Normally, it is sound policy to live below your means; to buy only that which you can afford to pay for – at the time of purchase. But we no longer live in normal times and I find myself giving thought to violating the policy I’ve lived by since I began my adult working life.
The why has to do with what’s available – as well as what might be coming.
More finely, what is almost certainly coming – irrespective of the outcome of the pending (s)election. If Hombre Naranja is (s)elected, somehow, it is almost certain there will be insurrections – this time, real ones – all over the country. It’s already being planned. The Left will not abide “democracy” when it does not result in what the Left wants.
And it may get worse than that, if Hombre Naranja is (s)elected . . . for the purpose of presiding over the economic collapse that pretty much everyone intuits is likely coming. To finalize the “fundamental transformation” Barack Obama told us was coming.
When people wake up to discover their 401ks have been vaporized and that the money the had in the bank might as well be denominated in Confederate dollars it will be easy to present them with the solution – and most of us won’t like it.
Then there’s the alternative (s)election. Which most of us are likely to like even less.
Battery powered devices won’t just be pushed. They’ll be shoved. But it won’t matter to most of us because electricity will either be unavailable most of the time or so expensive it won’t matter whether it’s available.
Which brings me around to what I am thinking about doing – which is something I haven’t done in decades. I am considering taking out a small loan to buy a vehicle. Not a new one, of course.
I am not that stupid.
I am considering a practical vehicle – for the times that may be ahead of us.
Specifically, a 1991 export market (JDM) right-hand-drive Toyota Land Cruiser with a mechanically injected diesel engine – sans a turbo – and a manual transmission and manual 4WD. It does not have “active” anything, unless I activate it. It has leaf springs – up front. As well as out back. A cast iron solid rear axle. But most of all, it has that inline five cylinder diesel engine, sans turbo. It isn’t powerful. But that’s not what matters when the power goes out.
What matters – to me, at any rate – is that this engine is capable of burning almost any kind of oil and doesn’t even need a battery to get it running. All it needs is a push – or a hill with enough of an incline to get you rolling fast enough. Let out the clutch and – voila! – you’re running under power.
This old Land Cruiser is as analog as it gets – shy of something like a Model T Ford. With the bonus of being capable of going places even a T wouldn’t dare (and they were designed to go almost anywhere). Real 4WD, with Low range gearing designed to keep this thing moving no matter how tough the going gets. A slab sided body bolted to a heavy steel frame.
It is difficult to hurt this thing.
But the thing is, I can’t afford to just buy it. The price is less than the cost of the least expensive new compact-sized crossovers currently on the market – but it’s beyond my ability to just pay for it. I’d have to finance at least part of it. And that would mean doing the one thing I’ve avoided doing for the past 20-plus years.
Taking on debt.
Not much, granted. But any debt means you’re in hock – and that’s just the reality of the thing. And owing anyone money means they own you, at least to some extent. People who were owned – by debt – during the event marketed as “the pandemic” were in a much tougher position vis-a-vis “masking” mandates and then “vaccine” mandates. A person who could afford to quit instead was in a much more favorable position.
But it may make sense to make an exception in this case. This would not be a “fun” purchase – although there would be fun associated with the purchase. It’s lots of fun to rooster-tail through the fields in a real-deal 4X4 that you don’t have to worry about getting muddy or dented.
I would buy this thing because – unlike my paid-for truck, which runs on gas and has electronics running the engine – this old rig would be much easier to keep running in the event that fuel becomes unavailable or unaffordable. It is much more difficult to refine one’s own gas, for instance, than to brew some biodiesel. And there’s that part about not being dependent on a battery – even a little one – to start the engine.
The fact that I am even giving consideration to doing this is (for me, at least) a barometer of the Creepy Factor of the times we’re living in and may soon be living through.
You tell me? Am I crazy? Or would it be smart to violate the prime directive, just this once?
. . .
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Go to Canada buy a Land Cruiser 70 series from Miller industries for your “mine” and drive it across the border.
Toyota still makes these and they are pretty much same.
https://youtu.be/V-XZp58P304?si=5adgLHj1PSZijoV6
You worry too much. The cows will be busy going after each other’s tennis shoes and iPhones. You are bright enough to sense the danger and will most likely avoid the contact. I am sure you can handle 10 yards away personal protection if it comes to that. Get a couple of exchangeable parts junk 4×4’s that will take ramming things out of you way. A little extra hidden welding on them would make a fun project too. Even YouScrewb has some old cop videos on how to do it. You would be loathe to do that with your dream machine.
Hi Eric, please don’t take on debt.
The LandCruiser makes sense where it is ubiquitous, like here in Australia. Lots of old ones, lots of parts.
20 years ago I had the opportunity to work remote over much of southern Australia (including offshore islands – but got flights to those!) and my vehicle of choice was a 1986 HJ60 5 speed manual LandCruiser with the 2H mechanically injected diesel. I must have gone to over 1000 sites within 2 years, about 285,000km to 415,000km on the odo, so in that way I guess I *did* do apocalypse travel over everything from good farmland to the barren wasteland. In peacetime. Literally there is nothing there as the soil and rainfall are so poor, nothing like the Continental US. Chance of encountering Lord Humongous and his gang = zero, as there’s no one there! That is true freedom, when facing the great Nothing. The Dead Heart.
What happened? 2 flat tyres, and the wire going into the starter motor frayed. From mountains to the coast to the Outback. Reliable.
I got it serviced on time and worked out for every $ I put into the diesel, put aside another $ for servicing/insurance etc.
I’d suggest for USA, what is old, simple, common, cheap? Say a F-150 with a carby 302 and manual? Lots of parts for those? Cheap? Put one away and make it mechanically sound. Also, you will be able to distill your own ethanol fuel for it there in the US, I believe. Make your own fuel, as Henry intended.
A Mad Max/prepper take on the Cybertruck:
‘On Friday, Archimedes Defense and Unplugged Performance’s UP.FIT unveiled a new bolt-on ‘ultimate defense upgrade’ for the Tesla Cybertruck to protect against “14.5mm heavy machine gun rounds” and “IED/mine protection” for military and defense operations.’
https://tinyurl.com/pxdxhevw
Cool; I love it (sort of). But can you give me a quote to strip out the EeeVee batteries, and power it with a Cummins diesel genset?
Thanks in advance.
not crazy at all
do it.
do it yesterday.
Came across this old Red Green comedy bit: Oil Change
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bR23H7ACnNY
Enjoy
LOL! Love Red Green. “If women don’t find you handsome, they can at least find you handy.” Truer words never spoken.
As to buying the vehicle Eric – I say go for it. It sounds like a great fun vehicle. And who cares about debt – if the USA doesn’t, why should we?
That’s how Pete Buttigieg would do an oil change — if he weren’t busy with his husband, and his babies, and running the Department of Transportation.
Hey Eric,
Think about the flip side of the coin, what if it really doesn’t go bad.
Do you want this vehicle even if everything were to turn out rosy?
I bet you do.
I also dont see anything wrong when borrowing for something you will keep much longer than the time you were indebted for the loan, especially if the terms of the loan are favorable.
Further, if you were to end up in a financial pickle, you could probably sell the vehicle as it holds value unlike a disposably built car.
Given your axiom, let me give you mine. I took on debt to go to college. I did not buy any vehicle with a loan until my student loans were paid off 13 years after graduation. My car was paid off and I had owned it since college until after I paid off my student loans.
After student loans, I got the truck I’d always wanted and financed it. Now the truck is paid off and I have no intentions of letting it go.
Buy once, cry once.
Ford F-150 for sale in Orygun, some place called Portland.
For 9,000 USD you’ll have a 1996 F-150, two doors and a long bed, buy it. Fly out there to drive it away.
Sell it all in Virginia, buy what you can in Orygun. It can work.
Hello Eric, I happen to own that very vehicle you are eyeing but with a slight variation. Mine is a ’89 HJ75 but with a 6 cylinder diesel, non-turbo. Like you observe, it won’t win any races, has loads of low-end torque and will keep moving as long as the engine is fed with fuel and has no major component failure. The only thing electronic (analog I might add) is the dials console. The rest is pure mechanicals. At one time there was a short-circuit and the whole wiring harness went up in smoke. I disconnected the battery and the alternator, push-started the vehicle and was merrily on my way. I would strongly recommend it should you decide to take the plunge.
Eric, don’t put the cart before the horse(power). Before grabbing an end-of-the-world vehicle, ensure you are ready for all the other aspects. Have your beans, bullets, and bandaids all stocked up. If you don’t know, learn to garden and garden. Learn medical, communications, and building skills. So on and so forth.
The vehicle won’t save you if it gets as bad as you and many, including myself, think. All the other stuff will save you, for a while at least.
I would recommend a Mitsubishi jeep like a j54, or a chevy M1009 CUCV. Having owned a M1009 for almost 15 years and 100,000 miles on it, it’s a solid buy with plenty of cheap parts available in common with normal chevy square bodies. They are all diesel with no turbo and can hold plenty of firewood or convert to a short pickup as it is a military k5 blazer. Main problem is it’s high profile, even if you paint it civilian colors. They average 20MPG highway at 65 MPH. They are automatic only with a TH400 and the 6.2 diesel v8.
The Mitsubishi j54 is a Japanese copy of a CJ3b they made into the 1990s for the JDM. All diesel, all manual, should get over 30mpg, but is much smaller. Has a 4 cyl diesel. The low profile is handy and has all the advantages of a jeep, with some body parts being interchangeable with the willy’s parts. I seriously considered this one when I was in the market before settling on the above because of the size advantage and living in the truck was a consideration at the time.
Both have solid axles and leaf springs, and both cost about $8-15,000 these days.
Both can mount a PTO for other stuff with some modifications. Neither are fast- the j54 is a 4 speed and goes old jeep speeds. The m1009 safely tops out around 65…it could go faster but you risk red lining the engine and there is no tach.
Hi Eric, Maybe it has already been said here as I haven’t read all the comments yet, but when things get real bad none of us will be driving anywhere (at least safely) for a very long time. Anything that moves will be a target and likely taken away from the driver dead or alive in short order.
So through the thick of it your JDM might as well be an orange Trans Am. Locked up and hidden waiting for better times. If they ever come.
On the other hand this fake counterfeit currency is completely valueless.
We might as well trade it for whatever we desire – if and while we still can.
Parts to repair said vehicle….are they available in the US? That would be my main concern to decide.
My approach to a prospective currency meltdown was to buy a store of value. I dug deep down into my savings and bought a 2006 BMW e46 m3 convertible. I thought about a loan but I have zero tolerance for debt. I will enjoy the ride as long as I can and hopefully the car will still have some value on the other side of the crash. If we do have an apocalypse, at least I will have had some fun.
I still think of buying a mazda miata – manual only – someday. Just to get some fun out of life before I die. I really should do it…
Eric, why not just sell off and leave. While you still can.
You seem to be relatively well off, and have property of some value. Land still commands a good sale price.
The U.S. is collapsing, nothing is going to change that. The only question is when, and how. But one thing is sure; this land will become an authoritarian hell, much worst than anything ever witnessed in this hemisphere. We currently reside in a police state. But they havent even started in on the total annihilation of human dignity, human rights, and your right to live.
Why stay? If you are able, get out now, before the tide really turns.
Who is going to stem the tide? No one. Half the country outright hates you. The left and right are importing millions more. No matter who is selected, no matter what happens, the collapse is coming, and coming soon. Within a couple years. Maybe less. Why stay in a land that is trying to destroy you…and will if you stay.
Being ahead of the curve is the safest place to be. But you always have to be moving. There are many other countries that are safer, healthier, and have better futures than what was once America.
Paraguay. Uruguay. Heck, Dubai doesnt even have taxes.
You are actually the prototype individual for migrating out, as handy and mechanical as you are.
I’m just saying, all the smart people are leaving. If they can. Those left behind will be impoverished, imprisoned, imposed upon, and destroyed in spirit, and in body. The screws havent really begun to be tightened.
The U.S. has the worlds most expensive medical system, most expensive education system, most expensive military, largest welfare state, and we pay some of the highest taxes in the world. For what? A country that hates freedom, hates merit, hates everything we thought this country believed in. The law doesnt matter. The Constitution is truly dead, now. There is nothing left to preserve or fight for.
I saw a stat, 50% of all people in the U.S. 18 and under are foreign born. Not only are white northern europeans being displaced, but so are all those social, political and moral values that were the bedrock of this once great Republic. All extinguished. Gone. Time to let it go.
You can’t escape what is coming. Nowhere in these lower 48 will be safe. Do what our ancestors all did; leave. You think covid was bad? ’twill be nothing compared to the next two years. The program is written. The scene is set. Just waiting for the play to begin.
I have alot of problems, physical and financial. If I ever solve them, I am gone. Anyone with any kind of means should already be gone.
Remember what happened to the Kulaks in Russia, the 25% of the population in Cambodia all slaughtered, remember what happened and still happens to whites in South Africa, and white farmers in other nations of Africa. Remember the starvation of the Ukraine by Stalin.
How easy for the powers to turn off your cards, phone, internet. No more soup for you!
The only solution worth discussing is…leaving.
Hard to accept. I loved my country, stuided American history as a boy, believed in all of it. Freedom of religion, speech and all the rest. It’s over. Been over a long time. When Ronald Reagan said the Soviet Union was a rotten structure and just needed a good kick to knock it down, how could he ever has imagined he was also prophesying America’s near future?
What come after the collapse? A long, dark terrible time of suffering. Russia suffered for over 80 years. And their power elite were not nearly as rich or powerful as ours will be. Not with direct control over even your appliances in your homes.
Its been fun. But the party is over and the guests are just about done trashing the joint.
When you wake up one morning to find your house gone, cars gone, land gone…at least you were warned.
Hi Andy,
And go where?
I realize a small handful of people are able to afford to pick up and move to Greenland, Patagonia, or some remote island in the Indian Ocean, but most cannot. Europe and Australia treat their citizens as prisoners of war. What’s going on the UK is beyond ridiculous. Most countries do not allow their citizenry to own guns…the USSA does. In my opinion, that makes a hell of difference.
I love the Caribbean and have been to several of the islands, but the cost of goods, the increase in crime, and a lack of supplies makes it extremely inconvenient and very costly.
I live a few hours away from Eric and the abundance of farms, water, and forestry, as well as, areas where there is no access to internet or telecom towers makes it pretty easy to blend in and survive, if needed.
There is no greater convenience than to know the layout of your land and its topography. These survival steps take years, if not decades, to learn. If one moves to a new place do they know the back roads, where to find food if the markets and grocery stores are closed, how does one hunt when one can’t own a gun, etc.?
I hear you, Andy –
But the dilemma, as I see it, is that there’s nowhere to go that’s appreciably better or safer. Central and South America are already socialist kleptocracies and if I were to go there, I’d be a gringo – a foreigner, without even the slight benefit of being a native. Now, were I 25 again it would be a more feasible thing to do as I’d be young enough to spend the next 20 building a new life. But I don’t have another 20 to spend building a new life. So I’ve decided – barring a better option presenting itself – to stay and stand my ground. I grant it’s probable I’ll end up in the ground, but that is inevitable regardless. This is my home. My family and friends are here; the familiar things are all here. So here I am – and will stay – unless a better option crops up.
Hi Eric and RG,
I agree, you can run but you can’t hide; most places where you might fit in, know the language, etc. are already worse than the USSA. I just turned 77 and am way to old to start over, plus as you mentioned all my family and friends are here. When they come for me I will follow Solzhenitsyn’s advice and be ready behind the door with a shotgun.
Hi Mike,
History (and foreign wars) have proven time and time again the best way to win is to fight on your home turf. This goes back to the Crusades, Vietnam, Americans and Russians in Afghanistan, Napoleon and Hitler’s invasion of Russia, Gibraltar, etc. People fight harder and longer when their home is at stake.
There is no utopia. Everyplace has its problems. A move would be in the direst of circumstances (e.g. someone coming after your family), but I don’t believe the USSA will ever see a Mad Max scenario. The USSA will falter, but it will be a whisper not a bang (with the exception of another country nuking us…that would be a bang).
Yes, Americans are more compliant today than they have been in the past, but the sheer size and population capacity of the US makes it impossible to search every nook and cranny. Is the government really going to waste resources on someone who goes Gray Man, unless that person brings attention to themselves?
“Yes, Americans are more compliant today than they have been in the past” -RG
But are they really? It a seems that Americans have gone along with every government program, psyop, narrative in the past. I feel like now some of us can just see through the BS. That how we tend to believe people are being compliant. I’ve been seeing a lot of angry pushback in the past couple years. There might be more resistance out there than the past.
Hi ML,
The Plandemic showed us how compliant the American public is (present company excluded). How easily my peers were willing to turn in their neighbors and sabotage their own health by questioning nothing and going along with the narrative “to go along to get along” was outright sickening. Yes, it still makes me angry. Four years later and I am still mad.
Anyone with an IQ over 70 is well aware that government lies. The media lies. People in powers of position lie. Only about 20% of the public went “Whoa, something doesn’t feel right. Why am I required to take this? Where is the research? No, I am not going to do what you tell me.”
People played along and although I applaud the people who chose not to get the jab many still participated in the mask game. How many lied (politicians/media) telling the American public “go get your shot, I got mine” when they did no such thing. Afterwards, they come out by the dozens saying “I didn’t get it.” No shit, Sherlock, but they had no problem going along with the narrative and insinuating they did.
Don’t get me wrong there were some individuals that absolutely risked their neck and their career to stand strong and remain principled, but it was far and in between. I applaud RFK Jr., Novak Djokovic, Kyrie Irving, etc. They had a rough road, but they stood firm as many on here did.
Today, people may question the narrative a little more. They may even completely distrust the optics, but if anyone thinks they have found their balls when the next go around happens are going to be sadly disappointed.
Offer enough free prizes, fear, and threats and it will still be the same 20% standing.
Eric,
I absolutely agree. Leaving is a wrong attitude. And there’s nowhere to hide either, unless you are a multimillionaire and can afford a bunker somewhere. With this in mind, isn’t it better to have cash (in whatever form) than the bug-out vehicle you are thinking of buying on debt?
Hi Yuri,
The cash part makes me uneasy because we could wake up next week to discover our cash is now under the control of the government. Or just worthless. At least if one has physical possession of tangible assets – things of value – then one has something of value.
That said, I dread debt – specifically, the way it makes you dependent. The less you owe, the less they own you.
Much as I’d like (and could really use) that ’91 LC, I think I’ll be sticking with my paid-for old truck.
Eric, you can keep your cash in the form of gold, which won’t be worthless.
To paraphrase the Micheal Bolton character from the movie Office Space. ‘Why should I have to leave? They are the ones that suck.
I have a home here. I have zero debt, plenty of G, A, G and S. I’m 72, a combat vet from you can guess what conflict but heavy on insurgency and guerrilla operations.
I have grandchildren here and I am mit going to let the bury the body of a coward.
I imagine they will get me eventually but the fukkers will a heavy price. My little contribution to karma.
That being said, the idea is brilliant. Eric your money will soon be worthless. Whatever is left will be stolen by the commies. I say get it.
Today I will go hunt for one too. There are 3 dealers in my area that sell the +25 year Japanese imports.
This is a brilliant idea. A vehicle like this will run a half million miles or more easily and a decent machinist could make most of the parts.
Yes sir, excellent idea. The small amount of debt for this is a tactic well used. People here go into debt to buy their daily Starbucks. Its a tool. Use it to your advantage.
The idea is to be able to HUNKER DOWN and SURVIVE for the 30 to 60 day shit storm. Likely THIS time, the “Steal” won’t work, and ASSumong OM is allowed to live to “Guy Fawkes” Day (5 November) and be re-elected, he won’t make it to his Inauguration. Either his assassination will be blamed on “Mooslim” terrorists, or the current gaggle of psychopaths won’t even bother to hide their complicity, posing as “saving our ‘Democracy “.
Then it’ll be “Game On!” Not only would outright Civil War break out, likely North Korea, Iran, China, or Russia figure it’s too good an “opportunity” to.pass up. An EMP event, nuclear attack, biological, or chemical, and millions upon millions of Americans are slaughter. Civil order breaks down, especially in the cities, and soon famine, disease, and violence claim millions more.
The only upside is that far more non-whites than whites buy the farm, so America, within the space of three or four months, goes back to being over 90 percent WHITE again, like it was ca. 1940. However, likely that’ll be the population as well.
Prime Directives are not prime directives if you violate them. Sell something less important and always own what you own when you can!
The limiting factor for any vehicle ever driven in the rustbelt is time. 15-20 years maybe with meticulous care before the frame rots out. People do all kinds of crazy shit to cover it up too… Go over the frame on a lift with a magnet and a fine tooth comb… Any “repairs” or welded stuff means a hard pass.
The shit hits the fan, gas goes to $10 a gallon, what will you do to survive?
Yes you can pack an elk on a econobox:
https://addictedtohunting.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/03/carelk12.jpg
If you think about it, a Geo Metro that gets over 50 mpg will get you from A to B, and that car is infinitely fixable.
Go through the scenarios of SHTF – how often does the truck factor into success versus others items (food, guns, shortwave, etc…)? Maybe a Mad Max sort of break down, but you don’t live in a Mad Max sort of area there in Virginia. Or maybe you hunker down and the worst of it bypasses you. But realistically about any 4WD or (as you know) a motorcycle would do the job.
I’ve heard the best bet for SHTF is not to run there when the SHTF but to be there already, i.e. move there now.
However, if I didn’t have my diesel Land Rover 110 (a much cooler truck IMO :)) I’d be shopping for one of those. I say buy it if you’ll use it and enjoy it, especially if it’s a good deal. Worst case you’ll be able to sell it. However, you may want to shop around for a LHD rather than RHD – it’ll be an easier sell if you need to.
Can’t say if this is a good purchase or not, but when SHTF, you should have a few places to bug out to if need be. These should be places you can stay for an extended period.
If this vehicle is required to get there, a case can be made.
If not, probably a waste of money.
Is there a less expensive and/or domestic option? Another diesel 4wd vehicle that fits the requirements you have stipulated? I’m looking at the same, realizing our money is soon to be more useful as toilet paper than currency…
Where you live now and the bug out cabin. I was in to this prepping thing long before anyone called it prepping. I built an off grid cabin in the North Idaho woods, and had a garden, with chickens, hunted, and fished, and a big pantry in the garage. But the end never came, so I moved to Oregon.
I lived in the bug out location, no need to get there. I has a friend a few miles away and I would hunt over toward his direction and when it got dark I would visit and we would drink whiskey late into the night, and talk survival stuff. He also had an off grid shack.
Our #1 conclusion on gasoline in the post apocalypse world was to save any spare gas for the chainsaw, because in Idaho you need many cords to get through the winter. Also, many of the new Huskys had a ignitor problem, better to have an old Stihl with a 2 stage spark ignition.
If the shit really hit the fan, you need to be able to expand the garden area, and have at least a 10 year supply of seeds. Enough bullets to hunt for the rest of your life (like at least 20 boxes of your caliber. A Ruger 10-22 with 4x scope with 5,000 rounds is the best small game gitter there is. When I moved to Oregon, it was far warmer, and mild winters, and chickens can graze all year (no snow).
So the moral of the story – if you actually are going to be a survivalist move to that location now, a mild climate, away from any city or any municipal taxing authority. Many towns out west still have no city taxes.
The best survival vehicle is the bicycle. Takes no gas and is easily fixed on the side of the road. A bike can take you ten miles easily, and if you put a 6 gallon milk crate on the back it can carry a lot of food.
This is hands down the best survival vehicle
(and you can build it for free)
https://bikehistory.org/catalogs/images/1985-schwinn-high-sierra.jpg
(note the 4 levers, the adjustable handle bar)
1980’s 26″ mountain bike with street tread, kevlar tires, shift levers, large brake levers, brazed frame
6 gallon milk crate on HD rear rack, zip tied
water bottle holder
front rack with smaller crate
a decent mid sized bike pump with built-on gauge
a backpack you wear, or can be stuff into one of the crates
1980s bikes can be had for free, super rugged, super easy to restore and maintain, and they have the old style shift levers and large hd brake levers
American and Japanese are of superior quailty, especially the ball bearings
90% of the bicycle tires on the planet are 26″, and they only need 50 psi. They also come off the rim very easily compared to a road bike.
the reason for the shift levers is the total ease of changing the cable.
the kevlar lining and tires with kevlar belt are superior in stopping puncture holes from thorns
a 6 gallon milk crates are everywhere for free and have the metal band across the top (way stronger)
I have packed out deer on a mountain bike, and it works very well – you can walk the bike around the gated forest road, and coast back to your rig, you can as a matter of fact put all the deer meat in bags in and over the milk crate – this is way easier than trying to do mulitple trips carrying it by hand
a 26″ tire with street tread rides almost as easily as a 700cc road bike – but it can carry far more weight
a 26″ tire can carry hundreds of lbs. you and all the stuff can easily top 400 lbs (the bike only 30 lbs)
a 1980s bike can be completely disassembled with a $38 bike tool kit from ebay or amazon
1980 bikes are available in abundance for free, so it you are a serious prepper get 10 of them and put them in a pile under a tarp for spare parts (they all use the same parts)
https://www.amazon.com/s?k=bike+tool+kit+complete&crid=3GV9LRBN010&sprefix=bike+tool+kit+complete%2Caps%2C582&ref=nb_sb_noss_2
I live near a fresh water lake with access to it year round, including the winter months when it is iced up. For some reason I have this nagging thought in my head that access to fresh water will be what is needed more than anything in the future. That is why I haven’t moved yet from this hellhole that is NYS. The free access to fresh water is even more important than food.
No need for Eric to bug out anywhere from what I can see, but he will certainly need at some point to be able to take a medium to long distance trip. The non turbo diesel will run on old filtered french fry oil if necessary.
Don’t be dependent on gas stations, the power grid, lithium batteries, be energy independent, power your ice engine vehicle with a gassifier…..power your vehicle with….coal, wood, grass clippings, manure, waste oil, car tires, etc…
It’s a gasifier, it burns “fuels” at high temperatures and low oxygen, turning them into unburnt fuel vapors, a form of natural gas, then they pull it into the engine through the carb.
a neater gasifier, they run off anything basically, coal, wood, grass clippings, manure, waste oil, car tires… The more energy dense your fuel is, the smaller the gasifier can be. Eric you could use chicken manure……why are we paying for gas?
Busses used to have gasifiers on trailers behind them, the technology was developed to help with the war fuel shortage, and then was released freely, most commonly used in England I believe.
Nowadays its even better and more compact, this is a downdraft gasifier, can be made with a 200 lt…50 gallon drum a 60 lt….15 gallon drum, a stainless steel colander and some pipe and fixings.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/archive/coal_powered_car/zrdd8xs
This is the main reason they want to get rid of the older vehicles that can’t be shut down, controlled remotely, or that can be fixed by fabricating your own parts (see 1950 era cars in Cuba, no parts supply so you make your own),
these modern vehicles require fragile, short life span microchip based components that come through a supply chain from china 7000 miles away, you can’t fabricate these yourself.
The very old steam powered cars were 100% mechanical so parts can be fabricated.
The other reason is the older diesel powered cars can run on multiple fuels so you are independent from the fuel supply chain.
The old ice cars can be converted to run using wood for fuel, lots of places have a supply of wood, sometimes for free, you can travel around the world with an axe and a saw. These globalist planners might be smart and want to get rid of all independent means of transportation so they can control everyone, no freedom of movement, thought or speech.
Vehicle converted to run burning wood:
https://www.lowtechmagazine.com/2010/01/wood-gas-cars.html
With a forty feet long, or larger, sailboat, you can cross oceans….
Very little or no fuel required…..
Low tech so totally reliable….the last freedom to escape….if you can fish you won’t starve…sail to somewhere warm, where food grows year round….
You will have to learn a new skill set….
The blue Isuzu has some light rust. Get it. 14k. 58k miles. If I wasn’t 3000 miles away she would be mine.
on bat…..
1997 Toyota Land Cruiser HZJ75 Pickup Diesel 5-Speed
Sold for $42,000 on 8/12/24
https://bringatrailer.com/listing/1997-toyota-land-cruiser-truck-1hz-5-speed/
The first requirement for an apocalypse vehicle is that it should be as common as mud. This Land Cruiser ain’t. You’ll need to justify it in your mind some other way. Or not.
This is an astute point. This is what makes cars like slightly older accords, camrys, corollas so appealing. Cheap, ubiquitous parts availability, durability and simplicity are key.
Now, can you also get a diesel and some 4 wheel drive as well? Hmmm, that’s a tall order. Maybe an early 2000s Toyota 4-runner or Tacoma (especially 4 cyl) checks all the boxes, but I don’t think there were any diesels in the US.
Or, perhaps an early 2000s Nissan Frontier 5 speed manual might work. Wait. . .Eric, along with his Silverwing, already has some pretty damn good SHTF vehicles. Just the mere redundancy of having a couple cars and a few bikes would likely be sufficient. Maybe a 250 cc dirt bike could be useful (could get a carbureted Chinese one), but then again, a $500 mountain bike might be useful as well.
That old Toyota Land Cruiser is pretty damn cool, but it’s a want, not a need. Don’t take on debt for that.
VW Bug and duct tape.
Eric,
If and when CBDCs are fully implemented, what will you do if you do try to buy that Toyota Land Cruiser with credit, and government says NO for whatever reason, be it for not taking whatever new “vaccines” the pharmaceutical industry makes (and the CDC recommends) or saying or even buying something government deems FAR-RIGHT EXTREMISM?
Yes! The only way we can ever maintain any semblance of freedom, whether in the midst of a tyranny or in a free utopia, is to not be in debt. In a free society, debt becomes a voluntary enslavement. In a tyranny [suc as the one under which we presently live, and which is about to get even worse shortly) debt eliminates any hope of remaining outside of the system and of maintaining any semblance of liberty. How many took the clot-shot and or masked up because “they had to” because they were in debt and would lose everything if they didn’t comply?
Intriguing question Eric. However my take on it is can you convert some of those funds into precious metals or even some crypto currencies? The purpose of converting your fiat currency is not for during a collapse but later on during the recovery phase when you will be able to use it as a store of wealth.
Don’t forget to blend in with the community. In other words if they look haggard and smell bad; you had better look the same or people will wonder why Eric is wearing neatly washed and pressed slacks getting out of his Land Cruiser sporting a nice retro pair of Raybans on.
As for vehicles get the most common older truck you can find or look for a diesel side by side and store up some diesel to use in it. Because if times get bad enough no one will care if your side by side is legal for highway use.
I would recommend looking into making whatever you have extra quiet because when the grid is down those engines can be heard a long way off.
Oh yah, your comment, anyone driving a vehicle like that Toy, looks like they have money. Lots of it. And, nice things. Expensive things. Valuable things.
I’m not sure a patina paint job would change that.
Even a grubby looking guy getting out of a vehicle like that Toy screams, “Rob me!”.
Well, to ‘some’ people it does, anyway. …What to do. What to do.
“What to do. What to do.”
Not allow it to get there?
Instead of going into debt, why not look for an 80’s or early 90’s Ford 6.9 or non-powerstroke 7.3 diesel? Those trucks are still quite affordable, and more durable than the Toyota, and parts are cheaper and easier to find. They will also run without a battery. You want something that parts can be sourced from any NAPA or mom & pop auto parts store. Especially when SHTF and the supply chain (especially internationally) shuts down, and maybe even the stores themselves shut down and you have to scrounge. Plus why enter such a scenario (SHTF) with a debt? Can’t pay it? You’ll be targeted, and it’ll be another excuse for them to fuck with you and stop you (And their ability and willingness to do so will likely be the LAST thing to go in SHTF. It’ll be even worse if it’s martial law.). Plus, having a capable truck with an 8′ bed, large towing capacity, etc. will become one of your greatest assets in SHTF, plus you’d have the ability (space in the bed) to run a waste/veggie/any kind of oil set-up. Put a cap on the bed and you have protected storage and even a place to sleep. Limited space, limited power SUV? Not good for much other than personal transportation and the yoke of debt. Even if you have to go into debt for the pick-up, it’d still be a wiser option. Can even use it to make money….
I found on YouTube a video of a 4-wheel drive Suzuki outfitted for an excursion in an excursion up the riverbed with an occasional road in Siberia. Had a few five gallon cans of what I thought would be diesel fuel and not gasoline. You will want a diesel fueled engine in those parts.
They were prepared for a summer trip in Siberia.
The Neocons have become nattering nabobs of negativity.
All they know how to do is foment discord and create more conflict. Keeping up with the Jones’ jonesin’ for more war everywhere.
Be careful what you ask for, you just might get it… in spades.
Hey, Blinken, get lost.
I am not going to respond with an outright “no”, but instead opt for “it depends.”
I believe that this particular Toyota is around $25K, but also has very, very low mileage, correct?
Of course, you don’t have to share any of this with us, but I would focus on:
1. How much are you putting down?
2. How much do you plan to finance?
3. What is the interest rate?
4. How many months/years is the duration of the loan?
5. Can you comfortably afford these payments?
6. Are you able to provide yourself a comfort zone and actually repay the loan in a quicker time frame?
7. Will the truck be used for more 50% for business?
8. If yes, how much will you save if you are able to take a portion of the auto loan as a business expense?
9. Could the tax savings be allocated toward the vehicle purchase which in essence, pays down the debt quicker?
10. What options of debt do you have available – could you do a ST low interest credit card, would you finance through the dealership, go through your local bank, etc. ?
11. Have you prepared an amortization schedule?
‘How much do you plan to finance? What is the interest rate?’ — Raider Girl
These are questions the brain-dead US fedgov should be asking itself, as it finances $35 trillion at a rising average interest rate:
July 2024 deficit: $243.7 billion
July 2024 FY to date deficit: $1.517 trillion
Interest on US debt – currently the second biggest government outlay at $1.1 trillion – will surpass Social Security and become the single biggest US expense before the end of 2024 at $1.6 trillion … and hit $1.7 trillion by April 2025, at which point it will be by far the single biggest outlay of the US government. — ZeroHedge
Clowngov in a Clownworld: how long can this absurd travesty carry on? Months? Weeks? Sell the first rate cut.
Get it, although search around. Duncan might be local, but they’re not the only importers around, and I’m certain someone else has similar for a lot less.
Also superstitious, we’re in Mercury Retrograde until the 28th, so I don’t advise you get anything new until then, basically don’t move forward with life, though do weigh your options.
I’m jealous actually, I love those LJ70’s, gotta post a review on it once you get one. Best of luck regardless
Buy an old Oil Pull tractor. Guaranteed to burn successfully all grades of Kerosene, under all conditions, at all loads up to its rated brake horsepower. (I’m just being a smartass)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4evzX39_9tA
I don’t think the SHTF scenario will play out that quickly. You should have time to save the money you need and not go into debt for it or sell vehicles. Certainly this is not the last apocalypse vehicle that will be available.
Get it for the fun not the apocalypse where no fuel, gas, diesel or oil will be made available for the proles. That be us….
Looking at the tyrantus-electardes vying for masters of the masses it shouldn’t be long now. The problems then will be food, shelter and defense. Soon there will be foreign/nato troops marching up our highways and byways. Their function: Disarm and/or kill you.
Masses of people that have been propagandized you are racist and need exterminated will be murdering folks in the rural and farm areas. Check out S. Africa for a primer.
Have some fun while you can. Dark days are coming.
Something very similar to S. Africa is FerFal’s experience in Argentina:
“Living with violence… man, I’ve been writing about that for over a decade now, where to start? Best way to describe it is yes, some things happen fast and catch you by surprise.”…
https://ferfal.blogspot.com/
On his blogs & in his books he does highly recommend the type of vehicle Eric is looking at. YMMV.
I have to agree with ken. As an accountant I am appalled I am thinking this way, but life is too short to continue to sacrifice without fun. I went back and re-read your article and I think you have been very responsible staying out of debt. The house is paid off, the cars are paid for, and I am assuming the credit cards are paid in full each month, etc.
If you have done everything you are suppose to there is nothing wrong with enjoying yourself once and a while. I also agree with Carmelo, make sure you shop around and get the best deal you can. Other than that…just live.
Appreciate the Shoutout, RG
Always other options out there too. I mean that LJ70 is beautiful, but what’s a little well vacation/road trip if Eric finds something similar or better for half price that’s a one way flight away? Be a fun story to read as he spends time with it.
Same dealer, not sure which location, for a few grand less, https://www.duncanimports.com/used/Honda/1996-Honda-Jazz-f28812b40a0e09af22d7d2bc95858271.htm and if he wants Manual, https://www.duncanimports.com/used/Isuzu/1995-Isuzu-Mu-68da07b10a0e097156ea1ba00e9a98d4.htm
So many options, so many search engines, and time to sit and think, although as they say, you only live once, so might as well enjoy it when you can
Been thinkin’ about this: “there is nothing wrong with enjoying yourself once and a while”.
Came up with: But, not on borrowed money.
Do, ‘the rich’ take out loans to go to Monaco or the Caribbean, or do they use the money they have?
Do, ‘the rich’ take out loans to buy businesses which create a profit in order to pay back the loan plus make a profit?
If they take out a loan to buy a jet, do they use it for business & tax write off? …Some prolly do it just for fun.
Just thinking out loud. I really wanna take out a loan in order to fence a property so I can get sheep & don’t have to mow as much.
Problem is, I don’t think I’d ever make enough money with the sheep to pay back the loan, let alone make a profit. It might be fun though? Unless, the zombies eat them.
I personally like the idea, Eric. Also, if there’s an apocalypse, you don’t need to worry about making payments!
‘if Hombre Naranja is (s)elected for the purpose of presiding over the economic collapse that pretty much everyone intuits is likely coming’ — eric
Ten days ago, we spoke about the rising unemployment rate (currently 4.3%) having triggered the Sahm rule, a reliable indicator of recession.
Today Mish Shedlock published a chart showing that credit card delinquencies (+90 days overdue) have risen to north of 10%, a level not seen since the aftermath of the 2008 financial crisis. Chart:
https://tinyurl.com/bdf2brep
Mish concludes that banksters are going to cut back hard on consumer lending. It’s what they always do, of course: turn off the spigot, just when people need credit the most. And that’s why every civilized person loathes effing banksters — especially the central planner banksters of the Federal Reserve.
In the next few months, the Fedsters will be dispatching the fire brigade, sirens wailing, to the site of a structure that already burned to the ground. It’s what they do.
Where would you run? That would be the main reason for such a vehicle. If things turn really FUBAR driving around even in a friendly rural location is probably not a great idea. In your area, the best choice might be some backwoods in West Virginia, maybe try up to Northern Maine or Canada (God forbid). For me, if I wanted to take off, I’d head to points south, The risk of crossing cartel land would probably outweigh the reward of just staying in place for us. We can walk to our BOL in a pinch, but, not sure I want to stay in Az much longer.
That looks like a great vehicle. I once rented and drove a right side drive in BVI. Not that hard to get used to, even driving on the wrong side of the road. Muscle memory being what it is, I think I’d have a real problem adjusting to the the clutch/shifter being on the wrong side. As for debt, I highly recommend having little to none. But then again, theres a part of me, the one that hates this government and the FED that would be inclined to buy as much gold, silver, copper, and lead on credit, then default or BK. Theres a school of thought going around that we should be trying to take whatever is available from GovCo. Be it disability, Food Stamps, Social security. The mathematical certainty of whats about to happen being what it is, Cloward and Pivin begins to make some sense.
‘a part of me, the one that hates this government and the FED that would be inclined to buy as much gold, silver, copper, and lead on credit, then default or BK’ — Norman Franklin
A guy I knew who had some high-limit credit cards charged $100,000 of house remodeling expenses to his cards … then sold the spiffed-up house and defaulted on the cards.
His credit record was dinged for seven years, of course. A couple of the banks obtained judgments against him, which he wiggled out of by moving away and not leaving a forwarding address.
I wouldn’t recommend this approach. But the interesting aspect is that he intentionally stole $100,000 from banks, yet never faced criminal prosecution — only civil lawsuits.
I’ve never been one to steal, but in the case of banksters and oligarchs, I’d certainly make an exception for the right opportunity. As a heist goes Iv’e considered it. Unfortunately, the reward that would make it worth the risk is above my credit limit.
My son owned a Mazda pickup truck with a manual transmission.
A head gasket gave way and had to have mechanical repair work done. The slave cylinder was a problem at times, so the Mazda was gone, sold.
It wasn’t a bad vehicle, did do the job, just had some mechanical issues that were too much to tolerate.
However, I do like the look of a Mazda car, crossover, and do consider a purchase.
Not new, of course, but a good used Mazda might be the right choice.
Neither a lender nor a borrower be – William Shakespeare
Translation: The Jews have that job. har
At 3.80 USD per share and a 19 cent dividend, Mazda is more of a buy than a sell.
That Toyota sure looks tempting. But like others have noted, it’s probably not a good idea.
I personally have spent the last 30 years preparing for the mathematically inevitable. For the last couple I’ve been actively preparing, liquidating unneeded physical wealth for cash and specie. At this point I’m sitting on 30k in survival cash, and something like that Toyota would kill it in one shot. Keep the cash/credit. Watch for a deal like a late 80s Isuzu Trooper or early 80s IH Scout, both of which came with mechanical diesel running gear and are much cheaper due to their lack of fan base.
Also, they’re LEFT HAND DRIVE! That matters when your muscle memory is on left hand drive vehicles.
I refer back to this article a lot:
https://www.theorganicprepper.com/selco-average-day-shtf/
I pray that we don’t ever reach this point because a vehicle will likely be the least of my worries.
That said, I don’t think that vehicle is crazy at all. A small amount of short-term debt is nothing, really.
RE: ““Prepping” only makes sense in a protracted state of economic decline”
Tell that to Selco:
https://prephole.com/surviving-a-year-of-shtf-in-90s-bosnia-war-selco-forum-thread-6265/
Haha! Great minds or something.
Jungarian Synchronicity, I call it.
There are things we would all like to have, but can’t afford.
Don’t spend money you don’t have on things you don’t need.
Do you need this vehicle? If so, by all means take the debt. That’s a question only the individual can answer.
Eric,
I beg you, don’t take on debt, especially for an item that depreciates when you use it.
In a true apocalypse, you won’t be able to get fuel, oil, or make biofuel in sufficient quantity to go driving around. Where exactly will you be going by the time it gets that bad? Just
Driving around in that scenario makes you a target both to the government as well as the mobs that are going to pop up.
Don’t let fear drive decisions. Fear is what led the lemmings to get the jab.
If you feel things are going to get that bad based on who’s in office. Relocate. Relocate before it’s so bad that you need that sort of vehicle. There are many safer places in an apocalypse than Virginia. Virginia already has so many hellish laws and such zealous law enforcement I could not be paid to live there today. I understand you may not feel that way or have family roots there but location is far more important than transportation once the crisis an upon us like a plague.
If anything, I agree with what was said about a VW bug being the better apocalypse vehicle. Can run on alcohol. Could even run (poorly and not far) on a wood gasifier. Again, if it’s that bad, there will be many more meaningful concerns than driving anywhere.
This is the way…
The Soviet Union limped on for decades before it fell apart in a soft collapse. That -could- happen here in which case SHTF gear is not all that vital.
We are probably more analogous to the Roman Empire which took –centuries– to collapse. That Land Rover will be a rusting hulk long before any true SHTF scenario is likely to occur.
I think people greatly underestimate just how long a dystopian nightmare can endure for. This is the wealthiest nation on earth still, it will take many more generations before the wheels come off completely. Could it Black Swan with a sudden cataclysm? Sure, but it may not too.
If you want the vehicle for all the amazing positive reasons you listed, get it. F-ck it, you only live once, a small loan is not the end of the world. But get it for -that- reason not because of some societal collapse that statistically speaking will likely until long after you are gone.
Many historians now agree that, for the Western Roman Empire in the fifth and well into the Sixth centuries, the changes were so gradual than many living then wouldn’t have felt that “Rome” had “fallen” at all!
Methinks this process has been going on in the USA with our “Pax Americana” over as of 2020.
Maybe a VW bug. Easy to fix with duct tape
i would buy it myself. if you have to do it, sell the truck and the Orange Mobile. I dunno.
Hi Swamp,
I will never sell the Great Pumpkin. It’s irreplaceable. I will preserve it for the rest of my life and make sure it goes to a worthy home after I depart this life.
This is sort of a psychological insight that you don’t really think the apocalypse is coming or accept the logical conclusions of an apocalypse arriving.
If you really think you need an apocalypse vehicle, you will no longer need the Pumpkin and it will become a liability. What will you do with it? Brick it up behind a fake brick wall to hide it from the government and the roving mobs?
Precise observation here: “If you really think you need an apocalypse vehicle, you will no longer need the Pumpkin and it will become a liability.”
Also, while that white 4×4 sure is pretty, I cannot imagine having to sleep in the back.
Rather, maybe a pickup with an 8′ bed?
Anyway, team R isn’t going to listen to Naomi Wolf & is going to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory:
How Not to Run Against Vice President Harris
“NO ONE CAN WIN BY APPEALING TO JUST THE BASE.”…
https://naomiwolf.substack.com/p/how-not-to-run-against-vice-president
Thanks Helot – and Burn it Dwn and the rest…
I suppose I am thinking that it’s more likely they’ll be a kind of slow-motion Fail that results in a period of economic hardship but not a total societal collapse. If the latter happens, I will defend the Pumpkin unto the death. Because if it gets that bad, there’s not much worth living for anymore.
Ed Dowd, the BlackRock alum characterizes what is unfolding as a slow-motion Mad Max
I think we are in the early to mid stages of a slow motion fail. The collapse will happen when things give way. I don’t know. Just a guess. You’re right about the total collapse. I don’t want to be around for it.
If you really want to know what is going to happen to the US in a collapsed economy, whatever the source of the trouble, war/natural disaster/riots, etc, do your research of what happened to the Russian people and country upon the fall of the USSR. They’ve recovered somewhat but it’s been a hard 33 years and change, and they’re still not firing on all cylinders.
YMMV…
History tells us everything. That’s why nobody likes history.
Most of those “mobs” will be fighting each other.
I understand that. I wouldn’t either. I think you can tune it to run on E100 as well.
I have often thought about how to be ready for a SHTF scenario myself. When it comes right down to it, it’s probably impossible to be ready when it all comes unglued. All you need to do is look at Atlanta in 1864, Germany in 1918 and 1946, Spain 1936, Yugoslavia in 1994, Cambodia in 1975, etc.
Or even the George Floyd riots.
What really happens is that the government becomes the biggest and most ruthless gang of all (as if it isn’t already) and you either join the government gang or the gang competing with the government. There’s really no place for individuals, because one gang or the other will simply come and kill you and take all your shit, because neither gang plays by any rules.
Most people say the thing to do is to stash ammo and I agree, but if you are a German guy in 1945 with a Mauser in your house and an entire combat-hardened, Soviet platoon decides to rape your wife and daughters, you won’t stop them with that rifle, all you’ll do is take one or two of them out before they kill you.
“Prepping” only makes sense in a protracted state of economic decline, such as the Depression, there things are more or less stable but people simply have no money to buy stuff or stuff isn’t available — in other words, a “soft landing” instead of a real collapse.
Perhaps that’s the best we can hope for, though.
Bingo!
You can prep for a short term, localized disruption.
Impossible to prep for a long term apocalypse.
The ability to blend in, adapt, and innovate will be needed to survive a true apocalyptic event.
This may be a Prime example of a, “short term, localized disruption”, quite the read:
‘LISTENING TO KATRINA’
“On August 29, 2005, Hurricane Katrina became the largest natural disaster in United States history. After the levees failed, it became the largest man-made disaster in United States history. This blog is a chronicle of what happened to myself and my family during those events. It is also a documentation of lessons learned from a survival and recovery viewpoint.” …
http://www.theplacewithnoname.com/blogs/klessons/index.html
Seems like, having a place to Go To, is more important than having a way to get there. YMMV.