If someone gave you a $1000 and told you to spend it on your FJ, what would U do/buy

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the rear locker was the single most noticeable upgrade in my husband's truck - mine already came with ARBs front and rear :grinpimp:

yeah, if you plan on doing some wheeling, lockers would be high on my priority list - in fact, higher than power steering, for sure ;p
 
I think you should buy a welder and spend the rest building that roof rack support system you drew up a while back.
 
My wife and I were just talking about that last night. I think a welder is steadily climbing the charts, she really likes that rack design, and wants to see it happen, of course just buying a welder doesn't make me a welder, so I'll have to start doing some practice welds if we go that route

I just received an email from my neighbor who has been helping me with the wiring, in which he said this weekend we'd be able to finsih the starter wiring, test the circuits and start up my FJ!!!!!!!

It's been sitting for 8 months now, and chances are good that I will be driving it to work one day next week.

I will probably go in Monday to get tires and wheels. Would buying a carb from Mark be worth the money, or will the cheaper Weber we bought get us by for a while?
 
If I had $1000 I'd save it until I found another $700 or so and buy wheels and tires.
 
well the money in question is seperate from the 2000 we had already set aside for wheels, tires, new battery and battery tray. Im thinking of getting BFG AT 33X10.5's and a matte black steel wagon wheels 15"
 
[we needed something that could keep running in the event of an EMP]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I thought that the gas itself was a big issue here also, and that only basic diesel engines would survive...am I wrong ???

BTW...I'd put the $1000 in the bank :)
 
yes your correct that Diesel would be perferred, but gas would still have a "mid" term storage life, i believe almost 3 years if it treated with Stabil. I believe you can even get another year or 2 if your gas is completely sealed, treated and stored underground.

Our goal with our FJ is not a "Road Warrior" scenerio, but rather a GOOD vehicle to get out of the city

Great question by the way.....

Our next 4X4 will be a diesel for sure, we looked when spwe did our initial search, but we didnt find any diesels other than farm trucks for hauling horse. We did find an early 70's Land Rover 110 type model, but after trying to research parts for it we found if would be difficult and expensive.

Wed like to score an old diesel Power Wagon or something, but they are hard to find.

As for the money, i have mixed feelings on that, its a rough fence to balance at times, but during inflation or depression, electronic assests, or money in the bank is essentialy worthless. Only tangible goods and skilled trades are inflation/depression proof.

Dont get me wrong, of course we have money in the bank, but we hedge against the other as well. Land is a great investment and we are saving toward that goal. Idaho would be our first choice, WY and MT after that.
 
Gotta go stock gray steelies with factory hubcaps!
 
my wife picked out the wheels, i got to chose the tires, lol, she likes the black ones, she said they wont look as dirty. I tried to get black wheels on the MINI, but she wanted the stock wheels, now all she does is comment on how dirty they look, I guess she learned her lesson :-)
 
Here is a great article off SurvivalBlog.com talking about EMP data concerning vehicles

Real World EMP Effects on Motor Vehicles, by Michael Z. Williamson
Permalink
I distilled the following from another forum:

See the EMPCommission.org links. The auto testing results are on page 112 of that report. They tested a sample of 37 cars. Here is a summary of the results:

Most cars will not even stall. In a test, where cars were subjected to EMP conditions, they tested both with cars turned ON, and cars turned OFF. I quote "No effects were subsequently observed in those automobiles that were not turned on during EMP exposure." NO EFFECTS FOR CARS THAT WERE TURNED OFF during the EMP, they just started right up.

EMP effects on cars that are running: "The most serious effect observed on running automobiles was that the motors in three cars stopped at field strengths of approximately 30 kV/m or above. In an actual EMP exposure, these vehicles would glide to a stop and require the driver to restart them." In other words, 90% of the cars would not even stall if they were running when an EMP happened. There were some further effects, blinking dashboard lights on some cars, etc.., read the report to see them described. Over 20% of cars experienced NO effects while running, not even burnt out radios, and to reiterate, for the cars that were OFF, there were NO effects.

Here's the conclusion of the commission for trucks: "Of the trucks that were not running during EMP exposure, none were subsequently affected during our test. Thirteen of the 18 trucks exhibited a response while running. Most seriously, three of the truck motors stopped. Two could be restarted immediately, but one required towing to a garage for repair. The other 10 trucks that responded exhibited relatively minor temporary responses that did not require driver intervention to correct. Five of the 18 trucks tested did not exhibit any anomalous response up to field strengths of approximately 50 kV/m."

An EMP could cause some cars to stall, which could definitely lead to accidents when the EMP happens. Most cars will run just fine, we will not likely see a breakdown of our auto transportation system from an
EMP. - SurvivalBlog Editor at Large Michael Z. Williamson




Sir,
I read the report in the government document regarding the effects of EMP on vehicles. The vehicles were only tested at 20k V/m then up to 50k V/m if they survived the first test. The reason that they were not tested beyond 50k V/m is that is what is the "known" maximum that would be released. The Russians have purpose-built EMP warheads that are speculated to emit 1m V/m to 2m V/m (100k V/m to 200k V/m). These weapons would completely destroy sensitive engine management controls. To put this in a little more perspective, the Starfish Prime test in 1962--that blew out street lamps [hundreds of miles away] in Hawaii--was only 5.6k V/m.

Setting all of this aside we still have a greater threat from an coronal mass ejection (CME) from the Sun. If the United States were to be attacked with EMP weapons it would be bad, but localized to our continent, Canada and Mexico would feel some of the results. If we have a massive CME it could have the same EMP effects except worldwide, and at a higher V/m than any weapon could produce. Nuclear weapons emit 50k V/m voltages in milliseconds, a CME hit could last for minutes. If we were attacked it would be possible we could get help from allies, but if it were to be a solar event the whole planet could be in the same boat.
Here is a segment from a Future Weapons episode that shows a vehicle experiencing just such an event, and it does not restart.

This is why I am keeping my non-computer controlled 1980s era 4x4 diesel truck. - The Last Conservative in California


Hi Jim,
Michael Williamson provides some very usable data, and considering the already existing, grounded shielding built-into vehicles, this resistance of automobiles and trucks to EMP makes sense.

However, most EMP measurements I'm familiar with, particularly after a nuclear detonation, occur in the hundreds of thousands, not just tens of thousands of volts. I think we still need to actively prepare for an EMP event. Besides, the way I store my unused electronics (in Mylar bags, placed in ammo cans, connected to earth ground) and electronic motorcycle components also helps to protects them from fire, flood, etc.

While an EMP event would be classified as "seldom" in a risk assessment matrix, its severity would be off the scale, to the point where those of us with anything electronic, and working, would be perceived as gods. Cheers, - J.E.

Dear James,
I'm responding to Michael Z. Williamson's letter "Real World EMP Effects on Motor Vehicles" regarding the likely outcome for our transportation system after an EMP event. Based solely on the simulations he cited, his is a reasonable view. Unfortunately, simulations aren't the real world, and I doubt our transportation system would hold up.

In all transportation concerns, I place heavy emphasis emphasis on the word system. It's reasonable to regard the transportation system as a living organism, and we all know there are numerous ways to kill any organism. In the simulation, all the cars restarted, and that's comforting. But - one out of 18 trucks had to be towed in for repairs. Here's a thought experiment based on the 1/18 failure rate: I'm assuming that the disabling damage was to electronics, and that the damage rate held nationwide. First, the backlog for replacement electronic parts would stretch into months or years.

Sure, you'd probably find a handful of electronic control modules (ECMs) or the various sensors for any given engine at truck dealers in any major city. Problem is, there are tens of thousands of trucks in proximity to any major city on any given day. If one out of twenty of those trucks failed, it would take a week or two just to tow them all in to the shops. Available parts would quickly disappear into the trucks towed in first. (The lucky recipients might be the tow trucks, for all we know.) And, if components failed on the truck, who's to say any replacement parts on dealer's shelves will be any good? Then there's the still-running fleet's need for ongoing repairs, including plenty of their own electronic issues. Sure, those trucks survived the initial burst, but what would happen to the failure rate of their electronics? Also, how will the electronics manufacturers function after EMP? Will they be able to produce more parts, and what's that time frame? There are further issues, but at least the problem is in focus now.

If one in twenty trucks nationwide were inoperable it would put a serious crimp in just in time (JIT) deliveries. As your readers know all too well, JIT inventories/deliveries are already stretched to the breaking point. Combine that with a bit of nervousness on the part of the unprepared...

Trucks also carry fuel. Minus fuel distribution, the transportation system grinds to a halt in a matter of days. I'll skip past the distribution challenges, and pipeline/refining SCADA issues (all very real, but hard to relate to) and focus on a link we all know well: gas pumps. When you stick your credit card in that slot, you're effectively operating an ATM - an ATM that dispenses liquid gold instead of paper money. ATMs depend on a working power grid, along with functioning Internet/telecom and banking systems to operate. Don't bet on using cash, either - if electronics at the station or in the pump are fried or if the power grid is down, the pump simply won't run. The brain (car computers) may survive, but if the blood (fuel) doesn't flow then your car is dead anyway.

In survival planning, we generally deal with icebergs. It's small comfort that a visible part of this iceberg fared well in a simulation - a government simulation at that! Cars/trucks in close proximity to miles of conductor (power lines, pipelines, rails etc.) may experience much stronger pulses than were simulated. How will they fare, and does it even matter? I say it doesn't. I remain convinced that the transportation system will collapse after an EMP event, and that it will fail at multiple weak links. At least some of the cascading failures would have nothing to do with the vehicles themselves, and some of those would occur in systems I haven't even addressed here.

EMP is a grave scenario, and I'm praying we never find out about it firsthand. As always, James, thanks for your yeoman efforts on the SurvivalBlog.

Regards, - Fred H.
 
Last edited:
Welder, Front Seats, VDO populated instrument panel, couple of gallons of hard cider.
 
ouroutdoorfamily said:
Here is a great article off SurvivalBlog.com talking about EMP data concerning vehicles

Real World EMP Effects on Motor Vehicles, by Michael Z. Williamson
Permalink
I distilled the following from another forum:

See the EMPCommission.org links. The auto testing results are on page 112 of that report. They tested a sample of 37 cars. Here is a summary of the results:

Most cars will not even stall. In a test, where cars were subjected to EMP conditions, they tested both with cars turned ON, and cars turned OFF. I quote "No effects were subsequently observed in those automobiles that were not turned on during EMP exposure." NO EFFECTS FOR CARS THAT WERE TURNED OFF during the EMP, they just started right up.

EMP effects on cars that are running: "The most serious effect observed on running automobiles was that the motors in three cars stopped at field strengths of approximately 30 kV/m or above. In an actual EMP exposure, these vehicles would glide to a stop and require the driver to restart them." In other words, 90% of the cars would not even stall if they were running when an EMP happened. There were some further effects, blinking dashboard lights on some cars, etc.., read the report to see them described. Over 20% of cars experienced NO effects while running, not even burnt out radios, and to reiterate, for the cars that were OFF, there were NO effects.

Here's the conclusion of the commission for trucks: "Of the trucks that were not running during EMP exposure, none were subsequently affected during our test. Thirteen of the 18 trucks exhibited a response while running. Most seriously, three of the truck motors stopped. Two could be restarted immediately, but one required towing to a garage for repair. The other 10 trucks that responded exhibited relatively minor temporary responses that did not require driver intervention to correct. Five of the 18 trucks tested did not exhibit any anomalous response up to field strengths of approximately 50 kV/m."

An EMP could cause some cars to stall, which could definitely lead to accidents when the EMP happens. Most cars will run just fine, we will not likely see a breakdown of our auto transportation system from an
EMP. - SurvivalBlog Editor at Large Michael Z. Williamson




Sir,
I read the report in the government document regarding the effects of EMP on vehicles. The vehicles were only tested at 20k V/m then up to 50k V/m if they survived the first test. The reason that they were not tested beyond 50k V/m is that is what is the "known" maximum that would be released. The Russians have purpose-built EMP warheads that are speculated to emit 1m V/m to 2m V/m (100k V/m to 200k V/m). These weapons would completely destroy sensitive engine management controls. To put this in a little more perspective, the Starfish Prime test in 1962--that blew out street lamps [hundreds of miles away] in Hawaii--was only 5.6k V/m.

Setting all of this aside we still have a greater threat from an coronal mass ejection (CME) from the Sun. If the United States were to be attacked with EMP weapons it would be bad, but localized to our continent, Canada and Mexico would feel some of the results. If we have a massive CME it could have the same EMP effects except worldwide, and at a higher V/m than any weapon could produce. Nuclear weapons emit 50k V/m voltages in milliseconds, a CME hit could last for minutes. If we were attacked it would be possible we could get help from allies, but if it were to be a solar event the whole planet could be in the same boat.
Here is a segment from a Future Weapons episode that shows a vehicle experiencing just such an event, and it does not restart.

This is why I am keeping my non-computer controlled 1980s era 4x4 diesel truck. - The Last Conservative in California


Hi Jim,
Michael Williamson provides some very usable data, and considering the already existing, grounded shielding built-into vehicles, this resistance of automobiles and trucks to EMP makes sense.

However, most EMP measurements I'm familiar with, particularly after a nuclear detonation, occur in the hundreds of thousands, not just tens of thousands of volts. I think we still need to actively prepare for an EMP event. Besides, the way I store my unused electronics (in Mylar bags, placed in ammo cans, connected to earth ground) and electronic motorcycle components also helps to protects them from fire, flood, etc.

While an EMP event would be classified as "seldom" in a risk assessment matrix, its severity would be off the scale, to the point where those of us with anything electronic, and working, would be perceived as gods. Cheers, - J.E.

Dear James,
I'm responding to Michael Z. Williamson's letter "Real World EMP Effects on Motor Vehicles" regarding the likely outcome for our transportation system after an EMP event. Based solely on the simulations he cited, his is a reasonable view. Unfortunately, simulations aren't the real world, and I doubt our transportation system would hold up.

In all transportation concerns, I place heavy emphasis emphasis on the word system. It's reasonable to regard the transportation system as a living organism, and we all know there are numerous ways to kill any organism. In the simulation, all the cars restarted, and that's comforting. But - one out of 18 trucks had to be towed in for repairs. Here's a thought experiment based on the 1/18 failure rate: I'm assuming that the disabling damage was to electronics, and that the damage rate held nationwide. First, the backlog for replacement electronic parts would stretch into months or years.

Sure, you'd probably find a handful of electronic control modules (ECMs) or the various sensors for any given engine at truck dealers in any major city. Problem is, there are tens of thousands of trucks in proximity to any major city on any given day. If one out of twenty of those trucks failed, it would take a week or two just to tow them all in to the shops. Available parts would quickly disappear into the trucks towed in first. (The lucky recipients might be the tow trucks, for all we know.) And, if components failed on the truck, who's to say any replacement parts on dealer's shelves will be any good? Then there's the still-running fleet's need for ongoing repairs, including plenty of their own electronic issues. Sure, those trucks survived the initial burst, but what would happen to the failure rate of their electronics? Also, how will the electronics manufacturers function after EMP? Will they be able to produce more parts, and what's that time frame? There are further issues, but at least the problem is in focus now.

If one in twenty trucks nationwide were inoperable it would put a serious crimp in just in time (JIT) deliveries. As your readers know all too well, JIT inventories/deliveries are already stretched to the breaking point. Combine that with a bit of nervousness on the part of the unprepared...

Trucks also carry fuel. Minus fuel distribution, the transportation system grinds to a halt in a matter of days. I'll skip past the distribution challenges, and pipeline/refining SCADA issues (all very real, but hard to relate to) and focus on a link we all know well: gas pumps. When you stick your credit card in that slot, you're effectively operating an ATM - an ATM that dispenses liquid gold instead of paper money. ATMs depend on a working power grid, along with functioning Internet/telecom and banking systems to operate. Don't bet on using cash, either - if electronics at the station or in the pump are fried or if the power grid is down, the pump simply won't run. The brain (car computers) may survive, but if the blood (fuel) doesn't flow then your car is dead anyway.

In survival planning, we generally deal with icebergs. It's small comfort that a visible part of this iceberg fared well in a simulation - a government simulation at that! Cars/trucks in close proximity to miles of conductor (power lines, pipelines, rails etc.) may experience much stronger pulses than were simulated. How will they fare, and does it even matter? I say it doesn't. I remain convinced that the transportation system will collapse after an EMP event, and that it will fail at multiple weak links. At least some of the cascading failures would have nothing to do with the vehicles themselves, and some of those would occur in systems I haven't even addressed here.

EMP is a grave scenario, and I'm praying we never find out about it firsthand. As always, James, thanks for your yeoman efforts on the SurvivalBlog.

Regards, - Fred H.
Click to expand...

Interesting read. I've read a lot of the same, mainly due to the fact that the car rolling on its tires creates a basic faraday cage. Actually, I was surprise to read that a lot of electronics can actually be protected (some hardened) to the point of not showing any signs of damage should a pulse hit.

Just out of curiosity, do you know where one can view a list of the cars and trucks tested? It would be interesting to know which made it unscathed.

I'll go back to the gas itself. I am not a chemist, so I do not understand it completely, but I have heard that a strong pulse could affect the + - composition of the gas, rendering it useless, but that this same phenomena would not happen with diesel fuel. It made sense to me at the time, but have not been able to back this with any new information on the subject. Not sure if stabil could protect the gas if this was true. Have you ever read anything on this topic?

So...are you now thinking of getting rid of the points? I'll keep mind, just cause I like having them :D

Edit: Oh, before I forget, solar flares are real, just in case anyone reading this thinks it is a load of bull. A few years ago in the 80's, a decent flare knocked out the Hydro power in Quebec, and the northeast. This is when I became curious as to such effects.
 
Last edited:
no way, im keeping points, i just like the older ways of somethings. I use to own a yellow 2007 FJ Cruiser, it was nice, but i like im going to love the 40 so much more.

As for the gas, Ive never heard that, although i think the same priniclple would apply to gas in metal can as electronics in a metal box, (faraday cage).

i guess no one will know however until it happens, but when all the Nuc testing happened above Johnston Island, they felt the affects in Hawaii, it was reported that street lights blew out, power was lost, electronics were down, but in all ive about it, read it didnt say anything about cars not working, so perhaps there is a bit of hope?
 
Like everything else, there is a fine line between being informed, and being obsessed. I do not wear a tin foil cap, but I do like to know what can happen, to try and avoid problems if I could, and what can help if it was a worse case scenario.

If you like old school, what you need next is an early 60s cruiser :beer:
 
well theres no tin foil hats at our house, lol, but living Houston does present us with some real world reality issues concerning hurricanes, evacuations, lots of storms and very flat land, etc

Sure, the EMP stuff, terrorist attacks and a socialist government are also concerns, but life still has to be lived.

back to the main subject at hand, that Bailiegh RDB-50 and tubing notcher are also climbing the charts.... i mean how much fun could a person have with a welder, tube bender and notchers.... the ideas are limitless!
 
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