Classic cars forum & vehicle restoration.

[Rick]

This interesting question came in the other day:

"I am in the process of writing a screenplay that takes place in the 1920's. An interesting question has come up, for which I have not been able to find an answer. I am hoping you can help.

There were many very expensive cars produced in the 1920's, and from what I have been able to learn, they mostly used electric ignition buttons on the dash or the steering column to start them. The particular model car in my scene is a 1921 Stutz touring car. My question is this. Since keys were not used to start the automobiles, what prevented someone else from stealing the car? I would be most grateful at any help you could give me on this subject."


Can anyone with experience of 20s cars shed any light? I know that some 30s cars have the ignition on a key, and the starter is just on a push button/lever, but what if any methods were used in the 20s to stop cars being driven away?? or did they not tend to (or need to) bother as much back then?

RJ
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[Uncle Joe]

I dont think that car theft was much of a problem back in the 20's. After all, there werent all that many people that could even drive, in Europe at least. Maybe it was different in the US or somewhere.

Dutring WWII, it was recommended (may even have been law) that rotor arms had to be removed from parked vehicles, just in case Adolf or his mates came and took a fancy to Corporal Jones van.....or whatever!

UJ

[Old-Nail]

Didn't they have battery isolators?

[Stuchamp]

Over here, car thieves were treated like horse thieves, we hung them!

Interesting question and I don't know the answer.
I do know there were car theft gangs and chop shops in the larger cities back in the 20's.
I'll check with my buddy Mel for an answer since he grew up in that era.

[UKdave2002]

Many British cars had the key number stamped on the outside lock, you would only have to nip down to halfords and buy a key!!.

My dad used to move the CB wire from the coil to the horn, so if anyone tried to start the car by any means the horn blasted!

Dave

[bob2]

so it was a sort of alarm system!! bright idea it was

[Rick]

thats great ukd
great little idea

RJ
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[buzzy bee]

Hi

That would be easy to set up, just need an additional horn and plug, then when you get out swap the plugs and you have an alarm! Great idea! Actually you wouldn't need an aditional horn would you, unless you rigged it to a recording and speakers saying "I am stealing this car, call the police!" Would put the spike up the thief! Be great to see!

Cheers

Dave

[pigtin]

My 1932 Austin 10/4 has no key for the ignition, but the doors can be locked, again there is the key number in full view on the barrel, but then, if someone really wanted to steal it the roof is only made of canvas.
I also think that in the 20s the scarcity of cars and the fact that everyone knew their local cars and who owned them would have made theft a bit risky. Also there were so many manufacturers and different models that you would rarely see two cars alike.
On top of this, there were thousands of small boys who would collect the registration numbers and 'makes' of every car that passed; believe it or not this was still being done just after WW2.

The main worry these days is the theft of parts, like the Calormeter (temperature gauge mounted on bonnet) Hub caps and spare wheels etc.
These can be sold at a good price on ebay.
The chances of the average 'meathead' managing to: switch on, start and change gear with the (crash) gearbox are minimal.
They used to punish thieves properly in the 20s, but then, they were not really the 'good old days'. Think of life without antibiotics?

It was true, (at the outbreak of ww2) that 'by law' you had to remove the rotor arm from the family car, unless the car had been requisitioned by the army. Many cars over a certain age were towed away and strung across fields to prevent enemy gliders landing, it was enough to make you weep.
I just remember all this happening, not the 20s though.

[old gto]

I don`t know when keys were first used, but my 1931 Chevrolet originaly had a keyed ignition on the dash. The key would then send power to the starter button on the floor board.
Odd enough, the driver door locks from the inside, but only the passenger door has a key slot on the exterior, So entry into a locked car would HAVE to be from the passenger side.