Thread: security

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any suggestions on alarms or kill switches? do you find them effective? pros and cons on different sytems?
not sure it matters, 70 mustang sport roof.

Those Cobra alarms are pretty nice. Pricey but good. There are different levels of them. Go to your local audio store, they should have them and will instal them for you but will take them a whole day to two days depending on their work that is already lined up. They have sensors all around the car like in the front near the bumper, door, etc etc.

Consider this: you've seen all those people rushing to stop the guy who's opening the car with the alarm sounding?

Neither have I.

The alarms will keep honest folks away, but that's not the work. Something like Lojack or OnStar, with the tracking capability, is the best option. Everyone just growls and ignores the sounding alarm - "damned yuppies and their car alarms..." - but something that immobilizes the car (fuel cutoff, similar), and that tracks it if it's trailered and moved, works well.

For the car shows and so on, if I'm not there to enforce the "don't touch" signs, I like the alarms that detect movement, so if someone leans against the car or otherwise tampers with it, the alarm sounds. That's one place where folks pay attention to the alarms.

You're dealing with a car that shares most of the body platform with mine, but you don't say what you're using it for. On another '69 Shelby, I had electric fuel pumps and a hidden switch. If you got it started, you only went as far as the fuel in the carb would take you. But that was 20 years ago. As you can guess, my car doesn't get left unattended much. But if Lojack comes to my area, I'll add it.

As far as the alarm, if you're going to show the car, get one that has the sensors (proximity, movement), and set them to be appropriately sensitive. You can hide the siren under the front fender by removing it from the car and running the wire through the firewall. If the alarm is behind the splash shield, it won't show when judges are looking at it. While you want the flashing LED for notice if the car is sitting out in front of Outback Steak House, you don't want it visible for a Thoroughbred class show car. Be appropriate.

Many of the better new alarms will include an ignition kill that will work with the old, non-computer cars. Slick stuff like remote start won't work - requires fuel injection.

Best thing is to remember that no security system will keep your car 100% safe. My car is stored in a garage with an infrared motion detection alarm, connected to call via cellular service to an alarm company. Fine. If someone wants my car, they may well have it out of the garage and on a transporter before the sheriff arrives.

Tracking is my #1 choice, followed by something to disable the car. Audible alarms make you feel good, but are of limited help. Just my nickel's worth.

I bought lojack several years ago and put it in my Tahoe. Well the tahoe got stolen, and sure enough Lojack found my truck! Hooray!

Well no.


It took 3 days, another police department found it by accident 2 counties over.

The truck was stripped of everything removable, except, the Lojack unit. I was furious.

Well now I have a new Tahoe, and my corvette. I did NOT purchase Lojack again. I won't. I bought 2 tracking systems from www.vehiclelocate.net As an added note, some punk neighbor broke into my garage, my silent alarm in my vette went off, the system I had called my phone, told me my alarm was going off. I called the cops to send them to my house. They busted a 17 year old kid trying to hotwire my vette. This system works! Oh one more thing, I was 60 miles away from my car when the alarm got tripped. It's freakin Awesome!
After doing some more digging, LoJack uses antiquated technology and they've rested on their laurels too long.
With Lojack you have to notice that your car is missing, then contact the police, fill out a report, tell them you have lojack, then they call lojack, they turn on the unit, and IF the police can spare an officer to actively search for your car, you MAY get it back in 24 hours. Well mine was a little over 73 hours. This system I have now calls ME when my alarm goes off, no matter where I'm at. Then I can call the police and tell them precisely where the car is at and they don't have to search. They just go right where I tell em. Plus if my 16 year old son ever wants to take my car when I'm out of town (which I do on occasion) I can just shut the car down and he can't move it. Even with a key. I paid a little bit over 600 for each of my vehicles and it was worth every penny. I got a 20% discount from my insurance company to boot.