Alarm Systems/Anti Theft Deterrent For Older Iron....??

What kind of alarm system or anti theft deterrent systems would be ideal for a late 60's or early 70's type car that has to sit outside and cannot be garaged due to lack of available garage space....

I want another fair weather, daily type Mopar that I can rest a little easier with when it sits outside at my house or at work and would like to get some ideas from you guys as to how to "minimize" the risk of theft.

Thanks in advance.....!!!

Can't speak for the old cars but I had one installed in my Dodge and trailer. Drug dealers tried to steal my truck down in Phoenix several years ago. The system I have has a GPS provision which is tied to both trailer and the truck.

For that type of car I would just hide a kill switch somewhere and use a club. When it's at home those two plus a if you want the hassle a big chain wrapped around the rear axle or k frame. Might also lock the hood down. If someone wants it bad enough they will attempt to drag it on a flatbed or trailer.

these idea's have crossed my mind as well. I don't mind a little inconvenience on my part in order to make it harder for a thief. I am thinking that I want noise and or an alert by phone if the alarm goes off...??

Look for a basic car alarm, some are so simple to connect you just hook up to power and if they sense any sudden power draw while they are activated like the interior lights coming on or something else the alarm goes off. Mix that with a kill switch and you should be good to go.

Lo jack! or plumb in a plumbers ball valve with the handle in your fuel line to the rear with the handle up thru the floorboards under the Dr seat. When you park turn the handle 1/4 turn to shut it off then if they are able to hot wire it it'll go a block then die in the middle of the street & they'll have to vacate ASAP rather than draw attention to themselves. other wise without a setup like that if they manage to get past whatever alarm system you employ once its running it is GONE. JC Whitless in Chicago used to sell a solenoid that would let you do that (open/close fuel line) with the touch of a button in the dr seat, that woulda worked if you keep the button/wiring hidden & even if they did see it in their panic they might not realize that it is a fuel prob & that that button is a bypass. I'm sure someone would have the parts to duplicate that system

I once installed a relay wired so that the only way the car would crank was if the cigarette lighter was pushed-in. Worked great, and you could take out the lighter for extra security. A hood lock is a must for this to be really effective.

There's some relatively small and cheap systems out there that would work nicely on an older vehicle...You could buy one with a motion detector even the cheapies have an adjustment for sensitivity..Then hook up a trigger to the door jamb switch for another level of protection...It's limitless on the system..Of course a system that dials you would cost more...Just be prepaired for the false alarms with even a cat sending you into a panic with a phone call...

Just be prepaired for the false alarms with even a cat sending you into a panic with a phone call... [/quote]

I was just sitting here thinking about a cat jumping on the car "AND" we have some pretty wicked thunderstorms around these parts that would upset a sensitive alarm system.......

Claymore, there is no substitute.

Any alarm siren that is mounted under the hood is not effective unless you lock down the hood..perfect example..how many times do you hear an alarm go on..then it shuts down in a few seconds..you say to yourself..must be someone elses car..back in new york..2 guys break into a car..1 opens the hood as the alarm is going on..other opens the hood..finds the siren..rips the wires..closes the
hood and walks away..come back in a few minutes and have all night to steal it....alarm goes on as nd off..by that time..you never even got out of bed...hood locks the siren out..too bad no one makes Chapman locks anymore

I used to use the club and that silly battery terminal with unscrewing contact

I hear the most alarms go onto deaf ear replies but the fact is most of these alarms are tied into the ignition or starter.

My daily driver does not even have the siren installed. I basically have it for the convienience of keyless entry. The real benefit is when it's locked/armed, the ignition is disconnected. So even with the ignition switched punched out or even if the theif has my key. The alarm has disconnected the ignition system.

All you can really do is deter theft. As it was said, if they really want it, they will take it. The little blinking light in the windsheild will make most thieves look for an easier target.

When I'm on the road, and it's an 'overnighter', I have the battery right in the room with me...


That, and what I keep in my pocket has worked well in discouraging the miscreants...

taking the coil wire is lighter and easier and slightly less obvious

years ago I used to have a ignition coil wire that I took the connectors out. it looked perfect ,but car would not be able to start. I would take working coil wire with me. i lived in an apartment building with many car thefts at the time.they never got mine. I once had a mustang with a club and it got stolen.that was before my coil wire idea

What a simple idea.. I like it..

Are most car thefts driven off or trailered off?? anyone have any stats on this?...

my wholly unscientific study in my town says driven. i know 5 people in my town who have had vehicles stolen, and all were driven off, but none were classics, all modern cars/trucks

Pro thefts.....when driven off site, can have an awaiting enclosed trailer, large box type van or tractor trailer somewhat close by and then driven in to the trailer and usually never seen again....when well planned....

If a rollback can get to either end of the car after they disconnect any alarm sound then it can be history as well.....?? A good rollback guy can scoop one up and be gone in about a minute or two.

What car are we talking about..GM? or others?

got one of these too......:)........

69 B-body.....non-locking steering column, etc...

The lighter idea works. I have plugged in a wire from the tach lead (or coil) to the lighter hot, when the button is pushed in, it grounds the element. As for fuel, check into fuel tank selectors for a truck with dual tanks. Wire it so it is open when 'hot', and cap off the other inlet. Haven't tried a switch inline the the power going to the control unit, but it should work. BTW, who notices an extra dimmer switch on the floor, maybe a little higher up the floor? Also used to have a flashing light under the dash that lit the floor up a bit, it was noticeable when beside the vehicle, but not too obvious.

And I do too, but the concern is when nobody is around..

Believe you and me a DEAD thief is the best kind..

well, dang, if you leave the S&W 500 in the car, it will get stolen for the gun

Cheap burner phone on a cheap year long plan or tied to yours, hidden and powered inside the car with a gps tracking app, even with the battery disconnected you will get a day or five to find it

I've a couple occasion where I have either misplaced my iPad/iPhone and used "Find my iPhone app to locate it". As long is it is turned on and the battery has charge, you will promptly find it. If it had been shutdown or the battery has run down, it will report where it was prior to either of these events.

One day I could not find my iPhone. The app said it was at my home. I tried calling it, but I had my ring in silence. I then sent out a signal from the app on my iPad to cause my iPhone to beep. Could not hear it. I then opened the doors on each of my cars and in one of them I could hear a muffled beep but still could not locate if. Finally found it between passenger seat and console where it had fallen.

Mastrack, 19.00 per month, if its stolen you will have a GPs location to within 40'

http://www.mobileassetsolutions.com/

I am liking the GPS idea in addition to a lot of suggestions posted so far. Hidden home/driveway camera's are also an idea I've been thinking about....