Fitting simple deadlocks to doors

[kingsgate]

My Kaiser is parked on the street here in London, England. The drivers door doesn't lock properly, and anyway, any would-be car thief knows how to hook open the door locks.

A week or two back, I heard the sound of my "musical" car horn for a split second, late at night. So I get out of bed, go downstairs and look through the window. Sure enough, some youth is sitting in the drivers seat fiddling about with wires. He must have momentarily pressed the horn button by mistake. Taking hold of a conveniently positioned ax, I step outside, pull open the car door, and yell "out, ****". The kid gets out and I say "leave". He runs away, and just for show I ran after him a few yards waving the ax over my head and shouting "if I see you near my car again I'll cut your f***ing arms off". He hasn't been back!

This incident made me think of fitting a simple deadlock into the door and door post. You used to be able to buy these things everywhere, but I cannot seem to find them for sale online. See picture. Does anyone know if these are on sale anywhere? I found this pic on some web site about cars and security, and I remember around 20+ years ago when me and my schoolfriends first had cars, a couple of guys buying locks like these, and helping them to fit them. But now I cannot seem to find them on sale anywhere!

[Bob L.]

In the states, try McMaster-Carr (goggle the name),......they offer all kinds of neat stuff... Item 13105A75 or 76 looks very similar to your picture.  Called "cam locks".  Look at all locks first?  lots more options.

Of course, to install means you'd have to cut another hole in door, might ruin value while gaining little protection....

Perhaps a remote lock with key fob activator would be better?  Several outfits offer these for street and hot rods.

I bought NOS lock sets for my Manhattan off ebay... search US version?

Had similar issue with a van.  They kept popping the latch off the vent window to get in, pushed in on front of glass >> latch popped......so I bolted a piece of angle across edge of window to prevent that...next time they took a crow bar to window and pulled it out, rather than pushed it in.... more damage to door/frame that way.... Lesson: if they want in, they'll get in... make it easy and leave it unlocked?  few thieves today can drive a stick or even start a Kaiser...if they do, makes it easy to find them....rest is open anyway...

Good luck

Bob L.

[Jerry Wilbeck]

The most formidable and efficient "anti-theft" device I ever saw was in Rome, Italy in 1981.  My friend and business associate Mauro Francescangelli drove a small Fiat which he parked in the sidewalk of his home (actually a small condo) in a Rome suburb.  When we got to his home to have dinner, he took the radio out of the hole in the dash (common in Europe at that time), and pulled a 3/8-inch log chain out of a storage area in the rear seat area.  He proceeded to link the steering wheel through the bottom of the driver's seat rail (in full view of anyone wanting in) and placed a very large lock through the links.  I said "what are you doing"?, and he responded, "just taking normal precautions, as we have many radio and car thieves here".  I will never forget this incident, so, maybe he was correct.  The Kaisers I have can use the same system if you are willing to forego the short time the "thief" will spend in the seat before he realizes that he has a "problem".  Hope this helps!!

[kenneth]

Hi several years ago I had a everyday car that you could unlock  with anything, when I went to visit Sweden I always popped the hood and removed the rotor from the distributor when I parked over night, always worked.

[51Deluxe]

My Kaiser is parked on the street here in London, England. The drivers door doesn't lock properly, and anyway, any would-be car thief knows how to hook open the door locks.

A week or two back, I heard the sound of my "musical" car horn for a split second, late at night. So I get out of bed, go downstairs and look through the window. Sure enough, some youth is sitting in the drivers seat fiddling about with wires. He must have momentarily pressed the horn button by mistake. Taking hold of a conveniently positioned ax, I step outside, pull open the car door, and yell "out, ****". The kid gets out and I say "leave". He runs away, and just for show I ran after him a few yards waving the ax over my head and shouting "if I see you near my car again I'll cut your f***ing arms off". He hasn't been back!

This incident made me think of fitting a simple deadlock into the door and door post. You used to be able to buy these things everywhere, but I cannot seem to find them for sale online. See picture. Does anyone know if these are on sale anywhere? I found this pic on some web site about cars and security, and I remember around 20+ years ago when me and my schoolfriends first had cars, a couple of guys buying locks like these, and helping them to fit them. But now I cannot seem to find them on sale anywhere!

The lock pictured , other than the extra long hasp, is a common desk drawer lock available at any office store. Similar locks are used for school lockers, vending machines, etc. Should be easy to find locally or online.