Alarm/Security Recommendation?

[davepl]

Anyone who knows these trucks knows they are trivial to steal. From the vent windows to the non-locking column probably under a minute.

Years ago I saw one on TV that actually had a solenoid interlock to disable cranking, but I've never been able to locate it.

Put simply, I don't "care" if someone gets into my truck. Of course I'd prefer to avoid having the radio stolen (looks stock, low value target) but the primary thing is to avoid someone heisting it.

I've looked at Lojack and so on for other cars in the past but the annual fees are a non-starter for a vehicle I've owned for 40 years and hope to have another 40. And my truck I plan to keep indefinitely also, so I don't want a subscription service.

The old home-brew ignition interrupt would be the easiest, but I'd like to have a hood pin, door pins, and tilt alarm as basics.

Anyone have good luck with a particular brand or model?

[davepl]

I'd also probably like power door locks (I already have actuators if that helps) since if I'm going to do the work, locking and unlocking these is a bit of a pain (can't just hold the button in when closing like you could on cars of the day).

[In The Ten Ring]

If your gas tank is still behind the seat, you might want to try installing a fuel line shutoff valve.

There is a product called the "brake jack" that pushes up on the brake and it locks.

[davepl]

It'd be a potential failure point but I wonder if an NOS fuel solenoid would flow enough to feed a stock 330hp 402?

[DeadheadNM]

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

[nobolt]

fuel line shutoff valve.

and/or a kill switch under the dash.

[Lee H]

I've used AVITAL alarms in the past with good results, inexpensive, can be used with power door locks. Most any stereo shop has them, and other systems and can install them in about an hour. Warning, they do hack into the wiring to install them, any aftermarket alarm system.

I'm a fan of LoJack, a little spendy up front but if your going to keep your truck for a long time and or have a lot of money in a restoration it pretty cheap insurance. No subscription fees, and I like the idea of getting a text and phone call if my truck moves without the key fob, and most local law enforcements can find the vehicle in minutes. I have them in both my Vettes, well worth the money IMHO.

[Wizo]

My suggestion; something with four legs,short hair,long teeth and a really mad disposition. Probably wont even have to roll up the windows

[davepl]

Originally Posted by Lee H

I'm a fan of LoJack, a little spendy up front but if your going to keep your truck for a long time and or have a lot of money in a restoration it pretty cheap insurance. No subscription fees, and I like the idea of getting a text and phone call if my truck moves without the key fob, and most local law enforcements can find the vehicle in minutes. I have them in both my Vettes, well worth the money IMHO.

Hold up now... are you saying that if I pay for a Lojack installation (I know you can't self-install) they'll provide the locating service for life without further payments?

I bought their laptop locating software and it expired, so haven't dealt with any of their products since.

[Lee H]

Originally Posted by davepl

Hold up now... are you saying that if I pay for a Lojack installation (I know you can't self-install) they'll provide the locating service for life without further payments?

You'll have to read the fine print but It's my understanding it's for as long as the unit is functioning past the warranty. I purchased the extended warranty to get 7 years past the standard period. Just like anything else I would imagine that the GPS unit will get old and go bad at some point. Even the best garmins and tomtom's are obsolete and fail to work properly after 4-5 years, just like laptops, desktops, cell phones.

[Tango59]

Probably get flamed but I've been a cop in a large city for over 20 years. People don't pay attention to alarms. You might not be close if it did go off. All my vehicles have had kill switches. I have a friend that manages a car stereo shop do mine. You can rig kill switches in any number of places and combinations. My 82 Blazer was rigged so you had to pull the parking light on, push in the cigarette lighter before it would start. My 04 Dodge ... push in the cigarette lighter and a phone charger in the power outlet to start it. We always would put a dummy switch in under the dash too.... If they really want it tho... there's ALOT of ****birds out there with a rollback. Keep it in the garage or behind the house out of sight if possible.

[IIGW]

Originally Posted by davepl

Anyone who knows these trucks knows they are trivial to steal. From the vent windows to the non-locking column probably under a minute.

super easy

Originally Posted by davepl

Years ago I saw one on TV that actually had a solenoid interlock to disable cranking, but I've never been able to locate it.

I like to use the highbeam switch as a kill switch, you have to push it to start to the vehicle

Originally Posted by davepl

Put simply, I don't "care" if someone gets into my truck. Of course I'd prefer to avoid having the radio stolen (looks stock, low value target) but the primary thing is to avoid someone heisting it.

unfortunately if they want it, a tow truck will defeat anything you put on it

Originally Posted by davepl

I've looked at Lojack and so on for other cars in the past but the annual fees are a non-starter for a vehicle I've owned for 40 years and hope to have another 40. And my truck I plan to keep indefinitely also, so I don't want a subscription service.

there are devices out now you can track your own car from your smartphone.

Originally Posted by davepl

The old home-brew ignition interrupt would be the easiest, but I'd like to have a hood pin, door pins, and tilt alarm as basics.

alarms are annoying, and I hate drilling holes to mount all the mentioned ‘pins’

Originally Posted by davepl

Anyone have good luck with a particular brand or model?

90% of all installed alarms are mounted above the steering column in vehicles. It takes apprx 4-6 seconds to break a window, open the door, reach up above the column and yank out the alarm ‘brain’. This completely defeats the alarm system.

In the end, the safest for your vehicles is to park it in a garage. But not everyone has this luxury, so ignition kill switch, add an alarm, and have the installer mount it as far from the column as possible. Add a shock sensor for anyone opening the hood, or bumping the truck, and make sure your insurance policy is up to par. Just don’t forget, if they want it badly enough, they will get it.

[Andy4639]

Not to sound rude but it's like people on the net that don't show their tags in pictures. I'm not telling what I have installed for this same reason.
The garage is the best one though.

[davepl]

Actually, I already park it in a garage. In fact I park it BEHIND a modern vehicle with a modern security system. So they'd have to steal that SUV first.

I'm talking more about the "take it to the grocery store" scenario.

As the cop above noted, I expect the siren to do pretty much zero, as they've been so abused and misued people tune them out. Which is why I want a two-way unit, or at least something that can send me a text message.

In reality I'm more about preventing the joy ride. I doubt professionals are stealing this series of trucks for chop shops. But if one day you see a speed warning tach dash in blue, drop me a note :-)

[jeffahart]

Originally Posted by Andy4639

Not to sound rude but it's like people on the net that don't show their tags in pictures. I'm not telling what I have installed for this same reason.
The garage is the best one though.

What's the purpose of hiding the tag in a photo?

[Tinkermc]

There are a lot of things you can do with power but the best 4 me is a call to my cell.

[Andy4639]

Originally Posted by jeffahart

What's the purpose of hiding the tag in a photo?

That's my question too! Why?

[IIGW]

Originally Posted by Andy4639

Not to sound rude but it's like people on the net that don't show their tags in pictures.

ive always made fun of people who do this..

hide it on the net, but drive around with it on your car..

also im pretty people dont erase meta tags on the pics on facebook, so a simple right click, download, and look up where they live thanks to the meta tag, gps is extremely accurate..

[KSWes]

Just installed an Avital in mine. I did it myself it's not that difficult if you're good with wiring. I wired it in when I installed a new wiring harness so it's not just a quick yank out kinda deal, its actually bolted to a metal plate above the column and I used the starter kill feature on it. The wiring on it is all integrated into the wire bundle for the rest of the dash harness, and it's not a bunch of splices that's easy to see for a would be thief. using the door pins, and hood pins to ensure the alarm goes off if the door or hood pops open. And it's hooked to very loud horns not a siren. Not sure it would stop anyone who's really good and fast. It's in a garage and it's insured. There's not much more I know of that will prevent a theft at least not without a lot of expense and hassle. Had lojack on a vehicle when I lived in San Diego and at the time they said that not all police have the ability to track lojack it just depends on the metro you live in. Not sure if they're nation wide now but they weren't 5-6 years ago. Never had a vehicle stolen with an alarm. My brother did have a sweet Square Body short bed stolen while visiting our parents in Tyler TX 15-20 years ago. No full coverage insurance, no alarm and no cops that gave a crap. Never got it back he still kicks himself about it. So I wouldn't just do nothing, at the very least insure it.

[jabborabbo]

Originally Posted by Andy4639

Not to sound rude but it's like people on the net that don't show their tags in pictures. I'm not telling what I have installed for this same reason.
The garage is the best one though.

Not tellin' is the best security fer shur! I knew a guy that had some high dollar firearms...he built a bookcase into the door of a closet and had it electrically activated so that the bookcase would come out of the wall when he pushed a hidden switch...his problem was that he was so dang proud of it (which I would have been proud of it also) that he would show casual acquaintances how it worked...if he had kept quiet he wouldn't have had all those firearms stolen....

I am reminded of a WWII sign:

[litew8]

meh, there are people capable of finding your residence with the license plate info. Your plate also gives away your location by name, allowing that thief to find you, easier. Especially if you're from the same small town. Add in other pictures that depict your location (landmarks, stores etc...). Driving around town showing a plate isn't the same imho Heck, some people take pictures of their trucks in front of their homes (exposing their house and number). Might as well take a picture of the street sign too.

Originally Posted by IIGW

ive always made fun of people who do this..
hide it on the net, but drive around with it on your car..
also im pretty people dont erase meta tags on the pics on facebook, so a simple right click, download, and look up where they live thanks to the meta tag, gps is extremely accurate..

Did you just admit to stalking people on fb. scary


.

[mrein3]

You guys are over thinking this.
My dad has protected his vehicles for years with a simple relay, a toggle switch, an extra flasher, and some wire.

Take a wire (add one) off of your dome light. Put the switch on this wire and run it to a relay, making this the lower power side to turn on the relay. Take the relay leg that is hot when on and run it to a flasher. On the other side of your flasher hook in to your horn.

DO NOT tell anybody where you hide your toggle. A good spot might be under the bed rail right by the cab.

When you're ready to arm your $10 alarm, make sure the dome light is off, lock it up, and turn on the toggle.

When the scum bag opens the hood, all he will see is a stock under the hood, old Chevy truck. When he opens the door, the horn will flash on and off until somebody turns off the toggle. While the horn is honking you might see the perp running off with a brown streak in the back of his pants.

Once you get used to arming this alarm, leave one or both vent windows unlatched. That way the perp doesn't break the wing vent latch. He/she approaches the truck, opens the unlatched wing, reaches in and rolls down the window, opens the door, HONK - HONK - HONK - HONK - HONK!!!!!

You get up, flip the toggle off, roll the window back up, push the wing shut - but don't latch it, shut the door, re-arm, and go back to bed knowing you don't have to go find a good, used wing vent. (My dad learned that trick after some scum bag broke the wing latch on his 1978 Ford van). The next time they didn't get nothing AND he didn't have to repair the wing.

Again, don't over think this. 99 times out of 100 you're dealing with a complete idiot that is only looking for a quick few bucks to feed his drug or alcohol addiction. The one smart guy that really knows what he is doing is going to defeat this $10 alarm as easily as a $1500 state-of-the-art alarm/tracking system. You ain't going to beat that guy so don't over think it.

[In The Ten Ring]

Originally Posted by jabborabbo

Not tellin' is the best security fer shur! I knew a guy that had some high dollar firearms...he built a bookcase into the door of a closet and had it electrically activated so that the bookcase would come out of the wall when he pushed a hidden switch...his problem was that he was so dang proud of it (which I would have been proud of it also) that he would show casual acquaintances how it worked...if he had kept quiet he wouldn't have had all those firearms stolen....

I am reminded of a WWII sign:

OH ya! I don't tell my private business and I laugh when people post their travel plans and current location on FB for the world to see.