Author Topic: How to split a car in half  (Read 3817 times)

Gerri Attrick

How to split a car in half
« on: March 06, 2019, 02:16:32 AM »
It’s for the plot of my current WIP (honest!)

I’m attempting to describe the old con where two halves of different vehicles are welded together, resprayed, and sold as a “perfect” car.

But, how do you split them? I thought of an oxy-acetylene torch, but then worried about the petrol (gas) tank?

Any ideas, guesses, suggestions please?
 

Dennis Chekalov

Re: How to split a car in half
« Reply #1 on: March 06, 2019, 02:20:11 AM »
 
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RappaDizzy

Re: How to split a car in half
« Reply #2 on: March 06, 2019, 02:27:00 AM »
That’s what they do to create a limousine. Strip it down and cut it in half.

 

Gerri Attrick

Re: How to split a car in half
« Reply #3 on: March 06, 2019, 02:31:56 AM »
Wow! Thanks, Dennis and Eugene.
 

munboy

Re: How to split a car in half
« Reply #4 on: March 06, 2019, 04:21:52 AM »
Getting into the chopping game?  :hehe
 

Gerri Attrick

Re: How to split a car in half
« Reply #5 on: March 06, 2019, 05:05:30 AM »
Getting into the chopping game?  :hehe

Sorry, munboy. A) I’m a Brit. B)I’m female

You’re going to have to explain that.  Grin
 

Jeff Tanyard

Re: How to split a car in half
« Reply #6 on: March 06, 2019, 05:47:01 AM »




I never would have guessed a Sawzall would have been sufficient for cutting a car in half.  You learn something new every day.
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Genres: Science Fiction, Fantasy (some day) | Author Website
 

notthatamanda

Re: How to split a car in half
« Reply #7 on: March 06, 2019, 11:06:46 AM »
Getting into the chopping game?  :hehe

Sorry, munboy. A) I’m a Brit. B)I’m female

You’re going to have to explain that.  Grin
Steal a car.  Break it down for parts.  Sell parts, sometimes as new.  Okay, often as new.
I'm female, in the US and grew up in Brooklyn in the 70s.
 

munboy

Re: How to split a car in half
« Reply #8 on: March 06, 2019, 12:39:07 PM »




I never would have guessed a Sawzall would have been sufficient for cutting a car in half.  You learn something new every day.

If you have the right blade, those things can go through just about anything.
 

munboy

Re: How to split a car in half
« Reply #9 on: March 06, 2019, 12:40:56 PM »
Getting into the chopping game?  :hehe

Sorry, munboy. A) I’m a Brit. B)I’m female

You’re going to have to explain that.  Grin
Steal a car.  Break it down for parts.  Sell parts, sometimes as new.  Okay, often as new.
I'm female, in the US and grew up in Brooklyn in the 70s.

What Amanda (not that one) said. There are places here called chop shops that will take in stolen cars, take it apart (or remove identifiable things like the VIN number) and sell the parts or the "new" car.
 

Jeff Tanyard

Re: How to split a car in half
« Reply #10 on: March 06, 2019, 12:45:53 PM »
If you have the right blade, those things can go through just about anything.


Well, I own a Sawzall, so it's nice to know I can cut up a car if I need to.  I might need to start shopping around for some heavy-duty blades.   :icon_mrgreen:
v  v  v  v  v    Short Stories    v  v  v  v  v    vv FREE! vv
     
Genres: Science Fiction, Fantasy (some day) | Author Website
 

notthatamanda

Re: How to split a car in half
« Reply #11 on: March 06, 2019, 01:17:41 PM »
Now can someone explain this welding two halves of a car together to make a new one to me?  Why not just turn back the odometer? 
 

Gerri Attrick

Re: How to split a car in half
« Reply #12 on: March 06, 2019, 11:39:48 PM »
Now can someone explain this welding two halves of a car together to make a new one to me?  Why not just turn back the odometer?

Because one part of the car has had a shunt (been in an accident) and it would cost too much to repair it/replace the parts. If you have two cars (I assume of identical make and model) one with the bonnet (hood) damaged, the other with the boot (trunk) and rear panels stoved in, then you weld the two undamaged halves together. Hey presto! And I’m sure totally illegal.

Thanks for the explanation Munboy. We probably have them over here, but I’ve no idea what they’re called. For obvious reasons, they aren’t talked about much - at least not to law-abiding citizens like me.

  :police:
 

notthatamanda

Re: How to split a car in half
« Reply #13 on: March 07, 2019, 03:51:11 AM »
Now can someone explain this welding two halves of a car together to make a new one to me?  Why not just turn back the odometer?
Because one part of the car has had a shunt (been in an accident) and it would cost too much to repair it/replace the parts. If you have two cars (I assume of identical make and model) one with the bonnet (hood) damaged, the other with the boot (trunk) and rear panels stoved in, then you weld the two undamaged halves together. Hey presto! And I’m sure totally illegal.
  :police:

That's what I figured it just seemed like a lot of work to get two identical enough cars that were in opposite accidents and cut them apart and weld them back together.    We've bought parts from junkyards across the country from vehicles that were too damaged to drive anymore, but still had decent parts from the ends that weren't smashed up.  Sometimes the internet is a good thing.
 

Post-Crisis D

Re: How to split a car in half
« Reply #14 on: March 07, 2019, 04:38:35 AM »
If you have the right blade, those things can go through just about anything.


Well, I own a Sawzall, so it's nice to know I can cut up a car if I need to.  I might need to start shopping around for some heavy-duty blades.   :icon_mrgreen:

Thus the name: Sawzallgrint
Mulder: "If you're distracted by fear of those around you, it keeps you from seeing the actions of those above."
The X-Files: "Blood"
 
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She-la-te-da

Re: How to split a car in half
« Reply #15 on: March 09, 2019, 08:26:22 AM »
I'm here to tell you that Sawzall is an awesome tool. You need to keep control of it, but it will cut stuff you never imagined.
I write various flavors of speculative fiction. This is my main pen name.