Can anyone recommend an automobile to survive an Electromagnetic Pulse (EMP) attack?

ReveBM | 05/13/2002 | ReveBM

[ReveBM]

Can anyone here recommend a particular model of auto that should theoretically be able to survive an Electromagnetic Pulse (EMP) attack? I am assuming in this case that the car would be far away from the nuclear explosion to not be affected by direct blast damage. If you could mention a particular model and model year, and any other things you would note about why this car would run in the period following the attack. I prefer more modern cars that I can actually afford, as opposed to Model T's.

Also, does anyone know of body shops that can "harden" a car against EMP? I assume this would involve removing all of the computer chips from the car and replacing them with "hardened" chips if those exist.

Does anyone know of any outfits that sell "hardened against EMP" appliances available to a retail consumer?

I suppose I could just take the "hard" path and wait for an EMP attack and hope that it only effects a limited area of the United States (perferrably not near where I live). Then I would have to wait for remaining private industry to crank up and sell products shielded against EMP.

[untenured]

You're the resident authority on cars. Can you help him out?

[RightWhale]

Get a diesel.

[billbears]

Not knowing much about EMPs, would that affect a carb system or just sequential fires with chip a lots under the passenger seat

[lavaroise]

First of all, you need simple engines, such as the diesel engine, because it can run autonomously without an electrical spark system. It is a purely mechanical combustion system. There is still the problem of some electronicaly controled injectors in some modern turbo diesel engines. Still, I am sure one can get out there a good diesel engine with no electrical sustenance system. Of course the best would be a hand cranked diesel engine for starting, but I believe there are ways to protect your electrical starter or the special cylinder heaters some diesel engines need for start up, though some diesel engines are designed to start from cold too.

The best way to protect an electrical system is to disconect the battery and any circuit in the car, such as fuses and alternator. Then you can protect the car under a Faraday's cage such as the one used to protect your skin from microwaves when you look at the melting cheese through the microwave window. Of course grounding and additional surge protection is a plus. Sometimes the effects of EMP on circuits is only temporary too.

I suggest you look into buying a surplus army jeep or humvee if it is in working condition. Those are most probably hardened. I am wondering if you can even buy one new. Those old diesel army trucks are great too.

Last but not least, you can read

The Reluctant Survivors: a family guide to the prevention and treatment of radiation sickness, by Wayne D. Lebaron (Salt Lake City: Dream Garden Press, 1984).

"This is an excellent book if you can get your hands on it. The section on EMP gives a number of simple, practical suggestions on protecting your appliances. Mainly, unplug them from the wall. (Anybody can do that.) And how about removing the battery from your car if you think a nuclear attack is imminent? Hey, it could work. "

Check it all out at: http://www.jrnyquist.com/survival_guide.htm

[riley1992]

This should do it. The hood on that baby will bounce off molecules like nobody's business.

[Calvin Locke]

Life's a b!tch. D@mned if you do, & d@mned if you don't.

I, a pretender to Carnac, will ask the question to which the the answer is "You".

The question was, "Who will be the first person carjacked after an EMP attack?"

[Constitution Day]

Not knowing much about EMPs, would that affect a carb system or just sequential fires with chip a lots under the passenger seat

Don't "axe" me, b.b.!

I will submit that if an EMP occurs in your general vicinity, a working auto will be the LEAST of your problems.

[lavaroise]

Keep in mind some Faraday's cages do not protect against EMP. YOu have to get the appropriate material or pin hole size apparently.

[Post Toasties]

Perhaps an early unleaded gas model (early-mid '70's) with carburetion, buy spares for all electronics (alternator, starter motor, lights, fuses, etc., bury or store them in a safe spot) & stock up on a quantity of gasoline & several cases of oil & fluids, etc.

[gilor]

an EMP can destroy your muffler bearings too!

[IncPen]

And in the news today, Russia is planning to resume "nook-yoo-lar" (as bush pronounces it) testing soon.

I once heard Jimmy Carter use the same pronounciation. He should know better, he served on a nuclear vessel in the Navy.

[Lazamataz]

LOL! How did you get that, this quick, for this very thread???

[RightWhale]

That was a nukular vessel.

[TomServo]

LOL!!!!

[The Real Eddie01]

Dear Abdullah,

Please contact the authorities, give your location and wait for them to pick you up.

Eddie01

[ReveBM]

Finally a question I can answer. I just need a gun and enough ammo to protect my vehicle.

[Charles Martel]

Carburetors are non-electric (except for the choke, in some cases), so that's always a better bet than an EFI-equipped car. Carbs were still in use up until the mid-1980s, but by then all the cars had electronic ignition (not computerized, but the circuitry is probably vulnerable). Any carbureted vehicle can probably be fitted with an older distributor (breaker points and condensor).

Downside... the kid at Pep Boys looks at you funny when you ask for "points" or "condensor". You get the "thousand-yard stare", every time.

[The Real Eddie01]

There's always steam.

[ReveBM]

I actually think that an EMP attack on the US would be a very savvy move by a terrorist organization, in terms of spreading mayhem and panic; it may be fairly easy to build a device.

I'm just kicking around ideas here, I don't exactly plan on doing things just yet.

I mean, come one, do you guys really believe the government is going to do anything to protect us from this BEFOREhand if this occurs? Why can't we try to figure out what we would need to do ourselves?

Maybe I'm focusing on my car first because I love my car, and I love to drive. I realize that I should probably first think about how to store two years' worth of lentils or something.

[Tony in Hawaii]

Eating lentils has been known to cause Communism, so be careful.