How do you secure your old VW ? (6 volt)

Hey everyone,

So my first bug arrives in a week or so, and high on my list of concerns is security for the car, I live in Sydney, I already have full comprehensive insurance for it with Shannons, but I want to take what ever extra measures I can to prevent it from going missing.

Its a 6 volt system , so I figure its going to be hard to get an alarm system fitted , I was thinking of getting a steering lock , but for every advert I have seen for these I have seen an equal amount of videos about how to get them off without a key.

I came across this one today, Gear Shift Lock, Seems like a bargain at that price, Has anyone used one of these before ? Do they work ?

http://www.wolfsburgwest.com/cart/DetailsList.cfm?ID=ZVW36

Interested to hear peoples thoughts or advice on the best security for an old car.

Cheers.. Ben.

My grandfather does this in his old 62' fairlane, he just takes the dissy rotor out and puts it in his pocket.

On a bug, its simply 2 clips you can take off with ur keys, slide off the rotor and put it in the pocket and 'presto!' The car is disabled 🙂. and when u return to the car, pop off the dissy cap again, push on the rotor and refit the cap and be on your way 🙂

I doubt in 2010 that car thieves carry 40+ yr old vw dissy rotors spare in their pocket. and its not like you can mock something up quick to nick off with the car. It would completley disable ignition. 👍

the other option is some form of physical fuel cutoff. You can buy electronic operated valves you can open and close with a switch (a switch that you could hide as a kill switch somewhere)... but the only places i have seen with those are irrigation shops, and unless its made out of some metal with seals that are fuel resistant (normal rubber won't do), then they are no good.

the idea is to self 'sabotage' with an easy fix that only you know of. padlock for ur accelerator pedal for example lol, or take the steering wheel with you... A handbrake lock requiring a key to 'disengage the handbrake' would be a mad idea.

All of which aren't 100% theft proof, but help...

i have used a keyed fuel tap that shuts of the fuel to the motor, but leaves just enough to start driving the car but when it runs out they are usually stranded in the street and don't hang around trying to get it started has worked great for my brother in law.
we were sitting apub when his car drives past ,and ran out of fuel right in the main street ,they ran leaving the car in the mail street with no damage

Go to a boat shop and buy a battery isolator switch with key, get a sparky to install or pm me for a detailed description. Once you lock that isolator switch, power is shut off period!! even if some one opened your engine lid and put a wire from your generator positive post to your coil and tried to push start your dub, well, it just wont go !! Only down side is if you have a working 6V clock 🤪 removing rotor is a bloody good idea, just dont loose the rotor cheers Frank

benjicon wrote:Hey everyone,

So my first bug arrives in a week or so, and high on my list of concerns is security for the car, I live in Sydney, I already have full comprehensive insurance for it with Shannons, but I want to take what ever extra measures I can to prevent it from going missing.

Its a 6 volt system , so I figure its going to be hard to get an alarm system fitted , I was thinking of getting a steering lock , but for every advert I have seen for these I have seen an equal amount of videos about how to get them off without a key.

I came across this one today, Gear Shift Lock, Seems like a bargain at that price, Has anyone used one of these before ? Do they work ?

http://www.wolfsburgwest.com/cart/DetailsList.cfm?ID=ZVW36

Interested to hear peoples thoughts or advice on the best security for an old car.

Cheers.. Ben.

Hi Ben
not much difference between an old beetle and a 68-76 beetle apart from 12 volts..
and there maybe alarms out there that will work from 6 to 24 volts??

I would find taking the distributor rotor out every day to drive Me crazy.. lol

taking the coil lead would be easier..
just make sure the lead is a wire one... and not silicon etc..
the wire ones last just about forever..
the silicon ones can be broken inside by bending them...
even when new...

its odd, I've never seen a removeable gearshifter.... lol

or a handbrake You can pull on then take with You..?? lol

but You can buy gearshifter locks... locks with a key..

I believe the steering wheel type device would stop many casual thieves.... ??

cheers

LEE

Fit an early fuel tap and turn it off when you park,also fit a battery cut out as Volsair suggested,an earth switch to the primary coil lead or a cut out switch.or you can lock it in the shed and not use it.(just kidding) Cheers Les. The primary cut out works for me.

You can run a discrete wire from the neg. side of the coil to a hidden switch, then earth the other terminal on said switch, the car will not start.
If the tea leaf(s) can't spot the wire (best to tap-in away from the coil terminal), they won't waste their time.
Just be sure to inform service personnel, in case it gets activated by accident.

Hey guys,

Thanks for all the ideas, Ideally I'd like a solution thats reasonably convenient so a hidden switch of some kind would be perfect. I think for the immediate future I'll just disable the dizzy.

Thanks again.

Install a battery isolation switch, and remove the plastic key when you leave the car.

Take a Rottweiler with you and leave it in the car. Works on any voltage.

cam070 wrote:Take a Rottweiler with you and leave it in the car. Works on any voltage.

Yeah Rotties don't mess around,the only problem is how to get the blood and guts off the seat trims,not good for cloth upholstery.😂😂😂

Many years back here in Geelong, A blokes car was pinched from out of his driveway, next morning it was found half way up his street, drivers door wide open. He had a pet python that he would leave over night in the car ( not as a theft deterrent) the snake liked sleeping under the seat and when the owner would hop in of a morning, the snake would pop its head on the seat next to the owner!! snake was still in car, motor still running.

I fitted a big brightly coloured lock up cable from a motorcycle to my buggy.

Nowadays most motorcycle lock up cables form a big loop with a special lock on the ends and would not be suitable. If you can't buy one with loops on each end get one made by a yacht chandler. Take them some brightly coloured plastic tube to add to the cable.

One end of the cable was looped around the passenger's seat frame and the other end was wrapped around the steering wheel, in a full lock position and then secured with a big padlock. The cable was a bit long and by the time it was wrapped around the steering wheel there was a big tangle of brightly coloured cable on the steering wheel.

It was easily seen and I'm sure acted as a deterrent.

I also fitted a fuel cut out switch. It's a 12 volt car.

Here in WA an immobiliser is compulsory on all cars after a certain date. If you can get a 6 volt one, I'd recommend it.

I've heard of brake immobilisers that you set by pushing on the brake pedal and a mechanism locks all the wheel's brakes on. I assume that a key controls it.

benjicon wrote:I came across this one today, Gear Shift Lock, Seems like a bargain at that price, Has anyone used one of these before ? Do they work ?

http://www.wolfsburgwest.com/cart/DetailsList.cfm?ID=ZVW36

Hi Ben,

I have used one of these shift locks on my '63 Beetle and they work great. I know this from 1st hand experience when I lost the keys whilst out and about one day - even the local locksmith couldn't pick it - had to get a lift home to get the spares. Well work the money.... and a cool accessory too! 😀 Just put the car in gear (I use 1st) and turn the key. Even if they do get it started it will be the slowest get-away you have ever seen! 😂

All of the other ideas are worth looking into - most modern immobilisers eliminate both fuel and power to the engine, making the car impossible to start quickly - but the chances of finding an immobiliser that works on 6 volt is almost non-existent.

Probably best to use a visible deterrent and some sort of hard-to-get-around-quickly hidden system that will stop the engine from starting easily.

My Dad used to have a system set-up on his factory black '65 bug that he owned in the 70's that somehow connected the power from the interior light and ignition switch to the horn, so when either the door was opened or the ignition was switched on the horn would sound continuously until Dad 'dis-armed' it. Worked great, but didn't stop them smashing the window and stealing his leather jacket of the passenger seat 😬

My brother actually uses the Rottweiler on the back seat system from time to time - works great, and gets some hilarious reactions from people that notice that the car is parked, windows down, keys in the ignition with no-one around... and a large black dangerous looking dog blending into the black vinyl on the back seat! 😀

Simply making your car less attractive to a thief than the next one in the line will go a long way to stopping it from being stolen... but if they really want it... 😠

R 🙂

Thanks Rossco,

Good to hear from someone who has actually used one of the WW Shift locks, they sound like the business from all reports I have read. With the Aussie dollar stays up around 90c to the US$ ... I think I'll have to make an order soon..

Thanks again.

My son had a switch on the ignition wire (Suzie 4x4), thing was the top of the switch was the head of a small bolt alongside the drivers seat, unless you knew where it was and that there shouldn't be a bolt there,then you couldn't "switch" it, wire from the ignition was hidden in the body work.

install a magneto with switched earth wire, works every time , looks super cool, gives a hot spark and drives doof doof boys crazy when you pull up next to them.......hahaha

ratty 63 wrote:

benjicon wrote:I came across this one today, Gear Shift Lock, Seems like a bargain at that price, Has anyone used one of these before ? Do they work ?

http://www.wolfsburgwest.com/cart/DetailsList.cfm?ID=ZVW36

Hi Ben,

I have used one of these shift locks on my '63 Beetle and they work great. I know this from 1st hand experience when I lost the keys whilst out and about one day - even the local locksmith couldn't pick it - had to get a lift home to get the spares. Well work the money.... and a cool accessory too! 😀 Just put the car in gear (I use 1st) and turn the key. Even if they do get it started it will be the slowest get-away you have ever seen! 😂


My Dad used to have a system set-up on his factory black '65 bug that he owned in the 70's that somehow connected the power from the interior light and ignition switch to the horn, so when either the door was opened or the ignition was switched on the horn would sound continuously until Dad 'dis-armed' it. Worked great, but didn't stop them smashing the window and stealing his leather jacket of the passenger seat 😬

Simply making your car less attractive to a thief than the next one in the line will go a long way to stopping it from being stolen... but if they really want it... 😠

R 🙂

I wasn't sure how good the gear locks were...
there was one at Valla...
I may have bought it if I had known that it locked in a gear..
I thought maybe in neutral???
and My auto WILL start in Neutral... lol

really depends on the thief...
Car thief ..??
steal anything inside thief ??
just want to sell anything they can get inside the car??

First one is fairly easy unless He has a tilt tray truck...

but You cannot stop anyone from smashing windows etc...

LEE

ratty63

the alarm Your Dad had is the same as the one on the last years beetles made in Mexico...
they also had a switch under the engine lid...
along with another VW horn... lol
key switch in front of the top hinge...

I used to use a similar system using sirens etc.. but had to go modern in later years when the law said the alarm couldn't sound for longer than 30 seconds ???

LEE


PS: I have always wanted to put the alarm siren inside the car
so it will stop anyone getting inside the car.... when it wasd sounding.. allso not so loud for neighbours... but have always thought what if it goes off when driving the car...?
could I stop before I went deaf??? LEE