How to Keep Your Z YOURS.

There has been a rash of "Z's" that have been stolen in the past month. I'm not in contact with the local authorities to find out the details of these dastardly deeds. Fellow ZONCER Ryan Evans saw his '70 240Z driving away from his apartment in the Sacto area. I don't know if he had an alarm but there are some simple things that can be done to foil would-be thieves from driving your Z away..

Alarms are in various shapes and sizes according to your wallet, and preferences. Some just stop the car from starting, with no other means of deterrent. Some include sirens with different tones. Some include remote keypads that can be set off to draw attraction to the car, or just set the system on immediate sensing. Some have remote starting, and door lock opening provisions..

Some alarms that I have seen have a voice activation module that senses someone that comes within the set proximity to the car. Others can have a shock sensor if the car is bumped or a glass breakage has occurred. The latest setup that I am aware of includes a GPS tracking system that will tell the thieves that they are being tracked and immediately notifies the local authorities of a theft in progress. In larger metropolitan areas there is the lojack system that the police can track the vehicle..

There are alarms that have a separate battery back-up system so if the vehicles' battery has the cable cut or disabled the alarm still goes off. There is a system that lets the thieves take the car and it stops down the street and cannot be restarted. I'm sure that there are some new system upgrades that are on the scene that I am not aware of at this writing..

Some people have no alarm, but still have a provision to disable the car so that thieves cannot take the car. The original factory ignition switch was good since it did not let the car start, and stopped the steering wheel from turning. The only problem was that the old switch now 20 to 28 years in service tends to be worn out and any old Datsun key will work in the car. Replacement of the switch should be an important investment even though it doesn't look as good as those new wheels, what good are those wheels if someone is driving around with them?.

If you are going to have an alarm installed go to a professional, or store that can give you a quality installation. There should be a good warranty too. Look at the guys that do the installations. Do they look like someone that you could trust? Some theft rings make keys for your car while installing alarms and then have your address on the invoice and your car too! So I guess that the old adage "buyer beware" is good advice. Remember that locks are only good for the honest people, and thieves will get what they want if they are persistent enough..

An ignition cut-out is an inexpensive way to disable your car. A simple circuit that grounds out the negative side of the coil with a switch in a location of your choice. I even heard of someone using the cigarette lighter to complete the circuit so that the car could start. Another thing that is simple for those of you that have an electric fuel pump is to install a switch to disconnect the voltage supply to the pump with a switch in a owner only known location. That way if the thieves get past the ignition switch, and the start circuit, they will only get a short distance before the car stops since there is no fuel to the engine..

No matter how you look at this situation, it is something that should be addressed from your standpoint..

"Z's" always look better in Your Garage than an Empty Parking Space!!!.

ZDOC OUT.

P.S. Here's a "Theft Recovery Tip": When new tires are installed, tape a sealed zip-lock bag inside with a photo of the car they're on. Include a note with your phone number and a request that the shop call the police and report the tires or the car stolen. This is another idea from the IZCC mail list. 4/18/98.