Your budget is $10k for an Apocalypse Vehicle

[rusty ol ranger]

If it comes to nuclear war, I'm hoping I'm still living close enough to a strategic target that all I see is a bright flash and then some pearly gates.

I got a feeling ill see a bright flash....and then more bright flashes

 

[Eddo Rogue]

How much is a horse?

 

[Curious Hound]

How much is a horse?

Much less as long as you don't buy a high end sports model.

 

[Chapap]

Much less as long as you don't buy a high end sports model.

I you go the horse rout, I'd get a newer used model that's been well cared for. The brand new ones are always under powered and need allot of tuning.

 

[BroncLander]

A beer delivery truck, with a full load and a full tank of gas; half a pack of cigarettes, it's dark and we're wearing sunglasses.

You're On a mission from God!

 

[BroncLander]

Rules change!!!
Money is now toilet paper and firestarter. Gasoline is running out. A year has passed and most highways are unter territorial control and many bridges are either gone or fortified.
Seems like the joint effort was the way to go...

 

[BroncLander]

But that contradicts the definition of the word apocalypse.

The whole reason for my reply is that, as I pondered the original question, I had to figure out what I would be preparing this vehicle for. What are the conditions it has to meet? What will I need it to do? So, I refreshed my knowledge of “apocalypse” and figured out that there is no reason to plan for anything after an apocalypse because everything and everyone will be destroyed.

So, maybe the original question should be modified to something else. Perhaps along these lines. “If the major world powers were to engage in nuclear war and destroy all the major military bases, most major resources (think oil refineries and electrical power generation) and major population centers, what type of vehicle would you want?

This still leaves a lot of unanswered questions. What percentage if the work population remains and where are they? We need to know that in order to figure out how we might live and how the remaining resources will need to be shared or fought over. How long will it take to start rebuilding and restoring what we currently consider normal? Many discussions about apocalypse planning seem to center in some unrealistic scenario in between this and a true apocalypse.

There are places in the world that would still come through relatively unscathed. There are places in the US that would still be habitable.

In my opinion, for several years, it would be impractical to place heavy importance on vehicles with internal combustion engines. That ties you to a fuel source. Sure, there are tanks full of gasoline and diesel fuel all over the place. But you will have to stay near them and develop electrical sources to pump the fuel out of the tanks. It would probably be easier to get some horses or mules and live off the land somewhere. Choose a place where you can grow food but also have access to a stream that is suitable for running a mill and possibly a small hydro-electrical generator. Learn to dry and smoke meats to preserve them without refrigeration. Learn how to preserve and store grains and vegetables. Watch out for lazy people coming to steal what you work so hard to build up for yourself. Etc. Eventually, industrious people will start rebuilding the important parts of our infrastructure and life will slowly return to some civilized state, just not as grand as it is now. Even though we already have a lot of knowledge and technology, a lot of the people who “know how to do things” will have been killed. It will take years to repopulate, re-educate and regenerate the people needed to get things running again. And that doesn’t take into account the high crime rates that are inevitable because of the self-centered laziness in our current society.

I like the way you really took this down to what the definition truly means and got right into it. You're a deep thinker and I like that.

The reality is, everyone can define it however they see fit. Because whatever happens, that's exactly what people will do.

If it truly was a biblical apocalypse, I would still build a mad max vehicle. In any situation, I will always do my very best to keep on going. And I also will do my very best to maintain my humanity and follow my moral compass. It certainly does seem like no matter the circumstances, we're always being tested

 

[rusty ol ranger]

Rules change!!!
Money is now toilet paper and firestarter. Gasoline is running out. A year has passed and most highways are unter territorial control and many bridges are either gone or fortified.
Seems like the joint effort was the way to go...

Horse for sure.

 

[alwaysFlOoReD]

I suppose I can always eat a horse...

 

[dvdswan]

I suppose I can always eat a horse...

Did someone say...

 

[sgtsandman]

Rules change!!!
Money is now toilet paper and firestarter. Gasoline is running out. A year has passed and most highways are unter territorial control and many bridges are either gone or fortified.
Seems like the joint effort was the way to go...

The joint venture route is the best long term option.

Transportation by that point is going to be by foot, horse, or horse and cart. One could modify a vehicle to be horse drawn but that is a lot of unneeded weight and complexity.

 

[BroncLander]

The joint venture route is the best long term option.

Transportation by that point is going to be by foot, horse, or horse and cart. One could modify a vehicle to be horse drawn but that is a lot of unneeded weight and complexity.

I would imagine that a mountain bike would also be a pretty good option. Fast, no fuel required, fairly good on or off road, easy to carry over imposible obstacles. E bike even better if you can have charging panels

 

[Blmpkn]

I'd go for a rigid single speed bike with airless tires and a little cargo rack and spend the rest on freeze dried food, ammo, and clothes.

 

[bobbywalter]

OK, so it's an "Almost Apocalypse".

Like in Stephan King's "The Stand".

Anybody here read that one?

Several times .. different periods of life as well....the talisman and gunslinger series and bachman books were fairly instructive... Backed against 451 and the Andromeda Strain...and say Alas Babylon ... Gulag .. 84... Chariots of the gods..

But. None of that means shit compared to the current activating super caldera that is Yellowstone. An asteroid hit is the only thing that compares to that.

It is long overdue to pop.

And a slide along the fault is overdue at the canary islands.... no more east coast.

Chinese labs are on us soil ...

Yup....one way or another....

not an if. It is a when.

There is a reason I am fanboi ... And student of George Carlin.

I know I ain't shit .. and there is nothing I can do to stop it. Where I differ is where my energy goes.

 

[dvdswan]

The joint venture route is the best long term option.

Transportation by that point is going to be by foot, horse, or horse and cart. One could modify a vehicle to be horse drawn but that is a lot of unneeded weight and complexity.

So, this is the apocalyptic vehicle we desire...

Now if we can get flames on the War Wagon we'll be set.