The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area General Truck Talk Theft Prevention

Does anyone know who makes a lockable fuel shut off valve for auto. fuel lines. It wouldn't even have to be lockable but you'd have to hide it on your truck somewhere if it didn't lock. You would think a device as simple as this would be available in all the magazines for old cars and trucks. I know I've seen them before somewhere. I think this would be the best theft prevention device money could buy. Think about it, if a thief hot wires your ride and takes off he ain't gonna go far at all with the fuel shut off.

Mike

MSmith,
My fater-in-law uses a ignition lockout under the hood where the theves would have to hot wire it but aI think your idea would work and would be easy to install with a simple valve where nobody would see like in the trunk or under the bed etc.
Also could be used in conjuntion with a ignition lock out so if they did hot wire thery would not get far!!
ND

Yes, it would be nice to find one that you could drill a small hole under seat somewhere and when mounted all you see is a key lock with bezel and just reach under and lock in the off position when truck/car is unattended.

Mike

Well I have 2 word for you - Flat bed. If theives want your truck I don't care what you do they will get it.

I remember that we had this same discussion a few years back and one of the member said he just popped the hood and pulled the rotor out of the dist.

I have always believed that if you have a truck worth stealing then you should have a good insurance policy and a current appraisal to go with it!

I kinda disagree with you on that. Let's face it, if you disable the electrical somehow a good thief given enough time might figure out a way around it and take off. On the other hand if you disable the flow of fuel to the motor with a valve hidden and locked he's gonna go maybe across the parking lot or maybe a half a block and then it's gonna die. Ain't no thief gonna get out at that point and try and figure this one out. The only other way they're gonna get it is with a roll back. I'd gladly buy one of those valves if I could find one. I got a lot of buddies with high dollar street rods and they love my idea and say they'd buy one too.

Mike

Could you just use a dual tank valve from any pickup within the last 30 years? Just solder one line shut and run your fuel line to the other. I believe that most of those were electrically actuated, so a key lock switch should not be too hard to come up with.

I had thought that when I get mine done I would put a relay in the wire to the electric fuel pump. (It will have the engine and fuel system from a 1989 TBI 454, including electric pump in the fuel tank.) I like the idea of the key lock switch, though. Hadn't thought of that myself.

Wouldn't just a regular ball valve work? Or are you wanting and electrially-actuated device? I know most ball valves aren't lockable, but you might be able to drill a hole in the handle and lock it through something? I had a plain-old ball valve on mine hidden indside the framerail--worked very well, as found out the hard way! Got half way out the parking lot, it died, and I though I had a major problem. Took a while to remember I'd shut the gas off.

You beat me to it, I think that this would be a logical choice. What about locking your battery box too? If they are determined to steal your truck they will, however why make it easy for them? Another trick to help with recovering your parts if they succeed in stealing it is to engrave your vin or Lic# on the major parts and taking great pictures of the locations to help identifying it when it is recovered. .....g

Most AD's have a petcock on the fuel tank output, you could just make a small lockbox to weld around it and secure to the floor. Of course, it would be pretty inconvenient to use on a daily basis.

When we put the 350 motor in my 52 it was from a 1979 standard tranny pickup. Couldnt get the thing to turn over to try to start. I used the wiring harness from it also. Took me till the next morning to think about jumpering the little connection that makes up when you push in the clutch!!! DUH I thought about hiding a switch in line with the thing just for the reason you guys are talking about. What do you think??

On my car, I have an electric fuel pump with a secret shut off switch. You could start the car, but when the carb bowl runs dry ...

I know someone who had a toggle switch hidden under the dashboard of his '63 Chevy sedan. It operated a relay that closed a valve in the fuel line near the carb. He did this after someone tried to steal his car months before.
He was vigilant in turning off the gas whenever he parked his car. To make a long story short, thieves stole the car and there was just enough gas in the carb bowl to drive the car about a block and behind a cemetary. The thieves took the seats & radio and a few other things out of the car and smashed every window in the car.
My friend gave up after that and junked the car.

Put it in a locked garage in a decent neighborhood.

I also use my fuel shutoff when I store the car. I shut the fuel off and run it until the carb is empty. Same thing when putting the boat away for the winter.

Here is a Taiwanese company that makes a locking fuel shutoff: Sobo gas lock . I am surprised these things aren't easier to find. My brother has one on his '72 Camaro. It was installed back in the late 70s, though, and I have no idea who made it.

Even better than a fuel lock would be a brake line lock: Brakelock . Even if a thief got the vehicle started, he wouldn't be able to move it. Would make it a bit harder to tow, too.

My '62 Impala was stolen back in the '70s.

I recovered it a couple blocks away where it ran out of gas. Keeping the fuel dry was pretty effective that time.

I know a local repo guy who can load virtually any car or truck onto a rollaway in under 60 seconds, and on a cradle-style wrecker in under 30 seconds. He claims abosolutely nothing (except a bullet in the head) can stop him. I believe him.

I sure as hell make it as hard as possible for someone to steal my car, in any case.

America is has such a low auto theft rate compared to the world, its so nice. I've been to Ukraine where my hosts Jeep Cherokee had a regular alarm with multiple sirens, (some hard to get at with aux batteries), a secret button you had to press within 30 of starting the car to keep it running, a 8" steel pin that you locked into the tranny (locked into s hole in the floor above the tranny hump) to keep it in park, and a remote that you were supposed to keep in your pocket. The car had a proximity sensor in it. If the remote wasn't detected (ie, you started the car and the bad guys carjacked you and threw you out, it would die). And a Club (useless really, but required by insurance). That was just to keep your car intact while you had it out around the city. At night, of course a locked garage.

Sometimes things can get out of hand and then you get mad! :mad: Watch the Blaster at work!

Would this work with a remote?

We're a bit low-tech in Montana but I always thought that the foot starter was my best security device. After that would be the key position (straight up) instead of to the right.

Of course, my security measures would only keep the honest people from stealing my truck.

I had one of those on my tow truck back in the '80s. Worked great for digging in and winching. Never thought of it as an anti-theft device, though. The control would have to be hidden.

UPDATE:: hood lock
http://s67.photobucket.com/albums/h...&current=3100lockinghoodlatch-06.jpg
http://s67.photobucket.com/albums/h...&current=3100lockinghoodlatch-01.jpg

search 1951otter

Anti Thieft Device
Use a relay to the HORN. Make it loud and the guy moves on. Use the KISS theory ..... it's a relay to the start switch and/or to the horn. When you don't turn on the secret switch, the horn goes off.
wire as::

#30 to ign of ign switch. 10 gauge
#87 to S position of starter solinoid.10 gauge
#87a to horn. 14 gauge
#86 to ground. 16 gauge
#85 to special switch, there ever you wish to put it or... a switch. 14 gauge depending on the circuit.
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