Armor your car for TEOTWAWKI survival

TAC's armored Camaro. 

Read an interesting article on Danger Room about the growing popularity of armored civilian vehicles for people living/operating in Mexico. These are SUVs and sedans, stripped down to the frame and then up-armored with kevlar, steel, composites, bullet proof glass; armoring them up to rifle-stopping levels of protection.

It's not cheap--$80k is what the article mentions, on top of the price of the vehicle--but it is effective. The finished armored vehicle doesn't look like an armored car, either--pretty much just a normal, everyday civilian vehicle. There is, of course, quite a bit of added weight, but new techniques and materials have apparently allowed them to cut back.

The industry is growing at a pretty good rate - 10% a year. Most clients are wealthy/important people or businesses who need to operate in dangerous areas (the best option would be to stay out of an area where you need an armored car!). Executive protection stuff. Apparently the cartel bosses have their own in-house armoring teams and drive around in similar luxury armored rigs.

If you were looking to create an "ultimate" bug out vehicle (BOV), and you had cash-to-burn, armor proofing like this would be just the ticket for dealing with those bands of heavily armed brigands, cannibals and communists. Well out of my budget, though!

Texas Armoring Corporation are supposed to be the best in the business; they certainly have some cool stuff on their website; The armored Camaro shown above would be pretty ultimate, if only it was in Mad Max matte black.

For survivors on a budget, you're either into doing it yourself (Mythbusters style phonebook armor anyone) or buying something used/surplus. I've seen armored cars--the bank kind--for sale used before, but they are usually pretty worn out and in lousy shape. If anyone has any ideas or sources for more affordable sources of armored transportation, comment away.