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KTPhil 
Samba Member
Joined: April 06, 2006
Posts: 34022
Location: Conejo Valley, CA
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 Posted: Mon Apr 08, 2019 3:02 pm Post subject: Spare tire cable & lock? |
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My dad's '71 Fastback, bought new in Canoga Park, CA, has always had a 1/8 - 1/4" thick cable (covered in clear plastic to protect the paint) with a "Master" brand key lock on it, looped around the vertical support in the tire well, and through the wheel disc center. Oddly, another '71, this one a Squareback bought in Saugus, CA, had the same setup (different key, of course).
The cable was JUST long enough for the tire to still be lifted out and set on the crossmember with the hood latch, so you could easily check tire pressure without having to unlock it.
I am wondering if it was a dealer or distributor item. It doesn't appear on the window sticker, and god knows they put the world on those things! (I'm surprised they don't list a steering wheel as "standard equipment").
I always assumed this was factory, but an American lock on it? Unlikely.
Anyone else seen this?
The thread about keys made me remember this. I always had the door/ignition key, the glovebox key, and this tire cable key, always together.
Last edited by KTPhil on Mon Apr 08, 2019 4:50 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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Erik G
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Joined: October 16, 2002
Posts: 13281
Location: Tejas!
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sjbartnik
Samba Member
Joined: September 01, 2011
Posts: 5998
Location: Brooklyn
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| Posted: Mon Apr 08, 2019 4:38 pm Post subject: Re: Spare tire cable & lock? |
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Dang did people used to steal spare tires?
Maybe it's a remnant from the bad old days of the '80s and '90s
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1965 Volkswagen 1500 Variant S
2000 Kawasaki W650 |
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old_man
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Joined: June 19, 2018
Posts: 1382
Location: Newfoundland
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| Posted: Mon Apr 08, 2019 4:43 pm Post subject: Re: Spare tire cable & lock? |
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| sjbartnik wrote: |
Dang did people used to steal spare tires?
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A full size spare is a full size wheel. Easy to take if not locked down. Ask Jeep owners. |
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KTPhil
Samba Member
Joined: April 06, 2006
Posts: 34022
Location: Conejo Valley, CA
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| Posted: Mon Apr 08, 2019 4:53 pm Post subject: Re: Spare tire cable & lock? |
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| It always seemed redundant to me. You can't open the frunk if the glovebox is locked, and the later models didn't fill the tank from under the lid anyway. So if you can lock the glovebox, the spare is safe... why the extra cable? |
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sjbartnik
Samba Member
Joined: September 01, 2011
Posts: 5998
Location: Brooklyn
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| Posted: Tue Apr 09, 2019 8:01 am Post subject: Re: Spare tire cable & lock? |
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If you can pull my spare tire out of the well, you can have it! You also become King of England 
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1965 Volkswagen 1500 Variant S
2000 Kawasaki W650 |
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Erik G
Samba Member
Joined: October 16, 2002
Posts: 13281
Location: Tejas!
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| Posted: Tue Apr 09, 2019 8:18 am Post subject: Re: Spare tire cable & lock? |
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early cars didn't have glovebox locks and it's inconvenient to keep them locked anyways...
It's real easy to open a vent wing, reach in and pop the hood. It's even easier to pop a hood when it's not your car and you don't care about denting/destroying the hood
yes - people used to steal tires and gas. now they steal mail...
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