So, how unconventional do you like your classic British machines? If you absolutely have to have the only one on your block– or, in this case, the only two– consider these early examples of the Chieftain tank. These running main battle tanks, located in Glenwood, Georgia, together with a container full of parts near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, are advertised here on eBay. Asking price is $425,000, though the seller states that he is open to offers or trades.
Following Russian advances in tank design, the UK sought to combine the agility of the post-war Centurion main battle tank with the firepower of the main gun on the massive Conqueror heavy tank. The specifications were handed to Leyland Motors. Aspects of the design range from the unusual to the revolutionary. The sloping front armor of the Chieftain would offer the equivalent protection of 15 inches of steel. The main gun, the predecessor to the 120mm gun on the current Challenger 2, was rifled, and is loaded with separate projectile, bag charge, and primer, rather than a single brass cartridge. To power the 62-ton beast, Leyland turned to an in-house design: the not-quite 600 hp L60 engine. A 19-liter, horizontally-opposed two-stroke designed to run on diesel, the engine’s horrendous reliability issues are a bit more forgivable once one learns that (a) military thinking of the time suggested that a tank battle would last no more than two hours, making that the longest time the engine would need to continuously run, and (b) Leyland was supposedly told the tank would weigh less than 51 US tons. If the last is true, they should have known it to be wishful thinking: the Centurion had weighed over 58.
The Chieftain was introduced in 1966 and continued in service until after the first Gulf War, so engine issues for these these running examples should be mitigated somewhat by continual upgrades over their service life, and there are the previously mentioned spare parts to consider. Markings on the front would indicate a link to the 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division of the United States Army, based since the early ’70s at Fort Hood. Given the tanks’ previous employment in the entertainment industry, it’s not clear whether this relationship is truth or fiction; while they may have stood in for American tanks in some past production, it’s also possible that they may have been imported to train and familiarize American soldiers with the equipment of a key NATO ally.
Many facets of tank ownership depend on one’s particular point of view. For example, finding parking for your tank is either a serious challenge or no problem at all. With a top speed of under 30 miles per hour, you will certainly impede traffic, yet it is very doubtful that any other driver will raise the issue– much less engage in such juvenile behavior as a brake check. On the one hand, the Chieftain shows no evidence of air bags or crumple zones; on the other, collisions are really the other driver’s (or building’s) problem. The issue might less what one might do with a tank than what one might do with two. Perhaps the time has finally come for that most genteel of motorsports: tank drag racing.
“Tanks” for the listing – on a Saturday afternoon, it gives us a moment of catharsis against today’s world problems. While we are wondering “what can we do?”, a picture pops up with an answer, or two…
I might be able to cast up some projectiles, the bags of cordite would be more problematic, but where the heck are we going to get primers?
All always thought primers were always available at a primary school. Are they not?
“Tanks” for the memories.
Woo Hah!! Lawn art to piss off your neighbors!
You know, that really hadn’t occurred to me. I wonder what the HOA rules say about tanks…
That’s Expensive Lawn Art ! Would be soo cool ! 😂😂!
Especially if you had it trained onto their living room window…
Volodymyr Zelensky called. He wants his tank back.
“Low mileage Russian tanks on bringatractor.com!”
Bill D wrote, “Low mileage Russian tanks on bringatractor.com!”
I would suggest bringing a M88 Tank Retriever… :-) :-) I had the good luck to drive the M88, decades ago and I was surprised how easy, and how much fun it was, to drive that beast.
I have an extreme fascination of tanks/ AFVs since childhood though the historical geek in me probably has even more interest in the WW2 variants.
From a technical standpoint IMO the most interesting aspect of the Chieftain is its opposed piston 2stroke diesel, apparently a concept shared with other British designers of its day as an idea to create a compact yet powerful engine package. Other – more successful – opposed piston diesels were the 3cyl TS-3 used in Commer/ Karrier trucks and of course the legendary 18cyl Napier Deltic installed in locomotives and Navy vessels
No one is going to cheat you out of a parking space, that is for sure.
That would be (2) parking spaces, me thinks
A guaranteed win every time at the racetrack .
Demolition Derby anyone?
LS swap
Throw on a turbo or two and you would have more horsepower, better reliability and better fuel usage.
Well, I asked for it, I suppose, a tank. Of course, why didn’t I think of that? Let’s see, 51 +62 is 113 tons, heavy melting scrap steel, which surprisingly, has remained pretty constant over the years, at $252/ton, is $28,476 dollars. They want $425,000, net loss, $396,524,sounds good to me,,I think this yahoo should take the $28 grand in scrap.
What no quarter mile time?
15 hours, 6 minutes, 37 seconds 😜
My ancient uncle ran a small tourist destination for years. He had a WWI tank just sitting there. I never asked why. Finally, when he died, I saw on his tombstone his company, regiment, etc from WWI.
Would be ideal parked in someone’s front yard that has a group of rare classic unrestored cars that you can see in the background, with a sign on the tank that says enter at your own risk.
“I know I could make this world so peaceful and calm, if I could only get my hands on a hydrogen bomb.” – Todd Rundgren, ‘Heavy Metal Kid.’
However, if you can’t afford to buy these, take a journey back to 1995 where a man liberated a tank, here – (NOTE: For Entertainment Purposes ONLY. Do Not Try This At Home) – By Wham-o!
https://duckduckgo.com/?t=ffab&q=Man+steals+miltary+tank+in+Southern+California%2C+is+killed+by+police&iax=videos&ia=videos&iai=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3D3vESIVemfG8
” No one likes us, I don’t know why
We may not be perfect, but heaven knows we try
But all around evedn our old friends put us down
Lets drop the big one and see what happens”
Randy Newmann
“Political Science”
Pretty much impossible to shoot yourself in the foot with it while cleaning it.
scrap metal sell it by the pound
If they have cup holders count me in.
This could make the next Demolition Derby a very interesting event.
If I had the money it would be on the way to my place. Sorry that some folks think it should be scrapped. A conversation piece. A possible kids’ play house. Not for the urban or city dweller of course. Except for the weight it could be rubber-tracked and used in parades.
There was a Sherman at our local armory. It was here from1963-2015. The army set a crew here to remove it and take it to a restoration facility. They worked on it for two days and drove it onto the trailer. That was something to see.
Was on the M48A5, M60, A1,A2,A3, and XM1. Some of the best times in my career.
OK, obviously the paint scheme is some Hollweird prop department fantasy. So how much fun would it be to take these to your local body shop and ask for a quote on a respray?
“No really officer, I was just going to the shop and then straight home”, as you pull out of the local saloon parking lot.
Pffft!
It won’t ruin on Wesson oil.
Not for me.
The ultimate for a good “Neighborhood Watch” program in a bad neighborhood! “Hi, we’ve come to talk with you about some possible drug trafficking allegations..oh, you’re moving today? Now? Tanks!”
show me the carfax!
nobody said it, air bag it!
I think we should crowd fund it, then paint a Ukrainian flag on it, load it on a C-5 and drop it on FSB HQ in Moscow for fun. Bet it would make it to the very lowest sub basement before it stopped. I’m an Idea guy. LMAO
These Chieftain Tanks can be bought in running condition for 125,000 a piece. Just gotta know where to look for them. Milweb etc.