Anti-theft devices ideas and suggestions

[87Skier]

It seems like one of our trucks is stolen every week. While some are unavoidable (like someone with a flatbed truck dragging it on and driving away), I feel that some extra protection on our trucks might be the difference between it being stolen or not.

That being said what can be done while maintaining the originality of our trucks? What have you guys seen before?

Some common ideas that I've seen and can work:

- Remote immobilizer, such as a key fob
- A steering wheel club
- A button that you have to press before you can start the vehicle in a very well concealed place
- Pulling the coil wire
- Having a manual transmission preferably with 3 on the tree


Please DON'T post the vulnerabilities of our trucks! Only post ideas to secure them. And I wouldn't recommend posting complete details, don't want to give away the secrets to your truck and I'm sure we can find information on Google.

[greedy geezer]

I have an aux gas tank the tank selector has a position that shuts off flow.
the truck will run for a few minutes and die, I was thinking of using this simple idea figuring a thief wouldn't know about the switch maybe make a cover to hide it just leaving it in the no flow position a cheep way out for me just have to remember to switch it back before I start the truck
gg

[snipescastle2]

I mounted a small fuel shut off valve, tucked into the frame on mine, just one of the few things I'm doing with mine, Kill switch, etc... GPS is next on my list.
Ben

[LockDoc]

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Funny, I was just thinking about this last night laying in bed when I couldn't sleep. I think the most secure thing as far as making it hard to steal would be a brake lock. To me it would have to be a hidden mechanical line lock type of thing with a lever you flip over to lock the brakes up. I would say fronts since that is where most of the weight is. That plus a hood lock. I have watched the guy that runs the salvage yard load vehicles on his rollback and I can tell you there isn't anything you can do to keep that from happening except park it where they can't get to it.

LockDoc

[brad_man_72]

Garage.

[zeldman]

Originally Posted by LockDoc

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Funny, I was just thinking about this last night laying in bed when I couldn't sleep. I think the most secure thing as far as making it hard to steal would be a brake lock. To me it would have to be a hidden mechanical line lock type of thing with a lever you flip over to lock the brakes up. I would say fronts since that is where most of the weight is. That plus a hood lock. I have watched the guy that runs the salvage yard load vehicles on his rollback and I can tell you there isn't anything you can do to keep that from happening except park it where they can't get to it.

LockDoc

This.

Years ago I used to repo cars for a used car dealer. Only two things kept me from getting the vehicle:

1. A garage.

2. A gun.

Both only delayed the inevitable. No one really pays any attention to a roll back because it just looks like another break down getting towed.

To stop the quick theft, anything that will delay getting into the vehicle or make it hard to drive away. Sometimes a simple device like a 3 OTT is all it takes...

[jeffahart]

All of the above. Redundancy is the trick. Too many hurdles costs time.

Plus, glue on the steering wheel, works like flypaper... wouldn't that be great, to come out and find thief stuck to your steering wheel... you could take it into your garage and do some dental work.

Nothing I hate more than a thief!

[Wasted Income]

On PowerTour last year, when i had to park mine at the hotels (usually is safe and sound in my shop) I flashed an "anti-theft" tune file into the Holley ECU. Basically, the tune had all the fuel tables zero'd out, so even if you had the key, it would not start. It literally only took 5 seconds to load the file and another 5 to flash the regular file back in. Granted this won't stop somebody with a wrecker from grabbing it, but it will certainly stop somebody whose intention is to hotwire and drive away.

[snipescastle2]

Remember the scene from "American Graffitti"
Where Richard Dreyfuss placed the cables around the rear end of the Police car and the light post at "Jerry's Cherry" car lot? sure wouldn't get far....
Ben

[davepl]

I'm a rebel! I can't take it! I'm going to spill the secrets so the word is out!

We have non-locking steering columns, an exposed hot ignition terminal in sight of the positive post, and a starter built for easy starts with a flat-blade screwdriver. But I'm pretty sure that's been well-known for 40 years. It's still easier to steal a 90s Buick/Olds, don't have to open the hood!

I still think the best is an electric fuel pump connected to something like a defog switch, or any kind of fuel kill COMBINED with a carb. I had that for years, through at least 6 breakins where it was never stolen. The reason? If they do hotwire it, it fires right up, starts, even drives a few feet until the fuel in the bowl is used up, then it dies and won't restart. Far too annoying to steal.

[truckster]

Originally Posted by LockDoc

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I have watched the guy that runs the salvage yard load vehicles on his rollback and I can tell you there isn't anything you can do to keep that from happening except park it where they can't get to it.

LockDoc

A tilt switch and a shaped charge come to mind, but I'm a combat engineer, so....

[cypressbog]

I used to own a nice fully loaded 67 Mustang and my apartment was in an area that wasn't in the best of neighborhoods. I left it unlocked to reduce the chance of a busted window. I'd take the coil wire AND battery out everytime it was parked there. If someone came up with a battery, they certainly wouldn't have thought about a coil wire. I could tell you how I disabled the automatic shift linkage, but then I'd have to kill you.

[El Dorado Jim]

I have a hidden ignition kill switch, and will use the "club" when I get my truck on the road, I like the idea of a fuel shutoff,does anyone make an electric shutoff valve? also, does anyone know of a hood lock for our old rigs?

[New_70'C10]

I'm just starting my build and have thought about this. Has anyone put a newer style hood release on their ride? One that opens from inside the cab.

[70cst]

Past Threads

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

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=318678

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=109642

[haysonj]

Originally Posted by El Dorado Jim

I have a hidden ignition kill switch, and will use the "club" when I get my truck on the road, I like the idea of a fuel shutoff,does anyone make an electric shutoff valve? also, does anyone know of a hood lock for our old rigs?

I had this on mine and it blew the fuse in LA traffic truck died with no warning apparently the power keeps it open. I removed it the next day. Now I just pull the fuse to the computer and take it with me.

[jeh]

I keep mine in a locked garage at home, and I also have 2 big dogs outside that don't like nonsense. As far as the truck itself I have my electric fuel pump on a switch that's pretty hard to find, with the ole BB427 it won't make it very far on the fuel in the carb.
(The one on the pillow weighs 235 pounds)

[zeldman]

When we had to park our shop truck outside, 68 short stepside, 6 cyl, we would let the air out of the left front tire.

One time one of us moved the shop truck to move another vehicle, then promptly forgot about it. The next morning we found it in the same place as we left it, still running.

This was back in the mid 80s.

[tcrist]

A friend of mine had his fuel pump go bad one time in his blazer and installed an electric one by the tank. He only had enough wire to wire it to the tail light. He had to turn on his lights to make the fuel pump work. He would also turn off his lights and let it run out of fuel when he parked it. No fuel, no run. Of course that would not stop someone from towing it off.

[DarkFlounder]

If someone really wants a classic truck, not much is going to stop them.

If a kid wants a joyride, that's easy. Stick shift.

[cleszkie]

I have my MSD Atomic fuel injection ECU and MSD 6al ignition box mounted in my glove box with quick disconnect mounts. I just take one or both of them with me when I leave my Blazer outside.

I knew a guy that had a vehicle boot that he would clamp on his tire. It was bright orange and heavy. Don't know how he got it, but it seemed to work or him!

[sduckworth13]

Originally Posted by jeh

I keep mine in a locked garage at home, and I also have 2 big dogs outside that don't like nonsense. As far as the truck itself I have my electric fuel pump on a switch that's pretty hard to find, with the ole BB427 it won't make it very far on the fuel in the carb.
(The one on the pillow weighs 235 pounds)

Cool Jason. Nice looking dogs.

[67ChevyRedneck]

Originally Posted by DarkFlounder

If a kid wants a joyride, that's easy. Stick shift.

Yup, it seems all you need to defeat a millennial is a clutch pedal.

[jeh]

Originally Posted by 67ChevyRedneck

Yup, it seems all you need to defeat a millennial is a clutch pedal.

That's sooo true!!! At our jobsite last year we had a International dump truck that was a stick shift and out of about 10-12 of the labor crew my son was the only one that could drive a standard. He enjoyed it, but me not so much, he was riding around and lost my help for a few days. LOL

[Acorn]

I don't want to give away my "secret starting procedures" (my wife doesn't even know how to start my truck), but I will say that I weld and/or engrave my drivers license number on my frame, inside fenders, bedsides, etc. so if it does get stolen I may have a better chance of finding it when it gets parted out on Craigslist.