Anyone else Remember these things?

[John348]

I was going through a box of my fathers stuff the other day and I found this. It was a real needed accessory in the 70's living in the Bronx. The much needed part for a 70's car restoration . These were on EVERY car in NYC

 

[Frank DuVal]

Oh yes. Saw them back in the late 70s to 80s. Especially on cars with New York license plates.

 

They were to help keep the lock cylinder in place when the thief used a small (one pound or so) dent puller (slide hammer) to pop the trunk lock.

[Frantz]

I'm not sure I see what it does. A set of jigglers would probably get though that pretty easy. Though if all your trying to do is be a harder target than the guy visiting the bronx parked next to you I suppose it would work.

Edit: oh got it! Prevents lock from being pulled out (assuming they forgot their channel locks to take out the safety screws.. would countersunk screws be that hard to add?)

Edited December 21, 2017 by Frantz (see edit history)

[captndan]

What is jigglers?

[8E45E]

Yes, there was an article on Popular Science magazine around that time on vehicle security.  It included a photo of that trunk lock guard.

 

Craig

[Frantz]

1 hour ago, captndan said:

What is jigglers?

Jigglers are thin steel "keys" that have different shapes. You put them in lock cylinders and wiggle them around putting slight tension and you can get the cylinder to turn. I got a set when I got my '54 Ford from an estate because they had no idea where the keys were and I needed to turn the cylinder to get the pin that holds the whole cylinder in place. Once I found a "key" that was close enough of the 20 or so it came with, it opens pretty quickly. I'd imagine a lock smith or practiced unscrupulous type would make quick work of the process with fewer jiggler options. Not as common today because locks have gotten more complex, but on the older vehicles... well it's probably a major reason they started adding more pins in the 1970s and more complex keys later on.

[SC38dls]

My dad had that on his car for same reason but in Chicago. He still got ripped off. The theif just stuck a screw drive or something between the trunk and that plate and ripped the plate right off. He lost the spare tire, the lock plus the truck had a lot more damage that had to be repaired.  After that dad said he wanted to put a handle that just allowed the theif to open the trunk, he would not have a spare in it and if he got a flat he would call AAA and have the car towed. 

[46 woodie]

John, my father in law got his 68 Chevy stolen in the Bronx and when the police called him to tell him they recovered his car he was ecstatic. When he went to the address, he found the thieves left him a body, frame, front end, rear end and the four cinder blocks the car was on. Those guy's could get into your car faster with their tools than you could with keys. Remember when you had to put signs on the windows that stated "No Radio" so they wouldn't smash the window to steal it. Ah, the good old days in NYC.

[padgett]

Back then it was common for the trunk and glove compartment lock to just have three pins (ignition and door had five). So was pretty easy to rake.

 

ps is why many modern stereos have removable faces. Not much of a problem around here, often park my 'vert with the top down.

Edited December 21, 2017 by padgett (see edit history)

[keiser31]

2 hours ago, Frantz said:

Jigglers are thin steel "keys" that have different shapes. You put them in lock cylinders and wiggle them around putting slight tension and you can get the cylinder to turn. I got a set when I got my '54 Ford from an estate because they had no idea where the keys were and I needed to turn the cylinder to get the pin that holds the whole cylinder in place. Once I found a "key" that was close enough of the 20 or so it came with, it opens pretty quickly. I'd imagine a lock smith or practiced unscrupulous type would make quick work of the process with fewer jiggler options. Not as common today because locks have gotten more complex, but on the older vehicles... well it's probably a major reason they started adding more pins in the 1970s and more complex keys later on.

Also known as "bump keys".
 

[JACK M]

I also believe that if a thief can just open the door it may save me some glass.

Just don't keep anything valuable in the car.

[Frank DuVal]

Bump keys and jigglers are different things in the locksmith arsenal.

 

I never locked a convertible either, my insurance company told me to not lock it.

 

But I have had friends whose thieves were in such a hurry, they cut the top before trying the door handles....

[Harold]

Being a Noo Yawker I remember those lock guards very well.  The lock guard also made it more difficult to punch a hole in the trunk lid at the side of the lock cylinder and then stick in a screwdriver to turn the lock.

[8E45E]

5 hours ago, JACK M said:

I also believe that if a thief can just open the door it may save me some glass.

Just don't keep anything valuable in the car.

In the mid-seventies, I owned a car that was not worth locking the doors.  It didn't even have a factory radio.  I came out early one Sunday morning and found a stolen 8-track tape deck neatly placed in the middle of the front seat!  I called the local PD and they recovered it.

 

Craig

Edited December 21, 2017 by 8E45E (see edit history)

[1937hd45]

NOTHING says New York City better than those lock covers. Bob  in Connecticut

[PFitz]

What became an other common accessory in the 70's, but not as noticeable, was locking gas caps. Thanks to the panics created by long lines waiting to get gas.  Good thing those around the block gas lines aren't happening with any of today's road-rage prone drivers.

 

Paul

[Harold]

The locking gas caps did more harm than good.  The gas thieves would simply punch a hole in the bottom of the gas tank and catch the gas as it came out.

[John_S_in_Penna]

Thankfully, most of the country hasn't needed

all those crime-prevention devices.

The press calls small towns "sleepy"--whatever

that means to them--but townspeople, who take

pride in their town and keep an eye open, I think

are more awake than outsiders give them credit for.

 

I know one remote Penna. town of less than 1000.

It's quite remote and has only one bank.  An outsider

came to town and thought he'd rob the bank.

But alert citizens sensed something amiss, blocked his

getaway car, and then chased him on foot, uphill into the woods.

Even though the criminal threatened to shoot them, they

didn't stop, and they caught him.  No wonder their town is safe!

Edited December 22, 2017 by John_S_in_Penna (see edit history)

[Ghg]

Now they just take the hole car and throw you out!

[8E45E]

11 hours ago, Harold said:

The locking gas caps did more harm than good.  The gas thieves would simply punch a hole in the bottom of the gas tank and catch the gas as it came out.

Or in the case of a '73 & up Chevrolet/GMC truck, cut the rubber filler hose from under the wheel well and siphon the fuel that way.  I learned that fast working at the gas station whenever someone came in all pissed off stating someone siphoned their fuel out of their Chev/GMC truck from those years.  First thing I would check is under the wheel well to see if the rubber filler hose was still intact!

 

Craig

[John348]

I don't think these guys were using "jigglers" or picking locks. They were just pulling the locks with big slam hammers and destroying the deck lid. For people who don't know the subways in the bronx are overhead and are pretty loud so if the timing is right nobody would ever hear it.

 I almost remember that the insurance company sent him a letter advising him to install a devise to prevent the trunk from getting busted into. it was really about the damage