The screwdriver thing might work more often that most folks realize. Those old Chevy ignition switches were famous(infamous?) for wearing to the point that anything that fit in the slot would turn them. I once had an old Chevy truck that I used a "church key" (beer bottle opener) to turn the switch.

Posted by: @tiny

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political discussion is strictly verboten on the site

Oh yes that’s fair. My surprise for the differences is less political and more culturally motivated. I’ve no interest in promoting one system above another, but find it fascinating how and why certain things get done in certain ways across different countries.

Posted by: @tiny

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Those old Chevy ignition switches were famous(infamous?) for wearing to the point that anything that fit in the slot would turn them.

Perfect! I love it! Incidentally if someone was to consider a bolt cutter to the electro lock, would they go in through dashboard or the engine? (I’ve probably worded that wrong but hopefully you know what I mean).

Posted by: @rose

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Posted by: @tiny

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Those old Chevy ignition switches were famous(infamous?) for wearing to the point that anything that fit in the slot would turn them.

Perfect! I love it! Incidentally if someone was to consider a bolt cutter to the electro lock, would they go in through dashboard or the engine? (I’ve probably worded that wrong but hopefully you know what I mean).

That would pretty much depend on the thief and the circumstances. If they're in a hurry and/or don't mind people seeing what they're doing, under the hood would probably work best. If they're wanting to be more stealthy it's likely they'd go inside the car. The process would be fairly simple; clip, connect jumper wire, hit the starter button and go.

If the story happens today then bolt cutters might be an option? If long ago there were no bolt cutters but there were hack saws and other means. Same for battery operated grinders or electric grinders there were hand cranked grinders. If you lived back when then you would know what was and not available.

Here are some detailed factory filmstrip photos if they're of any help to you

Posted by: @tiny

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hit the starter button and go

Hey Tiny, sorry for the delay in a reply - been writing more! Just to clarify, you're saying the 38 Chevy has a starter button too? I assumed it was just turning the key in the ignition that started the engine in such old cars. 

@daryl-bailey Oh wow, Daryl, those are awesome - and actually help answer the question I just asked Tiny! That starter/throttle thing reminds me of the thing we called a 'choke' back in NZ when I learned to drive. You pulled it out (it was on the dashboard) and then turned the key, then once the engine was running, you pushed it back in. It seems like a similar principle with this starter pedal, opening the throttle. Love all these details. Keep them coming!

@chip Hey Chip, yes the story is set in the pre-covid pandemic world of 2017, so bolt cutters are definitely an option. I think, given that the keys are lost, and it's not actually a thief who is trying to start the car, I will go with the screwdriver into the ignition though. It seems the simplest way, but also gives me some consequences that work better in the plot. For eg, the damage to the pins will mean maybe needing to replace the ignition - which allows for a delay in getting rid of the car, which will suit one of my characters very well. Plus, having a screwdriver handy is more likely than having bolt cutters to hand.

Posted by: @rose

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@daryl-bailey Oh wow, Daryl, those are awesome - and actually help answer the question I just asked Tiny! That starter/throttle thing reminds me of the thing we called a 'choke' back in NZ when I learned to drive. You pulled it out (it was on the dashboard) and then turned the key, then once the engine was running, you pushed it back in. It seems like a similar principle with this starter pedal, opening the throttle. Love all these details. Keep them coming!

There is a Choke knob on the dash. What the starter button does is mechanically move the starter drive into position on the flywheel for the teeth on each to mesh and then manually depress the starter switch that powers the starter motor to turn the engine. I looked for a video showing the operation of the starter and found the one below. It's a different brand and the linkage is slightly different but it shows how the mechanical, foot starter works. The part showing how it operates is at the 2 minute mark in the video.

<Starter Video>

@tiny Brilliant! Thank you for the video.

@rose The car you pictured has the wrong wheels and tires on it plus it appears to have been lowered and it is missing the front bumper. It is far from original, it is a hotrod!

Posted by: @ed-osier

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@rose The car you pictured has the wrong wheels and tires on it plus it appears to have been lowered and it is missing the front bumper. It is far from original, it is a hotrod!

That was pointed out early on Ed. 😀 I believe she has changed direction.