The 'E' Type Forum

A really nice series 1 ots in the carpark at the members meet ,...... very very nice car . But come on guys with the increase in classic car theft do you really need to leave such a nice car to it's fate . Even With a simple Philips screwdriver some scumbag could steal various expensive parts from this beauty

I do understand your point, but if we spend our lives trying to avoid these scumbags, we'd never go anywhere or use our cars. Putting the hood up isn't a deterrent, too easy for a thief to take down or get in and do their handywork. So do we leave the car at home? Difficult one, but sometimes you have to enjoy things and hope for the best is my view. I know others don't share that!

I fully agree, Malcolm. Like most of us, I didn't buy my E to stand and admire it in the garage (although I do my share of that, for sure). The real enjoyment for me comes in driving it and sharing the joy with others who, in my opinion, are not so fortunate. That is not to say that I don't have a healthy degree of paranoia of someone stealing it or otherwise damaging the car. That's what insurance is for, but I would be devastated if anything ever happened to it. For overnight trips where I am forced to leave it in a parking lot of a hotel, I have a "club" steering wheel lock, wheel clamping lock, battery disconnect switch and a hidden satellite tracking device. If someone wants it so badly that they would swipe it with all that stuff attached, they would probably be the type to lift it out of my garage anyway. These cars are meant to be enjoyed, so get out and do so. Just don't be foolish.

Back in the days before tracking devices, etc., I would just make stealing my E-Type a lengthy process. Thieves want to get their work done as quickly and quietly as possible, so forcing them to get through multiple layers of protection always seemed like a good idea. I installed a battery cut-off switch, the fuel pump had a hidden switch, and a length of welded chain passed through one of the wheels and a lower suspension member all worked to make stealing the car a difficult process. I once took a date to a botanical garden for lunch, and she was more than a little surprised when I pulled the distributor rotor and asked her to put it in her purse (we're no longer together...).