How do you keep your classic safe?

We are welcoming this new year with a serious question for enthusiasts of all classic and specialty cars and trucks. Well, perhaps not too serious, because the term “safety” is relative to where you live and how easy it is to steal your car. Some vehicles simply aren’t going anywhere, but others are worrisome to own because of their value and how easy they are to steal.

 

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A post shared by Sajeev Mehta (@sajeevmehta)

Take this Fox-body Mustang notchback I worked on during the pandemic. (Actually no, please do not take it!) The comments and DMs I got from the above Instagram post occasionally got out of control, as people thought it was for sale because it was rolling up a flatbed. In reality, it died on the highway (alternator, I shoulda known better) and needed a tow, but the sheer volume of traffic it stopped was both delightful and concerning. Which begs the question: If people loved this “notch” to the point of toothy grins, thumbs up, and cash offers to purchase it, how likely is it to get jacked if I leave it unattended at my local grocery store?

Since you can’t know who to trust, I look all around when walking to my car in a parking lot. I’ve never felt unsafe, but vigilance isn’t a bad thing, either, especially in big cities and sprawling suburbs. And my conscience is clear, as I helped protect my friend’s Bimini Blue Mustang by installing a NOS door-lock solenoid (the old one was jammed in the unlocked position!) and by leaving a Club in the cabin with its key on the key ring.

But my disaster mitigation plans are not everyone’s story of automotive safety. So the question remains: How do you keep your classic safe?

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