T-72M1 Finally Made It!

[TehTDK]

Well, yes, because what most people forget is the transportation, customs and import approval, months of waiting, risk of losing your funds (happened to me 2x now), and risk of seizure, Dept. of Ag. cleaning / fines etc., and the risk that what you bought is incomplete or doesn't run. So, yes, if they are in the states they are worth a WHOLE lot more.

Amen to that. When doing these kinds of deals from afar nothing would beat having boots on the ground. If I was more mobile and had the budget for it I wouldn't have any issues travelling to the old east block to inspect vehicles etc ie to ascertain whether they actually run or look as advertised. But if its worth anything then I would feel just as apprehensive if I had to bring a vehicle over from the US to here since flying over for a personal inspection would more or less cost me the same as to ship the vehicle on its own.

Too wide to move by rail.

And here I figured most MBT's was able to be moved by rail. I know our Leo I and II are able to be moved by rail and on road. But then again the T-72 might be wider then I initially thought or assumed.

But I would love to get my hands on a Leo I or a Challenger I and drive around in . I sadly think both the cost of acquisition as well as the running cost would bankrupt me, and sleeping inside a tank is just not as comfortable

 

[Augdog1964]

Awesome!! Moar pics!!! Are those "drums" the air filters?

Some day I'd like to get a T-55.

No, those are the "marching fuel drums" - the russians used fuel cans on the back, that could be plumbed in for use, to move the tank long distances.

T-55 is awesome... we have an AM2, and a T-54 early, w/o the turret basket... both cool.

 

[Augdog1964]

Amen to that. When doing these kinds of deals from afar nothing would beat having boots on the ground. If I was more mobile and had the budget for it I wouldn't have any issues travelling to the old east block to inspect vehicles etc ie to ascertain whether they actually run or look as advertised. But if its worth anything then I would feel just as apprehensive if I had to bring a vehicle over from the US to here since flying over for a personal inspection would more or less cost me the same as to ship the vehicle on its own.



And here I figured most MBT's was able to be moved by rail. I know our Leo I and II are able to be moved by rail and on road. But then again the T-72 might be wider then I initially thought or assumed.

But I would love to get my hands on a Leo I or a Challenger I and drive around in . I sadly think both the cost of acquisition as well as the running cost would bankrupt me, and sleeping inside a tank is just not as comfortable

LEO and Challenger would be fairly problematic. To the best of my knowledge only one or two LEOs were let out... I know one was "loaned" to the Littlefield collection.. and rumor has it that one went to a collection in Jordan. I know there was a trainer or two that made it out, that turrets were mocked up for... but this as all things, is information you glean from years of talking and collecting, and could be proven wrong at a moment's notice.

On the Challenger side, I do think there were two "concept" or testing units released... albeit not real Challengers... maybe someday.

 

[71m109a3]

WOW!!! Thanks for sharing this! Do you have any interior pics?

 

[wideload]

I drove a T72 for the first time today.

In the collection I help maintain here in the UK we have 2 T72's both are in full running order but over the winter the batteries on one of them deteriorated, so today we replaced them all (4) with new ones. Normally my friend who also helps with maintenance drives the Russian ones and I usually drive the British ones (we have 2 Chieftains), but today we swapped over so I had my first drive of one, I found it very responsive compared to Chieftain but tended to oversteer. The most alarming thing though was when dipping the clutch to change gear you momentarily lose steering. A great experience though !

 

[Augdog1964]

Nice collection! If you guys ever decide to part with a piece, please let us know!

 

[wideload]

Here is the other end of the collection.

 

[Mac53]

Wow! I feel like I already need a building like that to house my stuff, but that is amazing.

Side note: Dave, your inbox is full. I need to ask you another import question

 

[Augdog1964]

PMs are cleared out... ask away!

 

[Collectorofeverything]

You just weren't talking to the right people. I got a guy a quote to move a deuce water purification truck from CA to NC and it was only like $4200.

Well shipping is kind of an odd thing me and my grandfather had a d7 3t bout 25-30k lbs machine moved from up north in mass costed us like 400 then about 3 or 4 months later we had a 7u d4 a 14k lbs machine it costed us around 5 or 6 hundred to have it moved on a roll back as it didn't run it was also only in ct around a half hour away the d7 was 2-3 hours away by highway.

 

[bullwhacker]

Nice...
I've worked on allot of diesels and yours smokes allot. Is it because it has been sitting for a while?
If it does it all the time it could be from a bad seal all the way to an injector to an overhaul..

 

[Augdog1964]

Nope, its basically a new engine with 37kms on the clock...

The difference is, its a RUSSIAN diesel... they are affectionately called, wet diesels...
They like and have always used in their tanks, wide tolerances that allow the oil to lube everything...
its considered a consumable, that's why there are extra oil carry bins along with fuel...

Every Russian tank I have does exactly the same thing... from the T-34 to the T-72M1...

 

[BiffJ]

The smoke does decrease a bit when things get fully warmed up but they smoke and spit oil normally. Its a bit disconcerting to those unfamiliar with the beasts as any Cat or Cummins tossing that much oil out the pipe would be ready for overhaul. You need to be careful walking by the exhaust stacks in the barn too because they are normally covered in oil. Ask Dave how many shirts his wife has relegated to the work only pile....We should probably be wearing plastic coveralls to work on these things.

Frank

 

[datadawg]

Well, reading this thread has my juices flowing... I was pondering importing a BRDM-2 or maybe something tracked, like the Saurer 4K, but now I am really panting like a thirsty dog - and asking myself, "Why not a tank?" The only reason I can think of is it might just put Mrs. Datadawg that much closer to calling in the divorce lawyer for her and psychiatrist for me. Still, I am very tempted.

 

[bigbe5678]

My kids and neighbors thought my M101a3 trailer was cool .... Wait till they see this

 

[blueleadermark]

Hi Dave,
Great looking new tank. I'm looking at a BMP-1 but it needs a powerpack. Do you know of a reliable source? On an unrelated note, I don't suppose you know what happened to that BTR-60 project that was for sale a few years ago? I think it was at a museum in Utah.
Mark

 

[Augdog1964]

Hey Mark,

Give me a PM or personal email at davebane@frontier.com

I may have a BMP for you here in stock... I have 4...

Finding a whole powerpack for a BMP is extremely hard, they are very much still frontline vehicles all over the world, and the spares still bring government / military prices.

Dave

 

[Powershift]

Wow, that is one amazing machine. A good friend of mine owns an M114, but we always talk about getting a main battle tank someday! Working on one seems like one huge hurtle for anyone less than the employer of a small army.

 

[Artisan]

Thanx for all the effort to post pics and videos Dave.
I just found your website..., Uk vz 59 looks like a real
workhorse. I assume a very reliable machine.

Sub'd in!

 

[Carlo]

Hey Mark,

Give me a PM or personal email at davebane@frontier.com

I may have a BMP for you here in stock... I have 4...

Finding a whole powerpack for a BMP is extremely hard, they are very much still frontline vehicles all over the world, and the spares still bring government / military prices.

Dave

Hey Dave.
Ive always like the T72's and the prices are not bad but I gave a hard time squeezing through the drivers hatch! I'm not a big man but it's super tight. There were a large lot of turbine T80's for sale in the Ukraine but when they joined NATO they stopped export. I finally got export permission through their consulate here and then Russians invaded Ukraine ! Now everything on hold.