6 out of 7 car thieves....

[Chuck Dempsey]

... prefer of steal Model 'A's. I found this in an August 16, 1929 St. Petersburg, FL newspaper.

[2manycars]

That is surprising considering the electro-lock ignition system. Maybe the keys were left in the cars.

[31 Model A]

I wonder how many Barners are going to check their engine numbers to those posted? I'm not, I don't want to know nothing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Special Coupe Frank]

And ALL vehicles ( even the Buick ) are ID'd by their engine-number...

[mshmodela]

4 screws twisting 2 wires and the car will get 6v to the coil. So much for an armored cable --this was well know I'm sure back in 1929.

[leo]

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mshmodela, is that a way of bypassing the popout cable if it should fail without having to remove it to use what the vendors sell as a bypass for the ignition?

[Vicky]

Maybe the vehicles are only "missing", and not stolen. Perhaps the owner can't recall where the vehicle was parked.

[MikeK]

Originally Posted by mshmodela

4 screws twisting 2 wires and the car will get 6v to the coil. So much for an armored cable --this was well know I'm sure back in 1929.

Just curious as to how this would work without removing or disassembling the Electrolock? The key feature of the Electrolock over a standard key switch is that the points lead also shorts to ground when off, it does not just get disconnected from the coil. If you bypass the coil to the points there will be a dead short with the Electrolock.

[H. L. Chauvin]

Reply #7 has merit for several important different reasons.

a. Leaving one's car keys in the switch was a solution for the many of us even today who lose our car keys inside our own houses & places of business.

b. According to past accounts heard, when Prohibition was in full force, many who never drank had to try it and became total alcoholics ...... when time to go home, just grab a black car .... to a drunk, they all looked alike ...... next morning, forgot which was the last bar visited.

[V4F]

Electrolock? ??????????? not familiar with this .

[Tom Wesenberg]

Originally Posted by V4F

Electrolock? ??????????? not familiar with this .

That is the factory armored cable in which the points are grounded when the popout switch is pushed in. When it is out then the ground is removed from the points, and the points are connected to the coil.

[Cornishman]

Originally Posted by Vicky

Maybe the vehicles are only "missing", and not stolen. Perhaps the owner can't recall where the vehicle was parked.

I was wondering if there was a tye in to Prohibition.

[DougVieyra]

Today it is the Toyota Camry that is the 'hottest' car for the car-thief market. And for the same reason as the Ford Model A was in it's heyday - a highly popular, much sought after, highly regarded example of mechanical perfection.

[Jeff/Illinois]

Originally Posted by DougVieyra

Today it is the Toyota Camry that is the 'hottest' car for the car-thief market. And for the same reason as the Ford Model A was in it's heyday - a highly popular, much sought after, highly regarded example of mechanical perfection.

That plus it is such a boring everyday granma ride it does not stand out. At all.

[Hicktick]

That was before the stock market crashed , I think , so they should have been OK
if they had payments .

[SeaSlugs]

Originally Posted by Jeff/Illinois

That plus it is such a boring everyday granma ride it does not stand out. At all.

agreed haha, its like 15 feet of generic car and everywhere, cops wont have time nor care to run the plates of every corrola/camry they see. same with white cargo vans with other crimes - seen everywhere and blend in.

Model A days a stolen cadilac will stand out like a sore thumb - stolen model A not so much...

that and im sure like nowadays they were stolen by teenagers looking for a thrill then dumped a block away - so if the unfortunate event your vehicle is ever stolen its probably nearby.

[mshmodela]

Originally Posted by leo

mshmodela, is that a way of bypassing the popout cable if it should fail without having to remove it to use what the vendors sell as a bypass for the ignition?

Well If you look at the electrical diagram, all one needs to do is what the switch does to close the circuit so the coil gets 6V or 12V if that's your potential.

[forever4]

Originally Posted by mshmodela

Well If you look at the electrical diagram, all one needs to do is what the switch does to close the circuit so the coil gets 6V or 12V if that's your potential.

Actually no.
The Model A pop out switch creates a locked circuit to ground which defeats the ignition. That is also why the armored cable is secured to the head bolt. To deter thieves from unscrewing the cable and circumventing the pop out altogether.

The distributor works by interrupting the ground path of the coil, not by 'applying voltage' to it.

What you are describing is providing power, which is easy, but that won't let the car run.

The ignition switch works by securing a continuous ground, defeating the operation of the coil by the points breaking the ground path.

You actually have to be able to 'break' the coil circuit, or the ground path, which is what the pop out prevents.

If you can't break the ground path you won't get the coil to fire, and no spark, no run.

The key switch switches ground, not power.

[Mitch//pa]

Originally Posted by mshmodela

Well If you look at the electrical diagram, all one needs to do is what the switch does to close the circuit.....

With an aftermarket NON pop out yes your correct.. But with a pop out it is internally grounded ...look at the switch internals in the diagram.. See the ground icon and contacts

[Bruce Lancaster]

Aaaah, we all saw Warren Beatty hotwire a Model A in 10 seconds in Bonnie and Clyde!
Always wondered what his trick was...