security

[john pickens]

While this question stretches the limits of the board somewhat, I would appreciate a dialogue concerning security for my 65 roadster. How do folks
deal with securing their vehicle away from home? Anyone use alarms or other
deterrents? If so, how about the obvious non-originality come judging time?
I know for certain that LoJack is not available in North Carolina.
How about home security, any particular approaches? Thanks.

[John H.]

Re: security

Alarms may stop the amateurs, but pros these days use wreckers and rollback flatbeds, and nobody anywhere pays any attention to car alarms any more; the best protection is quality paid-up agreed-value insurance.

The only home security system that's worth anything uses an RF signal to the monitoring station; all the rest use your phone line to signal a breach, and the first thing burglars do these days is to cut your phone line outside at the network interface box before they break in.

[Scott Marzahl]

Re: security

Like John said, pay your insurance. My neighbor just had his new Turbo Porsche stolen out of his garage while he slept. Both by the way had alarms.

[Jack H.]

Security--covered by rules....

You asked what's done about security devices during factory concours judging. It's in the book (NCRS Judging Reference Manual) and the policy is quite old....

Section 2, Rule 25, Safety, Security, Other Allowance & Scoring Bonus

"The following are allowed with no scoring deduction:

A. Standard seat belt installation on 1953 through 1957 model.
B. Sate or Federally required safety equipment, Sate required current inspection and/or registration sticker.
C. Very inconspicuous functional non-factory alarm system."

[Balance of rule text redacted]

[Richard W.]

redacted???? *NM*

[Geoff C.]

Re: security

Good alarms have regular dial-up and a cellular back-ups. Cellular defeats those who cut a dial-up phone line that cannot be buried. However, the monitoring companies charge twice because of the additional lines being monitored.

Actually the best alarm is a dog, with an extra dog back-up. Actually I have a two dog back-up to the main dog alarm. Guns and dogs are excellent security.

Geoffrey

[george romano]

Re: security

Could you please explain to your dogs that I am NOT a car thief!

George

[Patrick H.]

Re: security

Liar. You'd take the black one in a second if you could figure out how to do it. The problem is that we ALL know who would have it.



Patrick

[george romano]

Re: security

I thought I told you to keep that a secret! Now I gotta start all over again.

George

[Grant M.]

Re: security

Geoffrey,

I'd agree with you on the dogs. We just had our house broken into while we were away at Lake Placid. Unfortunately, our two four-legged burglar alarms were with us (one of the reasons for going to Adirondack Park). We were lucky: only a computer and some jewelry taken, and no evidence they even looked into the garage where the '65 and '78 are stored (keys for them were on a prominent hook in the kitchen). 'Kids' is what the cops say. Looking for stuff that's easy to carry and quick to sell. Maybe for drug money. Regarding alarms, the policeman also recommended having one: not to catch the thieves in the act (neither police nor alarm company response are fast enough for that), but to 'suggest' that the neighbour's house without the alarm is a better target. A good insurance policy seems to be the best you can do. If 'they' want what you've got badly enough, they'll get it...

[artarmstrong]

Re: security

Grant, I would be very carefull, because they might have "marked" the cars and could be back for them later.

Art

[Clem Z.]

only female guard dogs.

always have female guard dogs because the best way to get around a male guard dog is to bring a female dog in heat with you. this will take care of any male, dog or not.

[Grant M.]

Re: security

Right you are and we've taken 'steps' to at least make it very difficult for them. In the end, however, if they want them badly enough they'll get them. I refuse to live in a fortress or to eschew ownership of the things in life I enjoy and appreciate.

[Mike Yager]

Re: security

Away from home, I take the usual precautions. Try to park in a well lit area in a lot that will not attrcat a lot of attention. I generally do not do much parking away from home. I have no alarm system on the car. In my opinion it would take a lot to modify these cars for a good system. If you are really nervous, the best bet is to pull the coil wire or have a fuel cut-off somewhere.

At home, I have several syetms. The car is parked in a seperate garage at my house that is secured with one exception - a big doggie door. The doggie door is for my 100 pound English Black lab (Harley) that actually looks more like a big Rotweiller. He lives in the garage (has a bed right behind the car) and can come and go as he pleases with about two fenced acres around the garage (and back of house to roam.

I have seen repair men inadvertantly wander into the back yard. When Harley comes through that doggie door at full speed with teeth bared, they quickly hop back over the fence. Harley is as gentle as can be with people he knows.

The alarm system on the doors and windows is connected to a monitoring station via a steel encased phone line. The continuity of the line is monitored. If the phones go down and the monitoring company cannot reach me on my or my wife's mobile phone, the police are dispatched. There is no extra charge for this service.

Of course a good insurance policy is the best protection with an agreed amount, which I also have.

[Christopher R.]

Re: security

1. Fuel shut-off valve plumbed into the fuel feed line. Either a mechanical one you can reach under the car. Or, a solenoid. Fuel line on C1s (C2s?) runs on the outside of the frame rail, easily reached by crouching down beside the car. There's room for a solenoid up in the fuel tank compartment or down on the frame rail by the rear wheel. Thief drives off a little ways on the fuel remianing in the carburetor bowl, and then the car dies out in traffic.

2. "Kill switch." There are many varieties of these. Some come with an alarm. The best ones have a relay in the circuit. These are easily defeated, of course, by any self respecting car thief with jumper wires. But you can cover the kill switch installation at the distributor/coil with your ignition shielding. Then bolt the ignition shielding on with round top allen bolts. Thief then needs a 5/32" allen wrench to get in there.

3. Some alarms are inconspicuous. Look around.

4. Mechanical means. Remove the steering wheel. Grant steering wheels has something I need to look at. There used to be a device that locked the clutch and brake pedals together. Hot rod stores sell a brake line lock. A really big chain and padlock like the motorcycle guys use - something core hardened over 3/8". Remove the wheels and put it up on blocks for long term storage. Store the wheels very far away. You're going to be working on the car while it's in long term storage anyway, right?

A maxim in the security biz is that you design in lots of things to delay a thief. The thinking is that he'll get frustrated and leave the car alone after he is stymied by the first few anti-theft devices. For long term, I'd use lots of simple mechanical things. In long term, you're not moving the car anyway. Take off the wheels. Pile big stuff behind the car, maybe another car.