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Mon Sep 06, 2021 10:05 am

I just recently purchased an all original 1964 Volkswagen beetle. What is the best way to prevent theft or deter theft without modifying anything. Steering wheel club? I appreciate your advice and look forward to your responses. Thank you

Mon Sep 06, 2021 10:24 am

This has been brought up many times here.
A determined thief will get your car. Weather you like it or not!

Fortunately, most folks today cannot drive a manual transmission car. So that right there is a deterrent to theft.

One way to prevent theft. Is to pull the rotor out of the distributor when you park the car. Most thieves don't carry a spare rotor in their pocket.

It's easy to steal a VW. Open the engine cover. Remove the license plate wire and connect it to the #15 post on the coil. Get in the car and pull the headlight switch to the park position. Bump start the car and the thief is on his merry way.

There are many noninvasive methods to prevent a joy rider from taking your car. Shift lever locks, a length of chain wrapped around the steering wheel and looped into the seat frame, wing window locks from NAPA ect....

Good Luck

Tue Sep 07, 2021 12:22 pm

Although this will require a slight modification, a shift lock like this is a good deterrent.

Tue Sep 07, 2021 1:46 pm

shift lock and lock it in reverse is one of the best ways but it can still be driven in reverse and started using the method above. Steering column lock is nice but not easy to find the parts or do yourself like the shifter lock

The club is a joke don't waste your money, it takes seconds to cut the steering wheel and slide the club off.

Tue Sep 07, 2021 3:10 pm

Where do you park it overnight? During the day?

Fri Sep 10, 2021 2:56 pm

Put insurance on it and don't worry about it.

Fri Sep 10, 2021 3:43 pm

Park it in a one car garage and lock the door.

Sat Sep 11, 2021 2:15 pm

My 356 has the gearshift lock. Great piece of kit. On the VW I have a battery cut off switch but, if found, that can be a deterrent. These cars are not worth a fortune but a bit off insurance is a virtue.

Sat Sep 11, 2021 2:59 pm

Sun Sep 12, 2021 8:54 am

I wire in a simple ON-OFF switch under one of the seats to the B+ side of the coil. Maybe no one has ever tried to start it without my knowledge, but it works. I have the same switch on both of my old tractors mounted under the hood. Takes about an extra 10 seconds to get to it.

But.....a thief will steal it no matter what you do. Luckily, there is no real hot demand for 60 year old Massey Ferguson tractors. Nature of the beast.

Sun Sep 12, 2021 10:29 am

Battery cut off, shifter lock, steering wheel thingy, a big dog.

Sun Sep 12, 2021 1:49 pm

I think an 8 foot boa would be better. They like the heat when the windows are rolled up.

Tue Sep 14, 2021 6:09 am

Trunk monkey.