Security???

[31 Model A]

Even though they didn't have the key or knew how to turn the gas on, enough good ole boys could push and steer any A up onto a trailer and if they were high enough or drunk enough, they could push it all the way back home.

[PepeLoco]

When I had my ranch, I had a sign on the front gate, "Don't feed the monkeys, they bite!"
Kept everyone out, even my mother in-law!

[old car guy]

I was having a problem living in the center of the city with un welcome people just walking around in my yard and going around the back where my shop is. I put some beware of dog signs up and went to the pet store and bought the biggest dog collar they had. I got about a 8 ft piece of a logging chain and attached it to the collar. Put a short 3 ft piece of 2 inch pipe down and welded the chain to it. Placed it up on the open side of my driveway the unwelcome traffic has completely stopped. Infact the electric meter reader was so concerned for the first few months they just estimated the electric meter. He would not come past the front of the house. Try it it works, who would entry to walk back when a huge dog had trown his collar and is loose.i do move it around time to time so it's never in the same place for long.

[ian Simpson]

If you can start it, it is yours.

I used the same philosophy with some Velocette motorcycles I used to own back in the day. If you did not know how to start a Velocette, you could lose your knee cartilage!

Never had a problem.

[dan]

I think criminals are, to a certain extent, rational. And I don't expect there are many who "specialize" in antique cars. So if your A is sitting next to a 2011 Honda, they're going to think:

1) I can fence/chop shop that Honda no sweat. Probably the chop shop guy won't take the old jalopy. He's in cahoots with repair shops, not restoration shops.

2) I already know how to unlock/drive that Honda--heck, I've stolen three already this week, but that old car is completely unfamiliar

3) That Honda is probably driven by some Latte-swilling hipster, who'll run away if he comes out while I'm working on it, but that A is probably owned by some old codger with a gun.

I often left my A in various parking lots, unlocked, windows down, for fairly long periods of time. This was in the S.F. Bay Area, where there's no shortage of car thieves. I never had a problem, even when I accidentally left something "valuable" on the seat. Part of it I think is that even evildoers are so distracted by the "what a cool old car" thing that they just aren't thinking "Hey, I could grab that bag and run." The bigger problem was that when I was in a hurry, there was invariably someone who wanted to talk cars :-)

[Tiny]

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As others have said get a dog. My little pooch is 165lbs. Is he friendly? Sure, when I'm around. When I'm not he will tell you that your going to get the business end of his physique if you need it. I believe a thief would rather steal my neighbors TV with out have to screw with a dog that outweighs him, than steal my A and get a MASSIVE dog bite. He probably barks too much during the day, but the old guy next door says he only barks when someone is walking by.

[Mitch//pa]

beautiful dog
does he know not to jump up on the fenders??
that would be my worry having a bunch of dogs guarding

[Tiny]

He never jumps up on anything. Except my lap when I sit down in the evening. Danes are so big that they usually won't jump up unless invited or that's been my experience with the 4 I've had. It seems to not be a comfortable position for them

[roblesterjr04]

Originally Posted by Greg Jones

Usually when I am out driving and running into a store, I leave the keys in the ignition. No one within 100 miles knows how to start it anyway.

This is probably how i'll run mine around town. That's the nice thing about these cars. A random car jacker isn't going to jack your ride from the super market... You would have to be specifically targeted by somebody knowledgable in Model A cars, otherwise they won't know how to start the damn thing. By the time they find instructions on their smart phone, you'll be dragging their sorry ass out of the car!

[roblesterjr04]

As far as dogs go, my beagle Cody would probably yammer at the thief, but my girl beagle, Penny, will turn ferocious and tear at their pant legs for a bit. She's the sweetest thing around, fat and lazy, and old, but boy will she put on the ritz when she feels threatened!

[burner31]

I have trained Sharknarries, need I say more?

[Tiny]

Originally Posted by burner31

I have trained Sharknarries, need I say more?

I want one

[William Kelchner]

If my A gets stolen all I have to do is walk about a block down the street and it will be sitting there - I know this to be true since I never get further than a block

[WestCoast]

I keep mine in the garage when im not driving it, and when I do sell one I arrange to meet the person at a busy location, like walmart or sears parking lot, I wouldn't want them to know where I live and come and help them selfs to it late one night

[Y-Blockhead]

Originally Posted by Tiny

As others have said get a dog....

I gots me a trio of watch dawgs... They'd watch somebody drive away wit my A...

[BlueSunoco]

Originally Posted by Mitch//pa

probably the worst thing you can do is put a mural on a barn or structure showing whats inside. i also saw an enclosed trailer at the AACA meet in VA that was wrapped showing an exact pic of the car it carry's..
brilliant

I always said this same thing. One of the dumbest ideas is to advertise on your enclosed car trailer what is inside. You see it all the time...... Early Ford V-8, Shelby, Cobra, Model A Ford and on and on. I was at an auction last month and they were selling a 1914 Maxwell Roadster with the enclosed trailer emblazoned with the year, make, model and large picture of the car that rode inside. I thought 'all that does is make the thief's job easier he already knows what's inside.'

Better to paint the 'Toxic Material' or BioHazard' emblem on the trailer and include 'Not Fit for Human Consumption' that would do a better job of keeping thieves away.

[BlueSunoco]

Originally Posted by burner31

I have trained Sharknarries, need I say more?

THAT'S funny

[Keith True]

I guess where and how I was brought up I never quite got the worry bug.I'm sure at some point I'll have something stolen,probably already have,most likely I thought I lost it.I doubt I've spent 30 minutes of my life worrying about or preparing security.I've never owned a house key.In hot weather I leave the garage doors open at night and close them in the morning to keep the cool in while I work.I do have combination locks on the A sheds,but that is to comply with the insurance.Their rules mean cheap insurance,so I play by their rules on that.

[Slowplane]

Keith
You are a lucky man. Here in San Diego, many beach homes CHAIN their deck furniture to a solid anchor to prevent it from walkin' away! oh yeah, and their flower planters too.

[Goldhardt]

Originally Posted by Keith True

I guess where and how I was brought up I never quite got the worry bug.I'm sure at some point I'll have something stolen,probably already have,most likely I thought I lost it.I doubt I've spent 30 minutes of my life worrying about or preparing security.I've never owned a house key.

I'm pretty much with Keith. The only time I considered keeping my house locked up was the night that I came home and found my buddies sitting around my dining room table drinking MY beer!