Morris Minor Owners Club

I have just bought a 1962 2 door saloon which has no security apart from thr drivers door lock. I know there is a article in Technical Tips, but I would like to hear from more experienced owners on what protection they use to keep their pride and joy safe. Steve

A secret fuel pump cut off switch is always a good start, so that if somebody steals it they won't leave the end of the road before the run out of petrol.

Surely there must be a safer locking mechanism that can be fitted to the doors rather than the standard locks, anybody?

Door locks not very good!
Visible steering wheel lock as a deterent, I also have a Scorpion alarm fitted (£50) which has a shock sensor, bonnet/boot switches and because I have no interior light switches on door opening, I have 2 ultrasonic sensors within the interior.
When armed a flashing led is visible on dash top.

[quote="alanworland"]Door locks not very good!
Visible steering wheel lock as a deterent, Which steering lock do you use, I have a Stoplock which I used in modern cars, but its to big for the original steering wheel it flaps all over the place. Regards Steve

i have put a pump swtch on mine works very well as i know to my cost i never remember how i left it on or off but i do know how far it goes before it stops any door lock willnot keep them out , emoberlizer switch may stop them taking it. those who get there morris pinched very few get them back, amy did get hers but it seems it was quite badly damaged im sure even if they do get it back it will never be the same again, i dont know why they seem to target the morris,,do they also target other marks of classic,,,grandad

I got my steering wheel lock from ebay, about a tenner I think.
Its the sort that you 'pull open/apart' in the wheel, could be a bit tighter but it would still require a bit of bending to enable the steering wheel to be turned.
The Morris has quite a large diameter wheel with a skinny rim compared to a more modern wheel.

All you can hope to do is to make them walk on and look for an easier target! The wheel lock may do that - or it may be seen as a challenge! Fuel pump secret switch is very effective - car starts and runs - then splutters to a halt 50 yds down the street. Hopefully they run away - but always the risk they may 'trash' it.

We need our cars charged to a high voltage - touch it - your dead!

Surely there must be a safer locking mechanism that can be fitted to the doors rather than the standard locks, anybody?

There used to be some more secure barrels available at one time but I havent seen them in a while.

I use a steering lock and a wheel clamp overnight if I'm feeling extra paranoid

And my old man parks his car right up the backside of the moggy so it shouldn't be going anywhere

I have a clamp that fits over the clutch pedal with a padlock through it.

Rog

i have a adaptor to the batt that easy to take one side off and fit a cover with a lock on it , steering wheel lock old type and dead locks on the bottom of the doors
but if they want the car they will take it
i had a trailer box type i had one wheel in the garage they took that and no one see a thing funny that

i have the fuel switch,the steering lock and a battery safe.it is a clamop that fots on the neg terminal of the battery.it has a plastic nut that you take out when you leave the car,the engine wont turn over.simple about a tenner.

I've got a Disclok, a few different types of immobiliser, and I'm marking the van invisibly all over with SelectaDNA (http://www.selectadna.co.uk) in case it does get nicked.

Here's hoping

At least yours should be recognized with the paintwork

Thanks to all for your suggestions, I will fit a petrol pump cut off switch and get a decent crook lock. Regards Steve

A very worn door lock is close to useless. A new lock barrel is a good start! It is actually quite difficult to pick a new lock.
However the thugs can break the windows and the proffessionals can bypass most simple security, so if you never leave stuff on the seats and make it hard to get the car away if it is broken into then you're going to avoid most car criminals and jokers.

[i]"At least yours should be recognized with the paintwork" [/i]

Dont be so sure!! A number of years ago a friend of mine had his customised capri stolen from outside his place of work. As the police station was just around the corner he shot around to tell them it had just been stolen so could they get the officers to look out for it. He duly went through the description - pearlesant white paintwork with blue flames on it - widebody kit - 10x13 inch wheels - blue vynil roof - whaletail spoiler - dark tinted windows - v8 engine so sounded amazing and LOUD! After going through all this the desk officer than asked, So has it got any disinguishing marks or an ariel!!!! True story!!
We did eventually find it later on in the evening, burnt out with 3 of the wheels missing, by the state of the one they had left on the others must have been wrecked, looked as though they had used a chisel to shear off the locking wheel nuts. 2yrs of hard work and thousands of pounds gone in an afternoon!

croft wrote: We did eventually find it later on in the evening, burnt out with 3 of the wheels missing, by the state of the one they had left on the others must have been wrecked, looked as though they had used a chisel to shear off the locking wheel nuts. 2yrs of hard work and thousands of pounds gone in an afternoon!

That's my worst nightmare

Just out of interest wibble puppy, have you declaired or shown your insurance company your paintwork? My friend lost out because he didnt declare the work he had done on it. That was over 20yrs ago when insurance companys didnt seem to quibble over everything as much as they do now! He learnt his lesson and now declares Everything even down to different tyres on his latest car!!!