Over the years I've done a fair bit with cars, from basic stuff to highly tuned to racing.

Really wanted to do something a bit unusual, start on something I know nothing about, learn about it and be able to do a lot of the work myself without computers.

 

So I bought an Alvis Sultan from Tanks a Lot who are based near Silverstone.

They blasted the outside and gave it three coats of Nato green, then it was delivered on a low loader, which I drove it off.

 

 

Driver Cockpit.

 

Rear space.

First thing I noticed was a lot of brown sludge sloshing around, fortunately not an issue with a well painted alloy hull.

So I spent a few days mopping it out and cleaning it.

 

 

Then I started to strip the back out, and when I could get the checker plate up I found even more gunge.  Must be over around 20 gallons of the stuff now!

 

The radio shelving, officers bench was all very heavy and well made, so it's not only cleaner inside it's also more roomy to work in there now.

Leak has been traced to the radio mast (it used to have a 3-4m ariel for it's command and control duties) which has had the hole filled with a bit of wood shoved in there.

Looks like it's been dripping in since it left service around 6 years ago.

 

It's turning out to be very handy to have the unit!

 

 

Got a couple of dehumidifiers running so it'll soon be nice and try.

You can see in the picture how big the fuel tank is, a whopping 395 litres!

 

This Sultan was modernised in 1999 including a diesel engine and other upgrades so on a full tank would have a range of around 400 miles or so at an estimated 4-5mpg.

Should be handy when the bad weather comes. No fear of running out of bread and milk for you.

Do you need to take a test to drive that on the road without L plates assuming that it has rubber blocks fitted to the treads.

If you ever get a chance, go to the Tank Museum at Bovington. The ticket is valid for a year. 

 

The Tank Chats on the Tube of You are well worth a watch. 

 

 

It will add a whole new meaning to a BossFox 'track' day!

Well, i spose you were running out of car based avenues...

 

 

I'd love to go to the Kubinka Tank Museum in Russia but it's apprently not that easy to get to.

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kubinka_Tank_Museum

 

I love this! Thanks for sharing!!

25 minutes ago, Chris said:

I love this! Thanks for sharing!!

Seconded.

 

What's it weigh?

3 hours ago, BossFox said:

First thing I noticed was a lot of brown sludge sloshing around, fortunately not an issue with a well painted alloy hull.

So I spent a few days mopping it out and cleaning it.

 

 

Then I started to strip the back out, and when I could get the checker plate up I found even more gunge.  Must be over around 20 gallons of the stuff now!

 

The radio shelving, officers bench was all very heavy and well made, so it's not only cleaner inside it's also more roomy to work in there now.

Leak has been traced to the radio mast (it used to have a 3-4m ariel for it's command and control duties) which has had the hole filled with a bit of wood shoved in there.

Looks like it's been dripping in since it left service around 6 years ago.

 

It's turning out to be very handy to have the unit!

 

 

Got a couple of dehumidifiers running so it'll soon be nice and try.

You can see in the picture how big the fuel tank is, a whopping 395 litres!

 

This Sultan was modernised in 1999 including a diesel engine and other upgrades so on a full tank would have a range of around 400 miles or so at an estimated 4-5mpg.

One way too sort out your uncooperative neighbours I guess.

3 hours ago, Liger1956 said:

Do you need to take a test to drive that on the road without L plates assuming that it has rubber blocks fitted to the treads.

Yes you do it is category H on your licence.

 

I took my tracked vehicle test way back in the 80’s and have it on my current driving licence.

 

Never drove a Sultan (they do fantastic neutral turns), spent all my time on 432 derived tracked vehicles.

Edited 4 December, 20187 yr by Defenderben

8 hours ago, Liger1956 said:

Do you need to take a test to drive that on the road without L plates assuming that it has rubber blocks fitted to the treads.

 

Yes as said Cat H.

I did my test 5 years ago, cost £595 for a one day course incl the test fee/examiner from the local testing centre.

The CVRT series seem to have rubber blocks as they are “road size”, this is about 2.4m by 5m.

 

5 hours ago, Wino said:

Seconded.

 

What's it weigh?

 

Full battle weight is 8.5t, have stripped it out a fair bit inside so will be weighing it soon to send the DVLA a request for registering and a V5.

So...

 

are you thinking of putting a 1.8T in it? 

 

 

Just put in the back.. not connected or running like 

 

 

@BossFox you’re nuts, you could have bought something much more sensible like an Alvis Stalwart  Have you got somewhere to run this off-road?

 

Best take a book with you when you go to fill it up, you may be a while. 

Looking at the space in the back it could make a fun camper conversion, at least you would always get the best pitch on site

7 hours ago, vrskeith said:

One way too sort out your uncooperative neighbours I guess.

Can I borrow it for the above.

1 hour ago, BossFox said:

 

Yes as said Cat H.

I did my test 5 years ago, cost £595 for a one day course incl the test fee/examiner from the local testing centre.

The CVRT series seem to have rubber blocks as they are “road size”, this is about 2.4m by 5m.

 

 

Full battle weight is 8.5t, have stripped it out a fair bit inside so will be weighing it soon to send the DVLA a request for registering and a V5.

Any plans to lighten it with carbon fibre body panels? At least you can cut the corners on the next TRACK day, but may get a WARNING flag for exceeding TRACK limits. That's all the track jokes I could think of.

Demolition derby could be a fun new sport with it?

10 hours ago, CWARD said:

something much more sensible like an Alvis Stalwart  Have you got somewhere to run this off-road?

Yeah, the Stalwart family (include Saladin and Saracen here) actually need to be run off-road more than the CVR(t) family, since the 6x6 suffers from driveshaft breaking transmission wind-up if driven exclusively on sealed surfaces.

8 minutes ago, KenONeill said:

Yeah, the Stalwart family (include Saladin and Saracen here) actually need to be run off-road more than the CVR(t) family, since the 6x6 suffers from driveshaft breaking transmission wind-up if driven exclusively on sealed surfaces.

 

I had the joy of driving them for a year in Germany before they were decommissioned. 

Transmission wind up was easily remedied with a short blast off road and getting them airborne was always fun. 

I spent a little time around FV432s and FV103 Spartans, including a little driving - They are wicked good fun!!!

I always wanted to get one myself, but the wife won't even let me get my H-Licence. Said something about impatience and danger, due to not playing well with others, or something...

 

I just wanna pop out the hatch and scream at someone, "Come on, luv, you can get a TANK through that gap!!""

 

 

Yes, I know it's not technically a tank... although you can mod a Rarden turret to shoot 40mm paintballs!

Are you sure you picked the right one?, looks a bit of a tank to me...

52 minutes ago, Ttaskmaster said:

I spent a little time around FV432s and FV103 Spartans, including a little driving - They are wicked good fun!!!

I always wanted to get one myself, but the wife won't even let me get my H-Licence. Said something about impatience and danger, due to not playing well with others, or something...

 

I just wanna pop out the hatch and scream at someone, "Come on, luv, you can get a TANK through that gap!!""

 

 

Yes, I know it's not technically a tank... although you can mod a Rarden turret to shoot 40mm paintballs!

 

Wives really are the fun police pouring scorn on the great ideas that their husbands have. 

This looks like another high quality BossFox thread that I'll be spending time keeping and eye on and TRACKing...

 

Love the thought process behind it and would love to see the reactions of people once its in use on-road!