Jim,
I know you spend a lot more under the hood time than I do. Aren't you afriad that if something goes wrong, you may not be able to get it started or even get under the hood to see what is going on? The kill switch sounds like a real good thing but man, I would be VERY leary of the hood lock. I have heard tooo many horror storys about having to get the hood open on a C3 if the normal release fails.....GOD only knows what will happen with an electric release. GOOD LUCK to ya. You're braver than I am. Maybe a good handle for you would be "Brave Vette" ( you know I'm only kidding....don't you )

Glenn,

The hood lock is mechanical, not electric. The same switch does disable the spark, but not the starter. So as long as I keep the locking mechanism cable lubed I'm not too worried about it not letting me get under the hood. I'm more worried about some bozo trying to force their way into the car. So rather than having a top slashed, windows broken, or door locks jimmyed I just leave the car unlocked with the disable/lock engaged. There really isn't any safe place, of any size anyway, to leave any valuables in a droptop so I try not to do that.

This might even fall into the "Dumbest Thing I've ever done" thread, but I've caught myself getting into the car, putting the key into the ignition, and wondering why the dang thing won't start...!?! Then it dawns on me - I forgot to unlock the darn switch...!!! By then I've got a flooded engine and egg on my face!


Jim O.

That's ok, egg is good protien, just watch you don't do it too often, your cholesterol level will get too high. I don't lock mine either, mainly because th elocks work but don't work great ( ya know how that is ). I do carry a bunch of stuff in the back though......oh well, that is what straight street tags and street insurance is for.

|QUOTE|Norsky said: Glenn,

The hood lock is mechanical, not electric. The same switch does disable the spark, but not the starter. So as long as I keep the locking mechanism cable lubed I'm not too worried about it not letting me get under the hood. I'm more worried about some bozo trying to force their way into the car. So rather than having a top slashed, windows broken, or door locks jimmyed I just leave the car unlocked with the disable/lock engaged. There really isn't any safe place, of any size anyway, to leave any valuables in a droptop so I try not to do that.

This might even fall into the "Dumbest Thing I've ever done" thread, but I've caught myself getting into the car, putting the key into the ignition, and wondering why the dang thing won't start...!?! Then it dawns on me - I forgot to unlock the darn switch...!!! By then I've got a flooded engine and egg on my face!


Jim O.|/QUOTE|

The more I think about it, the more I believe that I will install a disabelling switch on mine. A couple of days ago, I was out riding around, and decided to stop at the Moose for a quick one , and I was worried about my vette the whole time I was in there. Sometimes there are kids running around the parking lot there, and you know how kids are... The really bad thing about it is, you can't see the parking lot from the "Social Room"

|UPDATED|6/11/2002 9:58:28 PM|/UPDATED|

I am not so worried about somone stealing the car ( been there and done that ) as I am about some malcontent keying it or slicing open the soft top. Kids today seem to be much more uncaring about other people's property than they were when these cars were new. I got an alarm with the car when I bought it ( forget the name of it ) but it has a proximity setting. You can adjust it so if someone gets within a few inches of the car it goes of or you can tighten the area so they actually have to put their hand inside the window. Never did hook it up. Now with the garage.....sigh, now the list is up to about 918 items to do
Did any of you ever have the pleasure of pulling into a parking space and having the exhaust pressure from your sidepipes set off the alarm on one of these expensive imports? Let me tell ya, it is a trip.

|QUOTE|glenns said:
Did any of you ever have the pleasure of pulling into a parking space and having the exhaust pressure from your sidepipes set off the alarm on one of these expensive imports? Let me tell ya, it is a trip. |/QUOTE|


THAT is too funny!!!!! Gonna have to try THAT!!!!!!

|QUOTE|glenns said: I am not so worried about somone stealing the car ( been there and done that ) as I am about some malcontent keying it or slicing open the soft top. Kids today seem to be much more uncaring about other people's property than they were when these cars were new. I got an alarm with the car when I bought it ( forget the name of it ) but it has a proximity setting. You can adjust it so if someone gets within a few inches of the car it goes of or you can tighten the area so they actually have to put their hand inside the window. Never did hook it up. Now with the garage.....sigh, now the list is up to about 918 items to do
Did any of you ever have the pleasure of pulling into a parking space and having the exhaust pressure from your sidepipes set off the alarm on one of these expensive imports? Let me tell ya, it is a trip. |/QUOTE|

Years ago, a good friend of mine had a 66or 67 vette 327 350 hp, with side pipes. Those things were really loud. I don't know how he got by without getting a ticket. I'll bet he wishes he had that one back. I'm sure it would be worth a couple of bucks

Being an long time computer geek I have a couple of the old "keyboard locks" that came with 286 PC and the like(1980s....wow...). I'm seriously considering wiring the lock into my ignition, so not only do I have to have the starter key, but I also have to turn the key in the lock under the dash. Might make it harder to steal(I hope). Just a thought, as it would be quite cheap and even more simple.

Scot

I had forgotten about those old PC locks, but that's exactly what the key looks like that unlocks the ignition disable/hood lock switch that is installed in "The Toy".


Jim O.

One last cheap thing you can do for protection. "They" sell battery disconnect "switches" that open up the hot ( or ground ) side of the battery by loosining a knob. If you continue to unthread the knob, it will come off in your fingers. Just put it in your pocket and when you are ready to drive again, just thread it back on. Of course we must be reasonable and realistic about this whole thing. If someone is really out looking for a car, they are gonna get it, period. You are not gonna stop a professional thief from getting your Vette. All they have to do is grab it with a tow truck and drive it into a trailer and scoot on down the highway. I think that is how they got my '74, at least that is what the police said.