Morris Minor Owners Club

Hello everyone,

Some nice people tried to take my Minor Van last night!

They got in the back doors, released the hand brake, pushed him backwards off the drive onto the road. Handily, we heard the starter motor turn from indoors. He obviously didn't want to go as he didn't start on the button for them as he usually does for me.

The would be thieves legged it when they saw we had rumbled them. This was only about ten o'clock.

Please make sure that your moggy is well secured. It's easy to forget sometimes. The cover was off mine last night too.

Has anyone found an effective wheel clamp? Most seem to be designed for wider wheels.

Also, we are now looking at a collapsible post for the drive. Can anyone recommend one?

Thanks

Bungo

Oh dear, good job you were on the ball.
You can buy a post that retracts into the ground, not cheap and you have to dig a deep hole and refill with concrete. No way they will get passed it without a petrol disc cutter but you will hear that no problem and it takes some time too.

Scumbags
I use a Disc-lock on the steering wheel, a good visual deterrent and, without the keys, you would need a disc cutter to get one off too.

Have you looked at ones for trailers they generally still have fairly narrow wheels.

And be sure to fit a 'secret switch' urgently.....and perhaps park with the rear doors tight to a solid structure.... amazing (and lucky..) they didn't think to 'silently' push start it....

Just remembered my SAS Caravan wheel clamp that fitted a 165x13 quite easily and tried it on Bertie's 155x14. Fits quite well and would be a deterrent though I wouldn't want to carry it around all the time. It is tightened over a wheel nut using an Allen key and a lock is inserted in the hole to prevent a thief releasing it. See photo.
These clamps are available second hand as caravaners tend to be moving towards alloy wheels now.[frame][/frame]

Bungo,
Sorry to hear of the attempted "taking and driving away". Shame you didn't have a garden rake to hand to pummel their sculls with (then dump in river or canal)
Trust you have reported this to your local plod to get it "on the record"?
After the spate of reported thefts, earlier in the year, I bought a Barracuda wheel clamp (ex-Camper) from eBay for my Traveller[frame][/frame]
Not a great picture, but a virtually new clamp - just had to add the quality padlock.
This clamp had not been messed with and came with all the adjuster bolts (hex headed) and the correct Allen Key.
After getting my 4-door, I got another one (again from fleabay)[frame][/frame]
but this one wasn't as "clean" and some bright spark had welded over the Hex headed bolts so that you cannot take them out to adjust width!
Welding over was totally unneccessary as you cannot get an Allen key (of any bend shape) between the tyre and the bolt head (unless you cut the tyre off, but then the car becomes undrivable).
As it happens, it fits a 155x14 tyre quite well (what came fitted on the car). These Baracuda clamps are width adjustable (when not adulterated) and, as you can see in the photo, it has a coverplate that stops anyone removing the hub cap and the road wheel nuts/bolts underneath.
To remove would require a petrol angle-grinder - large bolt cropper to take of the padlock won't fit in the ironwork frame.
The cars also have a "secret switch" and steering wheel/clutch pedal locking devices.

Thanks to everyone who has replied about this.

Got 'nice' collapsible metal post at end of drive now. Ugly but effective.

Still deciding on exactly what sort of kill switch to do.......