Image source: Geekologie.com
Recently Robert Kirkman, creator of The Walking Dead, teamed up with Hyundai to create a zombie proof car. That’s what you get when you’re sponsored by a major car manufacturer, but what about the rest of us? Fear not, fellow survivors. Here are a couple of modifications you can make to almost any car to make it a zombie proof motor.
Body armour
Most cars are pretty robust and can take a beating, so you’ll want lightweight armour that doesn’t slow the car down. Fix a tough wire mesh to the side windows to stop any wandering zombie hands getting in should the windows shatter. You may need to fortify the bonnet to make sure that the undead don’t damage your engine. If your car goes down, you go down.
Gunner platform
If the car becomes immobile, installing a gunner platform is an easy way to hold the fort while you get your car moving again. Cut a hole in the roof of the car (or keep the sunroof open) and add a fence above to protect your gunner from any climbers. When the car is stopped, have your gunner climb through the hole, and act as a one man turret.
Cow catcher
Adding a cow catcher to the front of the car will help you to clear a path through zombie infested streets. Running over zombies en masse will only damage your car and cause it to stall, so the use of a cow catcher will disperse them to either side, leaving the road ahead open to you.
Fortified windscreen
The mesh screen over the windows may not be enough for the front of your car. The larger surface area means that you’re more vulnerable to attack should the glass be shattered. Instead, opt for metal slats that run along the length of the windscreen that will still allow you to see. Your visibility may be reduced, but it’s a lot better than being pulled through the car’s windscreen.
Increased storage space
Get rid of the passenger seats so you have a lot more floor space for supplies and a place to lay the wounded members of your team. When you’re not driving for your life away from a sudden onrush of zombies, surviving the post-apocalyptic landscape requires a lot of long distance driving, which means you’ll be carrying a lot of supplies.
You can see that with a few friends, some scraps and some power tools, almost every car can be turned into a zombie proof survival car.
Jamie Gibbs is the resident blogger and zombie survival trainer for Confused.com. They specialise in car insurance quotes, but when the apocalypse hits they’ll be ready to take on the hordes of the undead.
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Twitter: BlazingMinds
With the way world seems to be going and what seems to be an impending Zombie-Apocalypse, it may well be time to Zombie-pimp our rides
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I think it’s worthy of its own episode of Pimp My Ride, definitely. Garages would do well to start offering these kinds of modifications ready; they could make a fortune. “Get a free shotgun or chainsaw with every tune up” would also work.
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Nice! Hyundai is not what comes to mind when I think of zombie-proof transport.
You definitely need the armor platting. But I’m a little concerned about its ability to maneuver over rough terrain. Also, the roads are going to get very congested in your typical zombie apocalypse situation, so I think you would really need something with the ability to push other vehicles aside.
Twitter: mithrilwisdom
Good points, Mark. I think the cow catcher would be good at vehicle as well as zombie dispersal. The armor plating is a bit of a stickler; do you sacrifice mobility for extra protection, or go nimble but vulnerable? Your average deadheads are slow moving shamblers, so having the wire mesh as a motor version of chainmail would likely be the best option to maintain mobility but giving you some kind of protection.
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Yes, I see what you mean. Of course the very best method of getting away is to leave before the Zombies are out in numbers and the panic has spread. That way you can just concentrate on mobility.
Hehe, that is really pretty close to being te perfect zombie proofing for your car. Only upgrades I can think of are monster truck tyres to drive over stopped cars and a fridge inside the vehicle.
-Jean
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Thanks Jean, and I agree that a mini fridge would be good for med supplies and some more perishable foods. Bigger tyres could work, though you’d be limited by the body size of the car. A 4×4 is likely your best bet to combine size and power with a decent amount of maneuverability, but if you go too big you’re sacrificing mobility, and when the zoms congregate you need all the speed you can get.
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