Theft Deterrence for our Old Trucks

[Truckstr]

I just saw a thread warning people to be aware of theives that steal our model-year trucks and sell them on e-bay. That brought to mind something that has been bothering me for awhile.

What kind of ideas do we have here to protect our "pride and joy" from theives. Let's hear some ideas - practical ones, please.

I use my truck for daily transportation. That means that I drive it to work and to WalMart. I cringe everytime that I leave it to go inside a business where it will be out of my sight. Will it be there when I get back?

There are "gadgets" on the market that will sound an alarm when a vehicle is tampered with, but - honestly - how often have YOU heard one of those go off and paid NO attention to it? It just happens TOO often!

Aren't there gadgets that hook into the ignition system and allow the owner to activate them when leaving the vehicle? I'm a mechanical type - NOT an electrical/electronics type - of guy.

Ideas? Suggestions? What have you done besides stake your truck out with a shotgun and "bad" dog?

Thanks,
Jeff

[Dandeluxe]

LMC SELLS A SWITCH THAT GOES IN BETWEEN THE CABLE ON THE BATTERY WITH A KEY SO YOU CAN TURN THE MAIN POWER OFF EACH TIME YOU LEAVE IT. BUT IT WONT STOP A TOW TRUCK.

[Pont]

The old man I bought my truck from put a push button switch inline on the ignition power wire. The key has to be turned to the on position, then the button has to be pushed to provide power to the starter. If you hide this push button switch somewhere, it could discourage a would be theif from taking the time to try and figure out how to start the truck. Obviously, it's not full proof and if someone that's good enough really wants to take it, they probably will.

I have handed my keys to people I know and ask them to go move my truck or take it for a drive. Nobody can get it started until I tell them where the push button is. It was in the truck when I bought it and I plan on leaving it installed.

[pound41]

I had a monte carlo ss here in northern Virginia during their heyday. It lasted a week before it was stolen. One insurance man told me to put a toggle switch under or around my seat. On that one I put it right next to the front bolt down bracket of the drivers seat just underneath. We had cut a link into i the power supply to the coil. Made it look like it was factory. very descreet. The key was that unless the toggle was on it wouldn't start.It would sound like it was about to start. It was out of sight I could get into the car turn it on our off. Have people in the car and they would never know what I was doin. I have it on both my blazers

[RED72blazer]

I have a 12gauge in the closet and both our rigs are parked next to my window. Have you ever tried to start a bigblock without waking someone up?


and the burb is getting an alarm as we speak! Oh and if your worried that you won't pay any attention to your alarm going off or won't here it, get a car pager.

[fine69]

Honestly? Just leave the keys in them. If you do they dont find a challenge. No kidding. Each and every one of my trucks has the keys in the ignition.
I had a 69 GMC a few years ago. I bought it wrecked. Fixed it. Drove it for 4 years. Then tore it down,did a AWESOME restoration. Then i decided it was too nice for me. I couldnt use it. It was a total repaint, inside the bed and all. But i like to work a truck. So it was not useful to me. So i SOLD IT. I NEVER took the keys out of it the whole time i owned it, 5 years.
Well, the guy i sold it to had it 3 weeks, drove it to work. Locked it up. He came out that afternoon and it was GONE.
I drove that sucker everywhere. WalMart,work,everywhere i went and never took the keys out. He has it 3 weeks and its gone.
I realize this wont work for everyone. But it works for me.

[Reumster]

Ok lets say that the stealer knows what he's doing and the truck does get stole. How expensive is the Lowjack set-up? Or similar service?

Next what about if your car jacked. Besides having a Glock on your seat. In reality what is the best way to make it so the punk doesn't get far? Because we all know the sad but true truth that we as americans aren't really free, and it's illegal to carry a loaded gun in your vechicle. So if your obeying the law you can't have a gun that would be useful in a car jack situation. I was thinking of a very small remote that you keep say in your wallet that when drove away you puch a button and the vechicle dies?

[68 Suburban]

Don't paint it and leave the rust on it

[Project1970]

Originally posted by Reumster
Ok lets say that the stealer knows what he's doing and the truck does get stole. How expensive is the Lowjack set-up? Or similar service?

Next what about if your car jacked. Besides having a Glock on your seat. In reality what is the best way to make it so the punk doesn't get far? Because we all know the sad but true truth that we as americans aren't really free, and it's illegal to carry a loaded gun in your vechicle. So if your obeying the law you can't have a gun that would be useful in a car jack situation. I was thinking of a very small remote that you keep say in your wallet that when drove away you puch a button and the vechicle dies?

That would actually be no harder to implement than remote power door locks or poppers...except that instead of giving a solenoid current, you switch a relay that feeds your ignition coil to 'off'.

I have a starter-kill switch and two Clubs (yes, two! Crazy? maybe. It sits for a week at a time in Tucson), along with an alarm...I think I might at the least add a switch into the HEI feed so that if they find the first kill switch, they might get it cranking, but not firing...

That actually happened to my neighbor with his '69. They came to try to steal his truck first...found one kill switch, never the second. F*cked his dash up pretty good in getting the stereo out...

Which they'll never be able to use. It's an Eclipse. When you plug them in for the first time, you feed them a disc...ideally a nice rare one...and then whenever it's been disconnected, it needs that disc again. They're so confident in it, they'll send you a new one free if it's stolen...

I'm also seriously tempted to get a LoJack...

A few other thoughts I've had on the subject...

1. Why not fab a panel to cover the entire under-dash area, and secure it using Torx screws or something else that requires an odd tool to undo? It'd make it a LOT harder, if not near-impossible, to get to the ignition wiring...

2. Anyone ever seen Gone In 60 Seconds? The new one, that is? They're right about the Mercedes-Benz keys - they really are laser-cut...given how chummy the boys at the local Benz dealer are (you'd be surprised how willing they are to help a guy like my dad who inherited a '97 E320 but still wants to do every bit of maintenance himself...) I wonder if it'd be possible to somehow put the ignition cylinder into one of our trucks...combine it with the above and there's no way they're starting it...

3. Regarding tow trucks, I've seen a lock that goes into your brakelines...you step on the brakes, turn the key, and it holds full brake pressure for you. Overcoming a parking brake is one thing, but full hydraulic brakes?

I wish we were allowed to use things like they do in some eastern countries where the carjacking rate is absolutely hideous...they have under-car flamethrowers available. Someone tries to jack you, you hit a button, you drive off, they sit there and roast.

[~72'Pete~]

Every night I pull my coil wire and chain down my hood...........works for me. Then there is the AR-15 in the closet and the G31 on my bedpost.............please try, make my day. Mooooohahahahahah, Mooooooooohahahahaha (evil laugh)

~72~Pete

[Hotrod70C10]

I know a lot of you guys probably don't have or want an electric fuel pump but, my buddy has a toggle switch for it. If someone steals the truck it will make it about a block or so and it burns all the fuel out of the carb then it dies. That will surely piss someone off if they drive off with it!

[>X<]

i have the same setup that your frend has. when i got it it had a toggle switch for elec fuel pump, helps when its flooded and other stuff. i took that switch and hid it under my dash, if i really am wrried abouttruck getting stolen, pretty much just at school. i turn off pump then let it idle for a minte till all gas runs out. i think i would be funny to watch some thug try to start my truck wth no gas

[Cliff]

here is an Idea I've been pondering. Either use your current high beam switch... or you could mount another in the truck sat under the carpet or floor mat. When you get in u could tap it with your foot and no one would ever know what you were doing. Wire it up and that could even be your kill switch for your electric fuel pump or for the coil somehow. I've been wanting to do this but I'm not exactly sure what wires and such to use. I have HEI but I'm sure that dosen't make much differance. Just an idea.... Cliff

[Primered_69]

I have a messed up safety neutral witch that has been bypassed to let it start with a piece of wire. I can just pull out the link and most people would never know how to start it.

[imdarren]

Can you start your truck without a battery?! NO!
Sears sells a DiHard Battery that comes with a remote.
As you walk away from your truck, you hit the remote, it kills the battery (it's an internal tamper proof setup) so that it can NOT be stolen. I guess someone could always tow any vehicle. Even with the most sophisticated setup.

Just my .02

Darren

[RON WOODGEARD]

I have a "code alarm" anti-theft system. It was a couple of hundred dollars a couple of years ago. It not only has a starter Cutoff, but it locks and unlocks my electric locks automatically,When I Arm and disarm it, also locks them when the key is turned to start. turns the top light on and off when I enter and leave the truck, Of course flashes the lights arming and disarming, and is two staged, So if you tap or try to jack my truck it'll just beep, If you do it 3 times, it'll sound the alarm.. Along with that I still have an ignition wire switch, that is out in the open but says it's for something else. On is "off" off is "on".

I've though about many ways to do a "bypass" thing, It's all up to your imagination.
What about a relay off of your aftermarket stereo acc. driver. If the radio is on then the relay is HOT if the radio's off so is the relay, And the relay would run your, Fuel pump,ignition, starter wire or whatever else that would deter theft.

There was a guy on Wes's board a year or so ago, That was an ex-Cop ( auto theft) for I believe Los Angeles, He was handling a New anti theft system, I kept all of the info on it and can't remember where in this computer I put it. I had e-mailed him and got the total info on it. It was a heck of a good unit and had a good guarantee. + was very easy to hook up.

RON

[RED72blazer]

reumster Many alarms have an add on feature like you described, My girlfriends 4runner has an alarm like that it will onlt let the car move for ten feet. I like the Idea of having exposive mounted to a remote. but it would be far too expensive to blow up your own classic chevy truck. Maybe if it was a ford...

[RainDog]

Since I have no plans of upgrading my sound system beyond the stock AM radio, I'm not all that worried about people messing with my truck. It doesn't have the resale or chop shop value of a Corolla or an Acura or anything, so I figure my greatest threat is from A) someone looking for an easy truck to steal and joyride, and B) just plain old random vandalism.
I use two cut off switches in the cab, one under the seat, and another I have hidden in my CB radio (that one's my favorite). Plus two dummy switches under the dash.
As much as I want a stereo, the headaches they've caused me in the past with thieves and vandals has kinda soured me on the idea.
As for getting jacked, I don't know what the laws are in other states, but in Washington you can carry a loaded gun in your vehicle or on your person, provided you have a CPL, which is a piece of cake, because they're "must-issue," meaning they can't refuse your application for a CPL unless you have a criminal record.

RainDog

[greasemonkey]

No choke. Takes about 5 minutes to warm up after only about 4 hours of sitting, that way nobody could steal it at night without my hearing it. During the day, it is too ugly to steal.

[Maximum Overdrive]

Could always use a hood lock system to try and keep people out. You could also always put in a manual fuel cutoff switch or a manual switch used to switch tanks like on some of our trucks now. Just hide it and when you leave truck just turn switch so it draws no fuel of you could pull the fuseable link on the truck when you leave it.

[O'l Buck]

I'm with fine69 on this, the only time my keys have ever been pulled was when I switched cabs and wanted to keep my old ignition switch.........fun with anti theft devices.....how 'bout running a wire from the distributor side of the coil to the back of the dash and put an inconspicuous toggle switch in the wire. When the would be thief cranks the engine....ZAP!!!!! Can you say burnt fingers?.....Just don't forget to turn the switch off before you try to start it.....hehe

[jostrans68]

Mine has been stolen Twice and it had some gadgets on it... If they want it they will find a way

[CE20934]

Let's just say there are six switches (ignoring the headlights & wiper switches) within easy reach of the driver. Three in the proper combination keep the truck running.

As for the carjacking situation, I've only had a problem once. He came up the window, shoved the gun in my ear, and opened the door. Then he stopped, his eyes got kinda big, he lowered the gun, and left rather hastily. I had my axe in my left hand, poised for a horrible swing at his crotch. There was no way I could get any appreciable power behind the swing. Yet he, with a presumably loaded pistol in my ear, was scared of a rusty axe? Weird.

[Hotrod70C10]

I forgot to post that I have a dual tank switch behind the seat.

[cableguy0]

ok i reposess cars for a living. clubs are a joke off the car in less than 10 seconds without hurting anything on the car they are weak and easy to break. most alarms are also not a deterrent to someone who knows what they are doing.lowjack imho is the only thing that actually works. these trucks are way too easy to steal. and it doesnt matter how much precaution is taken someone who wants something bad enough will get it.no alram system or antitheft device except lowjack will stop a towtruck from gettin the car and being able to keep it. i have car alarms on reposessions go off all the time cops dont pay any attention to cars on tow trucks trust me.