MakeShift By William Lidwell

The Scenario: After a relaxing night of camping in the deep woods, you return to your car to find that it will not start. The battery is dead. “Someone” left the parking lights on overnight. You are 50 miles from the nearest road and have limited food and water. You try to call for help, but your cellphone is out of power and out of range. Snowy weather is scheduled to set in by late evening. The situation is serious.

The Challenge: Create a makeshift solution to recharge the battery and start the car. Tools and materials at your disposal include the objects on the supply list listed below (as well as the car and its components). You have 10 hours. By the way, the car has an automatic transmission — push-starting won’t work.

Supply List:

1 Tent

1 Banana

2 Sleeping bags

1 Large bag of potato chips

Sterno (stove and fuel)

2 Liters of bottled water

First-aid kit (Aspirin, adhesive bandages, hydrogen peroxide)

1 Cellular phone

2 Road flares

2 Pencils

6 Pack of cola

A variety of tools (screwdrivers, wrenches, pliers, Swiss Army knife)

1 Dozen limes

Matches

2 Apples

Jumper cables

Email a detailed description of your MakeShift solution with sketches and/or photos to makeshift@makezine.com by March 31. If duplicate solutions are submitted, the winner will be determined by the quality of the explanation and presentation. The most plausible and most creative solutions will win MAKE T-shirts. Think positive, and include your shirt size and contact information with your description. Good luck!

William Lidwell is a consultant with Stuff Creators Design Studio and co-author of the book Universal Principles of Design.

Photograph by Christopher Hujanen

170 Make: Volume 01