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Good Survivalist/prepper vehicle?
1971 Ford f-100. 300 six with toploader 4-speed, Dana 20, 4WD and a good set of tires.
First off, I wanna state if you cut me, I bleed Chevy Engine Orange, however, with the older Ford trucks, you really can fix them with a hammer, a screwdriver and a 7/8" wrench.
I used to work as a mechanic and in commercial circles, there's a reason most lighter duty vehicles were Ford's. Designed to be repaired easily and built to last a while.
The F-100 will haul anything and go anywhere.
Modern enough to be easy to live with, but simple enough that the average joe can maintain it.
300 inline six is torquey, but also thrifty with a gallon of gas. Toploader 4-speed is like a smaller NP435. Easy to maintain and repair.
Everything here is fairly bullet proof.
Can't think of a better way to go.
 
Good Survivalist/prepper vehicle?
1971 Ford f-100. 300 six with toploader 4-speed, Dana 20, 4WD and a good set of tires.
First off, I wanna state if you cut me, I bleed Chevy Engine Orange, however, with the older Ford trucks, you really can fix them with a hammer, a screwdriver and a 7/8" wrench.
I used to work as a mechanic and in commercial circles, there's a reason most lighter duty vehicles were Ford's. Designed to be repaired easily and built to last a while.
The F-100 will haul anything and go anywhere.
Modern enough to be easy to live with, but simple enough that the average joe can maintain it.
300 inline six is torquey, but also thrifty with a gallon of gas. Toploader 4-speed is like a smaller NP435. Easy to maintain and repair.
Everything here is fairly bullet proof.
Can't think of a better way to go.
Agreed, and I bleed Hemi Orange, so outside a 41 Dodge WC-27, yea, those early Effy's are bomb proof! I would even go so far as to include the 4 banger powered Rangers to that, damn tough little buggers!
 
Toyota Hilux

I get ya, however, I should have also said affordable ( My Bad), Old Toyotas are most certainly NOT, especially the good Hilux series we had here in the states in the 80's and early 90's when they were simple! I would still stack the Ranger against the Toyota, and I'm NOT a ford fan by any stretch, but Damn if those little Fords ain't Awesome!
 
I get ya, however, I should have also said affordable ( My Bad), Old Toyotas are most certainly NOT, especially the good Hilux series we had here in the states in the 80's and early 90's when they were simple! I would still stack the Ranger against the Toyota, and I'm NOT a ford fan by any stretch, but Damn if those little Fords ain't Awesome!
I bought my '92 for $5K about ten years ago - I could sell it or my '97 Dodge for a profit, but they are not for sale.

I am thinking of converting the Toyota to an EV and the Dodge to an RV (it as a 12' flatbed and is a 4WD with a Cummins). I thought about putting an MB diesel in the Toyota, but now I am thinking an EV conversion would be simpler albeit more expensive. Range and recharge are factors, but not really an issue for me as I would use the Toyota for short trips, recharge with solar or by towing behind the Dodge while traveling (enable regen at a low percentage on the EV and towing will charge the batteries - the Dodge would hardly notice the drag). The Dodge would be my base camp, the Toyota for easy exploring and trips into town for supplies - both short range, dirt bike for more fun and involved off-road exploring.
 
Aaaaaaaaaaaand I'm going to take this in a completely different direction. :cool:

Had to fly out of PDX on Friday, returning late Saturday evening into Sunday morning. Due to the weather I decided to drive up Thursday and spend the night near the airport. On the trip up there, I-5 and crossing over to the 205 on Killingsworth, it looked pretty much like an frozen apocalyptic movie. Car crashed, abandoned or stuck all over the place and in the lanes of traffic. Off ramps with 20 cars piled up, blocking everything and nobody around. I began to notice something. What was one vehicle I NEVER saw stuck?

A Subaru.

I'm sure they were there, but about halfway I started looking for one and never did see a Subaru stuck or abandoned. A cool Armageddon vehicle isn't much good if it's stuck somewhere. Just an observation.
 
Aaaaaaaaaaaand I'm going to take this in a completely different direction. :cool:

Had to fly out of PDX on Friday, returning late Saturday evening into Sunday morning. Due to the weather I decided to drive up Thursday and spend the night near the airport. On the trip up there, I-5 and crossing over to the 205 on Killingsworth, it looked pretty much like an frozen apocalyptic movie. Car crashed, abandoned or stuck all over the place and in the lanes of traffic. Off ramps with 20 cars piled up, blocking everything and nobody around. I began to notice something. What was one vehicle I NEVER saw stuck?

A Subaru.

I'm sure they were there, but about halfway I started looking for one and never did see a Subaru stuck or abandoned. A cool Armageddon vehicle isn't much good if it's stuck somewhere. Just an observation.

 
Aaaaaaaaaaaand I'm going to take this in a completely different direction. :cool:

Had to fly out of PDX on Friday, returning late Saturday evening into Sunday morning. Due to the weather I decided to drive up Thursday and spend the night near the airport. On the trip up there, I-5 and crossing over to the 205 on Killingsworth, it looked pretty much like an frozen apocalyptic movie. Car crashed, abandoned or stuck all over the place and in the lanes of traffic. Off ramps with 20 cars piled up, blocking everything and nobody around. I began to notice something. What was one vehicle I NEVER saw stuck?

A Subaru.

I'm sure they were there, but about halfway I started looking for one and never did see a Subaru stuck or abandoned. A cool Armageddon vehicle isn't much good if it's stuck somewhere. Just an observation.
Subaru owners generally fall into two categories, those who take it seriously and those who shouldn't even be driving when it's nice out!
Almost every car, truck, or SUV that was crashed or abandoned was because they had no business being out in those conditions in the first place, they didn't have good tires, or the skills to use what they had, and no common curtsey for anyone else, like get over or get out of the way so others can get past you! Then there are the stupid who refuse to chain up, especially truck drivers who Should know better ( not saying all truck drivers) and they really help snarl things up! Every single big rig that got stuck was because they didn't chain up like the law requires them to, so we got even more screwed!

Bottom line is, if you or your ride ain't equipped for the weather conditions, stay off the God Damn Roads! I got around super easy, I have All Wheel Drive with good all season tires, and I know how to drive in the snow and ice, I never got stuck, and was able to pull off onto the shoulders and go around everyone else, or go off road through areas I know well and bypass the snarls! People's is so stupid!
 
After watching the HBO drama The Last of Us apparently all you need is a S10 Pickup like Bill

If it runs and has a working battery, it's a contender...

Bills S10 Apocalypse.jpg
 
After watching the HBO drama The Last of Us apparently all you need is a S10 Pickup like Bill

If it runs and has a working battery, it's a contender...

View attachment 1374314
As long as it ain't got the carbed 2.8L v6, or any of the 4 cylinders including the 2.5L Iron duke... (first generation, 83-93 models). After 1994, I think they all had the same 4.3L Vortec engines as the Astro/Safari vans.
 
As long as it ain't got the carbed 2.8L v6, or any of the 4 cylinders including the 2.5L Iron duke... (first generation, 83-93 models). After 1994, I think they all had the same 4.3L Vortec engines as the Astro/Safari vans.
I had 3. 2001 S10 Blazer 4WD with 4.3L V6. Flipped one and gave my sons one, and drove the other. Perfect car for an 8in snowpocalyse. Nothing beats common sense though like maybe don't drive...
 
Last Edited:
A Subaru.

I'm sure they were there, but about halfway I started looking for one and never did see a Subaru stuck or abandoned. A cool Armageddon vehicle isn't much good if it's stuck somewhere. Just an observation.
Almost every vehicle here on the mountain is wither AWD or 4WD. All of mine are - pretty much a requirement in the winter - I wouldn't make it 100' up my road if they weren't.

AWD/4WD can still get stuck, it is just a bit harder to do that and all too easy if not AWD/4WD.
 
In my experience, the best winter urban vehicle for me, was a 1994 Oldsmobile Cutlass Ciera station wagon.. FWD, 3.1L SFI engine, 4 speed auto overdrive, and I got Goodyear to put a set of 205-70 R14s on the steelies.... lowered the tire air, and it was a beast in the NY winters. I have no doubt dedicated winter tires would have been awesome.... 2nd to that, the 2001 Kia Sportage 2WD with snow tires.
 
Bottom line is, if you or your ride ain't equipped for the weather conditions, stay off the God Damn Roads! I got around super easy, I have All Wheel Drive with good all season tires, and I know how to drive in the snow and ice, I never got stuck, and was able to pull off onto the shoulders and go around everyone else, or go off road through areas I know well and bypass the snarls! People's is so stupid!
Good point. The entire drive I never felt like I was in danger of getting stuck or losing it. On some of the "detours" I could tell it was going to be sketchy and chose another option...others clearly didn't and suffered. BTW, I happened to be in a Subaru.
As long as it ain't got the carbed 2.8L v6, or any of the 4 cylinders including the 2.5L Iron duke... (first generation, 83-93 models). After 1994, I think they all had the same 4.3L Vortec engines as the Astro/Safari vans.
Had a 1988 S10 Blazer with the 2.8 and loved it, for about 444,000 miles (to be honest, swapped out the engine at just over 300k but it was still running. Our 96 with the Vortec was a screamer. One of the absolute best vehicles I've ever owned, but alas, traded it in for your other mention, the Astro van with the addition of another kid.
 
I had a 86 Chevy Celebrity station wagon with the 2 barrel carbed 2.8L v6 and it wasn't great... miles of vacuum hoses, lots of smog equipment, low power, not much torque.. the 2.5 Iron Duke did better on torque in the 1983 Olds Ciera 2 door (lighter by 250-300 pounds than the wagon). The most torque in a similar vehicle was the 1993 Buick Century Station wagon with the Buick 3300 3.3L v6 (apparently shares the intake manifold with the 3.8L v6s that was around before the Series 1 3800), a bit more torque than the Chevy based 3.1L v6 (seeing a pattern here.... ;) )

That said.. the carbed 2.8L was also in one of the Isuzu SUVs in the 1980s, I want to say Trooper?
 
I imagine in a general societal collapse, roads will be clogged.
I have an electric bike with with duel batteries, two foldable 100 watt solar panels and a 500 watt hour solar generator. old pic

IMG_20200925_134026.jpg
 

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