The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area The Electrical Bay Lowbuck vehicle alarm! Only costs a few bucks to make.

I found this in a popular science magazine from july 1954. It is a lowbuck vehicle alarm that uses your horn. I thought somebody might find this usefull. I am going to do this on my truck it is better than nothing. These instructions are posted on my site. Click my website link below and it is on the idex page (fist page) in the middle. enjoy.

There was crime in 1954?

Hey nice website PJ.

a few bucks is all anyone should spend on an alarm. my truck was stolen twice both times with different supposedly high-end alarms and the second time with a club on the steering wheel! the first time they stripped it then we got it repainted and new wheels and it was taken for good. thank god for insurance!

I don't remember who (I think it was Grant) that said that instead of an alarm he would just pull the rotor. But then again if they want to steal it bad enough there is little that one can truely do to Stop them.

I put a kill switch in mine and it's more a "peace" of mind. If anyone really wanted your truck, all they'd have to do is pull a gun while you're at a stop sign and it's their truck .

Years ago, my father in law made, out of thin gage wire an alarm connected to his horn. He positioned the wire as such that if the truck tilted like when somebody got in the truck, the wire would ground itself and the horn would sound. He foiled a couple of attemps of stealing his truck. Then he finally sold the old '40 Chevie truck and bought a newer Fo*d and never had a problem again. Go figure :confused: .

An alarm is ok if you keep your truck in your driveway and you are home with it. If you can't babysit it, anyone with a flatbed towtruck could drag it away even if you had the thing on blocks.

Personally, I have a security camera in my driveway to keep an eye on things (my home computer takes a capture shot every second and stores it on disk). The security camera set up cost me about $200, $100 for the camera (it's pretty high resolution black and white with night vision from Clover), and $100 for the video capture card and 80 GB hard drive for my computer. It runs on an old 266 MHz machine I keep in my closet. I can read the license plates of anyone that drives by on the street.

I park in a very secure parking lot at work with 24 hour security, so things are safe there. I am thinking of getting a boot for the wheel if I decide to park it anywhere else (after I finish it and drive it more). You know, one of those big orange/yellow clamps the parking nazis use if you don't pay your parking tickets. One of those would make the truck pretty hard to steal.

How about a hidden mico brake lock
OR in the fasion of the detachable face stereo, remove the steering wheel

Well this is my thought on the whole thing. If someone wants to steal your truck bad enough it is history. All of the things mentioned will help to deter the thiefs but wont stop them. Spend the money on a good insurance policy. Document all of the things that you have done to your truck to validate its value. Then enjoy your truck. Now this is easy for me to say because I am not going to have a truck that will have 50,000 dollars wrapped up into it. My truck will be a daily driver no Trailer Queens allowed here!

Please don't get me wrong I have nothing against protecting your truck but I am not going to go to extremes to protect it. Just useing some common sense will keep you from spending too much time worrying about your truck and more time enjoying it.

How many people take car alarms seriously these days ?? Best protection will be an ignition cut off switch. Put this switch inline between the ignition switch & the coil. If ya want to get fancy, you can install 2 switches [ only you know which switch needs to be in what position to run ]. Figure out a way to hook up a hood lock. Never underestimate the value of a fuel cut-off switch. Once this switch is closed,the truck can be started & driven a block or so before the carb is dry. To prevent tow aways, nose the truck against a wall or building , crank the steering wheel to full lock & put a Club on. LOJACK is great, but it responds AFTER the thing has been stolen. Lots a vehicles have been recovered that were equipped with L.J & they are stripped shells. I wonder if L.J has a 6 Volt version?? These precautions will prevent the run of the mill thief from taking the truck. Dont forget if someone really wants the thing,they will bring a tow truck,& bring their own ignition system & run their own fuel line. They will also bring a steering wheel remover to remove the club [ still attached to the wheel ] or they will use a " club crusher" to break the club off . If the truck is to be stored for any lenght of time , it may be wise to remove all the lugnuts on 1 wheel & reinstall the hubcap. They hate it when a wheel falls off when they are stealing it.

Alarms? Are you guys kidding? What self respecting car thief today knows how to work a toe/heel starter?

I like the fuel shut off. I have a kill switch on mine that's not so obvious.

I would think that for the most part, the only person stealing an old stovebolt would be someone trying to strip it for parts since it's not the kind of truck that blends in on a crowded highway. Hard to drive it around for very long after you steal it. Professional theives will take what they want whenever they want it. Nothing can really stop them. They'll pull up with an enclosed trailer around the corner and drive it right on and away.

I have used a dummy coil wire at times, I have to keep my 52 five window parked on the street,had it five yrs and so far I have had it egged once and someone scratched a bit X on the drivers door, guess I have been pretty lucky,,,,,Fred

PRACTICE GUN CONTROL,,,,,,,KEEP SHOOTING...

M.T.
I like your two ideas of a kill switch as well as a fuel valve. They are both inexpensive ways to help keep the thief in training from possibly running away with your rig. I assume kill switches can be key operative ? If one does two switches aren't you basically putting two on the same circuit (between ignition and coil) ?

How about this ? I guess the closer you put the fuel valve shutoff to the carb, the less further away they can drive your rig before it dies.

10 years ago I lost my 53 from a fallen Oak tree. Because it was mother nature, I got over it. But if another person took my truck or vandalized it, that would be tough to swallow.

[QUOTE]Originally posted by cmayna:
[QB]M.T.
I like your two ideas of a kill switch as well as a fuel valve. They are both inexpensive ways to help keep the thief in training from possibly running away with your rig. I assume kill switches can be key operative ? If one does two switches aren't you basically putting two on the same circuit (between ignition and coil) ?

1 switch inline from the ignition switch to the coil.
Another switch inline from a hot wire from the coil to ground. Once the coil is grounded [ by switch] it will be "almost" impossible to start.
I am giving away to many secrets here.

M.T
Look at it this way, you're helping to keep your customers and fellow bolters happy. It's a win/win situation.

Cheers
Craig

Nobody can steal my truck. No thief would know exactly how to jiggle the loose, frayed wiring behind the switch and use the foot starter at the same time.

I had the same sort of "security" on my truck for a while, but add a leaky windshield gasket to the "features" and it became too secure. Nothing wakes you up in the morning like a 90 amp jolt. I decided to make it safe and secure by rewiring the whole truck and installing a battery cutoff switch (the cheap one with the red key) so far up under the dash I can barely find it. I don't have to leave my seat, let alone pop the hood, to kill the entire electrical system. With a removable key on the switch, the only way to hotwire the truck is to bring your own battery cables.

Oh, I replaced the windshield and gasket to keep the new wiring dry.

Yes vaccuum hose does make good HV ignition wires. But any method will only keep an honest person honest. Any car or truck can be striped, sold as parts or what have you, It's been done even with newer car's & truck where people buy a wreck and have the wreck even plated, then steal the matching car and switch the numbers and sell someware else. The only way around that is to have other numbers stamped (ie SIN or DL#)into the body & frame hidden from normal view to help you and the police ID it should it turn up later.