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MG TD TF 1500 - Handbrake Lever Security Lock?

I've done a search and found mention of people drilling holes for a security lock on the handbrake. Can anybody post pictures who has done this?

I'm looking to deter thieves (here in the auto theft capital of the US, Tucson AZ) and this seems like a good one; makes it harder to move, even to push onto a tow truck.

And yes, I understand that it wouldn't stop someone with a tow truck and a winch, but it would slow most thieves down... slightly...
Geoffrey M Baker

who can drive a stick shift any more..lol
regards, tom
tm peterson

Take a wheel off. Tough to steal.

Tyler
C.T. Irwin

The hand brake itself will deter 99% of people today who try to drive a T series car. Cheers - Dave
David DuBois

The only way my handbrake will deter a thief is that after driving a couple of miles with it engaged the rear brakes start to stink pretty good. Probably be more convenient and effective to put some kind of removable pin in the gear shift so that it could be removed. . The next steps to toal security are a bicycle chain around a lamp post followed by a Denver boot.

J K Chapin

I've got the chain... bolted to a brick wall at my house. That's the first line in deterrence, and has worked well. But when driving around town....? My handbrake works very well though (100% rebuild of brake system in the past year), so a lock on it might help!
There are "trailer wheel locks" that operate like a Denver boot, but lighter and easier to attach/remove. The thought of someone clumping down the road in your LBC with a wheel lock on is cheering...
Geoffrey M Baker

I use one of these on my motorcycle. I also used it many years ago on my Cessna 182 when touring the Bahamas. I wrapped it around the propeller to make it un-flyable.

I don't know if it would fit through your wheels and A frame and it still wouldn't stop a thief with a ramp truck.


JE Carroll

A professional thief with a ramp truck can steal anything in under three minutes. And they they can cut the vehicle open, disable the security system, find and destroy the lojack, and do it all while they are driving down the road.
I'm not looking for a perfect fix... just something enough to deter the amateur who might try to start it and drive it off.

Geoffrey M Baker

Very, very few (only those who've been shown)could start a stock T-type or MGA. If you really want to confuse even those people--put a knob with the wrong shift pattern on it!
David Werblow

Disconnect the starter cable, insert the hand crank and put a sign on it that says "I dare you!!"
J K Chapin

Nothings perfect but this helps. The battery switch lever comes out when you turn it off and goes in your pocket. The other switch is for the fuel pumps. Up for front standard pump. Down for the rear mounted facet pump. Center is off.

And don't make fun of my sloppy PO installed glove box. I fixed it.

Mort


Mort 50 TD (Mobius)

Looks good to me, Mort.
Geoffrey M Baker

Although I rarely use it I have a hidden fuel pump cut off switch. So if someone were to hot wire the car and figure out how to drive it, they would get about a block away and the engine dies, leaving them hopefully confused and frustrated. If I use it, the trick is to remember to turn it on myself lest the car die a block after I start it and drive away!
John Quilter (TD8986)


Here's something that oddly enough works pretty well! This is a standard ACE hardware lock, the kind where the hasp completely comes out of the lock and it has four possible locking positions. It fits nicely over the handbrake and locks at the maximum position, making it impossible to drop the handbrake. (It will go down just a little bit, but on my TD the brake is still fully engaged).
Now, of course, all you have to do is remove the two bolts on the handbrake lever to slide the lock off, but that takes a minute, and it actually looks like it's a good deterrent, and maybe that's all you want.
No cutting or drilling necessary.
And I had the lock sitting in my tool room!



Geoffrey M Baker

I have pulled the rotor out of my distributor a couple of times when remote parking on a cross country trip. Regards, Tom
tm peterson

I love Dave's idea:
"If you really want to confuse even those people--put a knob with the wrong shift pattern on it!"

I have been looking for one of these for a couple of years....no luck yet!



David Sheward

Hey, David,

I love it! If you find them, get me one too.
David Werblow

I have the 51 TD and a 91 Vette convertible and use THE CLUB on both of them . Works great..
Tom Maine

This thread was discussed between 14/04/2014 and 16/04/2014

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