64 1/2 Mustang Anti-Theft question

Remove the distributor rotor and install a hollow piece of tubing in place of the coil wire when it's parked. That'll make it a none runner and slow any amateur opportunists trying to hot wire it. They aren't likely to have a vintage Ford rotor with them and if they did they wouldn't figure out the fake coil cable right away. I wouldn't bother with the fuel. You don't want it to be a few yards from you never mind a block. StuK

A garage with locks on every door.

Dana

The fuel cutoff switch won't work on an early Mustang. They have a pump driven by the engine going round and round. Wire in an ignition cutoff switch someplace in the interior. Or don't worry about it. Just have really good insurance. I've had my 66 for 26 years with no breakins or theft. I've got locking lugnuts on the wheels and door locks. That's it. Don't worry be happy. (And well insured)

Erich

Let's face it, if someone really wants your car, short of placing a boot on the wheel (like some police dept's use) they are going to take it............

Bill S.

gimpy wrote:

you can do just about anything with a car, and i did in the 1960's,. but then the 66 mustang i had was not work that much at the time, even when it was new.. but now its a collector model and any tow wagon can come along and pick it up.. i remember seeing a 64 chevy with all kinds of chrome on it that had chains and locks on a cross ways going to all four wheels and then chained to an old oak tree where it was parked.. and someone (two guys) stopped with a junky old 64 chevy and tried to see what they could get off the car, but they did not know that the owner was sitting on his front screened porch with a hammer and the owner chased them away and they ran and left their car parked in front of the victims car... they are still trying to find the miss on their car.. the owner changed all the wires around in the car and had to be stopped from using the hammer on their car.... the two guys went to jail and still cant find out where the miss is in their car??? that was about 20 yrs. ago so they might have given up????? but they did net get away with any parts..... get some chains....and locks.......

...I think you just flunked the sobriety test. heh-heh

That was a good question, I have a '66 that I drive and park and worry about. I use one of those steering wheel clubs when I am out and about (yeah, they can be defeated). I did buy that hood lock from Dallas Mustangs but haven't put in in yet, it's kinda lame with very poor instructions ( a copy of a copy of a copy...). But keeping the hood closed is an excellent idea. These cars are so easy to start and drive away it's funny. I try to park where the car is in plain view. I have thought about a fuel cut-off solenoid to prevent fuel flow into the carb. The car could be started and driven a few blocks but that's all. That in fact changes the insurance standing of the event, it becomes a theft rather then vandalism because it was moved. I think there is an advantage with your insurance on that point, although I have never experienced it :). But I haven't persued the solenoid as of yet. I have Crager SS's which have locks on them of course. I have thought also about a security alarm but other then offering keyless entry my own feeling about them is that they are a dime-a-dozen and nobody pays attention to an alarm going off any more. Many people here have suggested good insurance. Thats a good idea except that my Mustang was a gift from someone that has since passed away; I couldn't put a value on what the car means to me because of that. But it is something. You could have one of those trackers installed so that in the event it is stolen it can be recovered. Check out

"gimpy" wrote in message news: snipped-for-privacy@posting.google.com...

Thanks everyone for your replies..I will definatly look into some of the recommendations..A few I have to comment on though...

Locking it up in a garage...Well, we dont have a garage, nor money to build one...Option ruled out..Besides, if that is my 24 hour security, i wouldn't be able to drive it..

Get Great Insurance...Well, fact of the matter is I am 17. So obviously I am wanting the cheapest insurance so I can have some cash...Also, I didn't just buy a junker mustang...This is an all original, everything is like it was when it was built.. Not only is this car all original, but it was bought by my grandfather, given to my dad, then given to my brother, then given to me...Obviously this car has more than Insurance value to me.

Anyway..Thanks for all your responses!

Well, you've got a very rare and very popular car. If you don't lock it up in a garage most of the time, someone *will* attempt to steal it. It's that much of a certainty. Even if they don't succeed in stealing it, they may damage it in the process. If it's really as cherry as you describe, odds are that it will eventually be stolen by professionals.

I don't intend to sound harsh, but it sounds like you were given a gift you can't afford to operate. You really should consider some alternative strategy to preserve the car, like saving up for a beater and finding a place to store the Mustang.

Dana

David E. Willson wrote

The problem with cutout switches is that with cars so old that they have no steering column lock, you don't need to touch the ignition switch to steal them. All you need is a 16 gauge wire with alligator clips at each end to hotwire the coil to the battery, and a pair of pliers to jump the starter solenoid. Therefore, to make a cutout switch work you also have to secure the hood. I've seen people using chains and padlocks, but that's kind of crude. I wonder if you could rig a power door lock solenoid to some kind of dead bolt mechanism. Then you could hide that switch too.

BTW, David, what's this about "honest" people who only steal cars that are unlocked and don't have cutout switches? You must live in one tough neighborhood. :-)