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With all the rain going on here the thought to add a bit more security for overnight motel stays with the ‘64 came up.
The parts:
parts together as a unit:
frame piece mounted:
round ‘hook’ eyebolt with threaded companion piece:
lock in place:
The frame piece is secured in place with the lower steering box through bolt. The hook piece is a 1/2” round threaded modified eyebolt.
The flat stock material and lock were already on hand. Total cost around 3 bucks.
The idea (with the wheels on the ground, of course) is to have the front wheels positioned all the way to the right, then access the gap opening between the left front wheel and body to install the hook, threaded piece and lock with one hand using a needle nose locking plier.
Needless to say the acid test is gonna be being able to place a towel and lay on the ground to get it done......and get back up!
Not sure how that will go but if it doesn’t work out, no harm no foul, the frame piece comes out.
Next couple of days should be dry.......I think!
Too much trouble to R&R
A chance of screwing up a steering component if you forget about it (maybe)
And somebody with a winch and a rollback will ****** your car anyway with the tires screeching across the pavement in a full turn
Don't take offense, but I think its something I would never use...
Slip the hotel clerk a twenty (more if necessary) and tell him the car needs to stay in sight from the front desk check in counter overnight... I've never had one refuse once they've seen the car in question...and most times it never cost me the "tip"..
Looks like it will work if the leverage from the steering wheel is not enough to bend your eye bolt. Kind of a PIA to install and remove, but for you young guys, no big deal.
I got caught up in the OMG someone is going to steal my C2 virus when I first came to this forum. Yea, locking hood, remote alarm, dual hidden kill switches, battery disconnect, motion alarm, Wi-Fi tracking device, steering wheel CLUB, etc. My wife says I worry more about losing one of my cars than losing her. Hmmmm, have to think on that before I answer, the penalty for the wrong answer could be severe.
Any way, I put a little double 3/32" aircraft cable on a bracket bolted to the engine (could be bolted to the frame or other location) and the other end is slipped over one of the bolts on the steering coupler. I used a flanged nut for keeping it in place. The steering wheel is turned all of the way to the left prior to attaching the cable. Kinda BUBBA, but I know I am related to him somehow.
This only works if you have a locking hood. Mine is simple and used a electric door lock, however I also added a mechanical override. I had a post on it that didn't draw much interest.
Just a though if your lock doesn't work out. NOTHING is going to stop the professional thief and I haven't yet found a motel clerk that I would depend on to perform such a daunting task as monitoring my car for $$$PEANUTS. He could likely be the spotter for the thief.
Photo #3 - installed - Won't work if Godzilla is at the wheel and breaks the cable or 3/8" bolt, but I also have a 'CLUB' on the steering wheel that they will use bolt cutters on. Photo #2 installed - Wheels turned fully to the left and cable loop installed over the bolt in the coupler and then the flanged nut installed. I found the nut is not necessary, but not much trouble. Photo #1 - uninstalled - Cable bolted to exhaust manifold bolt hanging loose. You might come up with a better storage method.
I can't seem to get the pics sequenced right, but you get the idea. PS, the steering connection has been repaired - the PO BUBBA really screwed that one up.
OH YEA, after much thought, I think the wife is correct - as always.
Frankie..
I know you’ve mentioned this before about parking the car in front of the motel with behind the counter eyes monitoring the prize. Sounds good, I like the idea.
With respect to the steering lock, needless to say a determined thief will find a way to snag a car. The idea with this makeshift steering lock is to slow down or thwart a possible roll back attack.
Parking the car in a way where obstacles (pole, light standard, curb, other cars) get in the way ups the difficulty factor.
With the nose of the car parked forward and not accessible from an open area so the front can’t be accessed, it just seems a perp will have a difficult time dragging the car from the rear with front wheels fully cocked to one side, then onto a lift bed or positioning the car for an old style front end lift tow.
If a perp did gain access and try to turn the steering wheel against the hook I feel the steering gear would not be strong enough to overcome it. It takes some decent leverage to bend 1/2” round stock.
Whether or not the steering lock is feasible to install (laying down on ground, installing pieces, getting back up) I’ll try it out on Saturday. The weather looks to be clear and dry for a C&C drive.
Ron ..
I like your set up with the cable. My car also has the other security measures you mentioned. The alarm on my car is ancient, from the late 60’s or early 70’s. It sounds a monotone ring, something like the old style bank alarms from back in the day. Still works.
FWIW, between the two ideas for securing the steering maybe others might come up with something similar, or a different idea.
I know what you mean about the wifey thing.
My wife told me she’d lock that thing up tighter than Fort Knox.
Not meant to bad mouth the motel clerks, they are paid to do one thing - log people in and out. I know most of the time I go to the office in the wee hours of the morning, they are in a back room watching TV or doing some other function. Didn't want to step on Frankie's foot either, just my belief.
Anyway, the best defense against the thieves is to have the ugliest car in the lot. I try to park near the best looking cars to minimize my risk.
That 1/2" rod should do the job. Your idea is very robust. I haven't really tested my cable to the point of failure as I have enough to fix and hopefully Adam at NCM will give me credit for trying.
You partially miss the point, the entire paradigm is not about just some clerk. Anytime something valuable is in a well-lighted spot, "front and center" location, frequented by people moving around its less prone to villainy.
Even that's no guarantee as member ptjsk's C1 was stolen with folks having dinner in a restaurant a few feet away...
Each individual owner has to decide their own level of concern of theft vs convenience...
Personally, this seems like a lot of bother for the intended effect....laying on my back in a motel parking lot in the morning trying to remove this rig before heading off would not make a fun trip for me.
Last edited by Frankie the Fink; Dec 27, 2019 at 07:55 AM.
Any thing that you do to make your car more trouble to steal, will turn the attention of the thief to another car that is easier to steal!
Simple things like connecting the brake light wire to the horn will call attention to the thief, I have a switch that grounds out the coil! These two things will **** off the thief and slow him down.
I agree you are much better off with cars in a well lighted area and people moving thru and observing the activities in that section of the lot, but in today's "I don't want to get involved" society, I am not sure how much good it does. How many here would walk up to a tow truck driver or individual under the hood and try to obtain proof they are not trying to stealing the car? Well lite areas also generally have security cameras which document the activities but are an after the fact documentation that generally does little to aid in recovery of the vehicle.
I believe anything you can do will help deter the joy rider theft. The professional may be slowed a bit, but generally not defeated. Well, maybe a well trained dog sleeping in the car - best immediate response device I can think of and willing to defend his territory - why do we need all of this other crap?
The washers in the steering column of R66 were installed by the PO. I had a metal to metal squeak when turning the wheel and finally (after disassembly of the column inside) determined they were not correct and prevented the spring from loading the lower bearing. BUBBA didn't realize what the spring is for nor did he look at the maintenance manual. These are old photos.
Follow up:
The pieces after laying a towel on the ground:
Hook piece and cheap needle nose locking plier to hold in place:
Threaded piece and lock installed:
Lying prone on left side and parallel with car body the open space between wheel and body allowed easy access to install the pieces with arm extended. There's enough room to comfortably use both arms to further ease the process. Installing the pieces went easier than I thought it would. Time it took to install pieces was 2-3 minutes.
Well, the ‘forget’ thing rears it’s ugly head. I hope it don’t happen, having to write a note!
Not often, but a missed exit here.....a missed street there.....garage door left open (happened this morning) seems part of the landscape. .. Geez
Consider this "trick": Obtain a key blank which fits your ignition switch. Don't have it cut. To this key blank attach a small tag with a note which will remind you to unlock the steering. It doesn't have to say literally "Unlock Steering", just something which will trigger your memory. After each drive, put this non-functional key blank in the ignition. You won't be able to inadvertently start the car until and unless you remove and read the key tag and act on what it says.
My vintage racer is often disabled for various reasons or simply shouldn't be started without taking some action first..... no coolant, no oil, Webers plugged, etc. I have a whole series of blank keys with indicative tags attached which I use to remind me why I shouldn't start the engine. They have never let me down.
Naysayers will moan about how much trouble this is. I say try it and see if it works for you. It does for me.
I carry blue painter's tape in the luggage area in the coupe to tape off the windshield if it rains (still have a small leak)....I'd just put a piece of that over the ignition switch key slot. If that doesn't trigger me to remember WHAT reason I did it for - that's a whole other issue.
In which case I'd need to look down and make sure I'd remember to wear my pants that day.
I do this little trick every time I change oil to ensure I don't start the car in mid-process...with an empty sump...
Consider this "trick": Obtain a key blank which fits your ignition switch. Don't have it cut. To this key blank attach a small tag with a note which will remind you to unlock the steering. It doesn't have to say literally "Unlock Steering", just something which will trigger your memory. After each drive, put this non-functional key blank in the ignition. You won't be able to inadvertently start the car until and unless you remove and read the key tag and act on what it says.
My vintage racer is often disabled for various reasons or simply shouldn't be started without taking some action first..... no coolant, no oil, Webers plugged, etc. I have a whole series of blank keys with indicative tags attached which I use to remind me why I shouldn't start the engine. They have never let me down.
Naysayers will moan about how much trouble this is. I say try it and see if it works for you. It does for me.
Jim
Jim
Sounds good. Might be time to start using useful reminders like that.
C2 steering lock
