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Old 07-09-2015, 07:46 PM   #1
ericr
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Default Historical Question: How Did Thieves Steal Model "A"s?

-yeah I know, find one that had the keys in it. but we see references to stolen cars and how did thieves bypass the Electrolock, or it is foolproof, or did it primarily keep semi-honest people honest? Could one cut the armored cable and the wire therein, and put a jumper from the exposed wire to the coil?

I'm not looking for an illicit career late in life, just curious as to the efficacy of the Electrolock.
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Old 07-09-2015, 08:41 PM   #2
J Franklin
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Default Re: Historical Question: How Did Thieves Steal Model "A"s?

Just leave it. The eloctrolock seems to have worked better than some modern systems, and they didn't kill you when not working.
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Old 07-09-2015, 08:44 PM   #3
Bill in SoCal
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Default Re: Historical Question: How Did Thieves Steal Model "A"s?

You can bypass the ignition switch with a Model 'T' coil box - but I am not going to tell you how. Bill
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Old 07-09-2015, 08:46 PM   #4
Kurt in NJ
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Default Re: Historical Question: How Did Thieves Steal Model "A"s?

It's not very hard to pick, not a lot of different keys --a good light looking in the keyhole along with experience can get real close to narrow it down to about 10 key combinations--look under the floormat, spare key up the dash rail, or in the doorpocket

the popout is intended to ground the wire when locked so jumper wires to the points won't work
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Old 07-09-2015, 08:47 PM   #5
BILL WILLIAMSON
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Default Re: Historical Question: How Did Thieves Steal Model "A"s?

NOT a good subject to discuss, you wanna' tell the thieves "HOW TO"????
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Old 07-09-2015, 08:47 PM   #6
J Franklin
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Default Re: Historical Question: How Did Thieves Steal Model "A"s?

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Having been in the alarm business I will tell you anything can be thwarted. But I too will not abet.
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Old 07-09-2015, 08:54 PM   #7
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Default Re: Historical Question: How Did Thieves Steal Model "A"s?

Just buy a tow rig, or steal one. That's how they thwart the system an the harley's. Drive down the street, hook it and gone. Less than 30 seconds if you're good and everything looks legit.
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Old 07-09-2015, 10:02 PM   #8
Bruce Adams
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Default Re: Historical Question: How Did Thieves Steal Model "A"s?

I wonder how many people removed the car's key? Probably as many as locked their front house door.
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Old 07-09-2015, 10:53 PM   #9
H. L. Chauvin
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Default Re: Historical Question: How Did Thieves Steal Model "A"s?

Hi ericr,

When I went to high school in our rural area, I drove my Model A, parked, and walked to a ferry; and then, returned by ferry, got in my unlocked Model A and drove home.

I had no ignition key, no electro-lock, no door key .....only a push-pull toggle switch for the ignition switch.

Expensive farm tractors and implements were parked out of doors, and had no keyed ignition switches either ..... never even heard of a stolen vehicle back then.

FWIW: This "was" the real "America the Beautiful", that we present day rural old folks will never live long enough to see again.
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Old 07-09-2015, 10:55 PM   #10
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Default Re: Historical Question: How Did Thieves Steal Model "A"s?

My first Model A Had only an off/on toggle switch and it got stolen, but the robber was ignorant of Model A workings.
I found it about half a mile down the road with a flat battery.
It was my habit to turn off the petrol and he had got as far as a carburetor bowl full would allow and then flattened the battery trying to restart it
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Old 07-10-2015, 12:02 AM   #11
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Default Re: Historical Question: How Did Thieves Steal Model "A"s?

Quote:
Originally Posted by wensum View Post
My first Model A Had only an off/on toggle switch and it got stolen, but the robber was ignorant of Model A workings.
I found it about half a mile down the road with a flat battery.
It was my habit to turn off the petrol and he had got as far as a carburetor bowl full would allow and then flattened the battery trying to restart it
I had a young bloke full of P!$$ and wind hanging turds on my Model A one time. He couldn't understand why anybody would drive a car like that. I challenged him to swap cars and see how far each of us got. He naturally refused after I told him I very much doubted whether he could even start the Model A, let alone drive it. I isolate the battery and turn off the fuel. Even after all this, I'm not sure he could drive with a gearbox like these.
Soon knocked the wind out of his sails when I started it with both hands on the steering wheel.
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Old 07-10-2015, 02:42 AM   #12
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Default Re: Historical Question: How Did Thieves Steal Model "A"s?

I once restored a Cabriolet that came back from Europe and it had an old knife switch bolted to the inside firewall.
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Old 07-10-2015, 04:35 AM   #13
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Default Re: Historical Question: How Did Thieves Steal Model "A"s?

Quote:
Originally Posted by Synchro909 View Post
I had a young bloke full of P!$$ and wind hanging turds on my Model A one time. He couldn't understand why anybody would drive a car like that. I challenged him to swap cars and see how far each of us got. He naturally refused after I told him I very much doubted whether he could even start the Model A, let alone drive it. I isolate the battery and turn off the fuel. Even after all this, I'm not sure he could drive with a gearbox like these.
Soon knocked the wind out of his sails when I started it with both hands on the steering wheel.
Could someone please translate this?
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Old 07-10-2015, 05:31 AM   #14
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Default Re: Historical Question: How Did Thieves Steal Model "A"s?

Quote:
Originally Posted by Synchro909 View Post
I had a young bloke full of P!$$ and wind hanging turds on my Model A one time. . .
Soon knocked the wind out of his sails . . .
Quote:
Originally Posted by PepeLoco View Post
Could someone please translate this?
Translating Aussie to PepeLocospeak:

There once was a young fellow who had an inflated sense of his own worth and was inclined to offer opinions that may be offensive to others without any consideration for their feelings. He chose to ridicule my choice of rather ancient vehicular transport directly to my face . . .
Through my own sheer brilliance I was able to make him appear rather foolish for having done this . . .

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Old 07-10-2015, 06:30 AM   #15
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Default Re: Historical Question: How Did Thieves Steal Model "A"s?

Quote:
Originally Posted by Hoogah View Post
Translating Aussie to PepeLocospeak:

There once was a young fellow who had an inflated sense of his own worth and was inclined to offer opinions that may be offensive to others without any consideration for their feelings. He chose to ridicule my choice of rather ancient vehicular transport directly to my face . . .
Through my own sheer brilliance I was able to make him appear rather foolish for having done this . . .

I had the privilege of serving alongside a few Diggers in Nam and not one, not a single one, spoke in anyway like Synchro but rather exactly like you.........that's why I understood what you said more than what Synchro said.........NOT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! OOYEEE!!!!
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Old 07-10-2015, 07:05 AM   #16
ericr
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Default Re: Historical Question: How Did Thieves Steal Model "A"s?

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Originally Posted by Bruce Adams View Post
I wonder how many people removed the car's key? Probably as many as locked their front house door.
my perception is that you are correct, in talking to old-timers it was apparently a common practice to leave the keys in the ignition.
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Old 07-10-2015, 07:51 AM   #17
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Default Re: Historical Question: How Did Thieves Steal Model "A"s?

Yes and remember the Roadster and open cab pickup is pretty easy to get into. Wayne
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Old 07-10-2015, 07:57 AM   #18
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Default Re: Historical Question: How Did Thieves Steal Model "A"s?

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Yes and remember the Roadster and open cab pickup is pretty easy to get into. Wayne
Wayne I've got 'em fooled. Put locking door handles on the Roadster never had a problem
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Old 07-10-2015, 08:24 AM   #19
ericr
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Default Re: Historical Question: How Did Thieves Steal Model "A"s?

Quote:
Originally Posted by H. L. Chauvin View Post
Hi ericr,

When I went to high school in our rural area, I drove my Model A, parked, and walked to a ferry; and then, returned by ferry, got in my unlocked Model A and drove home.

I had no ignition key, no electro-lock, no door key .....only a push-pull toggle switch for the ignition switch.

Expensive farm tractors and implements were parked out of doors, and had no keyed ignition switches either ..... never even heard of a stolen vehicle back then.

FWIW: This "was" the real "America the Beautiful", that we present day rural old folks will never live long enough to see again.
Well, HL, there is some dispute about the level of petty crime in the old days, at least in some urban areas, but yes, anecdotal evidence is that much of the country was either rural or small-town back then and property was respected.
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Old 07-10-2015, 08:45 AM   #20
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Default Re: Historical Question: How Did Thieves Steal Model "A"s?

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Wayne I've got 'em fooled. Put locking door handles on the Roadster never had a problem
A great sense of humor for sure ! Like the guy that drowned because he could not get the tailgate down in the pickup when it went in the lake. Wayne
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