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McKay

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Discussion starter · #1 ·
Earlier some people mentioned using Zloc hood lock system to help protect their vehicle.

Has anyone ever used it? How was your experience? Do you still use it?
I visited their website and watched some YouTube videos but I am looking for some real world opinions on the product. My first impression is that it is a reasonable product.
Thanks!
 
#2 ·
the hood doesnt need to open for the car to be stolen. a mustang can be hot wired under the dash. just pull the distributor rotor after you park it for the day. repo type tow trucks have stolen cars from parking lots with alarms and lights going. even if someone call the cops it usually takes some minutes for the cops to arrive on the scene.
 
#6 ·
I hear in the "olden days" of the Model A Fords some folks had a charged capacitor hooked up to the door handle that would give you quite a shock. Not sure how'd that be done.
 
Discussion starter · #7 ·
Yes a car can be stolen no matter the security you have. But that is an illegitimate reason to do nothing to prevent theft.

So, many have suggested taking the rotor out.
What other suggestions are out there?

Does anyone use the Z lok? I'd like to get your opinion on it.
 
#8 ·
Not sure what a Z lock is, but we used the old Chapman Locks 25 years ago. We threw away their bracket and drilled into the hood latch support. When the pin went in, there was no way to open the hood. It also had a wire to ground the coil so it could not be hot-wired. I see where there's a similar one on Amazon for around $100. For any 64-66, 69-70, it was the best way to secure the car that we found available. I had my hood adjusted when some body work was done and they moved the bracket slightly, to where the pin would not fully retract from the latch. It took me a good 45 min to open the hood and I knew how it worked.
 

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#9 ·
PonyDoc said:
Not sure what a Z lock is, but we used the old Chapman Locks 25 years ago. We threw away their bracket and drilled into the hood latch support. When the pin went in, there was no way to open the hood. It also had a wire to ground the coil so it could not be hot-wired. I see where there's a similar one on Amazon for around $100. For any 64-66, 69-70, it was the best way to secure the car that we found available. I had my hood adjusted when some body work was done and they moved the bracket slightly, to where the pin would not fully retract from the latch. It took me a good 45 min to open the hood and I knew how it worked.
Click to expand...
The ZLoc IS the old Chapman lock. I've had a couple in the past and they are decent.
 
#11 ·
PonyDoc said:
Not sure what a Z lock is, but we used the old Chapman Locks 25 years ago. We threw away their bracket and drilled into the hood latch support. When the pin went in, there was no way to open the hood. It also had a wire to ground the coil so it could not be hot-wired. I see where there's a similar one on Amazon for around $100. For any 64-66, 69-70, it was the best way to secure the car that we found available. I had my hood adjusted when some body work was done and they moved the bracket slightly, to where the pin would not fully retract from the latch. It took me a good 45 min to open the hood and I knew how it worked.
Click to expand...
Nice photo demo of it in operation!
 
#13 ·
Well it's my opinion that little can be done to deter a determined thief. Of course extraordinary precautions can be taken both mechanical and electronic. For the sake of simplicity removing the rotor from the distributor is one method that is both cheap and effective. I prefer removing the coil wire. Brian
 
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#15 ·
This reminds me of a girl from back in high school who's Dad had a '69 cougar that the radio kept getting stolen out of. After the 3rd theft, he took a small block of wood and cut slots in it, inserted razor blades into the slots, then mounted it behind his radio. This is where I stress- it was not my idea!! Anyway- he came out one morning to find the door wide open and a trail of blood going around the corner!! Turns out one of the kids at school had his hand completely wrapped up the next day- said he cut his hand on a saw or something..... riiiigggghhhhttt.......
 
#16 ·
Removing rotor, coil wire etc are all good ways to stump the average thief of opportunity wanting to drive off but are a real pain to do all the time and hard to hide your action from watching eyes. I remember watching an interview with a pro car thief who routinely carried a couple coil wires and a little tool box of rotors with him.
I have found that for security to really be effective, it has to be almost passive, it works with little input from the user. If you have to pop the hood and fiddle under the hood every time you park it, you aren't going to use it very consistently. I will be honest, I have gotten so used to getting out of my F150 and hitting the remote to lock it that I find myself neglecting to lock older vehicles that require me to use the key. Anybody else do that?
I really like the idea of the Z-Lok. It would be slick to have it where instead of a key lock, it used a solenoid that could be powered from remote lock and/or alarm system.
 
#18 ·
I use this guy as away to kill the electrical system. Its easy to bypass if you know where to look under the hood but you would need to bring tools and rewire the solenoid.

I call it a cheap way of getting some self confidence parking the car for a quick meal but would never count on it for overnight stays. I would just sleep in the car!

https://www.ronfrancis.com/prodinfo.asp?number=MS-11
 
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#19 ·
i use one of those shifter locks that prevents the shifter T handle button to depress.
you cant get out of park.
also used to have an inline fuel line valve.
solenoid kill switch would be good too. wired to a "foglight" or something.
i also use a bike cable for hood apps. it tucks behind grill no worries.
the more you do to hinder start up, moving etc. the better.

then add a GPS unit on it somewhere...........
 
Discussion starter · #20 ·
sessayan said:
I use this guy as away to kill the electrical system. Its easy to bypass if you know where to look under the hood but you would need to bring tools and rewire the solenoid.

I call it a cheap way of getting some self confidence parking the car for a quick meal but would never count on it for overnight stays. I would just sleep in the car!

https://www.ronfrancis.com/prodinfo.asp?number=MS-11
Click to expand...

Interesting.

I like the idea but someone could bypass this if they had access under the hood (and new what they were looking for).

That's why the zlok and similar setups catch my interest. They mechanical lock the hood and prevent the car from being started.

I'm betting I can modify the zlok to be able to activate the car startup prevention remotely. The hood lock would still be mechanical.

They only thing I don't like about the zlok setup is having to drill and mount the locking brackets to the radiator support and hood.
 
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