff and a two way pager. I can keep the alarm silent and
it has paged me up to 3/4 mile away while I was in a Home Depot.

It's been in my '89 for almost 4 years. Up until a couple of months
ago it was in the driveway all night. Around the corner my neighbors
'84 GT 350 was stolen from his driveway (couple of years ago).

The '87 is now in the driveway and it has a Crimestopper too.

Hank
Phoenix (now #2 car theft capital in the country)
'89 ASC/McLaren
'87 ASC/McLaren
'85 GT
>
>My recently purchased '66 Mustang looks extremely stealable, and the
>door locks would be a joke for even an incompetent thief, so I'm
>considering theft-prevention measures. My plan is to use The Club on the
>steering wheel and to install a hidden ignition cutoff switch. Any other
>suggestions?

Sorry, but 21+ years in law enforcement tends to get us in a rut in
how we describe conditions at times. Much as "cop speak" must
sometimes be explained in other words so non-cops understand. This
also applies to military, medical profession, used car sales (lol)
etc. It's the way i am used to talking after all these years. At least
I accept that not everyone is going to be happy with the way I happen
to communicate ideas. Thank you for pointing out your thoughts.

On Tue, 21 Dec 2004 21:08:41 -0800, Garth Almgren >
wrote:

>Around 12/21/2004 7:43 PM, Spike wrote:
>
>> First, locks only keep honest people honest.
>
>I *hate* that saying. If someone is truly honest, a little thing like
>the absence of a deterrent won't suddenly turn them into a thief.
>
>A lock might keep an *opportunist* honest though...

Hey! Spikey Likes IT!
1965 Ford Mustang fastback 2+2 A Code 289 C4 Trac-Lok
Vintage Burgundy w/Black Standard Interior
Vintage 40 Wheels 16X8"
w/BF Goodrich Comp T/A Radial 225/50ZR16