Not many people know there are many ways to hide your car when SHTF. And trust me, you’ll need every last one of them when the big one hits.
The fact is life is much, much harder when you don’t have a vehicle. Think about it. Simple errands like going to the grocery store or picking up dry cleaning are super time-consuming without one.
Not to mention when SHTF you’ll need this automobile to help you get outta dodge and to help you survive.
The unfortunate thing about a major crisis, though, is the theft that comes with it. When resources are low, more and more people look to stealing to get what they need. And when that time comes, your vehicle will be prime real estate for those thieves.
By learning all the ways to hide your car now, you can be ready when that day comes. And, if used effectively, these tips could most definitely save your life – as well as your automobile.
It’s my job to prepare you for anything. That’s why I’m coming to you with these…
Ways To Hide Your Car When SHTF
1 – Disguise It
Cars that are bright colors (such as blue, red, or orange) are very easily spotted by thieves. And this is a huge detriment in a crisis. Therefore, the trick is to disguise your vehicle the best you can.
One of the ways to do this is to disguise your car. And that’s by painting your vehicle in camouflage colors.
Watch the video below to see how to paint your vehicle camo:
Another way to disguise your car is using grey primer and brown/red spray paint to help your car look rusted. Even if you have a nicer vehicle, you can make it look old and dingy with the use of paint. And, if it looks like a junker, thieves are much more likely to pass it by.
2 – Make Your Car Look TerribleWith Duct Tape
Duct tape is a miraculous invention for a variety of reasons. One of which being it can help you make your car look like a hunk of junk! Tape the section where your side-mirrors connect with the body of the car. Also use the tape around the vehicle, such as the doors and fenders. By making it look like the car is barely holding together, you can keep it unattractive to thieves.
3 – Choose Your Vehicle Wisely
It is extremely tempting to bug out in a truck. However, trucks have a reputation of being reliable, and able to hold a variety of things (namely, your preps). As such, this type of vehicle will make most everyone else see you as a prepper – and one who has lots of valuables.
Because of this, you’re often better with going for a common looking, smaller vehicle. An automobile that fits in with its surroundings is more likely to survive. Plus, if it doesn’t look like it holds a lot of stuff, you’re more likely to be less of a target for theft.
4 – The Six Elements Of Concealment
Believe it or not, there are even more ways to hide your car when SHTF. In fact, according to Survivopedia, there are six elements of concealment every prepper needs to help keep their car safe.
Vehicle Shape
The human eye is naturally drawn to anything that looks out of place or familiar, however large numbers of the same thing can cause viewers to overlook similar items. If there are relatively few vehicles in the area, you will need to make your vehicle harder to see. Vehicles or the shape of a human being will all stand out unless they are disguised, and the most effective way to avoid this is to break up the shape by using a camouflage pattern.
A good camouflage pattern doesn’t work by mimicking the background around it. Instead, it disguises the outline of a familiar or unnatural shape by breaking it into smaller or regular ones. Contrasting colors are the best way to do this. You can borrow the idea of military camouflage patterns to match the surrounding colors.
Another way to camouflage a parked vehicle is to use a camouflage net, but never just drape the net over the vehicle. Support it with poles or cut branches to create an irregular shape. When using poles fit some kind of spreader to the end to keep the net from slipping down over them.
Shine
There are many shiny things in nature, and they do attract attention. If the vehicles around yours look shiny and bright, a dull vehicle will stick out and be noticed. Oddly enough, what you wear while you are driving can also draw unwanted attention.
No matter what neighborhood you are driving through, avoid wearing anything that will produce a flash or a shine. Remove all jewelry and your watch and put them in your pocket. Reflections of light on your skin can also be very visible. Use camouflage cream to make it harder for others to see you.
Shine is a big problem for vehicles. If you want the vehicle to look run down and useless, remove or paint any chrome work. Cover it with 100mph tape, or burlap. When the vehicle is parked, cover the windows, lights, mirrors, or anything else that might reflect light with burlap sacks, or better yet an old tarp that makes it looks like the windows might be cracked.
Shadows
Always be aware of the position of the sun when you stop to rest or shelter. It is possible to be hidden in dense vegetation enough to conceal your vehicle, but still enough light to cast a distinctive shadow on the ground. If you are moving inside of a tree line and throwing a shadow outside of it, the movement of the shadow can reveal that you are there. To hide the shadow move further into the trees.
Even if you have the vehicle parked under a camouflage net, that shadow will give everything away. To get rid of this shadow problem, hang a skirt of burlap around the bottom of the vehicle after you have parked. Another way to break up the shadow is to fill this gap area with light brush. If you can, park in vegetation that reaches a couple of inches above the bottom of the doors. Always pay attention to wheel well shadows that must also be removed.
Silhouette
A silhouette is basically a shape against a contrasting background. The classic way to reveal your position by silhouetting is to cross the skyline. Anyone at or below your level will see your outline. If you are following a ridge line do not move along the crest. Stay off to one side and far enough down so that the ridge is between you and the sky.
If you must cross the high ground, look for cover such as trees or a dip in the ridge. To reduce your silhouette as much as possible, you may have to wait until it is darker and you can drive across undetected.
The sky is not the only thing you can be silhouetted against. You must always be aware of what is behind you. It does not matter how well camouflaged you are. Try to avoid moving in front of anything that is a stronger contrast with your vehicle.
Picking the right location is a huge aid to help minimize silhouettes when picking overnight camps. Remember If your are in cover you are not silhouetted against anything so build your camp in the woods. Pick your locations surrounded by higher ground so anyone approaching will be silhouetted, but you will not.
Metallic and Heat Signature
In the modern age, all kinds of equipment can be used to spot a vehicle no matter how well you disguise it for human eyes. Try coating the vehicle in specialized paints or other materials that will prevent your vehicle from showing up on scans designed to pick up metallic objects in unusual places, or heat signatures from the engine and exhaust.
Sound
A muffler in good repair is very important for preventing others from hearing the sound of your vehicle’s engine. Don’t forget to turn off the sound system and anything else that will create too much noise.
Hiding your vehicle isn’t especially complicated if it is your sole objective. As a prepper, however, you will find there are many conflicting needs that will interfere with things that will work best insofar as hiding your vehicle.
In the end, it will be up to you to decide what balance you will draw between all of these opposing needs.
By following these tips on ways to hide your car, preppers can have a much greater chance at keeping their car when SHTF. Remember – Prepare Now, Survive Later!
