Sign in or 
Location: null
Discussion: Scavenging abandoned cars
Category:
Discussion Forum /
General Discussion
Share this
Ulysees73 |
Scavenging abandoned cars
Nov 13 2011, 1:43 PM EST
So z-day comes and while the rest of the world goes to hell, you have managed to get to your bol, and hunker down. You and your group(if you have one) have managed to survive and you haven't seen a zombie in over a week. Your supplies are running low, for whatever reason, and you have to do something about it. Would you try scavenging abandoned cars? In my opinion, it's safer than going into stores that in all likely hood have already been picked clean, and it's also likely that when the owner of the car left, he wasn't able to take everything with him. Sure it might not be guns and M.R.E.s, but even if you only find a can of beans, that's one more can than you had. Thoguhts? Do you find this valuable?
Keyword tags:
abandoned
cars
Scavenging
|
OutlawJames |
1. RE: Scavenging abandoned cars
Nov 13 2011, 2:01 PM EST
The unfortunate reality is that you will find the owners of most of the cars, didn't have much with them when they abandoned their car or died.Meaning expending much energy scavaging them will probably be counter productive. 1 out of 1 found this valuable. Do you? |
Sharkai |
2. RE: Scavenging abandoned cars
Nov 13 2011, 2:11 PM EST
I would, but not for use as a car. The chances are it will have some fuel in the tank, that can be syphoned off. The metal can be used for building, or possibly melted down if you have the ability. The interior has chairs and plastics for comfort. Rubber tyres can be used burned. Everything on the car could be used as spares for your existing vehicle. If you haven't settled down then in the short term the car may well contain some food/water/clothing/fuel. It's easy to check as well, you can quickly check the glovebox, the boot and a simple glance will show up anything on the floor or seats. 2 out of 2 found this valuable. Do you? |
|
Sharkai |
3. RE: Scavenging abandoned cars
Nov 13 2011, 2:13 PM EST
| Post edited: Nov 13 2011, 2:14 PM EST
sorry double post
Do you find this valuable?
|
FrankLeeDeRainged |
4. RE: Scavenging abandoned cars
Nov 13 2011, 2:41 PM EST
Few people consider how much 'stuff'' is in transit at any time in the developed world. Just-in-time operation means that there are millions of tons of produce on the roads at any moment. This will continue up to the point of crisis - or be the cause of one!http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Just_in_time_%28business%29 Forget the cars and develop a technique for opening shipping containers. _ 4 out of 4 found this valuable. Do you? |
brandon_a_boyer |
5. RE: Scavenging abandoned cars
Nov 13 2011, 2:50 PM EST
"Few people consider how much 'stuff'' is in transit at any time in the developed world. Just-in-time operation means that there are millions of tons of produce on the roads at any moment. This will continue up to the point of crisis - or be the cause of one!I agree entirely. Nothing amuses me more on this website than people suggesting to melt down steel to make new things when there is already so much **** made. 2 out of 2 found this valuable. Do you? |
Sharpie41 |
6. RE: Scavenging abandoned cars
Nov 13 2011, 2:53 PM EST
"Few people consider how much 'stuff'' is in transit at any time in the developed world. Just-in-time operation means that there are millions of tons of produce on the roads at any moment. This will continue up to the point of crisis - or be the cause of one!A lot of the time the only lock on a shipping container is a security tag. If it's locked all you'd need is a good pair of bolt cutters. I would scavenge cars mostly for fuel and car supplies not necessarily survival supplies 1 out of 1 found this valuable. Do you? |
epic_epicness |
7. RE: Scavenging abandoned cars
Nov 13 2011, 2:55 PM EST
"Few people consider how much 'stuff'' is in transit at any time in the developed world. Just-in-time operation means that there are millions of tons of produce on the roads at any moment. This will continue up to the point of crisis - or be the cause of one!shipping containers are hardly secure, they can be opened with bolt cutters. as for raiding traffic jams you will likely find a coca cola truck meaning several gallons of Dasani bottled water, vendor trucks, grocery trucks, fuel trucks, propane trucks ect. on top of that you should be able to find a fed ex or UPS truck. they commonly ship medications so you have a good chance of finding pain killers and antibiotics. you can also strip about 1/2 mile of 12ga copper wire out of every vehicle and a 12v battery. there is plenty to take and use as long as you know what you are looking for and how to use it. 2 out of 2 found this valuable. Do you? |
PedroAsani |
8. RE: Scavenging abandoned cars
Nov 13 2011, 2:55 PM EST
"Few people consider how much 'stuff'' is in transit at any time in the developed world. Just-in-time operation means that there are millions of tons of produce on the roads at any moment. This will continue up to the point of crisis - or be the cause of one!Actually if the Panic plays out as a gradual cascading failure, there will be less stuff in transit. International shipping will be locked down first, so the warehouses will be slowly depleted. By the time they are on their last remnants, the Panic will be full blown and few truckers will be willing to cross country when they risk zombies dragging them from the cab as if they were Rodney King. 3 out of 3 found this valuable. Do you? |
JunkCollector |
9. RE: Scavenging abandoned cars
Nov 13 2011, 3:04 PM EST
You can find all kinds of stuff in abandoned cars. I use to work in a junk yard, and we found all sorts of cool things from change, cassette tapes, up to boxes of shot gun shells, and a .38 special revolver. I turned in the revolver to the police station. It may be worth one's time to search through cars especially those full of stuff, or with a driver who has turned (just put a few in the zombie through the window). If you remove the gas tank off there will be at least a 1/2 gallon of gas that the cars fuel pump can't pull out. There are also many useful parts that can come in handy such as the alternator, lights, battery, belts, and such like items. I will spend some time looking through cars, especially if scavenging and hunting are slow. Just remember to look in the car carefully before you enter. 4 out of 5 found this valuable. Do you? |
Carnack |
10. RE: Scavenging abandoned cars
Nov 13 2011, 3:05 PM EST
"I agree entirely.It makes sense though. Venturing into population areas invites the issue of hostiles and zombies. If you can make your own stuff you bypass all of that entirely because you can get metal much more easily than specific tools. 1 out of 1 found this valuable. Do you? |
|
FrankLeeDeRainged |
11. RE: Scavenging abandoned cars
Nov 13 2011, 3:10 PM EST
"Actually if the Panic plays out as a gradual cascading failure, there will be less stuff in transit.Which contributes to the crisis given how little stuff is stored by organizations that have gone to JITS. And Epic, I think you will find they are secured with a padlock that is housed in a shield that prevents you getting the bolt cutters in there mate. However the cast steel claws (4 or 6 to a door) are vulnerable to a low-tech assault with a cold chisel if you have a ladder and don't mind the hideous racket while you whale away at them. _ 1 out of 1 found this valuable. Do you? |
|
brandon_a_boyer |
12. RE: Scavenging abandoned cars
Nov 13 2011, 3:31 PM EST
"It makes sense though. Venturing into population areas invites the issue of hostiles and zombies.Yeah, try getting enough coal to smelt some iron. The proper sand to cast it, and the correctly deoxidizers and alloying elements. Then make a trip to a steel supplier, and pull what you need from their warehouse. Do you find this valuable? |
|
epic_epicness |
13. RE: Scavenging abandoned cars
Nov 13 2011, 3:42 PM EST
"Which contributes to the crisis given how little stuff is stored by organizations that have gone to JITS.so just take the cordless dremel tool to the lock if it has a housing. Do you find this valuable? |
|
brandon_a_boyer |
14. RE: Scavenging abandoned cars
Nov 13 2011, 4:18 PM EST
"so just take the cordless dremel tool to the lock if it has a housing. "Try taking a dremel to a hardened steel lock and see how long it takes to get through Either a portable oxyfuel rig or a carbon arc gouger is the way to go. If neither of those get a corded grinder with a cutting wheel. Do you find this valuable? |
|
PedroAsani |
15. RE: Scavenging abandoned cars
Nov 13 2011, 5:27 PM EST
"Try taking a dremel to a hardened steel lock and see how long it takes to get through*cough*bumpkeys*cough* Do you find this valuable? |
|
epic_epicness |
16. RE: Scavenging abandoned cars
Nov 13 2011, 8:56 PM EST
"Try taking a dremel to a hardened steel lock and see how long it takes to get throughtakes about 2 minutes to set up, cut, and remove a hardened lock from a housing with a portable dremel tool while taking fire. I just ran this intrusion scenario last week. you want to know the minimum sized vehicle it takes to break through a 1 1/2 in steel cable vehicle barrier? Do you find this valuable? |
|
brandon_a_boyer |
17. RE: Scavenging abandoned cars
Nov 13 2011, 9:00 PM EST
"*cough*bumpkeys*cough*"Yeah but bump keys for every type of padlock? Do you find this valuable? |
|
Carnack |
18. RE: Scavenging abandoned cars
Nov 13 2011, 9:24 PM EST
| Post edited: Nov 13 2011, 10:04 PM EST
"Yeah, try getting enough coal to smelt some iron. The proper sand to cast it, and the correctly deoxidizers and alloying elements.1: As I'm sure you are aware metalworking existed before modern techniques and it's hardly a sophisticated trick to make basic tools. 2: I can go into my shop and find workable steel. Railroad stakes, rebar grids, and parts from cars, bikes, and an old Chevy truck and that's what I have now. Metal will not be hard to come by in large workable volumes if crap goes south. Do you find this valuable? |
|
brandon_a_boyer |
19. RE: Scavenging abandoned cars
Nov 13 2011, 10:18 PM EST
"1: As I'm sure you are aware metalworking existed before modern techniques and it's hardly a sophisticated trick to make basic tools.One of the early commenter was talking about melting down steel from cars to produce new steel. I have no problem with using found steel. But the idea of melting down something like a car engine to make a hammer is just stupid. 2 out of 2 found this valuable. Do you? |
