Shifter gate shootout; attn. shifter gate lock manufacturers

Don't want to be critical of your idea but "one locksmith in Omaha" hardly sounds like a scientific validation of the lock quality. No business in their right mind would participate - contact Consumer Report and lobby for them to do an evaluation, then the results may actually be meaningful.

 

Dave,

I understand your frustration, but what's in it for the lock manufacturers? Nothing, I'd venture, at least for the losing ones. So why do it? I suspect they would not. If you are looking for a good lock that will keep thieves from grabbing your car again, basically forget about it. All you can do is slow them down a bit. A determined thief will get your car no matter what you do. I'm convinced that the shift lock only deters the kids/joy riders. For them, just seeing it there is enough to get them to walk away and try something easier. If not, they are going to defeat it anyway. A pro thief will get it if he really wants it, lock or no lock.

I've thought about this a bit. I think the money is better spent on an ignition kill switch. If the car won't start (i.e., turns over but doesn't start), any thief will leave it rather than take the time to try to figure it out. The only way the car disappears is if they tow it. And no amount of "protection" will stop them from doing that. So save your money on the locks and let's figure out how to install an effective ignition kill switch.

 

The results from this test would be interesting, but I think you would have to simply buy the locks and test them. If you can't return the ones you don't want, just sell them on eBay.

To make the results for meaningful, I would actually have two different locksmiths examine the locks and see if their assessments agree. It can't be that hard to find competent locksmiths.

I agree that a shifter lock is not going to stop a determined thief. I worry much more about vandalism than theft. (Someone keying my car, or popping it into neutral and giving it a push). The shifter lock just makes sure the car stays in gear so it can't be accidentally or deliberately rolled from where I parked it by a prankster or someone just sitting in the car at a car show and accidentally moving the lever.

Birdman

 

Huh?

 

Just an FYI for everone, but the winch on a roll back flat bed tow truck, can drag a 1 ton dually diesel pickup truck locked in gear and in for wheel drive right up onto the bed with the wheels dragging. It dont even grunt. It would have no trouble at all dragging your Ferrari up the bed even if the brakes were locked. If you truely dont want your car stolen, dont leave it anywhere un attended. Just pretend its a 1953 Ferrari 166 MM in pristine condition. If you leave it with any access to the front or rear, it can be gone. Heck, they can always drag it around with the winch and then yank it up the ramp.

Dave, hows your car coming along, you get it fixed up again?

 

The three I'm aware of are:

Ultimate Pedals
Paul Hill Engineering
ItalianCarParts.com

Italian Car Parts was the first to offer such a gadget. Ultimate Pedals came next, then Hill Eng. As much as I like Rob and Ultimate Pedals, I think Paul at Hill Engineering makes a better tubular lockmodel. I personally have and like and use the old Gate Vault from Charles at Italian Car Parts (www.italiancarparts.com/accessories/shiftknobs_pedalpads_gatevault.html.

 

Somebody has too much time on his hands.

 

I'll curious about the result.

And Dave: keep it short.

 

I can't imagine that it would be very easy to pick my shift lock only because it fits so tightly. I don't think someone would just happen to have a tension tool on them at that moment that would be strong enough to turn it.

 

The thief that trys to steal your car is gonna quit the profession after the attempt! or at least quit with Ferraris!

 

Dave, and anyone else interested, I have had some thoughts on this stuff over the years as well, though I hate the idea of making my car hard to deal with my ownself. I guess I try to think what I would do if I owned something like a '53 166MM, guess I'd have to keep it original and just not leave it in any old place where someone could mess with it or sneak it away. But, heres some ideas some of you may or may not have considered.

I know from looking at this that car thieves will cut the battery cable to keep a car from making noise, if you locate the siren in a hard to reach area. However, the battery on a Ferrari is hard to reach. But one way around that is a motorcycle battery in a hiden spot, wired into the electrical system through a relayed ignition wire, so its isolated if they short the battery. The motorcycle battery stays charged when the car runs, and if the alarm is tripped, sounds the siren. The siren is encased in a steel box welded to a frame rail, and the wire ran through the rail. The box is open facing the road, in the middle of the car, making it very hard to silence.

Another idea is a hidden hydraulic lock for the brakes to lock all four wheels.

You could get a steering wheel coupler and remove your steering wheel when you leave the car.

You can use a remote mounted toggle switch to cut the ignition power wire to the coils.

Lo-Jack could be a good idea in some cases.

But perhaps in the end, it may be best to just treat the car as a valuable peice of art, your own '53 166MM, and never let it out of your sight.

 

What is a "Lo-Jack"? I have never heard of it.

 

www.google.com

 

It's basically a GPS system that allows you (or the LoJack service or the police) to locate a stolen car. It doesn't actually broadcast until/unless you report your car as stolen. See www.lojack.com

 

Any update on the great shift lock debate?

It's not that I'm planning to park the car on the Mexican border or anything, but with the top off I can see how joyriders could just push start it. Was thinking about the Hill Engineering lock...

 

I have the Hill lock and the Club. I've read that freon can freeze the assembly of any lock and then one hit with a hammer makes it shatter. All you can do is slow them down, if they really want your car they will car-jack you.

 

Dave, you might be interested in the MI 6 Anti-Theft Device:
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Classic!!!!