PetroLock Vintage Anti-theft Device

[wings&wheels]

Found this attached to the floorplan under the tool kit of the latest addition to the fleet. There was an instruction sheet in the glovebox about this, but I didn't know where the device was. Apparently if the vehicle was started with this activated, it would drive for 5 mins or so then shut down the fuel pumps until the little switch was turned to off. Interesting bit of automotive history.

Impressively built, it appears to be a solid block of potting epoxy. I removed it for now, it wasn't operating but may put it back for show. Now the next steps are to chase all the wiring for any issues where it was spliced in 47 yeas ago....

 

[fantastic]

"Petrolock" seems accurate.

 

[fantastic]

Seems the switch needs to be turned on every time you want it "active".

 

[wings&wheels]

Seems the switch needs to be turned on every time you want it "active".

Yes and there may be a switch hidden inside the car, but I have not located one yet. Otherwise, a bit cumbersome to set every time you park the car but probably got the insurance discount.

 

[The_Eric]

I once worked on a Soob owned by a gal who used to live in New Jersey - she had some kind of anti theft kit installed where you had to pull in on the multi function switch (think flash the high beams) for the starter to work.

My boss at the time was all worried and "that it shouldn't be like that" but I knew better and obviously so did she.

 

[mk378]

A simple hidden switch in series with the fuel pump is better. You want the car to crank but not start when someone tries to steal it. The sound of a car cranking and not starting attracts more attention than an alarm. The Petrolock allows the thief to get 5 minutes away making it harder to find the car.

 

[meep]

I wired a home brew in a Miata years ago, basically a kill switch under the lip of the trunk lid. It was easy to hit as all valuables were always stored in the trunk, and I’d disabled the interior trunk release.

If the switch was flipped and someone attempted to start it, a siren up under the dashboard would latch on, so nobody was gonna go stick their head up in there. The starter was also disabled, but not the fuel pump - I didn’t want a wiring fault to cause a stall.