"A car for the people, an affordable Volkswagen, would bring great joy to the masses and the problems of building such a car must be faced with courage." Adolf Hitler At opening of 1934 Berlin Auto Show
68AutoBugBeetle Restorer - Experience over 138\% - YIKES --
What I do for security is lock the doors and wind the windows up. Oh, and don't have a nice shiny car which looks like it's worth stealing I suppose. I may have to revise this theory now that my new car will be a bit shinier than the old one.
Oh, and yes, all VWs have fuel pumps, but the original pumps were all mechanical and hence can't be switched off. If you really wanted to make sure it doesn't get driven away you could take the HT lead from the coil with you whenever you leave the car, but as others have mentioned, nothing can stop a determined and professional car thief. The only goal of car security is to make your car hard enough to steal that the thief will choose another target instead.
best kill switch is disabling the ignition some how
either killing power to the coil or grounding the low tension side
its pointless disabling the starting circuit cos the car can still be hotwired and push started
i guess one thing working in our favour is VWs just stand out way to much which im sure would make them a less likely target atleast for joyriders anyway
BizarreModeratorThe artist formerly known as blue74l
I used to think having a scruffy car would mean nobody would want to steal it. Then some clown tried to steal my dodgy daily!!
If you have a tacho it's pretty easy to ground out the ignition with a hidden switch. Hence the car won't start, unless the thief disconnects the tacho wire.
Taking the HT lead is not that great, they are a common part that is found too easily. The rotor button would be harder to source.
A fuel cutoff solenoid sounds like a great idea, anyone got a link?
Brett Nicholson
Melbourne, Victoria
1974 VW Superbug L - Olive 😎
1971 Morris Mini Moke - Mopoke
1966 Austin Mini - Audrey
1965 Morris Mini Traveller - Trixie
2007 Land Rover Freelander 2
2009 Nissan Pathfinder
Indeed, an ignition kill switch will be the best choice. I've done quite a few variations of this, and i found that the ideal way is the uncommon way. At one install i've gone as far as rerouting the ignition wires (not going to the dashboard). It's relay controlled and activated by a hidden switch to turn the ignition on, and i just utilize a push start switch. The ignition key's mainly there for show.
If you're considering an alarm system, save up and get a good one, like a 2 way alarm system. This allows your alarm to communicate with the transmitter and will inform you of the security status of your vw in real time. It usually has about a mile radius capability. These usually come with optional trigger sensors, like 2 stage microwave that adds an invinsible barrier around the car, tilt sensor that triggers the alarm incase someone tries to jack your car up, either to steal the wheels, or tow it. Cheap alarm systems are mere noise makers, and will inform you after the fact; car had already been broken into, since it relies only on door pin switches for trigger. There's so many ways to incorporate electronics for security in your ride as long as you're capable, or in the hands of a capable installer. Any alarm can be as effective, or as useless depending on how it's installed.
If you're into sound systems (like i am), keep security in mind when installing components. I use star key (or allen) screws to mount my amps and speakers down, and i take the extra effort to hide them so they're not in plain sight, yet still get good ventilation for the amps. If you have a speaker box behind the back seat, make sure to incorporate a speaker grill, preferably one that covers the whole baffle (like the home speakers) instead of the kind that covers individual woofers so they're not in plain view. The head unit can be installed in the glove box, but i prefer to use my ipod as a source unit, and keep the original ancient vw radio at the stock location. Nothing to see, nothing to steal.
Smoke Alarm Systems are great as well. It's a stand alone security system designed to fill your car's interior with thick odorless harmless smoke within seconds of activation to deter would be thieves away. Any thief will be startled seeing the car he broke into is full of smoke, and leave it alone since it's hard to see inside.
A locking steering wheel will be great; better yet a removable steering wheel will be ideal if you can find one. I also use a locking gear shift from Berg. I've installed darker tint on my windows so it's not easier to see inside in a glance. A fuel cut off switch is a must have on any vehicle. Besides providing a good cut off circuit for an alarm, it's also a safety feature incase of an accident, the fuel will be cut off as soon as the engine dies out.
Lastly, best security is common sense. Be aware of your surroundings where you park. Never leave valuables in plain view, like cell phones, cameras, laptops, etc. Don't give a burglar any excuse to break your windows, or target your ride. Hope this helps.
68AutoBugBeetle Restorer - Experience over 138\% - YIKES --
if looking for an alarm i highly recommend staying away from brant alarms. as mine died a week out of warranty and for a 500 buck alarm it cost me 600 to fix it. the company didnt even want to know about it apart for the money that they could charge me. there was no quote done before the repair it was just done and charge to me.
apart from that as the above advice there is not much more you can do as if they want it they will take it.
If your trying to amp up the security for when its parked at home...
i installed a bollard where i park the bug so it cant be driven out...
in terms of day to day stuff then it does depend on how crafty you want to be.
ie: take a few things out - rotor button, coil lead, coil...
one thing ive seen people use a few times in some of the less desireable areas of victoria is a wheel clamp.. yes takes up room and is heavy but if your parked somewhere they attract attention from passers by in the good sense...
i cant really comment on securing the cabin as with my bug if you want to get in it just undo some press studs and take off the roof
90% of the time i dont actually bother locking it... if they are going to get into it.. which they will id rather they do it without damaging anything.
bnicho wrote:If you have a tacho it's pretty easy to ground out the ignition with a hidden switch. Hence the car won't start, unless the thief disconnects the tacho wire.
A fuel cutoff solenoid sounds like a great idea, anyone got a link?
I've got that trick
my alarm immobilisor relay grounds the tach wire and with the number of relays in my bug noone would have the time to find which oone it is
although i havent tried it now, to worried about nuking my ECU or coil packs
the cutoff solenoids i got a lead on years ago
go to a caravan or gas supplies place
they use them on caravans for the LPG pipes
68AutoBugBeetle Restorer - Experience over 138\% - YIKES --
I have installed a pretty good item to slow them down a bit while I sneak up on them with a baseball bat.
I just adjust the driver's seat all the way forward and then attach a "Lubloy" 3/8" high tensile chain from the seat bar to the gearstick. The other chain is from the same bar to the steering wheel. One key for both and it takes about 30 seconds to attach and about 15 to remove.
Unless the thief carries a set of very good quality bolt cutters he/she is going to find it hard going. By that time they will probably have a pretty severe headache anyway.
but on a serious note a simple one is a battery isolater with a key. connect the mains cables and cover them, the back of the switch in epoxy resin so it can not be shorted across terminals. no power to anything.
1970 bug /1500 stock as a rock.
1976 standard bug ready to be modified 😁😁😁😁😁
68AutoBugBeetle Restorer - Experience over 138\% - YIKES --
Gazza265 wrote:I have installed a pretty good item to slow them down a bit while I sneak up on them with a baseball bat.
I just adjust the driver's seat all the way forward and then attach a "Lubloy" 3/8" high tensile chain from the seat bar to the gearstick. The other chain is from the same bar to the steering wheel. One key for both and it takes about 30 seconds to attach and about 15 to remove.
Unless the thief carries a set of very good quality bolt cutters he/she is going to find it hard going. By that time they will probably have a pretty severe headache anyway.
cheers
Very good solution....
My Wife didn't move the drivers seat back last week and I couldn't get in behind the wheel... lol
Lee
- Helping keep Air Cooled VWs on the road - location: SCONE in the Upper Hunter Valley - Northern NSW 320 kms NNW of SYDNEY---
thinker beat me to it! a big dog lol, make sure he is well and truely hungry and will launch at anything that comes in a 20 feet radius of the car lol, or in talladega nights i think they used a puma or some other big viscious kitty lol
when wil someone invent a device that dead locks the car shut if you dont press something within 5 seconds of opening the car and hgave a siren that goes off at around 120 to 150 db with lots of flashing lights inside the car?
lol, can just imagine the "thieves" thoughts when he is stuck in a car that is going bezerk!
seriously but is there a way to hook up 2 cameras one on the right hand side of the car facing the left hand side and one on the left facing the right both inside the cabin that gives direct feed to your computer at home? would be good with a motion sensor too lol
i have a a switch on the ignition lead to the coil hidden under the dash... this was mainly so i can listen to music when i'm workin on it and not melt my coil.. found out its very hard to start with the switch open too!!
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