My ultimate SHTF vehicle is a VW powered sand rail / truckling. You could also go with a v6 powered or even v8 powered vehicle, but if you stick with VW, you can fix it in a ditch. I have literally rebuilt a VW motor on a couple of cinder blocks under a nice shade tree. Spares are still plentiful, though not as cheap as they once were. The secret is to keep the vehicle weight down as low as possible.
My first "real" vehicle was built in a junkyard, and was a VW powered single seat Sand Rail. My total cost in 1980 dollars was $210.00. I sold it to some knothead who killed himself in it a month later, and used the proceeds ($2,100.00) to build my first ugly truckling, a 1976 Datsun King Cab, with a Chevy Luv step side bed, and Jeep underpinnings. Buick V6, and Jeep transmission with transfer case. Finished it, drove it for two months, and a buddy rolled it while I was passed out after my first day of leave after Ranger School.
Seriously, I think that a VW based vehicle is the real answer. All of the "vulnerable" parts can fit into one .50 cal ammo can.
Comments please. I would like someone to shoot some real holes in this concept, because I can't, or I am too sold on the idea.
Regards,
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Honestly my only worry would be to get me from the rendezvous point to the bug out location most reliably. Spare parts are no good without spare fuel. Most likely it will be a one way trip if things really get bad enough to need to worry about faraday caged electrical bits. The effects of EMP have been pretty exaggerated as well.
While you could make a small block chevy powered truck pretty bad ass, it will never be of the offroad capability of something like a unimog. Plus the fact that you may have to run a road block or something ....
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Honestly my only worry would be to get me from the rendezvous point to the bug out location most reliably. Spare parts are no good without spare fuel. Most likely it will be a one way trip if things really get bad enough to need to worry about faraday caged electrical bits. The effects of EMP have been pretty exaggerated as well.
While you could make a small block chevy powered truck pretty bad ass, it will never be of the offroad capability of something like a unimog. Plus the fact that you may have to run a road block or something ....
Do not underestimate the effects of EMP. "Sunspots", a form of EMP have crushed powergrids from time to time, and have affected vehicles as well. One of the lesser documented damages to the U.S Navy Fleet that observed Nuclear tests in the South Pacific was the failure of some of the electrical systems above the hull line. For some ships, Carriers, and non-armored vessels the damage was so severe that some had to be taken in tow.
EMP is the most frightening form of attack that we face. It only takes one or two properly tuned devices, detonated at the right place, and the right time, and the correct altitude to destroy our lives. This danger is not overstated, it is vastly understated.
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Honestly my only worry would be to get me from the rendezvous point to the bug out location most reliably. Spare parts are no good without spare fuel. Most likely it will be a one way trip if things really get bad enough to need to worry about faraday caged electrical bits. The effects of EMP have been pretty exaggerated as well.
While you could make a small block chevy powered truck pretty bad ass, it will never be of the offroad capability of something like a unimog. Plus the fact that you may have to run a road block or something ....
Do not underestimate the effects of EMP. "Sunspots", a form of EMP have crushed powergrids from time to time, and have affected vehicles as well. One of the lesser documented damages to the U.S Navy Fleet that observed Nuclear tests in the South Pacific was the failure of some of the electrical systems above the hull line. For some ships, Carriers, and non-armored vessels the damage was so severe that some had to be taken in tow.
EMP is the most frightening form of attack that we face. It only takes one or two properly tuned devices, detonated at the right place, and the right time, and the correct altitude to destroy our lives. This danger is not overstated, it is vastly understated.
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Seriously, I think that a VW based vehicle is the real answer. All of the "vulnerable" parts can fit into one .50 cal ammo can.
Comments please. I would like someone to shoot some real holes in this concept, because I can't, or I am too sold on the idea.
Regards,
It could work. I used to build V-dubs.
Owning a 64 Van, in the early 1970's 6 of my friends wanted to take a trip from Lawrence, KS to Kali. They all wanted to use my van.
I told them OK, but rent needed to be paid for gas and maintenance. I had a near-new engine already installed, but tied down a second rebuild on the rear interior shelf (above the running engine) because I knew the grossly overloaded van wouldn't make the whole trip.
Sure enough, climbing the mountain passes East of LA, we blew the engine.
30 minutes later, the second engine was installed on the roadside, another 30 minutes to time it and adjust the valves and we were off again.
Less heavily loaded, I don't doubt the van would go 100,000 miles between major repairs. What can go wrong is mostly due to overheating, and that happened on the vans due to poor airflow design. A rail or bug won't have that problem.
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I have a daughter. I tell her, "911 is what you dial after you're raped. 1911 is what you should have before they try."
I had to sell my railbuggy becouse my wrenching days are over.If you smoke,please stop.
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Do not underestimate the effects of EMP. "Sunspots", a form of EMP have crushed powergrids from time to time, and have affected vehicles as well. One of the lesser documented damages to the U.S Navy Fleet that observed Nuclear tests in the South Pacific was the failure of some of the electrical systems above the hull line. For some ships, Carriers, and non-armored vessels the damage was so severe that some had to be taken in tow.
EMP is the most frightening form of attack that we face. It only takes one or two properly tuned devices, detonated at the right place, and the right time, and the correct altitude to destroy our lives. This danger is not overstated, it is vastly understated.
Interesting read on the subject...
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OD AK, I think you're right. In all likelihood the vehicle will be used to get you to your location then you're done. In my case, I need to get approximately 20-25 miles, so a full tank of fuel on ANY vehicle should do that no problem.
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Probably not the answer to your question but I would think if you HAD to get out of Dodge, an enduro type motorcycle with capability to carry gear, would be the best bet. It doesn’t take too much to turn the roads into gridlock.
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