What type of security do you have installed or run in your Hot Rods

I am new to building Hot Rods and am slowly building my first one. Due to the Military I only get 30 days a year to get back to the states to wrench on it but one day it will be a runner. Anyways I seen alot of stolen Rods on here and other sites so..

What are you guys and gals doing to protect your rods (hot rods) minds out of the gutter guys.

I have heard of alot of great ideas like battery cut switch/ removing the battery, fuel shut off, switch for the coil, even hidding the e-brake but since you guys drive them all the time what can I do to protect my investment.

I had a friend that had his truck broken into alot so he started keeping a bear trap on the front floor untill he was told by local law enforcement that it could be considered illegal traping when he asked. Could see him get in trouble if some got hurt breaking into his truck.

pass the good ideas but don't put your rod in jeopardy by sharing your ideas and thaks in advance

 

......Buy a lot of insurance is the first thing you do.....

 

If they really want it, not much you can do! I run a battery disconnect switch hidden to ward off 75% of the thieves. And good insurance.

 

Hutch, it's good to see some military folks on here!
A battery disconnect is great, but most of the time, it seems like the criminals that steal cars, just flatbed the car out of there, our steal the trailer it's in.
I have heard some folks using lojack, or a gps. That would be the easiest way to get your stolen ride back.

And good insurance!!!

 

Trunk Monkey..........

 

A battery disconnect, fuel shut off and ignition kill are all good against the joy rider type thiefs but it seems that a lot the cars that we are seeing stolen and reported here may be hauled away by a repo rig, car hauler or trailer and maybe an enclosed trailer in the cases of some of the high profile cars that are disappearing.

At the very least none of our cars should set up so that you can't just jump in, hit the switch and drive off. There should be at least one or more motions that a guy has to make to be able to start the car. Even if you leave the key in it at the gas pump someone who doesn't know the exact procedure shouldn't be able to star the car. That could be as simple as having to hit a push button or switch of some sort while turning the key. Something so simple that even a guy riding in the car with you doesn't notice you doing it.

 

No one wants anything I own. The thieves are still into Nissan more doors around here.

I do have a club on my jeep but its just for looks. I have been known to use a line lock, remove a the fuse to my ignition, pull the steering wheel. I had an old Pontiac back in the '80s that I left parked on the border while I was living in Mexico. I used to run a heavy chain around the brake peddle and up through the steering wheel. That seemed to work real well.

Some of your best theft deterrent is visual.

 

"Trunk Monkey.......... " Now, that there's funny! The trick I use is to just pull the coil wire and replace it with a dummy wire. I've never seen anyone catch that one...

 

I still like the cell phone idea. Most cell phone plans alow for a second phone cheap. Get one with a built in GPS and locator. Connect it to battery and stuff it up in the dash with the phone turned on. Use a battery tender to keep the battery charged. If the car gets walks remotley activate the phone and pinpoint the location. Call cops! most smart phones have this feature.

 

a baseball bat and a 9mm, and sleep in the parking lot at all the shows I go to.

 

I love the phone idea. I will ask if this is possible. It's too bad the main thing on my mind on my new rod is someone taking it and not me enjoying it.

BC

 

Insurance and a kill switch.

 

Impressive

 

yup , insured big time and a couple hidden kill switches .

 

Now if I told you that everyone would know.

 

Battery disconnect and an Kimber......

 

On a couple of customer cars (dealer) I've installed the gps monitors,so they can see what their kids are doing, you can go online and get live updates of the whereabouts of the vehicle, there is a monitoring fee of course, and it sucks that this is what we have to worry about now but it is an option.Also something like "LoJack" might work.

 

Real pros will likely stake out your storage place and work under a plan that gives them the greatest chance of success. Amateurs are opportunistic and act on impulse.

Against the pros, I block my garage with another (modern) vehicle that has an alarm and factory anti-theft features. They gotta move that car first. I also keep it well lit at night so the neighbors can see what's going on.

A friend of mine installed a large (4") iron pipe into his driveway (cast down into the concrete with about 2" exposed). A steel post, about 3' tall fits into the pipe and each part has a hasp for a hardened steel lock. Quick and easy barrier that requires a torch or noisy saw to remove.

Against the amateurs, the key is deterrence to discourage them from opportunity. Park in plain view and not in some back alley. "The Club" on a steering wheel is a good deterrent, even if it eventually can be beat. Hidden kill switches that kill the ignition and/or fuel pump are good, as is removing the rotor from the distributor.

 

BIG DOGS !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ... 9mm does help tho ............ steve

 

x 2

 

a battery cutoff, hidden GPS device, 2 pitbulls, a Glock 34, and I have a small explosive device attached to the fuel tank that will ignite 30 seconds after the car has been started if a secret code has not been entered into a keypad that is hidden.........

 

I got it all, locked gate, locked garage, cameras, motion detectors, two big dogs, a .38 special and a 9mm. But thats at my house. Ive had kill switches go bad, so now i ussually take the rotor out of the dizzy if im worried about where im leaving the car.

 

I've got a clutch pedal lock.

 

Where I have my own cars stored, there is a crotchedy old man with a shotgun. He is always there and comes out and greets everyone who comes on the property if he doesn't know you (then all you get is a wave from him).

Did I mention he has a shotgun?

Between him, the cameras, and the alarm, you would have to be nuts to try to steal anything from my shop.

 

Got mine rigged up with C-4

 

Fuck what they said about the bear trap...your word against the dead mans..guess who wins?

when you hear the theifs blood curdleing screams at 1 am..its time to start up the coffee machine and clean and load the 12 gauge..at about 5 am after you had your eggs and bakey..go out and see if he has bled out yet..if not go back in and repeat what you did at 1 am..
oh, and dont call 911..nothing got stolen and some theif died in someplace no one knows but you or him..easy, just remember you have a captive audience..no one knows he's there but you and him..theifs dont disclose their dirty work to wifes and others, so no one knows he is caught in a trap in your shop..and no one will know how he ended up where he was...I know its sadistic, thats why it works..you have to be meaner then they are, to win.

after lunch ease him out of the bear trap and leave his ass on the shoulder of the highway..clean bear trap and repeat till all the theifs in the neighborhood are thinned out

Im going on craigslist now, i gotta get me a new bear trap this is like the one my dad and I found

 

Ejector seat.

 

Want me to tell you where I park it too?

 

An injection seat into a hard top would be awesome! Cripple the bastard as his spine explodes from the impact. I like the gps idea as well. I am going to remove the steering wheel from the truck, fuel cut-off and plug wire exchange. In college I had a motorcycle anti theft chain wrapped around the gas pedal to the steering wheel. Also have this thing (forget the name) that locked the shifter in place.
Sucks we have to do this

 

I shouldn't have to say this, but Booby traps are illegal, plus you can't defend property (property, not persons) with deadly force. Sounds like a neat plan to spend the rest of one's life in prison.