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MG MGA - Alarm or Anti Theft Devises

Hello,
Taking a good look at making my Mga Coupe more theft proof. I know about most of the hidden switches and cut-off devises that can be added to our cars but what type of alarm system would the members suggest. Ultra sophisticated or bare-ass simple. Alarms /sirens, bell or whistles? Boomerang ...GPS trackers? I would appreciate any suggestions. Gordon
Gordon Harrison

Gord, get rid of that sissy dog you have and keep a pit-bull in the car when you park it.
Derek Nicholson

My car has an alarm that makes a lot of noise. It should not matter as long as it makes noise. The normal are a battery cut off, fuel cut off. My car may not be original as it has pins in the doors, boot and bonnet, but if anything is opened up, ding ding ding. I also have a in line brake lock. All four wheels stay locked.
JEFF BECKER

I have my doubts about audible alarms doing any good. We get too used to hearing them go off that we pretty much ignore them now. Someting that would immobilize the car and track it if it did get moved would certainly help. I plan on using an old headlight dip switch up on the firewall that I can just reach with my toe and run the ignition wiring through that. Simple to activate, but most young thieves have never seen a foot actuated dip swith before and probably wouldn't think anything of it.
Bill Young

I've been wondering about this very topic myself. Doubt anyone wants to steal my car now, but after it's painted it will look pretty good.

How about putting an additional switch under the dash on the ignition wire? Very low tech, but I imagine it would confuse the average teenager likely to mess with it.
Darian Henderson

To steal from a friend, make up some stickers:
"Anyone messing with this will be shot.
Survivors will be shot again."
FRM
FR Millmore

It would not be very handy for normal use, but if you have to leave your car parked overnight, replace the coil to center of dist. cap wire with a length of vacuum hose. It looks like a wire, but obviously won't let the car start.
Ed Bell

Gentlemen - The T series MG and the MGAs came with the best anti theft device ever to come out of any car factory, at least for the North American market. Just set your hand brake whenever you park. I have yet to see anyone not familiar with the older MGs who was able to release the flyaway hand brake. I have even had some special pawls made up for the MGB hand brake to convert it to a flyaway style. Cheers - Dave
David DuBois

i was always a fan of pulling the rotor and putting the cap back on the distributor. just dont loose the rotor!
doug

If you are using the Ford Type-9 5-speed gear box, use the MGA gear knob. A would-be thief will have an interesting time finding reverse.

Just one point on ignition circuit isolators. Most of these can be by-passed by simply repositioning one of the 2 fuses in the bulkhead fuse block . A fuse clips quite neatly between the 2 fuse holders, by-passing the key ignition switch. This is also a useful get you home tip in case you have lost your key or blown one of the fuses and have no spares - not withstanding why a fuse blew in the first place!

Steve
Steve Gyles

In WW2 Jeeps were constantly being stolen by anyone who needed transportation. The antitheft trick that worked with jeeps will also work with MG's or any 4 cylinder vehicle with spark plugs: Simply reverse the ignition cables on number 1 and number 4 cylinders. In this configuration, the engine will start, but will die when any throttle is given. On MGA's, one would likely have to have a top entry distributor cap, or obtain longer ignition cables for cylinders one and four. The other suggestions offered in this thread are excellent. Forget "anti theft garbage like " the club" steering wheel locks, which can be removed by any competent thief in seconds. Cheers, Glenn
Glenn

Our As are so easy to hot wire that disabling the power side of the ignition is a waste of time. Adding a grounding wire to the point side of the coil and running it to a hidden switch would work as well as the missing rotor trick and much easier. A hidden fuel pump disable switch is effective.
If someone really wants your car recovery is the only protection left. A GPS tracking device inside a front wing and behind the splash plate could do the job. A backup power source in it couldn't hurt.
R J Brown

I am reading all of the comments and realize that there are many ways to prevent your average joy rider from stealing the car. My concern is the professional crooks who steal to order. I spoke to my alarm guy and he had two suggestions. DO NOT BOTHER with a Boomerang devise as there is very little place to hide the unit on an MGA. Secondly he offered an alarm system that comes with a remote pager ...good for one mile...and include with this system is shock sensors/siren/door protection /hood and trunk protection. The part I like best is a second siren with it's own power source and pager unit. This prevents the crooks from crawling under your car and just simply cutting the battery wire. If they cut the main battery wire the second siren alarm sounds and pages you. It also has it own special key system so that only you can turn off the second alarm siren. Seems quite sophisticated and all for under $500.00 installed with taxes.

Any comments. Gordon
Gordon Harrison

Hi
Look in the archives, locking the driver seat leaning on steering wheel appealed the most to me.
Martin
Martin

Look guys if a professional car thief is going to take your MGA to fill a specialty order there is not a thing you can do to prevent it. They are going to winch it into an enclosed trailer and take off with it. As for joy riders, leave the key in the ignition when they turn the key and find it doesn't start they'll look for a "proper" car to take.
David Werblow

Smith and Weson.
John

Just ask yourself this question: When was the last time you heard a car alarm going off and thought to yourself "Hark! I hear a car alarm! Someone must be stealing a car! I best call the police immediately!" More likely you thought "There goes another damned car alarm. A cat must have jumped on the SOB's hood."
David Breneman

This thread was discussed between 11/04/2007 and 15/04/2007

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