[Sheb]

There are alot of cars on the road today, and as time goes by many will be scrapped, or sold for extremely low prices. IN fact, several years a go, my Nissan Stanza was on its last legs and had to be scrapped. I was paid $50 for it by the scrap yard.
This makes me wonder...in a scavenger's world, what usefule mateirals one get for out of a car. Alternately, what are other uses for the whole car? (or multiple cars)?

What ideas can anyone think of for the mateirals that can be scavenged from cars, and what can be done with these?

Here are a few off the top of my head. My goal is to get at least 101 uses and actually start trying some of these out:


1. Alternator for generating electricity, from wind, water, bicycle, solar-thermal steam, etc.

2. Engine: Prime mover for a generator system.

3. Radiator and oil cooler: Use for heat transfer for

4. Zinc from transmission bodies and other parts of the car: Can be easily cast into tools or other needed impliments.

5. Body paneling--sheet metal for use in making items such as wind turbine blades.

6. The fuel tank can always be used as a storage tank for gasoline, biodiesel, or any other kind of burnable liquid.

7. The battery, as long as it has some life in it, can be used as the storage component of any energy system (wind, solar, etc.)

8. Tires can be used a structural material, being packed with dirt and stacked.

9. Tires can also be used as fuel, especially if cut up.

10. Crushed cars can be stacked, like landscaping blocks, to create walls, or basic structures, before being covered in dirt or concrete.

What else?

[RonMN]

the car itself could be used for:
Shelter.
Solar oven.
Bed.
Shield against gun fire

Glass windows could be used in a green house.

[Laughs_Last]

16. One last trip, downhill only.
17. Remove engine, hitch to donkey.
18. Museum exhibit.
19. Battering ram, manually operated
20. Rolling ambush barricade, ala "Children of Men".
21. Ammo for large catapult.
22. Weld until watertight, use as raft.
23. Tape until airtight, use as giant waterbong or hookah.
24. Hide below windows, preform sock puppet show.
25. Subject of "I spy with my eye" game.
26. Armature for paper machete dinosaur, use to scare off bandits.
27. Family-sized casket.
28. Lawn ornament.
29. Flip over, break windows. Pretend favorite football team won/lost.
30. Set on fire. Pretend to be French.
31. New shoes cut from old tyres.

[Twilight]

32. Boat anchor (fix chain to axle)
33. Stepper motors from windscreen wipers (sell them)*

* You could think of a use yourself or sell to the RadioShack type outfits that will spring up once the flow of cheap electrical appliances dries up.

[basil_hayden]

34. Raised bed planter!

Junk cars are going for much much more than the $50 several years ago. My second car was totaled in March and if I wanted to buy the wreck (I had two identical cars), it would have cost $1400, so I told them to piss off, took the money and converted it into supplies and 50 yards of the best organic loam I've ever seen.

[Laughs_Last]

35. Radio theater.
36. Barter token.
37. Tip up tall-ways, use as tribal totem.
38. Comically sized paper weight.
39. Roll back and forth to de-shell walnuts.
40. One-room brothel, (wire up one brake light).
41. Wire up horn, use as watch signal, Morse code, etc.
42. Remove tyre, make into tyre swing.
43. Roll several onto railroad tracks, rob train.
44. Roll onto airport runway... profit.

[benzoil]

45. Chicken Coop (favored demise of old VW buses for 50 years)

[mlit]

46. Guest house for the mother in law

[Laughs_Last]

47. Remove oil pan. Pan for gold.
48. Propose marriage, using cylinder ring. Use V6 as excuse for polygamy.
49. Crankshaft = Masochist Sex Toy
50. Make song: The oil is connected to the cylinder ring, the cylinder ring is connected to the piston, the piston is connected to the crankshaft, crankshaft is connected to the flywheel, the flywheel is connected to the torque converter turbine, the torque converter is connected torque converter fluid, the torque converter fluid is connected to the torque converted stator, that stator is connected to the to the compound planetary gears that are connected to each other and to the to the drive shaft, the drive shaft is connected to the CV joint, the CV joint is connected to the pinion shaft, the pinion shaft is connected to the differential gear set, the differential gear set is connected to the axle shaft, the axle shaft is connected to another CV joint, this other CV joint is connected to the wheel hub, wheel hub is connected to the tyre, the tyre is connected to the asphalt surfacing, asphalt surfacing is connected to the concrete, concrete is connected to the road bed, the road bed is connected to the grade bed, the grade bed is connected to the subsoil, the subsoil is connected to the bedrock, the bedrock is connected to the lithosphere, the lithosphere is connected to the asthenosphere, the asthenosphere is connected to the mesosphere, the mesosphere is connected to the outer core, the outer core is connected to the inner core, and back again.

[Don35]

51. Burn at the bottom the drive with a sign, "Leave me alone!"

[BastardSquad]

Spindles and brake disks/drums could be used to make a waterwheel or windmill.

Three rearview mirrors = three good shaving mirrors.Lots and lots and lots of rearview mirrors = bitchin solar furnace.

Depending on the vehicle,a combination of comfy chairs and/or couches.

The entire electrical system provides you with 12 volt fans,lights,radio,and possibly fluid pumps.

Hubcaps might be used as plate/bowls.

The transmission and driveshaft might be of use in a water powered,makeshift machine shop.

The possibilities for using engine parts are probably endless if a person is creative.

Man,I could think about this all night!

[Sheb]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('BastardSquad', 'S')pindles and brake disks/drums could be used to make a waterwheel or windmill.

Three rearview mirrors = three good shaving mirrors.Lots and lots and lots of rearview mirrors = bitchin solar furnace.

The transmission and driveshaft might be of use in a water powered,makeshift machine shop.

[Micki]

52) Private make-out space for teenage couples (or even older children) who will never move out of home and have nowhere else to go.
Especially good if the windows are left intact as the mist creates a certain atmosphere of privacy.

53) Nostaligia for the generation who actually drove those metal things. (Trip down memory lane instead of road trip.)

54) Weld water tight and make interesting looking aquarium, which also will be a good food source.

55) Save a bottle of petroleum get one last crank out of it and drive over the zombie hordes as they roam down the streets.

56) Use as prop in a theater production called "road warrior"

57) Use the metal to make lots of sharp weapons and booby traps.

58 ) Rusty ol bucket will make a good hiding place for your gold and silver.

[careinke]

leaf springs make good machete's.

Cliff (start a revolution, grow a garden)

[Syeer]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('RonMN', 't')he car itself could be used for:

Shield against gun fire

[MrBill]

Definitely nominated for one of the most entertaining threads for 2007, and on topic for a change. Thanks for the chuckle! ; - )