How to make the VH instealable?

[RippleEphex]

Was just thinking, what clever ways are there to make a car impossible to steal?

As my vh is very stealable, i have the solex locks and car alarm, but what else?

EDIT: sorry bout the typo Unstealable

[vpcalais6]

a hole heap of chains,padlocks,wheel clamps,kill switch,remove fuel pump fuse

[AndyVKSSA]

you cant realy make it "impossible to steal", if someone wants to take it they will find a way

[AndyVKSSA]

a hole heap of chains,padlocks,wheel clamps,kill switch,remove fuel pump fuse

still wont help against bolt cutters and a car trailor :P

[RippleEphex]

i dont think VH commodores have a fuel pump fuse

[Darren_L]

no car is impossible to steal, however you can make it more difficult to steal.
Unfortunately carbed cars aren't as easy to protect as EFI cars, but you still can take some measures that should discourage the average dumb arse kid who tries to steal your car
buy yourself a good quality alarm/immobiliser. You can hook it up so that it cuts power to the ignition coil, electric fuel pump (if you have one), neutral start switch wiring, install a fuel shutoff solenoid. The more of these you hook up to the immobiliser the better.

[sleepa]

The above, plus if it's manual, add a switch so it only starts with the clutch engaged, tricks a lot of people.
Add a kill switch, or two. Have it set up so you need to push/switch both before the car can start, most people will only look for one, then when it doesn't start will leave it. You can add a magnetic kill switch in a hidden spot, so you need to place the magnet up against it before it can start.

[kym192]

a good set of door locks help as well good old vh's can be open with anything flat

[Guzzoline addict]

+1 on a good set of door locks,I can walk up to a vh with no tools and brake into it within 20secs(Only done it to my own cars) Edit disregard ,sorry i just reread first post.

[brdemon]

I had a mate who use to work at a locksmiths yrs ago & he said solex locks are 1 of the easiet to break into! all you need is the same kind of key, keep jiggling for 10-15 seconds and it should open, you would be better off with a new lock & key set

[PirateJoe]

If you dont have an electric pump you can also fit a DISCREET fuel tap in the line somewhere. But sadly if they want the car enough they'll just bring a tilt tray. Not switches fitted just yet? Take out the rotor button when you park the car.

[calais24/7]

The above, plus if it's manual, add a switch so it only starts with the clutch engaged, tricks a lot of people.
Add a kill switch, or two. Have it set up so you need to push/switch both before the car can start, most people will only look for one, then when it doesn't start will leave it. You can add a magnetic kill switch in a hidden spot, so you need to place the magnet up against it before it can start.

Can you like link me to one of these clutch switches you speak of please

[ari666]

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lol, as already mentioned, if someone wants your car, itll go on a tilt tray no probs. advice to installing an alarm too. if a thief thinks they are making progress they will continue to try and steal it. that gives you time (if you are nearby) to grab your weapon of choice and go introduce yourself to them.

so, messing with the neutral safety switch, starter solenoid or anything which will stop the car from crankin' over will just make them look for a switch somewhere. remember, there is a very simple wire in the engine bay that bypasses all your wizz-bang kill switches and will allow it to crank over. obviously im not gonna say which one.

much better that you install things like (as mentioned) the tap on your fuel lines, imobilised fuel pump (if you have it) ignition system (there are about 4 different ways to immobilise the ignition) and generally stuff thatll make them scratch their heads and continue trying to start it. an awesome idea i heard recently was to hook up a flasher can to the ignition + on you coil, so the car would fire, conk out, fire, conk out, fire conk out. lol, that'll piss em' right off.

statistics are they will try and start for around a minute 30 seconds, then they will run.

[Zeussy]

.... an awesome idea i heard recently was to hook up a flasher can to the ignition + on you coil, so the car would fire, conk out, fire, conk out, fire conk out. lol, that'll piss em' right off.

statistics are they will try and start for around a minute 30 seconds, then they will run.

I lol'd literally, I'm going to try this on one of my mates one day, be good for a giggle

[sleepa]

Can you like link me to one of these clutch switches you speak of please

It is basically the same as a brake switch, a cruise control clutch switch would probably work. Just wire it up as a kill switch or hook it into your immobiliser so even if the immobiliser is turned off it won't start without the clutch pressed.

I haven't done it myself but my dad has a few cars like this, first time I tried to drive one I thought the battery was dead, no cranking or anything.

lol, as already mentioned, if someone wants your car, itll go on a tilt tray no probs. advice to installing an alarm too. if a thief thinks they are making progress they will continue to try and steal it. that gives you time (if you are nearby) to grab your weapon of choice and go introduce yourself to them.

so, messing with the neutral safety switch, starter solenoid or anything which will stop the car from crankin' over will just make them look for a switch somewhere. remember, there is a very simple wire in the engine bay that bypasses all your wizz-bang kill switches and will allow it to crank over. obviously im not gonna say which one.

much better that you install things like (as mentioned) the tap on your fuel lines, imobilised fuel pump (if you have it) ignition system (there are about 4 different ways to immobilise the ignition) and generally stuff thatll make them scratch their heads and continue trying to start it. an awesome idea i heard recently was to hook up a flasher can to the ignition + on you coil, so the car would fire, conk out, fire, conk out, fire conk out. lol, that'll piss em' right off.

statistics are they will try and start for around a minute 30 seconds, then they will run.

Yeah, nothing is unstealable, but screwing them around helps a lot, hell, they might not even think it is worth stealing if it won't run properly, or the battery appears to be dead.

[Darren_L]

I personally don't bother upgrading the locks.
most of the theives who knock off cars bust the quarter glass. So doesn't matter how good your locks are.

I'd be concentrating more on the engine immobiliser. They can bust into the car, but if they can't start the engine the car isn't going anywhere in a hurry

[dirt drifter]

take the plastic bits off your steering column between the wheel and dash, check if there is a big metal shroud covering the ignition switch/wiring/barrel etc. if there isnt chase one down, i think its a 2 piece setup thats pop riveted on from memory.

i dunno if all earlier models had this shroud fitted or not, my old vh sle did and i reckon it would do a good job of stopping an ametuer thief as long as your locks are in good condition

[nstone63]

Its one of those lose-lose situations, either they get the car started and take it, or get pissed off and trash the hell out of it

[Darren_L]

how about a security system like on one of the James Bond movies....
the car has a warning sticker on the window, indicating the car is protected by an anti-theft system.

thief breakes into the car, turns the ignition and it blows up lol

on a serious note, as said above that if they can't start the car, often they'll just trash it in frustration.... can't win.
Best anti-theft method I've found is to simply not leave your car in high risk areas. I won't leave my car on the street at night, unless it's within my eyesight and I won't leave it unattended during the day in areas that are notorious for car theft, or simply suspect looking places. If I have any of these concerns, I'll leave my car at home in the garage and take public transport - even if it means taking twice as long to get there. When I used to stay over my mums place for the night, she would have to come & pick me up at my place, or I'd ride my motorbike because I couldn't park the car in a lock up garage

[PirateJoe]

You could also put a syringe in between the seat base and back so just the tip is poking through, that'll probably infuriate them though and you'd have to remember it was there too. . .

[Darren_L]

so, messing with the neutral safety switch, starter solenoid or anything which will stop the car from crankin' over will just make them look for a switch somewhere. remember, there is a very simple wire in the engine bay that bypasses all your wizz-bang kill switches and will allow it to crank over. obviously im not gonna say which one.

it's more about using a combination of devices. A starter disabler is just one of a combination you can use. Most thieves stealing an old Commodore (unless it's worth a lot of $$) aren't going to be the most professional of theives. They are going to be joyriders who know how to bust a window, stick a screwdriver in the ignition and start it. Any one of our suggestions aren't going to stop someone who is determined, but if you hook your immobiliser up to 3 or 4 different places, it will take a thief more than 30 minutes to figure out (if you have set it all up properly). First the engine won't crank over, so he bypasses it.... but the car still won't start. So he tries hotwiring the coil, it still won't start. Where does he go next ? Does it have an electric fuel pump that has been disabled ? He'll have to crawl under the car to figure out that one & then needs to find a power wire down that end of the car to power it. So he figures that out, and it still doesn't start.... A fuel cut off solenoid maybe ? Where the hell is that! At least half an hour has gone by, in the mean time he's attracted a lot of attention from passers by. Reality is, the average thief isn't going to bother for more than maybe 10 minutes on a car that's probably only worth a few grand at best....

the more components you disable, the better - each one discourages the thief that bit more.

[ryno_vrx]

how about a security system like on one of the James Bond movies....

thief jumps into drivers seat doesn't insert the key within 15secs blow dart gun goes off (evil laugh)

[ari666]

You could also put a syringe in between the seat base and back so just the tip is poking through, that'll probably infuriate them though and you'd have to remember it was there too. . .

hmmm, see i forget that my alarm auto arms, so whenever i walk away from in unlocked, i always jump back in, turn the key and .... BEEP BEEP BEEP EWW EWWWWW EWW EWWWW NAH NAH NAH NAH BOO BOO

imagine if i forgot about the syringe...

edit* or the blowing up thing

[Guzzoline addict]

How about a hidden tap on the rear brake line that you can get to when sitting in drivers seat.Close the tap no rear brakes .Close the tap with your foot on the brake and the rear brakes should stay locked on.

[sleepa]

Just had an idea. What about one of those really loud high pitched ear splitting alarms, and hook it up in the cabin aimed right at the drivers head. He'll be getting out of there pretty quick I think!