Technical Ideas on disabling a roadster at a show etc.

let the air out of a tyre or two.

 

The problem with the old remove rotor or coil wire is that everyone sees you remove it after they watch you pull in and park. It may stop the opportunist joy rider but the pro thieves will have an extra wire and rotor in their theft kit. If a pro really wants your car and targets it, he'll already know your pattern of where you live, work, frequently park. Many thefts are tow away's, so even if everything including the wheels are locked down, they'll just drag it onto a flatbed with a winch.
I'd go with a battery kill switch and gas shutoff for starters, THEN let them watch you pull the coil wire. They'll start there and waste time. Time delay is your friend.
As for Tim's idea of locking the front wheels full turn, there's a bike lock by Kryptonite that is U shaped and comes in several sizes that may work to lock the steering.

BTW, How do you see out that windshield?

 

Insure it for it's full replacement value, and go and enjoy the shows. Life is too short to worry.

 

Put a lock on the handbrake, too. Or install a valve in the brake system - Depress brake, turn valve = all wheels locked.

 

As with my roadster.......if they want it....they'll get it no matter what you do.
I just don't worry about it. I'd hate to have it stolen but that's why I have insurance!

 

Years ago, my buddy who had a '69 Z-28 used to take his coil wire off at night. One morning he came outside to find his car gone, and his neighbor vainly trying to start HIS car.....

 

I have a removable steering wheel and battery cut off switch. Cops look at guys using a pair of ViseGrips as a steering device with suspicion. However, I never fail to be amazed at how roll back drivers can get a locked car out of an illegal parking spot and be gone in no time at all.

 

On mine I have one of those battery terminal disconnects with the knob that threads in to make connection.
I just screw it all the way out and put it in my pocket

 

The problem with depending on battery disconnects as an anti-theft device is that they are easy to defeat. And if you happen to lose the handle or knob while away from the car, you yourself will need to figure out a work-around. If you can, a thief can too. But it's better than nothing. Maybe a would-be thief won't want to bother.

 

Mine has a hidden switch for the electric fuel pump. Won't get far with dry carbs.

Also, had a friend who used to leave his pet python wrapped around the steering wheel. Never lost a car, and scared the hell out of kids looking in his car for something to steal.

 

And then they use a roll back....

 

wire your coil to a high beam button, hidden under the carpet. hit the button, no power.Also works as a good starter solenoid disconnect. A a starter circuit cutoff, hidden behind the door jamb so as to be flicked unseen when you leave the vehicle. A patterned switch panel hidden under the dash, if possible, or run all your wires to the starter , coil and accessories the same color, to make hotwiring a little slower. a door button that only allows the car to be started with the door open or closed, and last, a fuel switching valve for a dual tank Chevy truck(1977) wired into the fuel line, to cut off fuel supply.

 

You don't have to make it impossible to steal. Just hard enough that they give up and go on to the next car.
I like the idea of the bug, just in case.

 

Chip Foose did a whole series of shows that started out with instructions on how to steel a car even when inside your garage, locked up, disabled and in broad daylight. And he's one of the Good Guys.
The Wizzard

 

Block it in with your buddie's bagged gunboat or bagged late model.
The kill all the power kill the fuel switches are probably the best for preventing the local grab and run thief but probably won't slow down the pro thieves with repo rigs who can snag a car out of a motel parking lot or parking spot on the street and be gone in a few seconds.
I like the ideas of the locks that lock the steering fully to one side or the other and lock the shifter in reverse so someone can't kick it out of gear and roll it out to where they can tow it off.
That old phone you have that doesn't have all the features but has a good built in gps locater would work on the extra phone family plan for little or no $$ a month and could be tucked away in the car connected to a small auxillary battery that would power it for quite a while if the car was stolen. Put a diode in the charging feed to the aux battery and it won't feed back to the main harness when the main battery is disconnected.

 

That only works if it's registered with a legit frame number.....lol

 

The kill switch shown above is the exact one I use. It came from O'reilly's and was inexpensive. I use it everytime I get out of the car for safety reasons. Its like never leave home without it.

 

A smart thief finding a coil wire gone would just drive your car away on 7 cylinders. Or has a chase vehicle that could jump start your car with a battery switch, or they would use a booster box. I think the best part of a gas switch is that the car will start but dies shortly after leaving the thief in the middle of the street trying to figure it out. I myself like to leave my radio on playing death metal real low so people can only hear it standing next to the window. Keeps people and their kids from getting to close as well.

 

traditional; model T coil wired to door handle.

 

If you take out the coil wire NONE of the plugs will fire. If you replace it with an identical looking piece of black rubber hose no one will know it is missing.

 

The hose may trick them if it does look close. Maybe a hollowed out wire. But if they figure it out they will just use one of the spark plug wires with the rubber boot ripped off.

 

Cheers for the replies guys. Not concerned about the thief that really wants my car as New Zealand is to small and hard to hide shit like that, but more the dick heads that could grab it while away from it for few minutes( or slightly longer) to flick a few bits of it to fund their next fix or what ever.
What I will use will be.......
1/ Coil grounding switch.(hidden)
2/Battery kill switch (w/removable and spare toggle key)
3/Fuel tap (hidden)
4/Steering lock of some sort. (for if and when away from car for longer)
5/GPS thingie. (every hot rod should have this)
I think I would be more worried of parts walking away from the car than the whole car
going here. I just want to make it harder for a arse wipe to take.
JW

 

Man ... I'm sure glad that I live where I do. I can't even remember the last time that I even bothered to take the key out of my ignition switch!

 

^^ How would your insurer see leaving the key in it !!! JW

 

This is true! lol

 

Or one of these.....

 

park near or next to a nicer car that looks easier to steal and flip. play the odds.

 

Wasn't there a company that produces a small machined piece that is part of the brake line system, that has a key lock out, when locked it prevents the wheels from turning.

 

I dunno ... never having to make a claim for anything ever in over fifty years, I can't give you an answer. Maybe they'd be delighted to finally hear a peep from me!