To lock or not to lock, that is the question.

General chat about the car goes in here.
jsab

Re: To lock or not to lock, that is the question.

Post by jsab »

I used a marine battery switch, just sits in the center of the positive line. In the spiders, I have them mounted on the firewall, just left of the battery box in the trunk, through bolted.
I also worried about locking my keys in the trunk, so I'm working on a solenoid set up to take care of that.
Divers

Re: To lock or not to lock, that is the question.

Post by Divers »

Painless sells a setup which is very nice. Just query remote battery kill switch painless. I am installing that one in my car.
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RRoller123
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Your car is a: 1980 FI SPIDER 2000
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Re: To lock or not to lock, that is the question.

Post by RRoller123 »

Wait... you mean these cars have locks? <{:^)
'80 FI Spider 2000
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2011 Chevy Malibu (daily driver)
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DocGraphics
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Your car is a: 1978 124 spider
Location: Coeur d'Alene Idaho

Re: To lock or not to lock, that is the question.

Post by DocGraphics »

I have keys to the ignition, a key that only fits the trunk but no key for the doors/glove box so the answer is "no I don't lock mine"
Wouldn't matter if I did, there are no latches on the wing windows so anyone could just reach in & lift the inner handle to unlock/open the doors.
Don Raugust
1978 Fiat 124 Spider "Fiona" - Burgundy/Tan
2011 pics: http://s918.photobucket.com/albums/ad22 ... 0Pictures/
2012 pics: http://s918.photobucket.com/albums/ad22 ... cs%202012/
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Zippy
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Your car is a: 1978 Fiat
Location: Real Close to Milton, WA

Re: To lock or not to lock, that is the question.

Post by Zippy »

I have an alarm on mine. I don't put the top up or lock the doors when I leave it. If they aren't detered by the alarm nothing is going to stop them. I figure if they open the door and the alarm goes off, hopefully someone will notice them and scare them off. Has anyone here heard of a Fiat Spider being stolen recently?
1978 Spider
dmwhiteoak
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Your car is a: 1972 Fiat 124 spider
Location: White Oak Tx

Re: To lock or not to lock, that is the question.

Post by dmwhiteoak »

Zippy wrote:I have an alarm on mine. I don't put the top up or lock the doors when I leave it. If they aren't detered by the alarm nothing is going to stop them. I figure if they open the door and the alarm goes off, hopefully someone will notice them and scare them off. Has anyone here heard of a Fiat Spider being stolen recently?

A guy at work last week threatened to load it up in the back of his truck and take it home. I think it would have fit.
Dennis Modisette

1972 124 Spider
2003 Chevrolet Z71
2007 GMC Yucon
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124JOE
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Your car is a: 1978 124 fiat spider sport 1800
Location: SO. WI

Re: To lock or not to lock, that is the question.

Post by 124JOE »

Zippy wrote:I have an alarm on mine. I don't put the top up or lock the doors when I leave it. If they aren't detered by the alarm nothing is going to stop them. I figure if they open the door and the alarm goes off, hopefully someone will notice them and scare them off. Has anyone here heard of a Fiat Spider being stolen recently?
i also have an alarm on mine it has a lond distance remote like 3000ft
and i lock mine
when you do everything correct people arent sure youve done anything at all (futurama)
ul1joe@yahoo.com 124joe@gmail.com
dmwhiteoak
Posts: 1088
Joined: Mon Aug 15, 2011 1:12 pm
Your car is a: 1972 Fiat 124 spider
Location: White Oak Tx

Re: To lock or not to lock, that is the question.

Post by dmwhiteoak »

Is there a way to lock the doors without using the key? I think I have tried all ways possible.
Dennis Modisette

1972 124 Spider
2003 Chevrolet Z71
2007 GMC Yucon
Rain1950

Re: To lock or not to lock, that is the question.

Post by Rain1950 »

How not to lose the keys

Have a second set

Tape ignition key to trunk lid

Put trunk key in wallet
*************************************************************************************************

There are kits available to install radio controlled solenoids to lock and unlock the doors just like new cars
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MrWampus
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Your car is a: 1981 Spider
Location: Charlotte, NC

Re: To lock or not to lock, that is the question.

Post by MrWampus »

Good topic! I don't lock mine either. The driver side doesn't lock and I haven't taken time to figure out why, the passenger side locks though. I lock the radio face plate and my XM receiver in the glove box.

Once when I was in college someone stole a cassette tape from the seat of my car. I was parked on campus with the top down. A few days later I came back to my car which again had the top down to find the stolen tape with a note wrapped around it that said, "Sorry I took your tape, I was drunk and your car was open. PS: I didn't like the tape anyway."

BTW, to lock the car without the key, you push down on the interior door handle.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
1981 Spider "The Mistress"
http://s1088.photobucket.com/albums/i329/mrwampus1/
"Because a 30-year-old sports car is cheaper than a 30-year-old blonde."
Ken

Re: To lock or not to lock, that is the question.

Post by Ken »

I have a switch for my electric fuel pump which also comes in handy when I am working on my car and need the key switch on but you might want to check with your insurance company as to what they think their liability is if you don’t lock your car.
Ken
katsi

Re: To lock or not to lock, that is the question.

Post by katsi »

Thanks for the advice guys. I will look into that marine battery switch as well as the painless search.
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courtenay
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Re: To lock or not to lock, that is the question.

Post by courtenay »

You can get a battery switch at RV parts stores as well. That's where I got mine.
Bruce Shearer
'80 Spider Fi
'10 Volvo XC70
'06 GMC 1 Ton PU
'72 Spider a long, long time ago
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azruss
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Your car is a: 80 Fiat 2000 FI

Re: To lock or not to lock, that is the question.

Post by azruss »

for the 20+ years i drove ragtops, i've never locked them. Even with a hardtop, they are easy to get into. never kept anything valuable in the car. On the restomobile, i am planning a battery switch in the trunk and a fuel pump switch hidden in the interior. I am also replacing the back seat with a deck. planning on building a removable, lockable box that bolts to the deck from the inside that can operate as a 2nd trunk for long trips.
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