Anti-theft devices ideas and suggestions
 

It seems like one of our trucks is stolen every week. While some are unavoidable (like someone with a flatbed truck dragging it on and driving away), I feel that some extra protection on our trucks might be the difference between it being stolen or not.

That being said what can be done while maintaining the originality of our trucks? What have you guys seen before?

Some common ideas that I've seen and can work:

- Remote immobilizer, such as a key fob
- A steering wheel club
- A button that you have to press before you can start the vehicle in a very well concealed place
- Pulling the coil wire
- Having a manual transmission preferably with 3 on the tree


Please DON'T post the vulnerabilities of our trucks! Only post ideas to secure them. And I wouldn't recommend posting complete details, don't want to give away the secrets to your truck and I'm sure we can find information on Google.

Re: Anti-theft devices ideas and suggestions
 

I have an aux gas tank the tank selector has a position that shuts off flow.
the truck will run for a few minutes and die, I was thinking of using this simple idea figuring a thief wouldn't know about the switch maybe make a cover to hide it just leaving it in the no flow position a cheep way out for me just have to remember to switch it back before I start the truck
gg

Re: Anti-theft devices ideas and suggestions
 

I mounted a small fuel shut off valve, tucked into the frame on mine, just one of the few things I'm doing with mine, Kill switch, etc... GPS is next on my list.
Ben
:metal:

Re: Anti-theft devices ideas and suggestions
 

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Funny, I was just thinking about this last night laying in bed when I couldn't sleep. I think the most secure thing as far as making it hard to steal would be a brake lock. To me it would have to be a hidden mechanical line lock type of thing with a lever you flip over to lock the brakes up. I would say fronts since that is where most of the weight is. That plus a hood lock. I have watched the guy that runs the salvage yard load vehicles on his rollback and I can tell you there isn't anything you can do to keep that from happening except park it where they can't get to it.

LockDoc

Re: Anti-theft devices ideas and suggestions
 

Garage.

Re: Anti-theft devices ideas and suggestions
 

This.

Years ago I used to repo cars for a used car dealer. Only two things kept me from getting the vehicle:

1. A garage.

2. A gun.

Both only delayed the inevitable. No one really pays any attention to a roll back because it just looks like another break down getting towed.

To stop the quick theft, anything that will delay getting into the vehicle or make it hard to drive away. Sometimes a simple device like a 3 OTT is all it takes... :lol::lol::lol:

Re: Anti-theft devices ideas and suggestions
 

All of the above. Redundancy is the trick. Too many hurdles costs time.

Plus, glue on the steering wheel, works like flypaper... wouldn't that be great, to come out and find thief stuck to your steering wheel... you could take it into your garage and do some dental work.

Nothing I hate more than a thief!

Re: Anti-theft devices ideas and suggestions
 

On PowerTour last year, when i had to park mine at the hotels (usually is safe and sound in my shop) I flashed an "anti-theft" tune file into the Holley ECU. Basically, the tune had all the fuel tables zero'd out, so even if you had the key, it would not start. It literally only took 5 seconds to load the file and another 5 to flash the regular file back in. Granted this won't stop somebody with a wrecker from grabbing it, but it will certainly stop somebody whose intention is to hotwire and drive away.

Re: Anti-theft devices ideas and suggestions
 

Remember the scene from "American Graffitti"
Where Richard Dreyfuss placed the cables around the rear end of the Police car and the light post at "Jerry's Cherry" car lot? :lol::lol::lol: sure wouldn't get far....
Ben
:metal:

Re: Anti-theft devices ideas and suggestions
 

I'm a rebel! I can't take it! I'm going to spill the secrets so the word is out!

We have non-locking steering columns, an exposed hot ignition terminal in sight of the positive post, and a starter built for easy starts with a flat-blade screwdriver. But I'm pretty sure that's been well-known for 40 years. It's still easier to steal a 90s Buick/Olds, don't have to open the hood!

I still think the best is an electric fuel pump connected to something like a defog switch, or any kind of fuel kill COMBINED with a carb. I had that for years, through at least 6 breakins where it was never stolen. The reason? If they do hotwire it, it fires right up, starts, even drives a few feet until the fuel in the bowl is used up, then it dies and won't restart. Far too annoying to steal.

Re: Anti-theft devices ideas and suggestions
 

A tilt switch and a shaped charge come to mind, but I'm a combat engineer, so....

Re: Anti-theft devices ideas and suggestions
 

I used to own a nice fully loaded 67 Mustang and my apartment was in an area that wasn't in the best of neighborhoods. I left it unlocked to reduce the chance of a busted window. I'd take the coil wire AND battery out everytime it was parked there. If someone came up with a battery, they certainly wouldn't have thought about a coil wire. I could tell you how I disabled the automatic shift linkage, but then I'd have to kill you.

Re: Anti-theft devices ideas and suggestions
 

I have a hidden ignition kill switch, and will use the "club" when I get my truck on the road, I like the idea of a fuel shutoff,does anyone make an electric shutoff valve? also, does anyone know of a hood lock for our old rigs?

Re: Anti-theft devices ideas and suggestions
 

I'm just starting my build and have thought about this. Has anyone put a newer style hood release on their ride? One that opens from inside the cab.

Re: Anti-theft devices ideas and suggestions
 

Past Threads

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=474293

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=318678

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=109642

Re: Anti-theft devices ideas and suggestions
 

I had this on mine and it blew the fuse in LA traffic truck died with no warning apparently the power keeps it open. I removed it the next day. Now I just pull the fuse to the computer and take it with me.

Re: Anti-theft devices ideas and suggestions
 

I keep mine in a locked garage at home, and I also have 2 big dogs outside that don't like nonsense. As far as the truck itself I have my electric fuel pump on a switch that's pretty hard to find, with the ole BB427 it won't make it very far on the fuel in the carb.
(The one on the pillow weighs 235 pounds)

Re: Anti-theft devices ideas and suggestions
 

When we had to park our shop truck outside, 68 short stepside, 6 cyl, we would let the air out of the left front tire.

One time one of us moved the shop truck to move another vehicle, then promptly forgot about it. The next morning we found it in the same place as we left it, still running.

This was back in the mid 80s.

Re: Anti-theft devices ideas and suggestions
 

A friend of mine had his fuel pump go bad one time in his blazer and installed an electric one by the tank. He only had enough wire to wire it to the tail light. He had to turn on his lights to make the fuel pump work. He would also turn off his lights and let it run out of fuel when he parked it. No fuel, no run. Of course that would not stop someone from towing it off.

Re: Anti-theft devices ideas and suggestions
 

If someone really wants a classic truck, not much is going to stop them.

If a kid wants a joyride, that's easy. Stick shift.

Re: Anti-theft devices ideas and suggestions
 

I have my MSD Atomic fuel injection ECU and MSD 6al ignition box mounted in my glove box with quick disconnect mounts. I just take one or both of them with me when I leave my Blazer outside.

I knew a guy that had a vehicle boot that he would clamp on his tire. It was bright orange and heavy. Don't know how he got it, but it seemed to work or him!

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Cool Jason. Nice looking dogs.

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Yup, it seems all you need to defeat a millennial is a clutch pedal.

Re: Anti-theft devices ideas and suggestions
 

That's sooo true!!! At our jobsite last year we had a International dump truck that was a stick shift and out of about 10-12 of the labor crew my son was the only one that could drive a standard. He enjoyed it, but me not so much, he was riding around and lost my help for a few days. LOL

Re: Anti-theft devices ideas and suggestions
 

I don't want to give away my "secret starting procedures" (my wife doesn't even know how to start my truck), but I will say that I weld and/or engrave my drivers license number on my frame, inside fenders, bedsides, etc. so if it does get stolen I may have a better chance of finding it when it gets parted out on Craigslist.

Re: Anti-theft devices ideas and suggestions
 

it's pretty funny when you think just a basic 3-ott will stop a truck thief :lol: I'm thinking of just running a 4 on the tree with the Muncie and a reverse cable in the consol .Whether you pull it into a garage or a parking space it's only going forward :lol:even the thief that knows how to shift the 3 oot would be stopped and shaking his head :metal:

Re: Anti-theft devices ideas and suggestions
 

It's not cheap but you could get a LoJack installed

Re: Anti-theft devices ideas and suggestions
 

At least there is a cheap way to find it .:chevy:

http://www.satphonestore.com/spot-tr...oogle_shopping

http://www.liveviewgps.com/equipment+tracking.html

Re: Anti-theft devices ideas and suggestions
 

Now thats the way to go and affordable too. If a thief wants your truck bad enough they are gonna get it. I'm sure some of the nice trucks are most likely to be loaded onto a flat bed or into a trailer and nothing is going to stop that. The only preoblem with the trackers is controlling your temper and waiting for the Police. Too tempting to go get your truck back by means of force. :devil:

I have a two way Viper alarm and a door switch under the hood but that only works if i"m in range of the truck. Great for when your at home but not so good at events where you park far away. When I sell stuff on craigslist I make sure to have the item locked in my truck so the buyer sees me use the two way remote, even when I'm meeting them down the street from my house. I also have a full security camera coverage around my house so anybody stalking my truck is sure to see cameras everywhere. It's nice to be able to check on my truck using my smartphone to access my security cameras.

Re: Anti-theft devices ideas and suggestions
 

Old kill switch ive used, install another high low beam switch on the floor and wire it into the nuetral safety switch. Another one of those things young people have no idea what it is. You can only slow down a unexperienced thief.

If recovery is what your after, you need a gps tracking unit tied into a second battery in the truck. A loud horn or siren that can be attivated by a key fob, the gps will only get you so close to where the truck is.

Re: Anti-theft devices ideas and suggestions
 

Now that's an idea I haven't seen before. I also like the BrakeLock idea. I've seen some generic ones on summit before but I don't know how long it would hold pressure, it may bleed back through eventually.

The stuff I've done to mine I know will slow someone down. I would bet any of us could look at another member's truck that has a secret and have a least a little trouble getting it going.

Re: Anti-theft devices ideas and suggestions
 

I need one of those to leave in the cab!!

Re: Anti-theft devices ideas and suggestions
 

I'm terrible at wiring, and about the best I came up with was a solid brake lock.
Forget the ones that loop around the steering wheel.
I mean the ones that ratchet the brake pedal up and make it useless.
Even so, these older vehicles got STEAL ME IT'S EASY written all over them.
My problem is five fold, as all my cars are older, and thus easier to steal
And I don't just have the truck, but a 67 Barracuda, a 67 and 68 Camaro and a Corvair sitting in the driveway.. the only one with some measure of safety is the El Camino with the locking steering shaft.
forgive me if I don't let anyone know my address as they sit out on a driveway
Other then the Camino with it's locking column, the rest can be shifted into neutral, and pushed down the street.

A few years back I invested in a box of these heavy duty brake locks with the tamper proof keys.. so far they've worked great.
The only good news for me is that currently I have neither a Classic Mustang, nor a Corvette.

Re: Anti-theft devices ideas and suggestions
 

A while back I was pondering how hard it would be to fab up a 5 speed column shift. Where reverse is on 3ot would be 1st and then a 3rd gate to accommodate 5th and reverse. I thought it would be cool just because it was different, not because it would deter thieves.

My current plan is to get my muncie 465 in and add a gear vendor OD. To shift the O/D I want a second stick for high/low that comes from the transfer case location and twists around to be at had right next to the 4 speed knob near the drivers knee... again just to be different and make people scratch their head for a couple.

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Not to derail this thread but man where can I see more on that El Camino?

Re: Anti-theft devices ideas and suggestions
 

Nothing special about it, it has the factory locking column.
Obviously a great idea for theft, but lacking the charm of the older models.

If you mean the car itself.. again, nothing special..
It needs a lot of work.
But then, that's the fun of these cars.

Re: Anti-theft devices ideas and suggestions
 

I have one built into the transmission so that it want come out of park like the late models.:chevy:

Re: Anti-theft devices ideas and suggestions
 

I have a kill switch on my ford 7.3, i have it wired self arming after last door closes and will not start without it being turned on. It is essentially the same as a kill switch but it is disarmed with a wireless remote. I just ordered the same for my 67 and will be installing it this week. The benefit of a remote is that no one sees you reach for a switch. It is not the same as an alarm as I was surprised how quickly the alarm start inhibit circuit can be disabled. The wireless kill switch idea has worked really well for me and can be found on ebay for about $15

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I put an HEI in my truck. Simple trick is to disconnect the BAT/TACH plug when leaving the truck unattended.

Re: Anti-theft devices ideas and suggestions
 

I've had my truck for 10 years and hadn't really given it any thought until I recently put in a new motor and trans. Believe it or not someone pulled the doors off my shop and stole my first new motor off the engine stand, I had to buy another motor. I can unplug my MSD and coil wire for now but I plan to install a kill switch to the fuel pump asap.