tearing down the vehicle for survival

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Bushman5

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Oct 31, 2007
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lets tear down a truck, say an mid 90s F150 gas engine truck. What can we use for surviving?

be creative, think outside the box. Think about fire materials, shelter, clothing, tools, all which can be made/utilized from a vehicle.

I'll start;

- mirrors for signalling and for first aid usage
- battery + jumpers + fuel (both in tanks, lines, filter, pump carb or injectoers etc) for fire starting
- seat covers/foam for clothing/insulation
- floor mats or full bench seat removal for sleeping barrier ground pads.

GO!

at some point this late fall, i will be towing a truck into the BC woods and doing just this, and shooting with a RED camera all the uses of a vehicle in the woods) :cool:

truckinwoods.jpg
 
plastic bed liner and sheet metal for shelter
burn the tires for a signal fire+smoke
glass for a small blade or arrowhead
wires as snare material or cordage
 
Bushman5 said:
lets tear down a truck, say an mid 90s F150 gas engine truck. What can we use for surviving?

be creative, think outside the box. Think about fire materials, shelter, clothing, tools, all which can be made/utilized from a vehicle.

I'll start;

- mirrors for signalling and for first aid usage
- battery + jumpers + fuel (both in tanks, lines, filter, pump carb or injectoers etc) for fire starting
- seat covers/foam for clothing/insulation
- floor mats or full bench seat removal for sleeping barrier ground pads.

GO!

at some point this late fall, i will be towing a truck into the BC woods and doing just this, and shooting with a RED camera all the uses of a vehicle in the woods) :cool:

truckinwoods.jpg
Click to expand...

no need to go towing a truck into the woods, head out onto any of the FSR's around here and you'll find plenty of abandoned stolen trucks.


i'd take the mirrors for signalling, cable for snares, use the rubber tires and gas from the tank for a signal fire and use the cloth from the seats for clothes. maybe take the panels and stuff off to build a shelter.


one thing though, you're gonna need a helluva good multi tool to strip one of those suckers down lol. either that or use something from cold steel :D
 
truck has a basic tool kit with it, just like very rig heading off highway would have. :)

that being said.........lets say the tools were scattered in the rollover, describe how you would remove what you needed... :)
 
what kind of tools do you have to take down the truck???

I mean... how do you remove sheet metal without a tool? :D
 
simple, you just need lynn thompson in your tool kit and he'll rip apart a car hood with a san mai fixed blade.. :D
 
Fun thread, Bushie! Kind of like the exercises Brian would dish up a while ago. (I will assume the reason the truck is being canabilized is that it is not in a suitable location to use as a shelter.) A lot of the basics have been covered. Good call, Andrew on mentioning the bedliner. A huge chunk of plastic like that would be great! Here are a few that occur to me:

Hood - The hood should be removable withought too much effort. (Multitool plyers or socket. If necessary, brute force and leverage.) Could be used for a shelter wall or roof component, a fire reflector or a perhaps formed into a crude woodstove.

Tailgate - Easily removable without tools, but heavy. Could serve as a section of a shelter wall or as a fire reflector.

Rear Window - Easily removed with a FB, tent peg, or possibly a stick. Could be used as a wall or roof component of a shelter.

Sun Roof - Easily removed without tools. Uses same as above.

Battery - Used in conjunction with wire to start a fire or possibly power lights or other available electronics. (CB radio?) If discharged, lead might be utilized to make fishing weights.

Tail/Running Lights - Bulbs, reflectors and wires may be usd in conjunction with the battery to provide lighting. Reflectors may be used for signaling. Lenses may be broken into pieces to use as brightly colored fishing lures.

Antenna - Ford trucks have a single-piece rigid antenna that screws out. It could serve as a tent pole, a fishing rod, or a pot hanger. It could also be used as a weapon to keep coyotes, feral dogs, and the like at a distance.

License Plates - Could be used as a cooking surface or incorporated into a stove.

Sun Visors - Could add a little insulation under you. May also be used to fan a fire.

Center Console - May be used as a seat or storage container in camp. (Keep mice out of your Doritos!)

Washer Fluid Resivoir - Liquid container, possibly to transport and store salvaged gasoline or water.

Seat Belts - Webbing could be used for shoulder or hip belt for improvised backpack, tourniquets or heavy-duty cordage.

Air Bag - Water container, float bag, shelter material.

Motor Oil - Black Signal fire. Lubrication.

Hub Caps - (Not likely, but maybe if it was a beater.) Might be usable as cooking or boiling vessels, or perhaps as baskets.

Muffler & Tailpipe - Improvised mini-woodstove.

Don't forget the truck's contents! CDs, reciepts, owners manual, sun shade, etc. . .
 
cool thread!

youcould use the seat stuffing as quicktinder...

i know pritch mentioned hubcaps for boiling water...maybe you could use the headlight after broke and cleaned well...
 
Windshield washer reservoir as a water carrier, I don't think that stuff is severely toxic, at least not like something that held fuel, oil or coolant. If needed, the water out of the radiator, not sure on drinking this though, it wouldn't have biological contaminants, but possibly some rust or other metallic contaminant. The serpentine belt could be handy. Especially if you could get it off without cutting it. Vacuum hoses could be handy, especially some longer ones. Definitely wiring. The long wires that run back to the tail lights on a truck would be a good target.
 
G'day Bushman5

Lots of good suggestions so far :thumbup:

In addition to these I would also make use of .....

The cab would make a ready made water & wind proof shelter as is.

The springs inside the seats can be used to make effective prongs for a fish spear & hose clamps from under the hood can be used to attach these to a length of branch to make an effective fish/frog spear.

Personally I would use metal from the exterior of the car for arrow / spear heads rather than glass (a lot less prone to shattering).

The inner tube from the tyres make a very good firestarter as does the rubber seals around the doors & windows.

Nuts from the wheels (assuming you can get them off) would make good ammunition for a slingshot using the rubber from either tyres or door seals.

The accelerator cable would make a strong rope.

Wire from the electrical system when stripped can be used for snares.

Broken glass can be used as a sharp edge (i.e. useable knife substitute).




Kind regards
Mick
 
Remove a door and carry it with you, when you find you get too hot, open the window!
happy0009.gif


Seriously, this is a great thread which will bring forth many useful applications, some of which may not be so apparent.

Wiring looms provide an abundance of improvised cordage, screen wash hose may be useful to access hard to reach water sources, inflated tyres provide flotation (and there's usually five per vehicle - raft for gear!).
 
Use hood to pile gear on in winter and use as a drag sled. Rear red light lense could be used as a bowl to eat out of. Rubber vac hose could be used as a blow stick for concentrating blown air on some embers or sucking water out of some difficult cranny. Inner tube from tires could be made into a slingshot, firetinder, ranger bands, trips for snares, made into pouches for gear like tinder etc. Foam for insulation in your clothes. License plate for cooking surface. Spring frame from seats for drying or smoking rack for meat. Battery and headlamp for emergency lighting or signal light. If you happened to be a muzzleloader shooter and had your kit with you, you could get the lead out of the battery and pour some lead balls. Edge of glass from your window to sharpen your knife like a ceramic rod. Any rubber burned as fire tinder. A rubber tire on fire to signal due to smoke, later maybe the wire from the tires could be used as snare wire if usable or for tying up shelter. Any gas for fire starting, oil could be used for torch or grease lamp. Floor mats to sit or sleep on. Seatbelts to made loadbearing straps or stripped to make rope. Seatbelt buckle for beltbuckle. Bed liner to help collect water and provide shelter. Washers for sinkers or making a squirrel call. Piece of license plate sharpened for knife. I know, it's too early in the am.
 
remmmm said:
Windshield washer reservoir as a water carrier, I don't think that stuff is severely toxic, at least not like something that held fuel, oil or coolant. If needed, the water out of the radiator, not sure on drinking this though, it wouldn't have biological contaminants, but possibly some rust or other metallic contaminant.
Click to expand...

do NOT drink out of the radiator!

you were right to begin with when you said "at least not toxic like something that held coolant" and then you go on to discuss drinking water from the radiator. :eek:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ethylene_glycol_poisoning

Ethylene glycol poisoning is caused by the ingestion of ethylene glycol. Ethylene glycol is most commonly found as the primary ingredient of automobile antifreeze and hydraulic brake fluids. It is a toxic, colorless, odorless, almost nonvolatile liquid with a sweet taste. Following ingestion the symptoms of poisoning follow a three step progression starting with intoxication and vomiting, before causing metabolic acidosis, cardiovascular dysfunction, and finally acute kidney failure
Click to expand...

rust would be the least of your worries


anyway, uses for the wrecked truck-
tires, upholstery, fuel, headliner, interior door panels, bedliner and any other plastic can be burned.

cigarette lighter will start fires.

brake fluid and chlorinated bleach (Clorox or pool chlorine) can make smoke or start fires. (assuming there's some pool shock or Clorox in the bed... and if you had that, you could also treat water) ok, that's a long shot... but perhaps this is the pool man's truck.

you could use wire from the wiring to make snares.

you could take the rear leaf springs and grind them into a golok. :D

the cab makes a decent shelter if the glass isn't broken. unfortunately this thing looks like it's nose down in the ditch soooo it might not be so great to sleep in.

not gonna get the bed off without tools, and IIRC the Ford beds use a large Torx head bolt. not something you're likely to find in an average toolkit.

what the heck is a RED camera? anyone?
 
The cab itself is a shelter and a bed.( been said.) Light some candles,crack a window, and go to sleep. Been there in a survival situ. ,and saved me from hypo. It was an old Chev. Impala: lots of stretch room!

Torch the whole truck.Probably will be seen from a distance.
 
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