Morris Minor Owners Club

Anyone got any advice to give on steering locks, wheel clamps etc? Which is best etc?
Also are better key locks available for Minors?

cheers N
(Also on the Dark Side....)

No point Neil they will just smash a window if they want in. Most effective of all is a secret switch for the fuel pump - and possibly a very obvious steering wheel lock.

I use a Disc Lock, very obvious from the outside and, unless you have the keys, you will need a disc cutter to get it off. That coupled with a decent alarm, with flashing LED, will hopefully deter most thieves. The secret switch is also a great idea, backs up the alarm/immobiliser.

The stop lock pro is lighter and easier to fit than the disk lock. I think both are Thatchem 3 approved. As an alternative to the fuel pump secret off switch, or additional to it, you could also consider a switch which breaks the earth to the battery.

My convertible had a secret dubrey whatsit under the whassaname which simply earthed the doo-dah. One wire from the CB terminal through the dubrey to earth. Just by-passed the DST105's.

SteveClem wrote:The stop lock pro is lighter and easier to fit than the disk lock. I think both are Thatchem 3 approved. As an alternative to the fuel pump secret off switch, or additional to it, you could also consider a switch which breaks the earth to the battery.

I've got to admit the large Disc Lock is a heavy lump of kit

I keep removing the steering lock and forgetting to thingy my wotsits so the engine splutters after a few hundred yards. I aim to fit a thingamy to gently remind me/ deter the enthusiastic thief. I was keen to fit a tracking device, which is about £30 on Ebay, but noticed that wotsits were even less than £30!
John
Any better?

Don't some folk use a cheap hidden mobile phone as a cheap tracker alternative?

The trackers on Ebay are as cheap and could be hidden in the wheresits. With a basic SIM with no monthly charge they can be traced from a smart phone and do all sorts of tricks (even listening in to what the thieves are saying!). Bit pointless though if the thieves use a jammer(?).

My Dad's Traveller had a secret fuel pump cut off. Simple but brilliant, and knowing where it was, we had great fun as kids making Dad think he'd run out of fuel!

PS Remember these forum posts can be read by anyone, not just members.

Which is why the fact that two of you have just told the thieves exactly what the 'secret switch' does is particularly stupid..... Hopefully you will modify your posts....

well not exactly rocket science
and any way most classics are hitched onto a low loader, and the thieves dress as mechanics
what we have to do here is deter the chancers

bmcecosse wrote:Which is why the fact that two of you have just told the thieves exactly what the 'secret switch' does is particularly stupid..... Hopefully you will modify your posts....

Really don't think anything said gives too much away. Proper thieves know all this anyway. Best any of us can do is deter the casual tea leaf.

Ah but do they know about the curved knives that come out of the seat back if your DNA isn't match for the sensors on the steering wheel

Suitably chastised posts now edited so whosit won't know his wotsits from his wheresits. (Probably need to be from Stoke-on-Trent to understand this).

bmcecosse wrote:Which is why the fact that two of you have just told the thieves exactly what the 'secret switch' does is particularly stupid..... Hopefully you will modify your posts....

The location of the switches is the critical thing, not what they do. I think most of our cars are at risk from joyriders who are basically thick and don't know how to start the cars anyway. One of our branch members had his 2 door minor broken into last weekend. They jemmied the door frame (breaking the glass) smashed into the passenger glove box trying to get to the back of the ignition switch, failed to hot wire it and gave up! There was no secret switch on his car, but they were clearly not in possession of the vital knowledge of (a) how to open the bonnet and (b) how to run a wire from the ****** to the ***** to start the engine). By the way, I have fitted a tracker in my Traveller. It is hidden in the ********* ***.

My Dad's doodah had a secret thing thingamy thing. Simple but brilliant, and knowing where it was, we had great fun as kids making Dad think he'd run out of wotsit!

Get an etching kit and etch your windows, this wont stop break ins but helps deter the serious thief bent on cloning or breaking your car.
Cost around £25.00.
Ditto the disklok, and switches.

Does a large Disklok fit all types of Minor steering wheel?

I had one fitted to my '71 traveller and have now changed the steering wheel to the earlier three spoke type, fits that one too.