Using Auxilary Switch Panels as Kill Switches.

[Eighthtry]

Ok, I could not find a post on this, so hear goes. Piss on it if you can. It is nothing but an idea that I am thinking about.

My grandfather had a friend who was an old WWII pilot. He wired up a homemade panel in his 50 Ford. It had 6 or 8 on/off throw switches. He did not use a key to start the car. He simply made sure those switches were in the correct on/off position to start.

I don't recall the auxilary switch panel being an option for my F150. But I think there are threads talking about retrofitting them into F150's from the 250s and up.

I have thought about one for my 2021 F150, just not in depth yet. It is security/theft based on interrupting the starter and/or fuel pump wires.

It would use the auxillary switch panel that I think is an option available on F250 and up. I think there are threads that address installation into an F150 in this forum. But let's say there are four switches. You run a starter and/or fuel pump interrupt wire to go through each of those switches in series. The first switch is on. The second switch is off. The third switch is off, the fourth switch is on.

To start, each has to be in the assigned on/off position above. One has to know the "switch code" in order to get it started. This illustration is left to right, on, off, off, on. It starts. Any other configuration it is dead.

I am out of brain cells to burn. Will something like that work???? Can you use both starter and fuel pump through the same switch? Maybe need relays to make it work with both?

Any thoughts?

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[SumGuy]

Upfitter switches come from the factory on several versions of the f150. You can buy the ford part and there is a forum sponsor who sells a damn near perfect factory like wiring harness for the switch panel. I did the install and it isn’t hard, but takes a bit of time.

I suppose you could find a way to require the switches to be in a certain configuration in order to start the truck, but I think it would require a large amount of customization. And the $1k you will spend to install the upfitter switches will be wasted, imo - but this is your thing, you do you.

why not just run an interrupt switch somewhere else, like under the dash?

 

[Eighthtry]

So here is why I am thinking this way.

I have a 1961 Chevrolet Apache. It is a very nice truck that is modern in almost every way. Power windows, locks, seats, TPI, 700R4, twin SS fuel tanks, and tons of other stuff. As I built it I became concerned about security because I drive this truck to Home Depot and elsewhere to get the stuff for the latest wife project, etc. I looked at the dashboard. It had six switch positions. One was for headlights. One was ignition, one was road lights, one for field throttle, choke, and something else. This has been a 40+ year project, so I forget some stuff. I am a glutton for punishment of my own making.

Back to security. Remember these are actual factory switch positions. The knobs are absolutely factory in appearance. The switches have been repurposed to fit what I am trying to do.

Here they go. All switches must be flush with the dash to accomplish their mission.

Switch 1 is headlights. Factory application. The in position is flush on the dash when lights are out. Normal headlight/park light switch. No security here.

Switch 2 is a kill switch. It must be in the out position for the truck to run. The in position kills the power to the starter.

Switch 3 operates the power hood latch. There is a ton of explaining for this one, but the open lever on the outside of the hood has been cut off. Yes it can be opened from the outside if the battery dies, but I have found no one that can figure it out. It is simple.

Switch 4 is a "headlight" switch that runs the pumps on my twin gas tanks. Each one holds 10+ gallons. Pull it out one notch operates tank 1. When the fuel gauge on the instrument panel registers low, then pull it one more notch and it shuts down the first tank and starts the second tank. Back to flush on the dash, neither have power, whether ignition is on or off.

Switch 5 I cannot remember at the moment. But if it is flush the truck cannot be started.

Switch 6 is unused. I have a thought, but it would have nothing to do with security.

Ignition is relocated to the steering column position in the usual GM applications up to the dashboard button. It operates as expected.

So I realized that those were in effect security switches. One had to know there were special uses and how to use them. They are not marked. I keep a switch identity sheet in two or three places so I can remember which is what.

So what else do I have?

I have key locks on each door handle. I can manually lock the open button and it cannot be used.

I have the usual power door locks.

I have the good old electronic door open, bust eardrum key fob damnit lock.

So what you just read is several layers of security. When the truck is parked at Home Depot, it can be broken into, but the 5 switches are dead to the world. Only when they are positioned properly can the ignition power up the truck.

All of which got me thinking how one of the most stolen trucks in America can be easily disabled. Hence the auxilary switch question.

 

[Eighthtry]

By the way, you asked about installing an interrupt switch somewhere. Obviously a solution, but I think that is something that a good thief has trained himself to find.

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