Author Topic: Immobilising tracking alarms  (Read 3156 times)

Brennie

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Immobilising tracking alarms
« on: July 06, 2024, 09:58:51 »
Hi
Can anyone recommend an immobilising tracking alarm system that I can fit that is not too intrusive to the original wiring?
Or,can recommend someone in the UK that specialises in such things?
Thank you

mdsalemi

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Re: Immobilising tracking alarms
« Reply #1 on: July 06, 2024, 12:22:47 »
Brennie,

With an electric fuel pump, our cars are easily immobilized by a simple switch. My uncle, the PO of the car, had such a switch.

These days however I think the greatest threat (particularly in some high theft areas) would be simply towing or flat-bedding the Pagoda, not starting it and driving away.

In this case I think a dedicated tracking device is the answer.

https://www.trackershop-uk.com/car-trackers.html

https://www.guidingtech.com/best-car-trackers-uk/

Michael Salemi
Davidson, North Carolina (Charlotte Area) USA
1969 280SL (USA-Spec)
Signal Red 568G w/Black Leather (Restored)
2023 Ford Maverick Lariat Hybrid "Area 51"
2023 Ford Escape Hybrid
2024 Ford Mustang Mach Ex PEV

lpeterssen

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Re: Immobilising tracking alarms
« Reply #2 on: July 06, 2024, 12:32:35 »
Dear Brennie

If you want the least intrusive system you can install, it would be to go for a new www.123ignition.com distributor with the embedded bluetooth immobilizer function.  As you may know 123ignition distributors are from excellent quality made in Germany or some place like that.  For my own cars I always change the original distributor for one of these electronic ones, since after 50 years of abuse the shaft and many mechanical distributor components  can not be as precise as when they were new.  Also because for  a tip top ignition system that component is fundamental.  I do not go anymore for conversion systems like the one from CRANE Or many others to update and aging distributor from points to electronic ignition.

Any alarm system would be intrusive to your original wiring harness.  Installers always take the easiest route and dress their mess so that you think is a wonderful installation.

I do wiring harnesses reconstructions and upgrades as you may know.  I do offer the service of installing embedded alarm systems into the main harness with a high level of craftsmanship, on which you can rest assure that system will do its thing for many many years to come.

So that will be one approach if you want your harness to be serviced and at the same time to have an alarm installed on it the best possible way.  You can write me directly to give you more details on functionality.

There is also another approach for the tracking function which would be to buy in amazon one of the many plug in tracking devices with battery backup.  Those systems are designed to have an intermittent battery supply and have a large lithium battery to keep working while is not energized.  You can hide a system like that on the trunk and take energy from the trunk courtesy light or parking lights.   Or you can install that battery backup GPS behind glove box and feed energy from glove box light switch which is energized all the time.

The reliability of any alarm system depends 40% on its inherent components quality and 60% on the craftsmanship and knowledge of the installer on your particular wiring harness.

It is easy to take signals at the ignition switch, but also burglars will look after that place if they found a protected car.

So keep in touch to decide which is the best approach for you.

Best regards
Eng.Leonardo Peterssen
Www.wiredoktor.com

« Last Edit: July 06, 2024, 12:43:05 by lpeterssen »

lpeterssen

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123ignition distributor with inmovilizer function
« Reply #3 on: July 06, 2024, 16:04:21 »
Here the distributor I was you all, telling about.

Minimal or cero modification to original harness.

https://123ignition.com/product/tuneplus-6-r-v-m/
« Last Edit: July 06, 2024, 17:04:15 by lpeterssen »

Brennie

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Re: Immobilising tracking alarms
« Reply #4 on: July 06, 2024, 16:13:12 »
Yes… I had that in my last Pagoda.. how would that act as an immobilser? I don’t get it.. 

lpeterssen

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Re: Immobilising tracking alarms
« Reply #5 on: July 06, 2024, 16:33:47 »
There are some high end versions of that distributor that have bluetooth capabilities, and there is an app for your phone (iOs Or Android) that allows you to turn off or on the generation of spark.

Follow the link and read its capabilities .

Best regards
Eng.Leonardo Peterssen
Www.wiredoktor.com
« Last Edit: July 06, 2024, 17:05:02 by lpeterssen »

AndrewB

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Re: Immobilising tracking alarms
« Reply #6 on: July 06, 2024, 18:53:53 »
Colin Ferns had a Scorpion Alarm / tracker fitted in one of my cars when he restored it - it seems to work well

He will be able to provide more information
1969 280SL (unrestored)
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AdelaidePagoda

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Re: Immobilising tracking alarms
« Reply #7 on: July 06, 2024, 23:31:51 »
The simplest and most cost effective GPS tracker is the Apple Air Tag. For less than U$50, you have a tracker that you hide somewhere in your car. No wiring. No changes to your original car. 24/7 GPS tracking on your phone should your car ever go missing. You know exactly where your car is and could call the police to go pick it up.

Every car should have one in my opinion so car thieves would not be tempted to take them in the first place knowing they are being tracked. 

https://www.apple.com/au/airtag/
Dave
January 1964 230SL 4SPD Power Steering
050 050 Black Soft top, Red Leather interior
Italian delivered/ Germany/ Florida/ Boston/ Sydney/ Adelaide (5th owner)

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RAY

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Re: Immobilising tracking alarms
« Reply #8 on: July 07, 2024, 11:43:42 »
Hi Brennie,
I have a tracker system on my Pagoda from Classic Tracker which has all the usual internet advantages but also has an immobilising app to use which I have linked to the fuel pump to switch off the fuel supply.
Get in touch with classic-tracker.com or ring 0208 265 0425 and speak to Nick the founder and mention my name.

Brennie

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Re: Immobilising tracking alarms
« Reply #9 on: July 07, 2024, 12:18:47 »
Thank you Ray
Will do first thing tomorrow…
Where are they based out of curiosity?

mdsalemi

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Re: Immobilising tracking alarms
« Reply #10 on: July 07, 2024, 14:54:47 »
The simplest and most cost effective GPS tracker is the Apple Air Tag. For less than U$50, you have a tracker that you hide somewhere in your car. No wiring. No changes to your original car. 24/7 GPS tracking on your phone should your car ever go missing. You know exactly where your car is and could call the police to go pick it up.

Every car should have one in my opinion so car thieves would not be tempted to take them in the first place knowing they are being tracked. 

I agree in part and have one in my Pagoda, in addition to all of our luggage.

Here’s the rub. If your car is indeed stolen by a bad guy with an iPhone, the bad guy’s iPhone will let him know that he’s being tracked! I know this because when my car was being serviced by my mechanic friend, during his test driving he contacted me and said, “Do you have an AirTag in your car?” You see, his phone alerted him to that, and even mapped the route of his tracking! If he wanted he could have made the AirTag play a sound and he could have located it in the car.

See what HIS iPhone showed him in the attached.

Better than nothing as if set properly you’ll know when your Pagoda “leaves home”…
Michael Salemi
Davidson, North Carolina (Charlotte Area) USA
1969 280SL (USA-Spec)
Signal Red 568G w/Black Leather (Restored)
2023 Ford Maverick Lariat Hybrid "Area 51"
2023 Ford Escape Hybrid
2024 Ford Mustang Mach Ex PEV

Brennie

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Re: Immobilising tracking alarms
« Reply #11 on: July 07, 2024, 15:09:33 »
Maybe you could hide the AirTag so that they may know it’s there but may never find it…
Just a thought…
The 123 Bluetooth ignition is a good option.. going to fit one anyway so,might as well get the one with the immobiliser ability.. but,it’s not an alarm or tracker…
Does anyone know who can fit them in the London area?

AndrewB

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Re: Immobilising tracking alarms
« Reply #12 on: July 07, 2024, 16:03:45 »
Hi Brennie, I believe Colin Ferns can install the 123 - I think this is what he put in my restored Pagoda
1969 280SL (unrestored)
1970 280SL (fully restored)
1971 Range Rover Suffix A Kingsley Restomod
1987 500SL
2002 Porsche 996 Targa
2011 Landrover Defender TdCi
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RAY

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Re: Immobilising tracking alarms
« Reply #13 on: July 07, 2024, 19:10:05 »
They will post the kit to you and they also have approved installers if you require that service. Have a look at there website.

Yes, Colin will install your 123 as he did mine 8 or 9 years ago. He is in Richmond.

GM

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Re: Immobilising tracking alarms
« Reply #14 on: July 07, 2024, 21:11:20 »
Quote
If he wanted he could have made the AirTag play a sound and he could have located it in the car.
To Michael's point, many people remove the speaker from their AirTag for this very reason
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EsVz8FuZekg
Gary
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Brennie

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Re: Immobilising tracking alarms
« Reply #15 on: July 08, 2024, 17:52:27 »
I’m going to do that as a secondary precaution…

lpeterssen

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Re: Immobilising tracking alarms
« Reply #16 on: July 08, 2024, 19:03:02 »
Dear Friends:

AirTag from apple as substitute for GPS is not a good idea.

I am an Apple product fan since my teenager times.  My first computer was an apple IIC, and after that many apple products.  You name them, I have had my hands on all of them and I love their quality.

Nevertheless of being an apple advocate,  if you read carefully the conditions under AIRTAG works, you will notice that it communicates to the world through a BACKGROUND or  BACK DOOR, BLUETOOTH connection to any nearby mobile phone.

What would happen if the burglar who takes your classic car without authorization, has a phone with the bluetooth option turned off?

If a criminal wants to stole your car, he will for sure have the phone on airplane mode with all communication protocols turned off.

So under those circumstances you will have no idea where your car is.

AN APPLE AIRTAG is no substitute for a standalone GPS tracking device, specially if the tracking device has its own battery backup source.

That is my honest opinion.

I live in Venezuela as you may know, and here the cars are stollen every time.  Not even a GPS tracking device is fully effective, but it is definitely better than having nothing.

Best regards
Eng.Leonardo Peterssen
Www.wiredoktor.com

dirkbalter

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Re: Immobilising tracking alarms
« Reply #17 on: July 08, 2024, 20:56:14 »
Dear Friends:

AirTag from apple as substitute for GPS is not a good idea.

I am an Apple product fan since my teenager times.  My first computer was an apple IIC, and after that many apple products.  You name them, I have had my hands on all of them and I love their quality.

Nevertheless of being an apple advocate,  if you read carefully the conditions under AIRTAG works, you will notice that it communicates to the world through a BACKGROUND or  BACK DOOR, BLUETOOTH connection to any nearby mobile phone.

What would happen if the burglar who takes your classic car without authorization, has a phone with the bluetooth option turned off?

If a criminal wants to stole your car, he will for sure have the phone on airplane mode with all communication protocols turned off.

So under those circumstances you will have no idea where your car is.

AN APPLE AIRTAG is no substitute for a standalone GPS tracking device, specially if the tracking device has its own battery backup source.

That is my honest opinion.

I live in Venezuela as you may know, and here the cars are stollen every time.  Not even a GPS tracking device is fully effective, but it is definitely better than having nothing.

Best regards
Eng.Leonardo Peterssen
Www.wiredoktor.com


The AirTag will use any iPhone in the area, not just the phone of the thief. Its of course not bullet proof but cheap and better than nothing I think.



Dirk
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Brennie

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Re: Immobilising tracking alarms
« Reply #18 on: July 08, 2024, 22:00:57 »
Worth a try…
But.. I’d still like the name of a product that somebody has tried and tested…

Peter van Es

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Re: Immobilising tracking alarms
« Reply #19 on: July 10, 2024, 19:02:17 »
Expensive cars that are stolen in Europe get driven into a container. The closed container (Faraday cage… no GPS, 4G or AirTag communications possible) get shipped to a location (read: other country) where there is less oversight.

The container will be dropped there and watched for a while, e.g. until the car battery and any GPS batteries are dead. When the coast is clear, the car gets shipped to its final destination, or parted out.

Get a good mechanical steering lock, always park your car with the wheels angled towards the curb, and have a really loud alarm!
1970 280SL. System Admin of the site. Please do not mail or PM me questions on Pagoda's... I'm not likely to know the answer.  Please post on the forum instead!

mdsalemi

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Re: Immobilising tracking alarms
« Reply #20 on: July 11, 2024, 00:09:29 »

The AirTag will use any iPhone in the area, not just the phone of the thief. Its of course not bullet proof but cheap and better than nothing I think.

Yes that's right. Any passing iPhone will work, if only briefly, and that's all you need for a location.
Michael Salemi
Davidson, North Carolina (Charlotte Area) USA
1969 280SL (USA-Spec)
Signal Red 568G w/Black Leather (Restored)
2023 Ford Maverick Lariat Hybrid "Area 51"
2023 Ford Escape Hybrid
2024 Ford Mustang Mach Ex PEV

AdelaidePagoda

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Re: Immobilising tracking alarms
« Reply #21 on: July 11, 2024, 11:06:33 »
With the utmost respect, parts of this story are unlikely and other parts inaccurate.

Surely not all stolen cars follow this pathway Peter, particularly W113’s.

Secondly, as Mike points out, Air tags only need a brief passing iPhone, just once, and they will locate the exact geolocation of where the car entered the container, or other such faraday cage. It is highly likely one of the car thief’s is carrying an iPhone, so voila, an exact location is mapped and tracked (last location seen).

The battery lasts for over a year in my experience, almost two, so it would need to be an incredibly patient thief to wait that long to offload the stolen goods.

Perhaps I am wrong, but given the thief has no idea that it is being tracked by a hidden Air tag, I have a high level of confidence I am not. I continue to strongly recommend every one has one in their Pagoda, what have you got to lose?

** I have no conflicts of interest with Apple, either stock or employment.
Dave
January 1964 230SL 4SPD Power Steering
050 050 Black Soft top, Red Leather interior
Italian delivered/ Germany/ Florida/ Boston/ Sydney/ Adelaide (5th owner)

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rwmastel

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Re: Immobilising tracking alarms
« Reply #22 on: August 15, 2024, 03:47:28 »
Perhaps I am wrong, but given the thief has no idea that it is being tracked by a hidden Air tag ...
Here’s the rub. If your car is indeed stolen by a bad guy with an iPhone, the bad guy’s iPhone will let him know that he’s being tracked!
Bennie,
Did you find a satisfactory solution?
Rodd

Did you search the forum before asking?
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Brennie

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Re: Immobilising tracking alarms
« Reply #23 on: August 15, 2024, 07:05:44 »
Not yet.. I’m still investigating..
My friend has a hidden switch to his fuel pump.. not ideal.. he once drove a few blocks before remembered he hadn’t turned it on and the car stopped.. I remove the fuse when I leave for a long time.. 123 ignitions (top spec ones) have an immobiliser built into the phone app.. all thing to consider.. I still need the name of a good system the won’t be too intrusive to the wiring loom.. but,the AirTag will give a little piece of mind while I ponder..

RAY

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Re: Immobilising tracking alarms
« Reply #24 on: August 16, 2024, 18:31:01 »
Hi Brennie,

Did you contact the tried and tested Classic Tracker, three other Pagoda owners that I know of are using the system.

You might want to check out ravelco.com for an anti theft cut out device which I also have fitted.