Shopping for Tigers?

I just responded to a fellow requesting my location, for material I submitted, for a family tree he is working on and since I was on the subject I thought I would throw this out there for your comments.

Quite some time back I uploaded a pic of my Tiger to our CAT website here to have it included along with other members photos of their cars. When I showed the webpage to my SO she wasn't too impressed and thought it was a rather bad idea.

The concern was about the fact that my name, city and state were all included in the caption with the picture of the car. The feelings are that it is an invitation to someone out there to easily locate the car and possibly steal it when the opportunity is right. I can see now how this might not be of just local concern but international as well, some pics provide a lot of location info and is accessible to all.

I was just wondering how others felt about this situation. Maybe having our car pics being identified as Kenny G. of La La Land or member #XXXX of So. Cal. would be of less concern. I realize these suggestions won't stop anything but at least some additional work will have to be done if someone wants to locate and take a car, maybe yours.

Food for thought

Thanks for putting this poll up.

Indifferent is not exactly how I feel about this but it seems to me that professional car thieves want relatively high value cars to convert to cash easily. I have not seen any statistics lately but I remember Honda Accord, Olds Cutlass and Buick Regal were popular with thieves in the 80's.

Gone in 60 seconds was about someone who stole cars to order for foreign clients. How much of that was a non fiction story I do not know.

NADA guide lists a '66 Tiger at about $28,000 on the low side. That is a for complete running car with no must fix issues. So there clearly is a payday involved even if that is only worth $10k? with no documents. But the Tiger numbers of cars for sale and people looking for Tigers is relatively small. There is a much larger universe of buyers looking for pickup trucks and contemporary cars that would buy with a wink knowing that they need or have forged documents. The drug cartel guys buy Porches, Slades and Bentleys any car with Bling! and cred with their friends. Not used British sports cars.

Even "safe ?" in the garage I believe in taking precautions against theft. I do not leave the keys in them and am creative in disabling them in the garage or out.

Insurance is a comfort of course but I do not think collecting cash would make my loss neutral. If I was indifferent about owning these cars they would soon be up for sale. Tiger Blue, San Clemente

I don't think of myself as having an unreasonable caution but then few people ever consider themselves unreasonable. I don't make any efforts to hide Tiger ownership but I do use a bit of caution when it comes to strangers unless I see some sign they are in the circle of car guys or British guys etc. I have no reserve at all about info shared amoung other Rootes or general car club people.

My wife was once going on about the Sunbeam Tiger being under that car cover in the garage when an unknown salesman came to call. I suggested that in the future she not volunteer that info to a stranger. If asked whats under the car cover say "Its a Miata"

Steve

I live on an Army post so I have some inherent security. I like to tell people I live in a gated community with guards at the gate.

I am a little concerned about theft with the current prices. Then again, who could steal my car and it not been seen or identified the first time it hits the road. Now if it was shipped overseas, that is a different matter.

Some years back, before Tigers went up in value so much. I had mentioned to a friend that the TE/AE club prints a member pampalet each year. It has the members sperated by state and then by address and which cars you own. The owner info is given by the member and can be adjusted when you renew.
I went on to tell him if anyone wanted to steal a Tiger it would be so easy. No matter what you might do, other than make the car unstartable(I have an accell dist. so while at SUNI, I removed the rotor each night as well as at the motel we stayed at both going and returning- it requires a special rotor) But with a few premade wires with alligator clips I can start a Tiger. The selenoid has 12 volts within reach, so hotwiring it isnt a problem and if there is a battery disconnect, Im sure a prepared thief would have a small 12V lawnmower or for example, the battery from my 1973 HD dresser isnt but half the size of a car battery but it will start a small block with ease and its pretty easy to run a jumper to the fuel pump. I think if a thief, at least a pro, decides to take your Tiger, its gone. The normal things we all have done or considered doing for security is easily gone around. Of course thats for a stock Tiger. Having upgraded equipment may help by giving more items to disable and stop a thief. Now we have traceable thingambobs to go on a young childs shoe laces, so the child can be found. I have no idea the distance they work but Im also told truck compaines know exactly where a driver and their tractor are located and how fast they are going if moving. Perhaps this techknowledge hidden behind a gas tank would at least allow you to locate the car. I believe most cars, like ours are stolen on a whim. In 1978 I was on a date and when we came ot of the club we had been in, I pushed the lighter in so I could light my dates smoke but the lighter wouldnt work, then the car woldnt start. I soon found wires had been cut off the ignition switch. I guess they had seen movies showing how easy it is to jerk wires loose and touch them together and drive off. They might have succeded. I was in Carbondale IL. the home of SIU and many kids from Chicago and soemone who knew what a Tiger was as few poeple in this area know today, so the thief at least had an idea of what the car was and a way to steal it. What was strange was the people near the car when we came out. Im certain the thief was standing and watching me fix the car. Having a hidden switch to the ignition or the fuel pump(which I have removed the wire from after that night) might save the car from a non pro but when and if the demand for Tigers join the top ten list. I think we will be OK but posting our addresses might be considered a bit dangerous. I also wanted to mention the -Haul I would have parked down the street- steal the car, speed off and up into a U-haul and drive away wth no one suspecting me until fter Im long gone.Of course Im not stealing anyones cars and I hope no one eve has that sinking feeling in your stomach when they realize their car is gone. TtT

I have my cars covered in the garage. When the garage door is open not many pay attention as what they see is a cover on what could be any car. I trust know one unless I know them. Unless its Tiger owners as they are a trust worthy lot.........right?

I have met folks with real Cobras and Shelbys that do the same thing.......hiding in plain sight.

The Internet exposure we are now getting with our cars is one that is happening with my large Toy Train collection. I think the answer is just better security. Owning my MK-2 for 36 years, I would hate to think about losing it. As others have said, a disable feature is good along with a locked garage & monitored alarm system. I have been thinking about a Lojack system, I think it's a good $1K investment. Many years ago, when I still parked the old girl outside, I used to chain it to a tree!!!
Funny story, one of my neighbors in my old neighborhood told me that he thought it was the "Batmobile". Not because of the design, but because I had a garage in the rear of my house with no driveway. The neighbor said the black car would appear, blast through the area, & then disappear. For years, he never figured out where it lived! A concealed garage, another security idea.

Clark

Security & Caution

Lucky enough to live in a smaller community and tourist region, we have a very dense population of old car buffs. The cars are known by the owners names and a different driver grabs attention. The last known attempted theft almost made it to the State line when another owner 50 miles away made the call acting on suspicion. Still, cautions and good group insurances are a must. As a side note, we're also the second highest per capita owners of Class 3/title 2 weapons in the USA. You can give it a try if ya really wanna. keep em' runnin, randy:

BillG

Not too concerned about losing the Tiger, but, as a general rule, don't want people knowing where I live, work, etc.
It's an old habit, but they die hard -- I'd rather know where to find someone than have them find me.