Thinking of the best anti theft for my 69 L68, and I'm wondering if the real best system is an old style LOUD alarm and a kill switch.

I know about LoJack, etc., but a real robber can quietly flat bed your Vette away. So, I am thinking maybe a LOUD alarm is the best method since nothing is fool proof, combined with a kill switch.

I figure a LOUD alarm will stop most robbers or at least cause enough racket to slow down the robber and / or make someone take notice. Maybe the robber takes a long time to find the kill switch and with all the noise just gives up.

Thoughts?

 

I'm a police officer and auto theft in our area all but dried up because of modern technology.
They now need to car jack you to get the key or jump in as it's running while your out at the ATM machine.
These are usually knucklehead misguided youths.
A pro is going to get your car regardless of precautions if its on his shopping list.
See Gone in 60 seconds for a real sense of insecurity. I know it's a movie.
I carry proper insurance and don't worry about it.
I don't advocate carelessness like leaving it in an airport parking lot while on a cruise and I know this is an exaggerated example.
I'll run to the Home Depot and I'll throw in Lowe's so there's no hard feelings and don't worry about it.
I drive and enjoy the car.
If you have to go some where and the car will be out of sight have a fuel cut off installed and activate it or a "kill switch" as these were in vogue in the 70's when hot wiring a car was fairly simple.
As for a car alarm, ah they don't even pay attention to my lights and siren, I highly doubt anybody gives a hoot when they hear another car alarm going off in a parking lot.
Again, if they want it they're going to get it. Car alarm goes off they cut the battery cable and flat bed it. Any body questions them they say they're emergency road service and car owner called for service/tow.
Car gets flat bedded and you get a check from the antique insurance provider you chose to insure your former ride.
Then you pick out another vette in a color you haven't owned yet.
May sound cynical but I'm a realist so just giving you a real world answer
It's like the people that go out and get a home alarm system after they are burglarized. Well they will never be burglarized again according to statistics with or with out the alarm.
Disabling the car is the best prevention.
Marshal

 

Not to be negative but,when was the last time you paid attention to a car alarm? All that a car thief would need to do is reach under the battery box and remove the ground cable from the frame. Then silently roll your car away to awaiting flatbed

 

I'm sort of in the same boat as you. Been looking at all security options for my NOM '69 thats about to be complete. Want to put an alarm on it since the interior is still out of the car. I figure a loud car alarm is better than silence if a potential thief were to get into the car while trying to do their thing.

And yes, most people will look at car alarms going off, especially if its in the middle of the night. Well at least I take notice. But if your car alarm is notorious in your neighborhood for false alarms, then nobody will care. Key is to have layers of security.

My daily driver is a big threat and I have a lot of layers of security on the car. For instance I took off the hood release cable at the usual location and relocated it somewhere else in the car. So when a pair of theives break in, the alarm goes into chirping warning mode for 3 seconds meanwhile the theif already has the hood popped and looking to clip off the battery power.

Put a nice backup battery on your aftermarket alarm, but keep it hidden in an abnormal place. A good spot for the C3 is behind the rear panel towards the side. Run all the wires under the carpet up to the main harness and tape off all the colors to that aftermarket alarm. Its obvious that 40+ year old cars didn't have bright colored wires going up into the dash.

Remember, layers, layers and layers. Along with common sense not to park it where you don't feel comfortable.

 

If you have a smartphone, I believe Viper and some other companies make alarms that will also alert your smartphone...so at very least...if the alarm goes off you will get a notification...and you can go check on it. Hey I say alarm and Kill Switch. But really if someone want's it they will take it.
Might sound crazy but when it comes to old school cars, I don't even bother locking the door...if they are after it I would rather they try to take it gently than breaking stuff to get inside.

 

I just installed an alarm on mine mostly to have the remote locks.
but, the Alarm speaker I used is Painfully High pitch and loud !
You will run away from the noise, you Do not want to be near this thing going off.
and its mounted with no easy access.

 

I'm taking the layers approach. Steering wheel lock, kill sw, alarm and probably a lo Jack service.

 

Id always wanted to make an alarm that broadcasts my voice, saying that this red vette is being stolen,and call 911 and then this number to. Using a seperate dry cell battery...hidden well so they really gotta spend some time. As well as 6 different speakers that they really can't get to all of them any time soon. And make the recording sound like Im a real person and make it a long conversation......like 5 min before starting over. what ya think coppers?

 

My 1970 BB Corvette is seldom out of my sight, but i did install a tiny toggle Kill switch in series with the electric fuel pump wire and mounted the Kill Switch inside the Cab where it cannot be easily found . I figure the gasoline in the carb fuel bowl will last about 2 blocks if it did get started and stolen .

 

I'd like to have an "app" for that. Something that would call my cell phone if a door opened or my car status changed.

 

Maybe we should make up some warning labels for our door glass
THIS CAR EQUIPPED WITH AN IED STEP BACK FROM THE VEHICLE NOW
I just felt led sorry
Marshal

 

Maybe I should add:

1. Insured with Hagerty for $65,000.
2. Garaged at home with ADT home alarm in garage.
3. Will mostly drive to good local areas / resturants or car shows.
4. May take on a weekend trip to a Corvette meet.
5. May take a weekend trip to a resort type hotel with secure parking.

 

Sure-fire ways to prevent C3 theft!!!

1) Always keep your parked car within sight! If you can see it, you'll be aware of any fools 'casing' your car.
2) Don't park it anywhere but your garage.
3) If you must leave the car somewhere other than your garage, have a battery disconnect so that you can easily cut the power to it. Tough to start without a battery hooked up. But, this 'option' always has risk of failure (refer to items #1 or #2 for better protection).

 

Opted for the LoJack system in mine primarily because it runs on its own internal battery so cutting the battery cable won't help the bad guy.

 

any kind of lock with a claw or traditional lock is worthless...just watched a youtube video where they take a common walmart or other store can of compressed air and stick the straw for dusting off things, turn the can upside down and spray the metal object to be broken until all the liquid that was in the bottom of the can is gone. They said it is liquid freon type refrigerant which is in the can and turning it upside down it freezes the lock. Put it down and smack it with a hammer and the crystalized with the cold metal just breaks.

Here's another example where the people do it do a bicycle lock...same principle.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9j4Dq...eature=related

If this is real and accurate and well known and not some kind of fake then it seems like:

Determined pro thieves can steal anything.........t appears

Lance P.

 

When I was younger my Uncle had 2 white corvettes... they both had alarms on them that had his voice on em...this is how it went.


"Get back.......GET...BACK......GET THE F*CK BACK"

 

http://www.viper.com/SmartStart/

 

where i live , (Washington state) the police don't care about stolen cars, they don't have time,the only way to go is lo jack, cause it's easier for the cops to do their job, i was told when my dd was stolen that it's an insurance matter, and cops wouldn't investigate,just sent me a case # in the mail. so insurance is your best option, along with diligent watching your car

 

A cheap pot metal lock with a 1/4 inch spindle succumbs to the refrigerant trick very easily. However, a true 'club' is made of hardened steel, and is almost 3/4 thick (if I remember correctly) and I highly doubt the spray can will work. Its really about the quality of the metal. I used to think metal 'tempering' and carbon content was a gimmick....then I got into gunsmithing....let me tell you, properly treated metal can withstand a lot more than you would imagine. But...back to the subject.....many have said 'if they want it, they will get it'....I leave my car unlocked. That way, if some ******* does try and steal it but gets scared off, at least my windows and doors are intact. But, I dont live in a high auto theft area. If I did, Id install a battery cutoff and utilize the old 'crank the steering wheel in one direction' until it locks trick. Is it foolproof, no, but it will slow them down and make them work for it.

 

Two of my fav Anti-theft devices....

Magnavolt
http://youtu.be/uRNVxHPJ0hM

Trunk Monkey.
http://youtu.be/Ee3L9BQQ4Gs

But seriously,
I have an coded ignition key in my '74 but
If I'm going to be away from home for more than a few days,
I remove 3 wheels and store them away (It's up on stands ATM).
Also have quite a loud alarm fitted in my garage and CCTV wired in to it.
Oh yeah, and an Alaskin Malamute and really COOL
(armed) neighbours.

Gav