[Wonder Warthog]

"No, I understand that it induces currents in any conductor, which are at high enough levels that they tend to fry sensitive components."

"....sensitive components..." read "solid-state devices. I doubt seriously that an EMP would have much effect on anything of technology "pre-transistor". Rather than knowing us back to the late 1800's, it would be more like the mid-1950's.

[Bikers4Bush]

The lesson here being, buy old appliances, cars, motorcycles etc.