Bug out vehicles

[nightrunner]

a bug-out vehicle (BOV), is dependent on what you specific needs may be because of whatever the situation may be.

you might need a :

cargo van or passenger van to transport relatively large amounts of people or concealed cargo at one time. ex., Chevy Express van or Ford E-series or similar

fuel efficient car to get out of town on regular roadways and go as far as possible on as little fuel as possible. ex., Honda Civic, Toyota Camry, or other small 4cyl powered economy car with approx 30+mpg. modified with either a larger fuel tank or an auxillary fuel tank as vented fuel cans are unsafe in the passenger compartment and screams steal me if you mount them outside.

fast car if for some reason you might need to get away from someone or something really fast and have roads. ex., corvette, camaro, mustang, muscle car, or basically anything modified performance-wise.

off-road capable 4x4 truck/SUV to take you off the beaten path and be able to carry "some" cargo. ex., K-5 Blazer, Ford Bronco, 4x4 full-size truck, or similar.

dirt-bike if you need maneuverability and relatively high speed off-road. ex., Honda other popular serviceable dirt bike.

street bike if you need maneuverability and high speed on roadways to weave in and out of traffic etc. ex. popular sport bike (crotch rocket) or even a cruiser (Harley-type) will work. extra gas on board if possible.

or maybe something else suits your situation better? remember to always keep whatever you use in top mechanical condition and at least enough fuel handy to make it to your BOL (bug-out location). you need somewhere to go BEFORE you leave.

EMP proof or resistant is to be taken into consideration. mechanical fuel injection or carburetor and mechanical igniton is needed.

[Superman]

So what, on an all mechanical diesel with a manual transmission, would it need that would be taken out?

[nightrunner]

what do you mean taken out?

[Superman]

taken out by an EMP

[nightrunner]

If its all mechanical, it would still operate.

[Superman]

to whoever said that " a diesel is EMP-proof" is misinformed. EMP takes out all electronics to speak of. gas or diesel doesnt matter if its all mechanically controlled. however the diesel does excel in the fact that it can burn multiple fuels.

Well from this post it sounded like you thought there was something that would keep it from running. That's why i asked

[nightrunner]

Well from this post it sounded like you thought there was something that would keep it from running. That's why i asked

guess i should have separated the "sentences" as they are separate thoughts.

the point i meant to get across is that if it is all mechanically controlled, it doesnt matter if its gas or diesel it will still run. if it is electronically controlled, it doesnt matter if its gas or diesel it will be disabled.

[Moped]

I would add that EMP would take out all electronics no matter what they are if they are not shielded. Radios, small TVs, PDAs, cell phones, none of them would work if they aren't protected.

[midtennchip]

I would add that EMP would take out all electronics no matter what they are if they are not shielded. Radios, small TVs, PDAs, cell phones, none of them would work if they aren't protected.

This is my understanding, as well. However, I also think that no one really knows for sure what will happen. One of the things no one has ever been able to explain to me is what happened with the electric windows and door locks when they were talking about it on Future Weapons. The car stopped when the EMP simulator hit, but the electric windows and door locks continued to work.

I don't pretend to know what an EMP will really do, but I would love to know more. For example, would the electronic starter on my '87 Wagoneer still work? I doubt it, but not sure.

[TNTitan]

This is my understanding, as well. However, I also think that no one really knows for sure what will happen. One of the things no one has ever been able to explain to me is what happened with the electric windows and door locks when they were talking about it on Future Weapons. The car stopped when the EMP simulator hit, but the electric windows and door locks continued to work.

I don't pretend to know what an EMP will really do, but I would love to know more. For example, would the electronic starter on my '87 Wagoneer still work? I doubt it, but not sure.

Depends on the shielding. Anything that operates like a "Faraday cage" by design or accident should shield vulnerable circuits from EMP damage to some degree.. that could be a car door, etc.. But the rule of thumb is that unshielded circuits (almost anything electronic) would act like an antenna and terminally overload and fry in the presence of an EMP, even one detonated thousands of miles away.

I agree noone knows exactly what would happen, but most agree that properly executed, an EMP attack on the U.S. would be devastating. Google "Starfish Prime" and see the "oops" that happened when the U.S. played with EMP in the Sixties. Lots of EMP damage. Luckily suitcase nukes and dirty bombs and other weapons in terrorist arsenals are really ineffective EMP generators. Only a few nations have vehicles that can get a sufficient size nuke to appropriate altitude for successful EMP attack. I would think (hope) we have the technology to pop those missiles waaay before they get to altitude. No clue though - as such, enter the 80's circuit-free dirtbike!

Edited October 18, 2009 by TNTitan

[Guest tadams]

Man, there is some really good material in this thread added with the hilarious....

A diesel vehicle is the better fuel option for many reasons. Several have been mentioned, but I would like to add/ recount to that list.

Diesel can be stored for a relatively infinite amount of time. In storage, it has only two flaws: water and sludge (caused by water) Keeping the storage tank full to the brim, in an environment that has the least possible temperature range, and possibly including a water sucking additive (or algae eating additive for the sludge) can cancel all this out while only adding a few pennies to the cost. Storage containers can be had for relatively cheap, as well.

As discussed, an EMP will probably have no effect on an older, mechanically injected vehicle. I know several of the companies that make civilian protection vehicles simply wrap their serious components in a Faraday type shield. It's not rocket science and, as others have pointed out, is sometimes accidentally made. (door locks, etc)

Diesel engines can run on nearly anything, barring alcohol and gasoline. Cold weather is your enemy, but there are ways around this, too. (including a gasoline mixture of less than 10%) Some of these options will incur a temporary loss of power, but you'll still be able to get around, if no other factor affects your vehicle.

Their are several makers of diesel bikes and many retrofitters around. A dual sport diesel would make great sense.

A bicycle would be the quietest solution, a horse would be the second. Both have their advantages/ disadvantages regarding maneuverability as well as other factors.

To me, a 4wd diesel van with an elevated rack for a dual sport diesel bike complete with a couple bicycles on a roof rack would seem supreme - keep a bed in the back so you're always ready to go and not directly exposed to the elements. You can store extra fuel up top or within the vehicle. (if it gets apocalyptic bad, theft of fuel will be of supreme importance) You can maintain relative privacy with no windows/ dark windows or curtains. Some of the newer engine alternatives through GM and others will feature the ability to cut down on cylinders to lessen fuel consumption.

[Guest 1817ak47]

ok power lock and windows on some older cars are just controlled by a basic switch and power by a dc motor, later cars will likely have "modules" that has electronic components in them that could be damaged unlike a regualr electric switch

[Guest 22-rimfire]

My choice is a full sized cargo van and a trailer. If necessary you can haul a lot of stuff if it is packed carefully and you don't have to waste space with any more than two passengers. Might have to do a quick camo job on it.

Since the whole scenario is full of unknowns, I think a two prong approach to transportation is in order; bike and van. Barring nuclear accident or exchange, the best place to to stay at home until the dust settles. Get fuel. Buy as much food as possible and wait for a week to see what happens. If you are inclined to prepare for such things, a good sized generator would be quite useful. Nothing like some electricity to brighten the dark times. Make it small enough to haul however as it would be a much desired item.

[poak]

My choice is a full sized cargo van

You roll like this:

[1gewehr]

IF you need to bug out, there are some basic principles to keep in mind.

1) You won't be alone. Many others will thinking the same thing. Major roads will be clogged, fuel will be hard to come by.

2) Keep a low profile. With large groups of panicky people, it's best to look like you don't have anything they want.

3) Have a plan. Know where you want to go, what routes to follow, and alternate plans if roads are impassable.

4) The less you carry, the less you could lose. Remember the 'panicky people'? Expect to be robbed. Pre-positioning your supplies will allow you to be more agile and give you a lot more options, including hoofing it if necessary.

All told, our old Nissan pickup is our BOV. It's ugly, not a 4WD, and won't be loaded down, so it won't attract attention. The dogs in the bed will keep potential hitch-hikers away. But it has relatively high ground clearance and pretty good off-road performance for getting around roadblocks. A come-along and rope behind the seats is a whole lot less obvious than a powered winch, and almost as effective.

[Guest cjr]

My partner is sellin his BOV you can see it at halfmilliondollarhummer.com the site needs some work

[Guest benchpresspower]

"If ya gotta go, go with a smile!"

[JW3Percent]

Or our Diesel F250 4wd.

Was this from "Damnation Valley"?

My BOV will most likely be the new-to-me truck I just bought. 2005 Nissan 4wd Frontier crewcab. I've been thinking about disaster/catastrophe preparedness a lot lately which, among other things, prompted the purchase of the truck.

Pros: 4 wheel drive, fairly light and maneuverable, 4 doors...

Cons: Small, poor fuel economy, non-diesel, storage is in the bed and not protected

I'd like to have a small dirt bike that I could load into the bed in case of traffic/impassable roads/etc. but not sure how feasible it would be trying to get it all loaded into the bed during the heat of an emergency.

Edited December 13, 2009 by Slipstream

[Guest PeaShooter]

This will take the whole family in style

[JW3Percent]

^ Short on availability... not very discreet either! lol

[Guest PeaShooter]

Will This Work?

[Moped]

It'd work for me!

[Guest PeaShooter]

An Exercise in Futility,

These folks are already Bugged Out.

Middle of No Where!

[JW3Percent]

^ Awesome! Always been a dream of mine to live secluded like that.

(does that make me antisocial?)

Ill take one of these please:

or this:

Edited December 13, 2009 by Slipstream

[Guest PeaShooter]

I will Like the First One Now.

Did not know about it.

Must check it out.

Thanks. PS