GlenJack

I have always wanted a 68-72 convertible C3. My dream came true the other day. I bought a 72 convertible. I will get it in about 3 weeks. One thing I just heard about briefly is the alarm / horn system on this car. And I heard that it is activated with a key in the rear of the vehicle. I know nothing about the alarm, how it works, or its effectiveness. What can the seasoned experts on this forum tell me about this?

blue by you

it is just a horn that sounds if the door or hood are opened and that is if it works, remember it is 44 years old, and congrats on your new toy

65GGvert

If it still works, you turn the key between the tail lights 90 degrees to set the alarm, then if the doors or hood is opened it makes a horn (not the same horn as the horn button) blow until you turn it off or run the battery down. The horn is mounted up under the rear in front of the driver's side taillight. Both the horn and the switch are fairly high failure items since they are exposed to moisture and dirt, and both are fairly hard to get to. There's also a relay mounted in the jack storage compartment.

Easy Mike

Is there an owner's manual with your 72? If not, order one.

Congrats.

GlenJack

Great info. Thanks!

GlenJack

Thanks.

GlenJack

Great Idea. Thanks!

Alan 71

Hi GJ,
A NEW old 72 for you!!! Great!
And a CONVERTIBLE!!!
I'll bet you're excited!!!
There was an implication that the alarm systems are difficult to get to work or rarely work…. while on some cars the system may have fallen into disrepair, owners that want to use the system find that it works or generally have little problem getting it to operate as it was intended.
Regards,
Alan

GlenJack

Yeah, pretty excited for sure. I have been putting this off for so many years (like 25) and taking care of business first. My wife says, "you can have it under one condition, 'no regret, shame or silly guilt. you are a good provider, generous and hard working.'" Then she says ... "One caveat--don't kill yourself." Ha! Love that woman. So yes, very excited!

Thanks for the info on the alarm and the kind words.

Jack

DUB

Glad to read you finally got your dream car... I know you have to be STOKED!!

AS for the effectiveness of this alarm system....it is nothing more than a noise maker and a potential battery draining circuit. It provides NO other system shut downs... SO if the wire to the horn was cut or yanked out....the car still could be cranked and driven away.

Compared to the factory security systems on later era Corvettes that I work on....this early design system is just that. It is much like the telegraph system back in the pioneer days that led us to cellular service today.

If you are wanting it to function....I am all for that....But I would keep it turned off. OR...you might wake up one night to a sound and find that it has gone off for no apparent reason.

DUB

GlenJack

Thanks! I love the picture of the telegraph system leading to the cell phone. LOL. I think I will probably tinker with it to see what it is all about, but maybe it would be wisest to just not have it turned on for reasons you and others have stated.

And yes .. I am STOKED!

Duane4238

Congrats on your '72 vert. I'm kind of partial to them, myself. As for the alarm, mine has worked correctly since I got it in '74 and still works fine, today. But as Dub said, it's just a noise maker. Does nothing else. The only problem I've ever had with it was a switch in the driver's door that was bad. A cheap and simple fix, too. Again, enjoy your dream. Some things just take longer than others. Good luck.
Duane

GlenJack

Thanks Duane for the info and the kind words!

0Willcox Corvette

And when you get it.. my money is on the fact that it won't work... so here is a schematic to help you fix it. ;D The 72 is pretty much the same.

Congratulations on the car!

Don Rickles

SonnyAK

Congrats on the '72! My first Corvette was a '72 coupe and I'd love to be able to locate it!! My alarm on that car never did work, but I never put forth the effort to fix it - I bet most issues with the system are a fairly quick fix.
I bought a '78 Pace Car a few years ago and didn't realize it had an alarm (it's activated on the driver's door lock)...Somehow I activated it and set it off in McDonald's parking lot the second day I had it while driving it to Kentucky from Georgia...I had to get the manual out while the horn was blaring and everyone was staring, and figure out what to do! It was pretty funny...

Good luck with the new '72!

GlenJack

Hey! That's great. Thanks so much!

GlenJack

Love the story!! Hah! Thank you.

GlenJack

A picture is worth a 1000 words. Thanks!

Don Rickles

Notice the inspectors small yellow crayon markings on the back of the side maker light housing, and the back of the battery compartment tub (under the photo date)!