KMPH Highlights Todd’s Garage and Cat Armor
“Mechanic invents anti-theft catalytic converter device with 3-minute installation”
Original Article by Mayra Franco | KMPH Staff – Feb 7 – Original Article Linked Here
MORRO BAY, Calif. (KMPH) — A father and son auto repair duo in Morro Bay, Calif. is finding new ways to keep up with the demand of its new Cat Armor devices for 2004 to 2017 Toyota Priuses. The devices are said to protect against rising thefts of catalytic converters from vehicles. Caption: FULL STORY: A father and son auto repair in Morro Bay is finding new ways to keep up with the demand of its new Cat Armor devices for 2004-2017 Toyota Prius.{p}{/p}
It’s just him and his son running the shop but after the booming businesses’, they reached out to other shops for help.
I actually went out to some local shops and just said hey, I can’t install these fast enough. Can you guys start doing them,” said Bill Todd, owner of Todd’s garage and inventor of the device.
I actually went out to some local shops and just said hey, I can’t install these fast enough. Can you guys start doing them,” said Bill Todd, owner of Todd’s garage and inventor of the device.
Appointments at the shop are fully booked until March after a large amount of interest from people who heard about his device.
Todd says it took a full year of designing it, but it’s the start of preventing crimes for owners of those model cars.
Todd visited different shops on Friday to demonstrate to others, how fast and easy it was to install his device.
They’re like no way, no way. They’re like oh my, that is so cool. They were blown away by it. Like it can’t be that simple,” Todd said.
They’re like no way, no way. They’re like oh my, that is so cool. They were blown away by it. Like it can’t be that simple,” Todd said.
“I’ll sell them to you and you can make some money too. You know, just anything to get these out in the cars,” Todd told the all the shops he visited.
Todd says typically anti-theft catalytic converter devices take about an hour to install but his device takes 3 minutes.
He’s also a smog technician and was working that day on a Prius when he noticed the problems other anti-theft devices we’re creating.
So, he decided to invent one with two goals in mind: quick to put on and hard to take off.
Todd says a thief needs just 20 seconds to steal a catalytic converter if they’re fast.
He says his device adds 15 minutes to that time.
“It could be cut off just like any other device but the idea is to make it really noisy for them to do it. Make it where, it’s not just a simple get in there and cut the pipe off. You want to make it where they look at it and say man, I got to cut this off. I have to try to cut this off just to get to that piece. It strictly is a deterrent,” says Todd, “Trust me, you look under the car and see a huge plate. You’re going to move to the next car. Just like my device, you see a plate and you’re like “mmm, there’s something easier down the road right.”
He says his work is not done yet, he’s just getting started.
Todd says Priuses are main targets in catalytic converter thefts because the car is half electric, meaning it contains more valuable metals than catalytic converters on a gas-powered vehicle.
Those stored metals cause thefts to surge because the catalytic converter corrodes less and is more valuable. That’s why Todd decided to focus his first device towards those customers being most affected.
But, he’s already in the works for other car models too.
For more information click here.
Folks can also call 805-772-1985 or email toddsgaragemail@gmail.com to place an order.
The cost total with labor would cost around $262, while the Cat Armor device costs $199 before tax.
Note – this article has been republished here from its original location at MSN.com.
