Good SHTF Vehicles

[Who The F R U]

He would have to be at 50,000 feet or more to glide 300 miles.........even with a generous glide slope. Thin air helps but few private planes can achieve any altitude even close to that. 20,000 feet is a lot.

glide ratio for a 172 at 70knots is 1 mile for every 1000 feet on a standard pressure day.
10k agl =10 miles

 

[rcnpthfndr]

For me I am working on a 89 Suburban for a lot of the same reasons people have said.
I prefer a hard target if I have to get on the road and at the end of the day I just really like old big vehicles.

this is my take after several lovely vacations in Iraq and AFG.

1. inconspicuous to some means easy target to others. found many a looted car with unfortunate victims bodies next to it because they were trying to escape the fight and were robbed/murdered by AQI or affiliate groups.

2. when moving from point A to B and we noticed a vehicle on the BOLO list and locked the road down. they would always try to go offroad. we used to chase them but then realized they never got far in a 2wd vehicle.

3. you will have to go on the roads at some point. a hard target makes the bad guys think twice before entering a possible gunfight.

4. don't care how much you prep or if you bug in or out, you will have to get on the road at some point to get something. Environmental conditions, vermin (2 and 4 legged kind), natural disasters, a JDAM in the neighborhood can change your situation quite significantly and make you risk movement.

5. we saw the locals put plate steel in the doors to protect from the thugs that were roaming the back roads.

I totally agree, nothing is perfect. Murphy throws a kink into the best plan. SHTF questions are always fun, exercise the mind and often bring up good ideas. I had to laugh about the use of the boat as it brought back a memory of when some AQI dudes were trying to get away on the Euphrates in a boat and we sunk it with a javelin missile.

just my thoughts

 

[Siglvr]

1) Hope nobody else gets to your boat first because they are notoriously easy to steal.

2) If your boat is still there, hope it hasn't sunk. A severe earthquake or flood may sink the dock and your boat along with it. If the SHTF even includes a flooding of the river/etc. for any reason and your boat hasn't sunk, hope that you don't hit any debris in the flood waters which are very dangerous to navigate.

3) Hope that everybody else is too busy to notice a boat moving down or upriver, because you will stand out on the river like a sore thumb.

4) If it is a power boat, hope that you have enough fuel forever, because you will be extremely vulnerable pulling in anywhere to refuel. For that matter, hope that you have enough supplies forever, because you will be extremely vulnerable trying to resupply anything.

We do disagree on this issue. That's fine. Here are some points on your points.
Re: #1) Correct. Having an excellent lock on it will make it harder to steal and increase the odds that others may be stolen first if such a thing is occurring. Although once you push off, you will immediately be in a low populated area surrounded by water heading towards an area with even less folks. As opposed to staying in a highly populated spot with a truck where anyone could easily get the jump on you and take your vehicle? I think the water odds are better.

Re: 2nd) If the SHTF is that bad, no one will be driving. Baring a Tsunami directly hitting your boat, better odds on getting a moored boat out into the water IMO. Of course, it's possible that a bridge upriver and a bridge downriver screw you as well if they both collapsed. Pic of Alaska 1964 quake below.


Northridge Ca


Re: 3rd) I don't believe that the world will immediately turn to piracy right after a disaster. Especially on the water. Simply sail to a less populated area, anchoring in the middle of the river 30 miles from the city would give you more time to deal with anyone intent on your demise than staying in the city.If it happens that everyone starts shooting everything that moves, you, in the truck on land, will be an easier target in that you will be in pistol range from any of the multitude stuck on dry land who simply chooses to walk up to your campsite.

4th) You don't need infinite supplies. Just enough to get you out of the danger area where things are normal. Further, a sailboat can carry a substantial weight load. 2 weeks and a mainland sailboat is in Hawaii or someplace else of your choosing. Fishing and hunting from a boat would be supremely better than staying stuck in a devastated populated area and trying to compete over the local scraps. Sail upriver or downriver to the mouth of a feeder stream that has no people in the area: fish and or hunt. Many of the islands throughout the lower Columbia have plentiful game, places thick with geese, bucks and ducks. In the same vein, how is anyone expected to load 100-500 gallons of fresh water in their BOB if it's not a boat?

 

[titsonritz]

I want to build an RV out of a 6x6 Tatra chassis, with a 7 point roll cage and multiple winches.

 

[DuneHopper]

There are a couple obstacles on travel.

Travel to gas on hand ratio, has to be the number one doesn't matter if its a modped or a 10 ton,
they all have limited fuel carry abilities and when that runs out they are just hunks of metal that may
make you a unmovable target.

Circa, 1970 Gas lines, took a flip of a switch to cripple the larger cities that did not have rail or subways.
Travel, takes one large tree to stop any vehicle with in reason and then there is reality of movement.
The largest populations in WA and OR are concentrated in large blobs with horrible infrastructure all of them.
Katrinia as many have said was such a good learning tool, of suppression,excessive law in force, no fuel, no travel no food or water and you can't move or defend yourself very easily.
Where I live I don't see issues in travel or anything we are too small to really be effected as most would flee from here due to the lack of long term resources. Our stores picked clean would maybe at best support 3/4 the population for a week or so.

 

[edzz]

I want to build an RV out of a 6x6 Tatra chassis, with a 7 point roll cage and multiple winches.

6x6? Why not go 2 better and Man up?

 

[CamoDeafie]

6x6? Why not go 2 better and Man up?

View attachment 476790

Comrade! 8x8 eez nuthin' Da, 12x12 better!
(missing 1 wheel on one side?)



I think it was meant to be a "Siberian/arctic train engine" for areas without railroad tracks

 

[CamoDeafie]

another view showing clearly 6 axles

 

[titsonritz]

6x6? Why not go 2 better and Man up?

View attachment 476790

8x8, that would hurt the wallet more than the feelings. hell yeah.

 

[The Heretic]

8x8, that would hurt the wallet more than the feelings. hell yeah.

There is an 8x8 Man on CL for $30K - that is less than a new full sized 4x4 pickup costs and it has twice as many wheels.

 

[titsonritz]

View attachment 476798
another view showing clearly 6 axles

That thing is badass!! A couple M2s and it would be gtg.

 

[Jamie6.5]

Small, maneuverable, should be fairly economical. This guy really did a nice job of this.

 

[jbett98]

I was buying some rivet rack shelving for my shop from a retired guy in SE Portland the other day when I noticed a nice looking 1990 Toyota SR5 4x4 parked in front of his garage.
The guy was selling everything in his garage as he was moving to North Carolina next month.
I asked him what he was going to do with the pickup and he said that a neighbor down the street wanted it.
He told me that the guy had offered him $500.00 for it, and since it had a bad clutch he thought that's all it was worth.
He has owned it since 1996 and just last year he had put over $2,000 into the brakes, all fluid changes, bearings greased, front end parts, line up, plus a new radiator.
It's got the 22RE fuel injected motor with a 5 speed transmission.
After walking around the truck I offered him $1,500 cash on the spot and he said that he would run it by the neighbor and the next day he called me to say the neighbor had declined to meet my offer.
He has all the receipts from the dealer that serviced it and in his garage there are 4 mounted snow tires that go with it.

I've been looking for over two years for just this era rig and the prices people are asking lately for these are just plain ridiculous.
After talking to him, I deducted that it's the clutch slave cylinder that's losing pressure, not the clutch.

 

[The Heretic]

I was buying some rivet rack shelving for my shop from a retired guy in SE Portland the other day when I noticed a nice looking 1990 Toyota SR5 4x4 parked in front of his garage.
The guy was selling everything in his garage as he was moving to North Carolina next month.
I asked him what he was going to do with the pickup and he said that a neighbor down the street wanted it.
He told me that the guy had offered him $500.00 for it, and since it had a bad clutch he thought that's all it was worth.
He has owned it since 1996 and just last year he had put over $2,000 into the brakes, all fluid changes, bearings greased, front end parts, line up, plus a new radiator.
It's got the 22RE fuel injected motor with a 5 speed transmission.
After walking around the truck I offered him $1,500 cash on the spot and he said that he would run it by the neighbor and the next day he called me to say the neighbor had declined to meet my offer.
He has all the receipts from the dealer that serviced it and in his garage there are 4 mounted snow tires that go with it.

I've been looking for over two years for just this era rig and the prices people are asking lately for these are just plain ridiculous.
After talking to him, I deducted that it's the clutch slave cylinder that's losing pressure, not the clutch.


View attachment 479550

View attachment 479551

Sometimes being in the right place at the right time with cash gets you a good deal.

 

[CamoDeafie]

I've been thinking on this some more. I wonder if its legal to build a literal house truck on a 5 ton diesel truck ? Or the chassis from an old schoolbus with cab being left alone...? Steel studs and literal wood cladding and all the normal house materials in a small size? Perhaps similar sized to those tiny home trailers or cabins but actually drivable?

Or maybe cheaper overall to just retrofit/remodel a M820 Expandable Van 5 ton, or M939 the newer M1087 series? They after all are already house shaped but on a durable 6x6 diesel truck design...

 

[The Heretic]

I've been thinking on this some more. I wonder if its legal to build a literal house truck on a 5 ton diesel truck ? Or the chassis from an old schoolbus with cab being left alone...? Steel studs and literal wood cladding and all the normal house materials in a small size? Perhaps similar sized to those tiny home trailers or cabins but actually drivable?

Or maybe cheaper overall to just retrofit/remodel a M820 Expandable Van 5 ton, or M939 the newer M1087 series? They after all are already house shaped but on a durable 6x6 diesel truck design...

It depends on where you park it or drive it.

Some of the mil-surplus vehicles may not be street legal. More and more cities are cracking down on people parking a vehicle, especially an RV, on the street, especially if you are living in it, because of the people who make a mess. Then there are the zoning laws for where you can park an RV, especially if you live in it.

When I retire my plan is to buy land, build a shop that I can park an RV inside of, also have small living quarters inside (shhhh.. most zoning laws do not allow this in Orygun, but there are ways around them), live here from late spring to fall, and travel around when the weather gets bad, following the good weather, including traveling to Tahiti and New Zealand for a good part of the winter. Rinse and repeat. If I have enough cash left over I may also build a house too.

But yeah - lots of people do this:

<broken link removed>

Even my parents did it for a while, but they were more conventional and used RV parks.

 

[badbob85037]

Ya know there are some things you just have to let God worry about.

 

[Rick4570]

the best SHTF vehicle is the one where you get in it and turn the key and it starts up no matter how long it's been sitting.

 

[Jamie6.5]

This one is available with an "Open Carry" option, as shown:

 

[CamoDeafie]

Kia KM420 Light Utility Vehicle | Military-Today.com

This 4x4 military vehicle is based on the civilian Kia Sportage. The KM420 is a baseline troop/cargo carrier. It has a maximum payload capacity is 540 kg on highways and 360 kg on cross-country terrain. It can tow light trailers or artillery pieces. The Kia KM420 series vehicles are usually fitted with a canvas soft top.

Fascinating. Same Mazda based FE 2.0L engine, same frame as the 3 door convertible Sportsge, same mechanicals mostly (may be some differences).. quite different bodywork and external equipment.

Whether this means the 1995-2002 Kia Sportages are good bases or not, I am not sure. I do know in other websites, it is considered a quarter ton vehicle (same as the old Willys Jeep and CJ series).


Engine bay of military version


Kia Sportage engine bay (nearly identical)


Stripped down mil versions

Kia Retona (Return To Nature ) civilian jeep version of mil vehicle based on Sportage; not eligible for "classic/antique" import, not sure if eligible to import at all.


Australian or New Zealand 4x4 buggy conversion of Sportage

American (Texas?) Modification/strip down/buggy conversion for off-highway/private hunting purposes of Kia Sportage; likely not DOT street legal.
Suggests a possible compromise/conversion, not sure what can be done. Not sure if legal to acquire military body off frame from parts dismantlers over there amd send to U.S. to graft onto civilian Kia Sportage frame due to VIN issues (unless can modify to fit onto Sportage cab/firewall)