Jim,
I am a long time reader, and wanted to thank you for all of your efforts, hard work and dedication to SurvivalBlog and it’s readers, members and groups!
Without you, your books, and your web sites, I would still be in the dark, running around without a care in the world! At least now I am prepared, ready, clear headed, dedicated, and ahead of the game!
Many thanks again! All of us preparing to bug out, are stocking, loading, maintaining, discussing, prepping and planning.
The subject I wanted to touch bases on, is your Bug Out Vehicle (BOV [1]).
So you have it properly maintained, fueled up, spare parts, emergency equipment, spare fuel cans, and tools. Are you done? Is it fully ready?
The following are some factors you might want to consider for making your vehicle relatively invisible.
Your vehicles paint is most likely in great condition, as is, all of the other shiny parts on it, and therefore, needs to have it’s luster dulled before you go driving to your destination or your retreat locale, whether it be day or night, all of the shiny parts need to be masked, to defeat detection of your vehicle over distances. (Stealth is the only way to go, and the only way to get there!)
Some areas that will need attention will be your Paint, chrome, and running lights.
I have stocked up 15 cans of primer paints in Flat Tan, Flat Olive Drab (O.D. [2]) Green and Flat Black. Each can of paint from Wal-Mart costs only 98 cents.
I also purchased some plastic branches with leaves from the local craft store. With theses items, a team of two can quickly camouflage your vehicle’s exterior within 5-to-10 minutes. (Don’t worry about over spray, no one will care what your vehicle looks like WTSHTF [3] or when TEOTWAWKI [4] happens!
Camouflage Painting Procedure:
I start with the flat Tan paint as a base, and then cover several areas of the vehicle at a time with the plastic branches and spray it with light coats of O.D. Green and Flat Black, consistently turning the leave branches, thus giving your vehicle a well blended camouflage look. (You can, of course, utilize any color you choose to compliment your surrounding areas, these colors are just being used as an example.)
I have also Purchased four cans of some Temporary Vehicle Bra Removable Paint [5], which can be purchased online or at some auto parts or RV [6] center locations as well. this paint is of a temporary nature, and can be washed off with some soap and warm water. It is [normally] utilized to spray on the front of a vehicle to protect the paint while being towed. (It is black in color)
This temporary paint is a perfect way to black out your shiny vehicles tire rims. tail / brake lights, running lights, reflectors, chrome parts, bumpers, and [parts of the window] glass as well.
Glass is a good reflector and can also be camouflaged [when parked] with any see through patio or window screen that can be picked up at any home improvement store in the window treatment areas. (They come in a variety of colors.) This can be temporarily applied to your vehicles windows, with some 3M adhesive spray. just cut out to the appropriate size of your window and spray the adhesive directly on the outside of your vehicles windows, and firmly press
In most older and some newer vehicles, this will also keep all of your glass in one piece if it were to be shot at, or broken in some other method. (A clear safety and warmth factors, as well.)
As for all of the vehicles running lights, I mentioned spraying them with the Temporary Vehicle Bra paint, but you still must disable them as well. Either pulling out the bulbs, which can be time consuming , or simply pulling the fuses out of the vehicle including the vehicles interior light. Now would be a good idea to get to know the locations of your vehicles fuse box, and read the car manual, to know exactly which ones that should be pulled out! You would not want to go to all the trouble of of making your vehicle “invisible” but then have someone open a door at night and give your position away with a glaring interior light. – Rob in Arizona
JWR Replies: I recommend camouflage-painting vehicles only after you have made it to your retreat, WTSHTF [3]. Under other circumstances in the present-day, a camouflaged-painted vehicle will attract unwanted interest–either from malefactors or from law enforcement. A flat paint job in one earth-tone color will not attract suspicion in the present day. But in most parts of the country a camouflage paint job just screams “Prepared Guy!” Be sure to weigh the costs and benefits.
As I mentioned in my novel “Patriots” [7], when parked, vehicles can be made far less visible with military camouflage nets (supported by spreaders to break up any expected vehicular outline), and burlap sacks to cover high-albedo windows and headlights.