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alarm on a classic car, 78 nova

Printed From: the12volt.com
Forum Name: Car Security and Convenience
Forum Discription: Car Alarms, Keyless Entries, Remote Starters, Immobilizer Bypasses, Sensors, Door Locks, Window Modules, Heated Mirrors, Heated Seats, etc.
URL: https://www.the12volt.com/installbay/forum_posts.asp?tid=132463
Printed Date: March 28, 2024 at 5:32 AM


Topic: alarm on a classic car, 78 nova

Posted By: still_walkin
Subject: alarm on a classic car, 78 nova
Date Posted: October 24, 2012 at 5:21 AM

heres the deal i have a 1978 chevy nova orginal and i want to keep it orginal put i want to add a aftermarket alarm . however it doesnt have power locks. o know actuators can be put in but im looking for advice or opinions on how i should go on installing this alarm . i was thinking of adding a trunk pin hood pin and a pop trunk feature as well. does anyone think its worth to put a alarm in such an old car.



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1993 sdv
Alpine 4x6 6x9 5 1/4 swr-10d4
alpine v60
12.5 VGA flip down
Nettop pc w/10" touch screen
78nova
5-re audio 5x7 ,10" sub &
Xtx-500.5
"Take the faceplate off get the jumperpack"



Replies:

Posted By: i am an idiot
Date Posted: October 24, 2012 at 9:58 AM
That depends on what all is in the car. If there are things that you want to protect, then yes.




Posted By: racerjames76
Date Posted: October 24, 2012 at 2:07 PM

Any 12 volt, negative ground vehicle will work with modern alarms. Just a matter of using the digital multimeter to test the wiring. You could potentially get away with using a normal test light on an old american car, but why take a chance? posted_image DMM is the way to go!

Door pins should be actual pins similar to modern hood pins, but the factory locks MAY be reverse polarity. Wasn't much to those old cars electrically speaking.



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To master and control electricity is perfection. *evil laugh*




Posted By: racerjames76
Date Posted: October 24, 2012 at 2:08 PM
Er that is meant to say 12 volt system with negative ground. posted_image

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To master and control electricity is perfection. *evil laugh*




Posted By: still_walkin
Date Posted: October 24, 2012 at 3:04 PM
The locks are manual but the drivers door has a interior light switch but the passenger doesn't . But there is a hole to add one .I'm going to keep the interior orginal and do a stealth install

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1993 sdv
Alpine 4x6 6x9 5 1/4 swr-10d4
alpine v60
12.5 VGA flip down
Nettop pc w/10" touch screen
78nova
5-re audio 5x7 ,10" sub &
Xtx-500.5
"Take the faceplate off get the jumperpack"




Posted By: Custom_Jim
Date Posted: October 24, 2012 at 4:01 PM

I have a few 73-77 Novas and you can certainly put an alarm on it. Some Nova's may not be worth much but some are worth a ton.

I would bury the siren up under the fender and there may already be some holes on the inner fender lip to use to attach the siren to the car. You may have to make a custom bracket to keep from drilling additional holes in the car. To get the siren wires into the car you should be able to use the existing grommet for the speedometer cable by the brake booster.

To add door lock actuators you will need to route wires from the side of the cowl between the door hinges and then also between the hinges on the door itself. If the car has original power windows, the conduit should be large enough to get the additional wiring from inside the car to inside the door but if not you would need to drill some holes, paint the bare edges of the steel and then install some rubber conduit tubes. These tubes could be purchased online or you might find a set off of a donor car from the same era in a salvage yard.

Here's the door jamb boots in my 77 Nova (might have to copy and past the link):

https://rides.webshots.com/photo/1111050427049730488JkjZoq

The doors should have factory pin switches in them but if not, new ones can be bought from Advanced auto or Autozone for a few bucks each. You do need to be aware that on the driver's door pin switch there are two wires going to it. The white wire is the dome light wire while the other is for the key buzzer. The white wire on this switch also goes to the passenger door switch (and the rear doors if it's a 4 door model). If there are no pin switches except in the driver's door then attach a section of 18 gauge white wire to the existing white wire already on the driver's door switch and then route this over to the other doors switches and connect them in.

If it's an automatic transmission car then there will be a large 12-14 gauge wire under the dash close to the column and this is the starter solenoid wire. By wiring in an alarm a relay on this wire it would keep the starter from engaging when the alarm is on. On a clutch car there should be a purple starter solenoid wire on the clutch pedal assembly.

Also present on the column should be a constant 12 volt wire and an ignition 12 volt wire. The factory wires are on an ignition switch assembly on the topside of the column. The flat connector on the bottom of the column is the turn signal and horn wires.

While mechanical hood locks are being installed less and less, you could also add this to the mix.

For the trunk pin switch to keep it out of the way, maybe have the plunger riding on the backside of the hinge close to the torsion rods that hold the trunk up. This way you won't have the switch hanging out close to the weatherstrip. This might take some creative brackets but the results will keep the switch well hidden and in a safe location to prevent damage to it.

For the parking lights, you can get this wire in the driver's door sill or at the headlight switch. I think it's a brown wire but be careful in the door sill as the tan is the sending unit wire for the gas gauge.

If you go to stevesnovasite.com/forums in the best of electrical there should be a wiring diagram for your car.

Jim



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1968 Chevy II Nova Garage Find 2012
1973 Nova Custom
1974 Spirit of America Nova
1973 Nova Pro-Street




Posted By: still_walkin
Date Posted: October 24, 2012 at 5:03 PM
Yes the doors are all manual no power period so that means I have to take the doors off to drill holes in the frame then add the wires band actuators...I .might just get a basic alarm and do a kill start remote start and have a backup battery because its easy to open the hood of the car without getting into the car

-------------
1993 sdv
Alpine 4x6 6x9 5 1/4 swr-10d4
alpine v60
12.5 VGA flip down
Nettop pc w/10" touch screen
78nova
5-re audio 5x7 ,10" sub &
Xtx-500.5
"Take the faceplate off get the jumperpack"




Posted By: Custom_Jim
Date Posted: October 24, 2012 at 6:53 PM

If you do decide to add the rubber door jamb boots, then you also need to inspect and/or replace the door bushings. The parts are not that much but it's worth it in the long run.

It is easy to open the hoods and that's why you might look at some of the mechanical cable hood locks out there. Some of the GM guys have modified the stock hood latch to where the dead bolt pin from the aftermarket hood lock assembly goes through some drilled holes locking up the stock hood latch mechanism. Doing it this way no added brackets are installed onto the underside of the hood.  

I've put on a lot of alarms through the years and even put in flashing LED's to mimic an alarm being active in a car even though there isn't one installed and I would get the LED light up high to where it is easily seen. Yes, if they want it, they will get it and you may also want to consider specialty insurance if the car warrants it.

Jim 



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1968 Chevy II Nova Garage Find 2012
1973 Nova Custom
1974 Spirit of America Nova
1973 Nova Pro-Street




Posted By: still_walkin
Date Posted: October 24, 2012 at 7:43 PM
ThNks for your help for the hood I'm try that ask for the trunk I'm have something creative .but in the rear trunk the larking lights are there so I could tap into those.on my doors only the drivers has a switch but I'm going to add one to the passengers later but as for now since we are talking about electrical in piecing together to figure out where this gremlin is I'm having issues with the blinkers. I could add an led but like you said if they want it they will get it. The alarm is gonna be for the car not what's in it. I don't plan on tricking it out with a loud system reasoning being the age I want to avoid cutting and drilling as much as I can

-------------
1993 sdv
Alpine 4x6 6x9 5 1/4 swr-10d4
alpine v60
12.5 VGA flip down
Nettop pc w/10" touch screen
78nova
5-re audio 5x7 ,10" sub &
Xtx-500.5
"Take the faceplate off get the jumperpack"





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