I know its pretty easy to break into our cars so I was kind of wondering about securing up the locks a little bit. I was thinking about installing a partial shield over the slide (the bar with the hook) so you couldn't open it with a slim. I also thought about what would happen if I locked my keys in the car so I was thinking about splicing a switch into the harness to pop the locks then hiding it underneath the car somewhere. What do you guys think? Eventually I'm going to add an alarm but where I work is kind of ghetto and I want to be able to drive my car without worrying that some little **** is going to steal it..

 

They can also go down the inside of the door and hook the cable or whatever it is that attaches the inner door handle to the latch mechanism so shielding the lock is a partial solution but obviously better than nothing and would stop some of them.

Mine got broken into and I lost a lot of tools and stuff but they did'nt wreck the car doing it so it could have been worse. Happened in an underground at Bay & Dundas and there's a lot of security guards there but that didn't help.

I'd like to rig a kill switch somewhere so that the car could'nt be started - at least not by some crackhead doing a quick B&E.

There's a removable steering wheel setup which isn't all that expensive - can't remember the name just now but crap tyre sells the same steering wheels. Grant maybe.

 

Keep a key in your wallet and put the shield in.

 

The only problem with the sheild is if you are ever away from home and lock your keys in the car then you're pretty much screwed. That would be my only concern.

Also, depending on the thief, of course, they make get frustrated if they can't slim jim it and decide to break something instead.

 

Yeah - that's the problem - they could just smash the window. When mine got done I was talking to the security guards and they were saying they see a lot of messed up cars from the idiots trying to break into them. Now I just don't leave anything in the car and I leave hatch cover rolled up so that they can see there's nothing in there.

 

That's a pretty good tip.

 

So you don't the extra switch is a good idea? I know its only a partial solution but I was hoping they might move on to easier prey if I made it a bit harder.

 

the kill switch to prevent the car from starting that george mentioned is a great idea. i have been planning to put one of those in my car for along time. granted this does nothing to prevent thieves from getting into your car, but at least your car will be there when you return.

the removable steering wheel thing is cool. i have used one before. and George was right, it is made by Grant.

 

Darbleinad-
What do you do with the wheel when you park?

As far a a kill switch- My 6AL MSD ignition is wired to ground the system when a switch is thrown. Car will crank but not start.
Could likely rig something on a stock system and get the same effect. Would have to check out the wiring schematic, though.

Best-
SD

 

you can take the wheel whereever...into work if you want, leave it in the trunk (although this some what defeats the purpose, but the cap on the column locks i think), whatever. its great for when you have to leave you vehicle outside your house, cause the steerign wheel can be in the house.

 

Professional thieves open doors- kids and amateurs break the glass- run away- and come back again in 20 minutes to see if anyone noticed...

 

Thats what I have in my truck and Camaro..I go to Philly often

Daz

 

As far as the kill switch goes couldn't you wire it up the same way as a remote starter? With the remote starter modules if the key isn't in the ignition when you go to drive away it kills the engine. Couldn't you do the same sort of thing with the ignition wiring? Aka unless the key is in the cylinder the car isn't going to start.. maybe I'll pull some of the wiring schematics off of Mitchell.. hmmm..

 

yes you can do it but when the would be thief hot wire the ignition it would be as if there is a key in it.I prefer just splicing to the ignition to starter/solenoid wire(s)

Daz

 

Actually I had another thought which would probably be much easier and very effective. I could wire in a toggle switch to the fuel pump and hide it under the carpet in the back somewhere. Then if I knew I was going to be leaving my car for a longer period of time I could just shut off the fuel pump. The car would definitely be there when I got back even if they tried to hotwire it..

 

I got a kill switch on my car, its linked to the fuel pump... wire all you want, you ain't getting that fuel you need to drive off. I've done a lot of stateside driving and have heard horror stories on junker thirdgens let alone decent looking ones.

I actually built this as a safety switch really. After reading once how a guy went wide open throttle and the blades got stuck and decided that shutting off the engine would save the engine. It saved the engine... but his steering wheel locked and took him into a ditch and wrecked the car.

 

I almost had my car stolen before I did any work at all to it. We're talking stock plain jane, nothing at all in it, v6, sagging headliner and the works. I was selling cars at Downsview Chrysler and I was working pretty late that night so I decided to stop for something to eat on my way home at around 9:30. I stopped at the Arby's on Dufferin and Finch and ran in to grab a combo to eat on the way home. It took the length of time for them to fill up a pepsi and I was back out to my car. As soon as I got there I knew something was wrong. Since my car is black, marks on the paint show up pretty easy under streetlights. I got to the drivers side and there was a huge handprint just above the handle, the outlines of somebody's fingers were reflecting back at me. I looked around to make sure whoever it was wasn't still right there and then walked around the car to check and make sure that the car was ok and that person wasn't hiding in it or around it. It did cross my mind that maybe I was imagining things but I got in the car and drove home still a little unsettled. It wasn't until the following weekend that my dad confirmed it. He wanted to borrow my car so I handed him the keys and away he went. When he came back home he wanted to know why the passenger side door lock was broken and there was a key broken off inside of it. Luckily all it cost me was the lock cylinder a new key and some time and patience - at least I still had the car! (In hindsight maybe that isn't necessarily a good thing though.. ) So considering that I'm pretty wary of leaving my car anywhere for any length of time - especially since there is actually something worth stealing now!

Actually while I'm thinking about it never ever park your car at Yorkdale in the downstairs part by the subway entrance. I know of a girl that had her Mustang almost lifted six times in that spot. Her boyfriend was back at the dealership six times to get new ignition cylinders and key assemblies. Frustrated he put in a kill switch and hid it in the trunk which is where I got the idea from. After that it was a pretty regular occurence for her to call him and let him know she was going to be late because the battery was dead from someone trying to wire it.

Rovic where did you put the switch in your car?