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In another thread someone mentioned he planned to run a full-face helmet when he got his car on the road.

There are places that sell helmet locks for motorcycles. All bikes used to have them, then they mostly went away. The aftermarket ones are bolted or riveted to the frame (or on a car, possibly the roll bar) and the helmet locks with a key.

Without a lock, some light-fingered zit will walk away with it. Or you can carry it about, which is a major pain after a while.

Some years ago I was visiting a friend out of state. He bought us lunch as I was leaving. He took me to a place where they call it "tea", and we left our helmets and jackets at a cloakroom, with a little pawn tickets to get them back.

The place was full of elderly women with blue hair who gave us fulminating looks of disapproval. That worth it just for the entertainment... we spent a couple of hours at "tea" just to keep them entertained, then presented our pawn tickets to get our gear back.

The truly light fingered just slide a knife through the buckle and voila! It's gone. Carrying it around sucks. Having it stolen sucks too. Ask me how I know.

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Figuring out how to build in the bucolic garden state
Build log: viewtopic.php?f=18&t=18224

I always shoved mine in the passenger footwell and hoped for the best. The steering wheel with a quick release was a bigger concern - the drive home is uncomfortable without the helmet but it isn't happening without a steering wheel.

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-Andrew
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Memo to self: carry some vice grips in the car...

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on my motorcycle there is a little tab under the seat that the helmet hangs off and you cant get it off the tab without unlocking the seat. I only had the motorcycle for 5 years but in that time I never met and other motorcyclists that had someone cut their helmet off. Just make sure you don't use a outrageously expensive helmet that someone would consider stealing. As far a I know those helmet straps are not replaceable so if someone does cut it they just ruined the helmet. Get a small cable lock that you can run through the roll bar to lock both your helmet through the buckle and your steering wheel. You could also put a tab in the passenger foot well to lock it to with a cable that way it is out of site.

Another thought is to get a proximity alarm for the car, but that would get annoying with how much attention these cars get whenever you stop.

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Build on

Chris
Build: NA Miata based +221 Se7en

Hey hey that was me!

I've thought about this on both ends. My solution is a locking boot compartment big enough for two helmets, tools to change a spare, maybe a bimini cover and that's about it. Simple hidden hinges, probably some 18-22ga sheet metal for a lid and a simple keyed locker lock. something like this..



Like the discussion we had about safes, nothing is impervious, but my experience with thieves is that.. if they can't see it, chances are they won't go looking for it.

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Tucker

The foot well is my plan as well, I am looking at seeing if I can adapt on old steering wheel lock bar to minimize the opening in the footwell.
The 1x1 cross tube under the dash will work fine for the one U shaped end of the steering wheel lock bar, just need a spot to wedge the other end after I modify the other end of the bar.
It won't hide the fact that a helmet is there, but should make it difficult to remove with the bar blocking the footwell.
Of course this would have been a cinch had I designed it in as I was building the car.
With the car already built this idea seems the simplest I can think for my situation.

Al

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Super Seven 3.4

OK... I was going to do something like this and I like 1055s lock/latch for it!!!

A hinged floor plate that typically resides flat in-front of the seat. Lift it up and it can latch on the lower valance of the dash.

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Never become a pessimist. A pessimist is correct oftener than an optimist, but an optimist has more fun, and neither can stop the march of events.-Robert A. Heinlein

I would be lying if I said I never took the steering wheel with me. I met some friends for lunch one time and took it into the restaurant - believe it or not its a great conversation piece. Oddly enough not many people must show up in restaurants with steering wheels....

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-Andrew
Build Log
Youtube

I had a 72 Super Beetle that was missing the steering wheel when I got it, so I found one that fit in the wrecking yard, but it didn't have a nut. No biggie... drove it around for months like that... would pull it off going down the road and freak people out with it!!

I know... epically stupid, but I was 18 and invincible! My... how much has been learned since then! Now I'd only take it with me to keep the car safe!!!

KS

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Check out Firearm Finishes & Coating for options to ceramic coat your Locost parts. Hundreds of stock or custom colors including Chrome and Clear Coating options now available! High Temp options for hot bits!! Plastics too!!

Never become a pessimist. A pessimist is correct oftener than an optimist, but an optimist has more fun, and neither can stop the march of events.-Robert A. Heinlein

When I was growing up we have a local garage, commonly called Greasy Jack's. The police stopped his wrecker one day: there was a car on the hook, the registration was expired, the truck was uninsured, and there was a pair of vice grips instead of a steering wheel. The officer was not amused and the whole tale made it into the court pages of the local rag.

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Warren
Isuzu Pickup/SR20DE, +401 COLD frame
Build Log: viewtopic.php?f=35&t=11601

...and worthless, at least for helmet-y purposes.

I'm more worried about the fondlers than thieves. A certain mentality of person thinks nothing about climbing into an unattended car. Usually they wind up stepping on the seat and tearing the upholstery, and then they try to swing themselves out by grabbing the windshield and breaking it or bending the brackets.

Consider that idea stolen!

So I hear you that the buckle is broken when cut. And maybe it has not happened to you. But I was not the only one, so apparently, people wear them without straps, or just cut them for fun.

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Figuring out how to build in the bucolic garden state
Build log: viewtopic.php?f=18&t=18224