Shdggsdv

Apologies for the mess of a title. I couldn't really think of anything better.

So I'm getting my `75 finally ready to be daily driven, but I need to concern myself with theft protection. I'm a pretty young guy and I live in Las Vegas which is fairly infamous for car theft.


I'm not quite sure where to start with this. Her factory alarm is entirely non-functional and I have to choose whether I want to install a new system or repair the old system first off and I'm not even sure of the effectiveness of the stock alarm system.

Aside from that, I plan to do these things:
Install some sort of a well hidden kill-switch that will hopefully make the car near impossible to hotwire, I'm thinking by grounding the circuit.
I also intend to etch my VIN into all of the glass.

I may get something like Ravelco which seems to be a second electronic key. As well, I've been looking into LoJack for classics (GPS locator.)

Do you all think this is excessive? Am I missing anything that might be good to have?

red topless gator

a clutch and a revolver!!!!!!!!!!!!!

SteveG75

It is a car. It can be replaced.

Get agreed upon value insurance and then just drive it.

Aerovette

Battery shutoff. There nothing that requires any memory etc in that era of cars. Worst case, the clock will be wrong. Thieves don't have a lot of time to search for why it won't start. Hell, most younger thieves wouldn't have any idea where your battery is.

The13Bats

If a bad guy wants our c3 he will just haul it away only low end bottom feeders would try to drive it away, so sure hidden kill switches protect from some but not all theft,

Im far more concerned when my 69 is running again it will get ripped off not wrecked so ill insure it for about double what it would cost to replace it....

Big2Bird

Are you going to use the radio?

Best kill switch ever I saw, was a 69 with the radio gutted.

You had to turn on the radio volume **** to have ignition. Hiding in plain sight.

resdoggie

Best anti-theft device ever!

oldgto

Nothing can protect from everything but a good insurance policy should at least get you back on the road IF something bad happens.
THIS, I like! I put a battery kill switch in my glovebox, more so to keep from draining the battery than for theft.

cv67

ask your ins agent if that kind of coverage includes daily driving

like the radio **** idea last place they will look for it. ;Used to paint the purple wire another color too..lojack not a bad idea

Usually if they find its got 1 or 2 devices and dont have a tow truck they will move on.

Shdggsdv

I'm not incredibly worried about someone hauling away my Vette. I have a '75 in a rare color so the value is fairly low and their risk of it being spotted is quite high. If I have my glass VIN stamped then I really doubt a thief who knows what he's doing would think my car would be a good flip in comparison to something like a 10 year old Civic. I'm mostly worried about the bottom feeders and joy riders tbh.

I love the idea of the battery cutoff, I might do that!

Can't do the radio idea, though. I have a Retrosound and I'm building a pretty substantial audiophile system in the car, but that's a pretty awesome idea.

Shdggsdv

Switching to Hagerty and I'm not technically daily driving it because I work at home so I have no job commute. My daily driving really just entails using it for occasional errands and seeing my friends/SO.

And yeah that's what I was thinking. I'd like to make my car a lot more difficult to steal than whatever commuter I might be parked next to.

Shdggsdv

She's my first car and I plan to own the orange thing through my life and pass it onto kids someday. Holds massive sentimental value to me. As well, I feel like theft protection is a good idea rather than just going with the possibility of a stolen car and solely relying on insurance.

C3 4ME

I think these days, one of the best anti theft devices is a clutch pedal. You automatically eliminate about 80% or more of the possible thieves.

Jason Staley

In addition to other anti-theft deterants like alarms, kill switches, etc. I also use a pedal lock. Can be used on clutch or brake pedal to make driving the car quite difficult. Can be removed/installed in about 30 seconds.

standswithabeer

had a 71 porsche 911 in CA that had a rocker switch in the coil wire circuit, it was located under the carpet alongside the shifter tunnel near the rear seats. impossible to find. no idea if this would be appropriate for your car, but seems like it should work. like the lojack idea.

resdoggie

In all honesty, I would prefer to make a claim with agreed value insurance and go get another vette should it get stolen i.e. hopefully never recovered. Who knows what damage a thief may inflict upon a car in order to steal it and the cost to repair to make it just right again. Same for fire. If it happens, burn beyond repair. Car accident. Same. I have no emotional attachment to my vette.

SteveG75

Joy riders are easily defeated. Heck, a clutch pedal will prevent that, though they may damage the car out of frustration or jealousy.

A professional thief that is looking for a C3 Corvette will get it no matter what you do.

I have an alarm on mine, primarily to stop passerbys from leaning in when top is down and to control the power locks I added remotely. That is it.

mrvette

I have DPFI on my '72 vert, no door locks either, WHY lock a vert?? so to the anti theft....the FI computer has a hidden garage door opener receiver powering a latch relay....giving power to the computer.....

so to hit the correct button on the remote, and first have the ignition ON....

I rigged another car I had with triple latch relays....first the interior lights had to be on, then ignition, then hidden button ONE, then button TWO, in sequence......anything outta that specific order and have to start over.....

Mr D.

Anti-theft protection, I use insurance.

Wee

I'd be more worried about vandalism than someone actually stealing it.

Brian