Car destruct sequence?

Hi.

I was wondering about a self destruct system for a car that would be used to transport sensitive documents or items that could cause serious problems if they fall into the wrong hands. Sort of like the ability to scuttle a ship when it's being taken over and there's no hope.

Would the following work? You have a console on the dashboard with a keyed activation system and a timer that can be set to some length of time to permit abandoning the car before it blows. When the timer reaches zero, all the safeties on the engine are disabled and then the mechanism revs and revs and revs and revs the engine far past normal safe limits until it blows it's top. The timer could also be activated by remote, and when active would emit a shrill 100 dB alarm whine.

Not that I'm going to build this rigged-up car or anything, but I'm curious if this would work. I think I saw a self destructing car in a movie once, and then I got interested in the idea.

Reply to
mike3
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If the idea is to actually destroy whatever is in the passenger compartment or trunk, then no, it won't work. You'll just end up with a car with a thrashed engine.

nate

Reply to
N8N

I can tell you that the self destruction of an engine in this manner is usually well contained in the block. Now if you were talking about a turbine engine, all bets are off. For document destruction you would be better off with a mechanism attached to the document container. Better yet, carry the documents in digital form and they could easily be destroyed by light or magnetism. I suspect you are watching movies from the 60's, not that there's anything wrong with it.

Reply to
Al Bundy

you can check Iraq. I think they have methods there that work unfortunately, not like your saying of course.

Reply to
ed

The documents are what needs to be destroyed, and stopping the car or destroying the engine won't do that. A scuttling charge to destroy vehicle, package and driver might be a bit drastic. Some sort of document destruction system within the container would have the best chances of working.

Reply to
John S.

Well that flash-paper and water-soluble paper you hear about in the spy movies aren't totally fiction, you know.

I bet you could make paper out of gun cotton...

-D

Reply to
spamTHISbrp

Several possibilities exist:

1) You watch too many Hollyweird movies 2) You read too many comic books 3) You are 12

4) All of the above

Reply to
Daniel J. Stern

Your idea will damage the engine, but that's it. The rest of the car should be fine.

-------------- Alex

Reply to
Alex Rodriguez

Well, is there any way to cause an engine to explode in such as way as to destroy the cab, other than slapping a hi-ex pack on the gas tank?

Reply to
mike3

This is getting weirder and weirder...you better take this elsewhere....

Reply to
John S.

No. There is real life and there is fantasy. Exploding engines are fantasy.

Reply to
« Paul »

Possibly not even that. Many modern cars have rev limiters built into their computerized engine control firmware.

Don

Reply to
Don

Why yes. There are many ways. You can ask your friendly neighbourhood Palestinian terrorist for advice.

Reply to
Hugo Schmeisser

Then the self destruct system would be rigged up to bypass that (ie. it would control the engine directly). You're not driving the car, you're just trying to blow it up so that the sensitive documents it's carrying are destroyed.

Reply to
mike3

Fuel injectors and igniters mounted in strategic locations inside and outsie the vehicle. No security code, Like an elephant fart that car will go WOOOF!! I call it the "Automotive Incinerator".. I have entirely too much time..

Reply to
corning_d3

No. Huge amounts of engineering for decades have gone into making it very difficult for engines to explode.

The whole _purpose_ of the engine block is to contain an explosion, after all. It's been very well-designed to do that.

--scott

Reply to
Scott Dorsey

I think something like this is available in South Africa as a third-party retrofit. So it's been done already.

--scott

Reply to
Scott Dorsey

Well, I might quibble a little. I have seen race car engines explode with internal parts going into stands. Also on drag strips. Clutches also explode. But in most cases the danger is to spectators, not driver or car itself (oh, a few small holes in hood, maybe). Amazingly little flame, though, usually just a brief flash unless it cuts a fuel or oil line.

Reply to
Don Stauffer

Overheard- "Damn! Did you see that! Through the traps, pukin' molly super-rods all over the place!"

-D

Reply to
spamTHISbrp

Agreed. I've had both happen to me. Parts break, pieces fly off. They usually don't vaporize the vehicle and it's contents in the process = though. :)

Reply to
« Paul »

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