Shift Gate Lock

Tillman... I think I remember seeing your car with one.
Like it?
Might not be a bad purchase. Curious to see the feedback of this thread.

 

www.ricambiamerica.com

 

I'm pretty sure the one I have is from Hill Engineering via Ricambi. I bought the slick shift gate and the gate lock at the same time. I can't recommend the slick shift (not enough value for the money for my taste), but the gate lock looks and feels good and works well. I don't think that it would stop a serious thief with a flatbed, but it's a good visual deterrent.

 

Agree about the gate lock (haven't tried the slick shift). I have Ricambi's/Hill Engineering gate lock on my 308 and it's a beautiful brushed aluminum piece. Actually I get compliments on it all the time. I think it works for the "everyday" thief but not one who is really determined (with a crowbar, if they really want to, they could break the whole thing I suppose, taking the shift gate and part of the console. They could also flat bed). If they want to, they can take your car.

That said, I think the gate lock is a good buy, it's not that expensive, it looks good, and it definitely provides some piece of mind when just tooling around town and not planning to be away from the car for long periods (or when parked in a public garage, where there is some supervision, because a thief would have to work pretty hard to break it.)

 

does it cover the top and bottom screws on the shift plate. if not then a screw driver solves the problem. i notice they are made of aluminum which is fine, however for a thief carrying a slide hammer. that whole assy will pop off with out any trouble.

it's mainly a visual deterent, most thieves will move to the next car with less time to snatch. but as always if they want your car they are going to get it.

 

oh, and if the guy stealing your car has a drill, per hill engineering 'pin lock is drill proof' he'd drill where the screws are on the shift plate and circumvent the whole thing.

 

Is it possible to have the lock in the 5th gear position instead of R? Would that be better for the car than leaving it in R?

 

Good question. Haven't tried that...
And I don't know if it's better/worse for the car... ANYONE??

 

it covers the screws...

 

I've had one for several years-got it from Ferrari of Atlanta IIRC; it's chrome-plated steel, covers the screws, is attractive and tough, and has a really cool pouch for storage. As others have said, it is probably only a visual deterrant but it's enough peace of mind to help with the usual paranoia attacks caused by leaving the car unattended...

 

I have the one from ultimate pedals. I would have bought the Hill version if I had known about it when I bought mine, but the ultimate pedals one is good too. There is a guy on this site who had his car stolen a few years ago and he had one. I can't remember if they pried it off, or if they flatbedded it, but he was PO'd that it didn't stop the thiefs. I use mine in conjunction with a steering wheel lock. But I think of it more as a vandalism deterrent (keeps someone from taking the car out of gear and rolling it) and a way to be sure that a kid in the car (I have a preschooler) can't get it out of gear so it rolls. It would of course also deter a casual crook because it would slow them down too much. A guy with tools and time can steal your car no matter what you do.

You would probably be better off to leave the car in Reverse rather than 5th because the gear ratio works more to your advantage in a lower gear. In 5th, it is easier to turn the engine by rolling the car than in reverse. Just my opinion.


Birdman

 

I use a Hill gate lock in my car every single day. Will it stop a determined, professional thief? No.... they can steal anything. Will it stop the casual jackass and joyrider? Yes.

I do not believe you can lock in Reverse... I tried this a few months ago for a prospective customer, and the push-down "feature" seemed to interfere with the Gate Lock's mechanism. I leave my car locked in first.

http://www.ricambiamerica.com/product_info.php?products_id=224407

Buy it today, have it by the time you go for Starbucks coffee on Saturday morning...



But wait.... there's more....


Buy one today, and I'll include your choice of:

1. Madonna's greatest hits, on CD

or

2. A few Ferrari stickers, at no charge.


Now, how much you would pay for all this?


.


Hey ginsuguy, I'm learning!

 

Unless the actual unit is different from the one pictured on your site, with a 3x8 shift pattern, your choice is reverse or 5th.

Birdman

 

I have the one from Italian Car Parts. It works fine in both R and 5th position.

 

but isn't the weak point the screws on the gate? So shouldn't the lock kit really include some beefier bolts with some kind of reinforced plate backing to at least really slow a "pry and pop" thief from defeating this....has anyone done this extra mod.....

Also, I saw but forgot wear...a lock that fits across teh pedals with a bar that jams the pedals agains teh floor so you cant push i the clutch...anythoughts on that....or where it can be found..it was for a 308 and nicely engineered..

p.s. when I asked Vinny at Elite his thoughts on car alarm for ferrari...his thoughts were simple....let 'em steal it and take the insurance money and put it down on a younger car 355, 365 etc. he thought any electronic alarm would just screw-up the electrics, I always heard the LoJack was good but was told that often you really are better off not getting your car back after a theft , esp an exotic.

 

I would go along with the reasoning of letting them steal it. I started out at 17 years old with a Convertible, and always locked the car. One day the top was in ribbons. If you lock your car they will break a window. If you lock the shifter they will crowbar the plate off. Every car I ever see that was stolen you wouldnt really ever want back. Locked steering columns get axed apart, and interiors get cut up looking for electronics or a LoJack. I dont think its worth it.

I feel the best way to look at this is how you would own, drive, and preserve something like say, a 166MM, or a 250 GTO. Those cars have neither an ignition key, nor door locks. You just have to park in secure areas, and keep your eye on it.

IMO the best deterent is a hidden switch to deactivate either the fuel pump or the ignition. The fuel pump on a carbed car would be best as the car will still start and run long enough to make it half a block. When it conks out in the middle of the street, the would be thief will run off and you may get your car back unharmed. Most thiefs probably have no clue how a carbed car works anymore anyway. Some type of timed shutoff would work on the later cars. Especially if were wired into the air horn and turned it on after about 30 seconds at the same time it killed the engine, and wouldnt stop for several minutes or until deactivated.

 

of leaving a hungry and loyal pitbull or shepard on the passenger seat is now outlawed in most states as it is illegal ( inhumane) to leave a dog locked in a parked car (esp. on hot days)...only damage is wiping up drool.

 

The 308 here has power cutoff (per SCCA rules) and also the Gatelock. But in the end none of that means diddley. If someone wants to steal the car they can. Heck, i have a flatbed trailer and powered winch capable of pulling over 4k lbs easily so can drag a car on my trailer and away i go.

Agree with others the Gatelock is a good visual for wannbee thieves and keeps kids from moving the level when you are at shows and let them sit in the car. Lojack is ok, but that can easily be defeated if you know how. Will not post or PM how, but trust me, it aint THAT hard.

 

Leave some tune up repair invoices in the seat...they'll read those......cr@p their pants and go back to jacking corvettes....

 

ROFL!

 

change the timing belts....the theif pulls away and drives it like he stole it and has a catastrophic engine failure and you get new engine rebuild (that hot 4.0 powerplant) 'ala the good hands people