Remove your rotor arm!
Discussion
Aphex said:
I don't think most classics are chanced to be started and driven away any more by the thieving gits!
Agree with this. The way I see it, classics aren't targeted by opportunists, they are thefts that are planned, often with the help of a flat bed or truck, slipped away without being driven.More important to stop the car being lifted or rolled. If you can control that, it doesn't matter if it starts or not.
Using a good Wheel clamp, or 4, like a Euroclamp will make moving it a very long and noisy process.
alolympic said:
Agree with this. The way I see it, classics aren't targeted by opportunists, they are thefts that are planned, often with the help of a flat bed or truck, slipped away without being driven.........
I started this thread due to reading abut the owner of the 1943 Jeep that was stolen whilst on display.I seriously doubt that that Jeep was taken away on the back of a flat bed or truck without being driven.
My suspicion is that someone simply climbed on board and fired up the Jeep as though they were the rightful owner taking it for a spin (believe it or not, some thieves really are that brazen!).
As I've previously posted, I genuinely suspect also that had the owner removed the rotor arm whilst his Jeep was on display then he would still be in possession of it.
Whilst opportunist thefts are quite rare these days, they can't be ruled out completely and so anything you can do to reduce the risk of having your pride and joy stolen must be worth considering, including removing the rotor arm where applicable.
MoggieMinor said:
I always used to do that with my Minis and Moggies until one night I lost the fxxxing thing.
I stopped doing it after the carbon brush fell out of the distributor cap and plummeted into the engine bay or onto the road, never to be seen again. I fitted a hidden switch after that! I use a good quality crook lock, it's huge and yellow. I hope it stops people breaking the window or slashing the roof before they realise it can't be started.
ETA: A friend recently had his Beetle Karman Convertible stolen. It was for sale and we can't help thinking it was one of the people who came and looked at the car who took it. Never let anyone know where you car is kept, especially if it's in a garage in a block or something away from the house.
ETA: A friend recently had his Beetle Karman Convertible stolen. It was for sale and we can't help thinking it was one of the people who came and looked at the car who took it. Never let anyone know where you car is kept, especially if it's in a garage in a block or something away from the house.
Edited by varsas on Saturday 25th July 14:14
varsas said:
I use a good quality crook lock, it's huge and yellow. I hope it stops people breaking the window or slashing the roof before they realise it can't be started.
Sometimes the old methods are still the best! (
varsas said:
ETA: A friend recently had his Beetle Karman Convertible stolen. It was for sale and we can't help thinking it was one of the people who came and looked at the car who took it. Never let anyone know where you car is kept, especially if it's in a garage in a block or something away from the house.
I wouldn't be surprised is someone had used the guise of being a buyer to do a theft recce.Edited by varsas on Saturday 25th July 14:14
Sometimes the more brazen a car thief is, the less suspicious they appear to others around!
A big problem with classic cars is that 1), they're being highly valuable these days and are once again becoming theft targets, and 2), quite often the security on them is either a complete joke, or so old as to be unreliable. (I remember years ago My Step-Mother owned a MK1 Escort that could easily be opened and started with a standard Yale lock house key due to wear in the barrels!).
Seem to remember my dad having a flick switch hidden under the dash on my Mini first car that was wired to the coil. In the end no one did try to steel it, although I did wake up one night and look out the window to see someone stripping all the go-faster parts on the outside of the car.
4rephill said:
I started this thread due to reading abut the owner of the 1943 Jeep that was stolen whilst on display.
I seriously doubt that that Jeep was taken away on the back of a flat bed or truck without being driven.
My suspicion is that someone simply climbed on board and fired up the Jeep as though they were the rightful owner taking it for a spin (believe it or not, some thieves really are that brazen!).
As I've previously posted, I genuinely suspect also that had the owner removed the rotor arm whilst his Jeep was on display then he would still be in possession of it.
Whilst opportunist thefts are quite rare these days, they can't be ruled out completely and so anything you can do to reduce the risk of having your pride and joy stolen must be worth considering, including removing the rotor arm where applicable.
Yes, sorry, wasn't saying that the removal of a rotor arm isn't worthwhile, just that I don't think it will stop many motivated thieves. Do that and prevent the car from being moved physically and you are safer...I seriously doubt that that Jeep was taken away on the back of a flat bed or truck without being driven.
My suspicion is that someone simply climbed on board and fired up the Jeep as though they were the rightful owner taking it for a spin (believe it or not, some thieves really are that brazen!).
As I've previously posted, I genuinely suspect also that had the owner removed the rotor arm whilst his Jeep was on display then he would still be in possession of it.
Whilst opportunist thefts are quite rare these days, they can't be ruled out completely and so anything you can do to reduce the risk of having your pride and joy stolen must be worth considering, including removing the rotor arm where applicable.
I would imagine that most classic car thefts are pre-planned to an extent, rather than opportunistic.
Removing the rotor arm obviously doesn't do any harm but in the OP's case the vehicle would surely end up on a trailer so could probably have been stolen either way. I appreciate that it could arouse less suspicion being driven to a more secluded location for loading.
Similarly fitting ignition/fuel pump isolator switches was effective back in the day. Cars were stolen as transport or for joyriding. These days it's more likely to depart on a trailer.
How many owners fit Trackers to their classic car ? I couldn't care less if my modern car is stolen but my classic has a more emotional element.
Removing the rotor arm obviously doesn't do any harm but in the OP's case the vehicle would surely end up on a trailer so could probably have been stolen either way. I appreciate that it could arouse less suspicion being driven to a more secluded location for loading.
Similarly fitting ignition/fuel pump isolator switches was effective back in the day. Cars were stolen as transport or for joyriding. These days it's more likely to depart on a trailer.
How many owners fit Trackers to their classic car ? I couldn't care less if my modern car is stolen but my classic has a more emotional element.
4rephill said:
alolympic said:
Agree with this. The way I see it, classics aren't targeted by opportunists, they are thefts that are planned, often with the help of a flat bed or truck, slipped away without being driven.........
I started this thread due to reading abut the owner of the 1943 Jeep that was stolen whilst on display.I seriously doubt that that Jeep was taken away on the back of a flat bed or truck without being driven.
My suspicion is that someone simply climbed on board and fired up the Jeep as though they were the rightful owner taking it for a spin (believe it or not, some thieves really are that brazen!).
As I've previously posted, I genuinely suspect also that had the owner removed the rotor arm whilst his Jeep was on display then he would still be in possession of it.
Even back in the 90's when I was heavily involved with vintage military vehicles, we used to always immobilise them when left unattended, especially when on the continent at events. However, from memory, I don't recall any of us doing so when left on a day event type display such as that at Duxford. Sadly, our society has moved on from that of 15-20 years ago, and not for the better.
My Mark 1 Healey 3000 had a replacement ignition switch fitted from a later car, which had a "normal" sprung return position to start the car, but with no associated wiring because the car still had its original starter button. I used to reckon (hope) that any opportunist would just try turning the key to no avail, assume an anti-theft cut-out was fitted, and move on elsewhere. As far as I know, my theory was never tested !
Mr_B said:
Seem to remember my dad having a flick switch hidden under the dash on my Mini first car that was wired to the coil. In the end no one did try to steel it, although I did wake up one night and look out the window to see someone stripping all the go-faster parts on the outside of the car.
My old Mk2 Cortina 2 door had a hidden switch at the base of the B pillar that earthed the low tension side of the coil. It would spin over all day (well till the battery died anyway!) but never fire.I took it to Birmingham Uni for 4 years and was grateful for that little switch on the annual occasions I walked back to it to find the physical barriers (steering lock plus handbrake to gear lever lock) removed through brute force and the ignition left on and door wide open. Didn't stop some moron putting a side window through in order to steal about £5 worth of tat from the glovebox! You could open the door lock with an ice cream stick!
Unfortunately some time after my ownership it lost the switch setup, probably when it was converted to V6 power - last report of the car was it being driven away from the owner's garage in the Midlands while he was away......never seen again
Adrian E said:
Mr_B said:
Seem to remember my dad having a flick switch hidden under the dash on my Mini first car that was wired to the coil. In the end no one did try to steel it, although I did wake up one night and look out the window to see someone stripping all the go-faster parts on the outside of the car.
My old Mk2 Cortina 2 door had a hidden switch at the base of the B pillar that earthed the low tension side of the coil. It would spin over all day (well till the battery died anyway!) but never fire.I took it to Birmingham Uni for 4 years and was grateful for that little switch on the annual occasions I walked back to it to find the physical barriers (steering lock plus handbrake to gear lever lock) removed through brute force and the ignition left on and door wide open. Didn't stop some moron putting a side window through in order to steal about £5 worth of tat from the glovebox! You could open the door lock with an ice cream stick!
Unfortunately some time after my ownership it lost the switch setup, probably when it was converted to V6 power - last report of the car was it being driven away from the owner's garage in the Midlands while he was away......never seen again
swisstoni said:
I had a Mk2 that was stolen from outside my house. It was found by the police nearby and they kindly gave me a lift to where it was. Unfortunately, by the time we got there, it had been nicked again.
That happened to a mates sister with a MK2 Escort it was a constant target for thefts but they never damaged cars in those days and she always got it back we had a Capri MK1 in the family and that was the same until it was fitted with a cut out switch the Selmar car alarm was often left switched off due to it being a nuisance 4rephill said:
I've posted this in the stolen Jeep thread but felt that if it could help other classic/old car owners then I'd create it's own thread:
For anyone parking a classic/old car anywhere or displaying it somewhere, a tip My Grandad always gave Me was, when you park it, if it has a distributor cap and it is easy to remove, lift it off and take the rotor arm out!
You can easily carry it in your pocket and the chances of a thief carrying a rotor arm that fits the vehicle is highly unlikely.
If this advice only helps save one classic owner from losing their pride and joy then My dearly departed Grandad will be happy that I made good use of his advice!
Used to do this regularly with my new Ford Capri's in the 70's. Especially if parking anywhere dodgy.... For anyone parking a classic/old car anywhere or displaying it somewhere, a tip My Grandad always gave Me was, when you park it, if it has a distributor cap and it is easy to remove, lift it off and take the rotor arm out!
You can easily carry it in your pocket and the chances of a thief carrying a rotor arm that fits the vehicle is highly unlikely.
If this advice only helps save one classic owner from losing their pride and joy then My dearly departed Grandad will be happy that I made good use of his advice!
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