Good survivalist / prepper vehicle

[CamoDeafie]

Portal hubs or axles my man lol Unimogs, Pinzgauer, Haflinger, Hummvee/H1... Volvo C303...

 

[CamoDeafie]

I still got an itch to see a complete H1 4 wheel indpendent suspension and axle set on something as small as a 1980s Wrangler with a 6 cylinder it would definitely require custom A arms and a whole new frame... heck, a CJ5 tub would be a hoot, be like a Jeep version of those UTVs with the extra long A arms

 

[The Heretic]

Had a Pinzgauer for about ten years, was fun but hard to blend in...

It would be interesting to see all the weird vehicles on the road when SHTF.

 

[The Heretic]

And good ol' fashioned jeep death wobble! That takes talented engineering there. (Probably takes a talented union too!)
Sorry I'm the resident hater, Nice to meet you!

I'd rather take a 91/92 dodge with the Cummings 6BT pure mechanical diesel. Totally bullet proof when setup right and the KDP is resolved but that's easy. Can be made to run on bio pretty easy. Still terrible gas mileage though.

Talk about death wobble - I have a '97 Dodge 4x4 flatbed with a Cummins (not "Cummings" which is something else altogether - sheesh!) - almost the last year for the mechanical pump, but you can convert the early 24V Cummins (24V started in the 98.5 model year) back to mechanical pumps and the 24V makes more power than the 12V.

The 2nd gen 4x4 Dodges have issues with steering/etc. in their front ends - between the loose steering box and some other issues. I think some of the other generations do too.

Mine pulls one way when you use the brakes (I think one wheel's brake calipers are dragging) and the steering box is very loose - it has a lot of play. So you go from one side to the other and you really need to be prepared for it or you will go off the road - I won't let anyone else drive it, especially at speed on a curvy road. Once I get my house repairs done I intend to work on it some.

 

[Dr Prepper]

not "Cummings"

Yeah I know... I saw that during my subsequent post after that unfortunate "incident". (You notice I caught my spiel correction that time) I meant to fix it. ADD is a b!otch... Thanks for reminding me.. And the obligatory teasing (I s'pose..)

 

[bigezfosheez]

Not so much prepper vehicle as apocalypse/zombie vehicle. I'll just take the front sheet metal off to expose the 16ft of mower blades spinning at 2200rpms

 

[The Heretic]

Not so much prepper vehicle as apocalypse/zombie vehicle. I'll just take the front sheet metal off to expose the 16ft of mower blades spinning at 2200rpms

Easily stopped; just spread some bailing/fence/other wire or chain/etc. out in front of it.

DAMHIK

 

[bigezfosheez]

Easily stopped; just spread some bailing/fence/other wire or chain/etc. out in front of it.

DAMHIK

I can lift it about 5ft off the ground....or just stop the blades when I see concertina wire

 

[The Heretic]

I can lift it about 5ft off the ground....or just stop the blades when I see concertina wire

In my experience with flail mowers/etc., you generally don't see the stuff that gets caught up in them until it is too late. I usually don't know it until the engine gets bogged down and/or the clutches/belts start to slip. The worst I have experienced has been ground cover cloth the previous property owner laid down, but there have also been raised garden beds, metal fence posts and such.

 

[bigezfosheez]

I hate to admit it, but ive hit a few things in mine. But rotary swathers are a whole 'nother monster. I've sliced and diced t posts into 1ft bits, cut through a metal wheel rim, hit a forged drag harrow and sustained no damage, but some chipped down $5 blades

 

[The Heretic]

I hate to admit it, but ive hit a few things in mine. But rotary swathers are a whole 'nother monster. I've sliced and diced t posts into 1ft bits, cut through a metal wheel rim, hit a forged drag harrow and sustained no damage, but some chipped down $5 blades

I've wrapped a lot of different things around flail mowers and spent hours laying on my back trying to untangle them.

Just this year I ran over a metal faucet post and broke the shear pin on a rotary mower that I borrowed from my neighbor.

Stuff happens.

If you want something to chew up zombies, this is what I would use:

 

[The Heretic]

 

[OrPackrat]

I got the 3 best affordable and versatile prepper vehicles.

1. 1987 E350 Diesel 6.9 (Ambulance)
2. 1993 Geo Metro
3. 2005 Toyota Prius

The E350, cargo capacity, decent MPG, and can run on diesel, bio diesel, waste motor oil, waste vegetable oil, etc. The 80-90's Fords, besides the different engines, most parts are interchangeable and easy to source parts from if ever needed...

The Geo Metro, light weight, good gas mileage, goes anywhere, easy to rebuild if need be. You don't even need a hoist to pull the engine and trans.

The Prius, comfort with more MPG's some modern features but nothing like the vehicle electronics of 2015 and newer

 

[nammac]

For those Madd Maxx times yet to come, think I'd like to be sporting this…



Or this with mini guns behind the sliders

 

[The Heretic]

I got the 3 best affordable and versatile prepper vehicles.

1. 1987 E350 Diesel 6.9 (Ambulance)
2. 1993 Geo Metro
3. 2005 Toyota Prius

The E350, cargo capacity, decent MPG, and can run on diesel, bio diesel, waste motor oil, waste vegetable oil, etc. The 80-90's Fords, besides the different engines, most parts are interchangeable and easy to source parts from if ever needed...

The Geo Metro, light weight, good gas mileage, goes anywhere, easy to rebuild if need be. You don't even need a hoist to pull the engine and trans.

The Prius, comfort with more MPG's some modern features but nothing like the vehicle electronics of 2015 and newer

What happens when it snows or you need to get thru mud?

Hell, I often have to use 4WD on grass or loose dirt that isn't wet.

 

[OrPackrat]

What happens when it snows or you need to get thru mud?

Hell, I often have to use 4WD on grass or loose dirt that isn't wet.

Live in snow country growing up, didn't need 4WD then.. sure it was nice but most times going over the pass even, I never engaged it.

Knowing what your doing goes a long ways..

In the snow, you find more 4x4 vehicles in the ditch because 4x4 means better grip and handling (it just gets you going a bit easier).

A good set of tire chains on a 2WD vehicle can get you through a lot of situations...

 

[The Heretic]

Live in snow country growing up, didn't need 4WD then.. sure it was nice but most times going over the pass even, I never engaged it.

Knowing what your doing goes a long ways..

In the snow, you find more 4x4 vehicles in the ditch because 4x4 means better grip and handling (it just gets you going a bit easier).

A good set of tire chains on a 2WD vehicle can get you through a lot of situations...

I've lived and worked in the PNW (including MT & AK) for 60+ years and driven for 50+ years. I've been on the very same roads you have, driving mostly 2WD vehicles, then later 4WD/AWD. I've been on roads that nobody could stand on due to ice.

I can't get out of my private road without 4WD/AWD when it snows.

I have put real truck chains on a 4WD, on all four wheels, on an unplowed forest road in the Cascades - once the snow gets deep enough that the frame is pushing it, you are not going anywhere.

When SHTF, the roads will not get plowed. I live on a mountain and our roads are the last to get plowed. Our private road does not get plowed at all and it is steeper than the public roads.

There is nothing that can't get stuck if the conditions are bad enough. I have gotten tracked machines stuck.

 

[Camelfilter]

I've lived and worked in the PNW (including MT & AK) for 60+ years and driven for 50+ years. I've been on the very same roads you have, driving mostly 2WD vehicles, then later 4WD/AWD. I've been on roads that nobody could stand on due to ice.

I can't get out of my private road without 4WD/AWD when it snows.

I have put real truck chains on a 4WD, on all four wheels, on an unplowed forest road in the Cascades - once the snow gets deep enough that the frame is pushing it, you are not going anywhere.

When SHTF, the roads will not get plowed. I live on a mountain and our roads are the last to get plowed. Our private road does not get plowed at all and it is steeper than the public roads.

There is nothing that can't get stuck if the conditions are bad enough. I have gotten tracked machines stuck.

In the original miniseries of Stephen Kings' "The Stand" (1994), there is a scene from Boulder where the folks use a Tucker Snow Cat IIRC.

Such & similar would be about the only way to get around in places where heavy snow sets in. I'd think.

No idea on if regular snow mobiles would work, without routine trail grooming. Once snow is markedly accumulated.

 

[SCLU]

Toyota Prius.

Think about it. Blends in, can be converted to stealth camping, good fuel economy, not a black smoke loud rolling diesel.

Most in the PNW already are dirty and have moss growing on them.

 

[Rkangel]

The problem with anything that appears to be a nice SHTF vehicle when/if SHTF happens in our lifetimes is you become an instant target. People with $150k-$200k fully decked out Sprinter vans will have them taken away in a day or two.

BIG fan of convert living space vans/trucks that just look like an old commercial truck on the outside. Even put some fake company name on it. Ford Eseries box vans or a Van with a ladder on top and nothing on the outside that says 'come steal this, lots of good stuff inside.'

Bottom line is if you stick out, you are done. Especially if the grid is gone and you are tooling round with 1000w of Solar on the roof and taking a nice shower. Bang.

Become the grey man with the undesirable van. "County Roadkill Collector" or "Sewer Inspector" will pretty much ensure that no one will mess with your van.