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Sunday, June 16, 2013

In 80's 2 vehicle anti theft products came on the market but the cheaper unit made the distance and still exists

Back in 1980's along Universal Road  in Penn Hills was a small machine shop which manufactured a physical vehicle anti theft system called PED-A-LOK a unit designed to lock in place the gas and brake pedal so vehicle could not be stolen.
Back then built in vehicle alarms where not available  for most models and there where all kind of cheap electronic alarms that made noise and one even disabled the ignition system made by Clifford  but only a couple physical security devices to keep vehicles from being stolen where available the one a simple 2 hook device which looked like a walking cane went around break and steering wheel but could be easily broken. but along came PED-A-LOK  it was made of machined aircraft grade aluminum and fastened around the brake pedal with a extension piece which went around the gas pedal which kept it from moving it sold for around $70.00 dollars but was worth every penny. The problem it was not user friendly to put on and off but it was absolutely secure the only way you where stealing the car was to tow it. They had found cars stolen by tow trucks at chop shops which still had the PED-A-LOK attached as thieves could not cut thru them.
I became familiar with the units when I use to sell stuff at a one time local Flea market held at City Limits a dance club along Saltsburg Road in Penn Hills  by evening a underage dance club  and flea market on Sunday. it was built out of a one time Acme grocery store in Roy shopping Plaza. Ironically the place is one of my customers after going thru several transitions its now a  dollar General and  dance lesson studio  and now  called Alcoma Plaza.

While there selling I meet up with and traded with an older gentleman on disability named Bill who sold all kind of cheap security devices among them  was this PED-A-LOK Display . Intrigued I passed around the pamphlets and got some positive feedback and me and bill meet with the owner of PED-A-LOK who agreed to give us brochures and couple sample units which I sold to high end car owners. At close to $70.00 it was not for the mass market but it was a very superior product for what was available.
But then along comes James Winner another Pa. inventor with a product called "The Club"  around $40.00  which locked on steering wheel and was easy to use and came with a car insurance deductible
payment guarantee if car was stolen with " The Club " in place well needless to say it put PED-A-LOK out of business overnight even thou it was a far inferior product but TV and Radio  advertising sells ,something PED-A-LOK could not afford to do.
The rest is history as they say  and nothing of the company still exists that I can find  I have never seen or heard of the product ever again not even on Ebay or at flea markets not even one of the brochures  the couple I had unfortunately got water damaged when my basement flooded.

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