The Prepper Journal

Abandoned Cars: Survival Salvage Ideas

Editor’s Note: This post is another entry in the Prepper Writing Contest from David Paul Smith. I believe that in our society there are so many items we take for granted. I would argue that generally we suffer from an extreme abundance of stuff that because of our culture or economics, throw away without much thought. I presume that I look at this like most people and that if we need something else, we can just purchase it. What if the stores weren’t reopening any time soon? How creative could you get with acquiring tools or implements that re purposed, could help you survive?

Assuming a protracted and severe enough crisis, there will be things lying around that don’t get used up. If you keep an eye out, you might be able to find all manner of survival gear that you might not realize now can be beneficial. Survival salvage is the idea that you can find items that can be put to use to help you survive even if the use wasn’t intended in the initial design. What ideas can you think of?


I have known an unusual collection of people who can’t always tell me where they have been or what they have done without them saying, “If I tell ya, I’ll have to kill ya.” My standard line is if you have to even break one of my finger nails it’s too much information.

Most of us have read about EMP and or Grid Down situations which could leave many people not where they want to be when the lights go out. On the road with a car that does not work and may not work again. We’ve all read the stories about walking past another nice useless car that won’t work because either the grid has gone down and gasoline is non-existent or there has been an EMP that has fried the wonderful electronics and rendered the car useless. We’ve read the stories of walking past the car searching for supplies to keep us going. Sometimes authors will talk about taking shelter in the car from a storm and or searching the car for supplies that their owners left behind. I have never seen anyone talk about using the parts of the car for your benefit.

The following are some survival tips that I gleaned from someone who has had to survive in some bad situations. When we first talked about someone taking out the grid which would limit the supply of gasoline, he mentioned to me that he has never seen anyone talking about heading to the airport and using aviation fuel for their car. He mentioned that during the 1973 Arab Oil Embargo he would routinely add a few gallons to his gasoline powered car to get himself home. It’s not great on the engine but it will work. Unlike gasoline, aviation fuel never goes bad. Don’t do this with a diesel engine. It won’t work.

His next piece of advice was to view any vehicle that you find as a possible outfitter shop. Cars and trucks are built with many different things that can be used in other ways that we don’t usually think about. He told me to look at a car and see if I could come up with at least two uses for it, other than driving it, if I was in a SHTF situation and had to get home. I looked and looked and finally said well if nothing else I could grab the lug nut wrench and use it as a crude weapon. He laughed. He then proceeded to tell me a few more uses that he has actually done with broken down cars to get himself to safety in places he would have to kill me if he mentioned.

He informed me that seat covers can be cut off and made into parkas very easily. Of course you may need to find the right size bucket seat. Cut the seat cover near the bottom, peel it off, cut a hole in the top and arm slits in the side. He said while it’s not a perfect Parka it helps a great deal at keeping a person dry and warm as opposed to someone who has nothing.

There are so many useful items on a car if you are using your imagination.
There are so many useful items on a car if you are using your imagination.

He then went to the window washer fluid. He mentioned that one of the larger problems is keeping things clean and sanitary. Most Blue Window Washing Fluids are a mixture of water and alcohol. While it’s far from being perfect the fluid can be used to clean dishes, hands, and even help disinfect a wound. Just never drink it.

Wires and some clamps can be used to build snares and sometimes some early warning systems. He also had me pull the oil stick. He told me he had personally used the oil stick for two different uses. One was to give someone searching for him a decoy situation where he set it up so it would be visible so when he had to ambush several people following him that they would be able to focus on the oil stick thinking it was a gun. It would allow him to get in a couple of extra shots before they would realize that they were had and look for another location. His second function for an oil stick was using it as an early warning system with some wire also from the car. He would set up a quick trap at night where the oil stick was tied to a tree bent back and held in place by some wire. Someone moves his trip line the oil stick is released to swing. He would personally set it up so it would hit most people in the face. He said it would not kill but most people who get hit in the face with anything in the dark usually make even more noise thus alerting him to their presence. BTW, if you’re looking to lease a brand new car check out CVS low credit car leasing deals.

He said if a car still has a telescope antenna to extend it out and break it at its base and take it with you. Again, it can be used to make someone think that you are pointing a gun at them in one place while you are somewhere else. It can also be used to help make a lean-to.

He mentioned that while it’s not as common as it use to be many cars still have hub caps which can easily be pulled off, cleaned out using the window washing fluid, and then used to either collect water in during a storm and or cooking with. He mentioned that if the owners left any kind of pliers in the vehicle to grab them. The pliers can be used to lift the hub caps on and off an open fire.

He also mentioned that if you don’t have a tent or lack a blanket that the cover of a bench seat can provide all kinds of possibilities. Again, cut them at their base and peel them off and take them with you. He also mentioned that they make a great lean-to in an on-the-run situation. He also mentioned that some truck linings also work well in this regard.

The head rests, with a little wire, also from the car, can often be made into a crude bag to carry stuff in and or a cap for your head.

He mentioned that if the car has the old style of light bulbs I should grab those if I can get to them without hurting myself. He has used light bulbs from vehicles as early warning devises to keep people from sneaking up on him, especially at night. They can be deployed and covered with a little dirt or leaves. He told me to step on one so I will know what it sounds like when someone is sneaking up on you and steps on one by accident. He said many bulbs will have a similar sound when they break. It’s not perfect, but in a dark situation without a moon and or night vision it’s better than nothing.

He also told me that if no one was around, and one of the windows were rolled partially down to use the smooth glass of the window to sharpen my knives before I walked away from the car. He said you always need to keep your knives sharp.

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