Quote:
Originally Posted by Wayne at Pelican Parts
My kids dared me to bid on this at the Amelia Island auction for Bonhams today. I bid my maximum and no one outbid me! I'm not sure if I'm wishing they did. Not sure what I'm going to do with this thing, but it wasn't too much and I'm going to be the world's coolest Dad in about two weeks when it arrives here on a trailer.
https://www.bonhams.com/auctions/23850/lot/104/?category=list
This is just funny / interesting. I just went to put it on the insurance with Haggerty. $69 per year. I guess that makes sense - heck it's a tank, I mean what can possibly happen to it that would trigger an insurance claim?
My kids were talking about me dropping them off at school in it. Then we were thinking that the school has a "no weapons" policy on campus. But then we were trying to figure out if the disabled guns on the top counted as a weapon, or if the whole tank was considered a weapon under the school policy. I'm sure that hasn't come up before in the 80+ history of the school (although you never know).
The photo above makes it look huge. In reality, it's about the size of the 914, as you can tell from this photo I found on the Internet:
-Wayne |
These are super cool vehicles to own. Mine originally was imported into California and I have the historical plates that were fitted to it 15 years ago. The key with registration with these is usually to have an existing title and it must say "Scout Car" on it. Mine was previously titled in Texas as a Tank, so I had the bill of sale made out to read that it was a military vehicle, and used a recent law that was passed in my state that makes it easier to register "military vehicles" for road use.
If the pics are of your unit, that's a Mk 2/3 with the fully rotating turret, like mine. Earlier series had no turret at all (mk1) or a fixed turret (mk 1/2). The numbers stenciled right above the hatch are your VIN, which is how the Brits identified each vehicle, even on the battle field.
What makes these a good buy is how much original gear that it came with. I have every radio, book, tool, tarp, grenade box, and ammo can for mine.
It is interesting to drive, with the counter positioned steering wheel you have to pass the steering wheel through your hands, a lot like a boat. You also have to get used to the pre-select gearbox and the GCP (gear change pedal) which is NOT a clutch.
Your gun mount will be for a Browning 1919, or an M240G. I have fitted a live 1919 to my turret. Mine isn't for looks, and where I live, I can use it.
My daughter and I love ours. Trips to school are a blast, and I drive it all over our rural area. People have gotten used to my crazy stuff around here, so no one really thinks twice when they see it rolling down the road.
I've bought an FPV432 Armored Personnel Carrier and mightbsell my Ferret, since rolling on tracks is the next level of MV ownership. The Ferret has been very cool, but make sure you understand about servicing the unit and how to drive it before you blow something up. Pulling the gearbox is is not for the faint of heart.
I recommend tossing the old clansman intercom and fitting it with a modern unit from Pacific Coast Aviation. It's noise cancelling and simple. You must have this as the sounds in the cockpit are insane from the planetary gears, engine and etc.
I have also fitted mine with back up cameras on each side of the turret, and in the rear. Without these it is very hard to drive this unit without an assistant in the turret clearing you for traffic negotiation. You can't see very much out of the hatches.
Here's mine. Ava loves it, she does like to waste ammo though.. Good thing I like to reload.
Jake Raby
Flat 6 Innovations
