What to buy advice needed

okay am looking to increase the stock this year of Military vehicles in the Collection.

what vehicles would interest people enough to come visit the museum...I have highlighted the ones I am likely to buy next month if I can find the right ones...the others then not sure...do I save and buy the T72 or do I buy the others Depending upon the cost of the Chieftain, T55 Bat-M and the BMP The T72 will likely not get purchased in this round. But if anyone has any other thoughts would be good to hear them...remember this is the cold war I am interested in...

1. Chieftain, dead or running..unlikely to ever be moved so dead as good as running *****

2. Scorpion or similar ****

3. BAT-M ****

4 T 55 ****

5 T72

6 Skot

7 BMP-1 ****

8 Champ

9. Kub Sa6 gainful launcher ****

10 Zil 137 10 x 10 truck/trailer combo

11. ARRV russian or english.

l do not want to seem rude but the question should be what do l want the collection /museum to be do l want it to have a

theme ie cold war vehicles or just a collection of allsorts of military kit if so then why should the public come to me when there other venues with the same type of collections and bigger l admire any one who wants to have museum it takes a lot

of hard work determination and money and l wish you well from my own experience stick to what you do best cold war

vehicles

I'd come & visit Paul if you had any Humber 1 Ton, armoured or not. Sadly a very neglected part of British post-war MV history. Amazing the adaptations to which it was put:

CT/GS: winched, FFW, wireless light, Corporal missile command, Malkara missile supply, missile test, missile system repair etc,

Armoured: Battlefield radar, APC role, FFW/FFR, ambulance, Malkara missile launcher, foam dispenser, squirt, EOD etc

All derived from the FV1601

You could buy my M75 APC Paul, it was the first of what we consider the modern APC and saw good service in the Korean War.

More of a personal 'I want one' but what about one of those 8 (or 10 is it?) wheeled Russian 'Transporter - Launcher' beasts, with an ICBM

on?

I'm afraid I don't know the Nato reporting name, there's a Youtube video of one 'Crash loading' on to a transporter that isn't really long enough.

I can just imagine the 'impact' of one of those turning up in an arena, charging around for a while then stopping and going into 'launch mode' -

Sorry, time for my meds. . . . . . . . . . . :blush:

'Chas.'

I would say a vehicle/vehicles that no other museum has ! Also a theme with in a museum ie national service, Falklands or gulf war related vehicles set in dioramas. Doesn't have to be expensive. I've always thought, tank recovery, would make an good display. ARV, tank transporters etc etc

Stu

You could buy my M75 APC Paul, it was the first of what we consider the modern APC and saw good service in the Korean War.

M75 very interesting vehicle...

i will keep you to that one day...this round is a bonus play round...i still do not have the right location...

Wally I am the cold war museum, not anything else, it will be vehicles, clothing history of the period from march 5th 1946 up to 1990

museums are tough and expensive and are dying a death. i understand this but it has been my dream and ambition for many many years. I dont hanker after a big house or a fancy car I just want my museum, so once I have the right location I will indulge my passion with all the energy I put into my business' even if its only for me to play in it I intend to do it...

humber 1 ton...important British military vehicle of the 50's through to the 80's interesting point indeed...and of course a fundamental of the cold war period when war was supposed to be at an end and yet there were conflicts on every continent bar Australia...unless you call the aboriginal uprisings a conflict..

thanks for the input all ideas and thoughts welcome no matter how off the wall...

I have to say, from your list the SA6 sounds really good.

Similarly if you were looking for a suggestion I'd consider an OT62 TOPAS - they have a really odd and interesting look to them (almost castle like) which doesn't really come across in photos, but does make for a very interesting museum exhibit. http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/OT-62_TOPAS

For the OT64 SKOT, I found out recently that there was an engineer variant which sounded both interesting and useful. It's called a DTP64 and comes in a tank and a mechanised infantry version.

How about a 2S7 Pion SPG? (only because I'd really like one myself ... )

Andy

There was a Centurion BARV for sale recently on here. I think that would make a unique and interesting vehicle for a museum.

It is also worth thinking about taking vehicles on loan. Storage of vehicles is quite often a problem for owners and I'm sure many would consider having their vehicles on display in exchange for storage. I know it is something that I would consider for some of my vehicles.

Ed

There was a Centurion BARV for sale recently on here. I think that would make a unique and interesting vehicle for a museum.

 

It is also worth thinking about taking vehicles on loan. Storage of vehicles is quite often a problem for owners and I'm sure many would consider having their vehicles on display in exchange for storage. I know it is something that I would consider for some of my vehicles.

 

Ed

yes once ready to go that is for sure on the cards...

Yes, museums all seem to be struggling; ours certainly is.

The structure of our museum is a little different to most others. Basically, our vehicle club members (the Military Vehicle Preservation Society of South Australia) had far too many vehicles and nowhere to store them, so they got together and decided to start a museum about 30 years ago. As it stands now, our members have about 250 vehicles between them (according to the official register, but it is probably a lot more) and there are about 80 at the museum. About half are owned by the museum and the rest by the members, and of all the vehicles, about 90% are running (or would do with some minor maintenance).

It's a format that seems to work for us, but we do differ from most other museums in that we like to play with our toys and at certain times of the year, especially on Anzac Day and the Bay to Birdwood Run, there aren't too many vehicles left on site.

Cheers,

Terry

Have you ever thought you are barking up the wrong tree starting a cold war museum !!! Who really wants to go and look at a lot of Russian vehicles ??? I certainly wouldn't want to pay to do that , I would think most people would be far more interested in paying to go to a decent WW2 museum, Just my thoughts and your money !!

Have you ever thought you are barking up the wrong tree starting a cold war museum !!! Who really wants to go and look at a lot of Russian vehicles ??? I certainly wouldn't want to pay to do that , I would think most people would be far more interested in paying to go to a decent WW2 museum, Just my thoughts and your money !!

I disagree. WW2 certainly has a lot of appeal, but that is also a market that is well catered for and one that is expensive to get a decent collection in (something that I find silly is that a WW2 dated item is substantially more expensive/valuable than an identical one manufactured after the war).

For a reasonable, but growing, investment, you can establish an impressive collection of cold war era equipment which will fill a niche in the museum market and provide a valuable historic resource.

For the cost of a decent WW2 tank, you should be able to buy half a dozen or more good cold war examples, if you shop around.

Cheers,

Terry

I disagree. WW2 certainly has a lot of appeal, but that is also a market that is well catered for and one that is expensive to get a decent collection in (something that I find silly is that a WW2 dated item is substantially more expensive/valuable than an identical one manufactured after the war).

 

For a reasonable, but growing, investment, you can establish an impressive collection of cold war era equipment which will fill a niche in the museum market and provide a valuable historic resource.

 

For the cost of a decent WW2 tank, you should be able to buy half a dozen or more good cold war examples, if you shop around.

 

Cheers,

Terry

I posted on the club's webpage, that the average Vet, is no longer WW2 but Nam, Iraq, or Afghanistan. And they want to see the equipment they used and fought against. WW2 is sadly becoming ancient history.

I disagree. WW2 certainly has a lot of appeal, but that is also a market that is well catered for and one that is expensive to get a decent collection in (something that I find silly is that a WW2 dated item is substantially more expensive/valuable than an identical one manufactured after the war).

 

For a reasonable, but growing, investment, you can establish an impressive collection of cold war era equipment which will fill a niche in the museum market and provide a valuable historic resource.

 

For the cost of a decent WW2 tank, you should be able to buy half a dozen or more good cold war examples, if you shop around.

 

Cheers,

Terry

yes my points too..plenty of WW11 stuff, and not our era anymore. Interesting comments though...amazing how some people know everything and yet nothing...it is clear that people already have the wrong idea...its for me to educate people what my museum is about...must try harder...of course I have to get it all set up first and thats even tougher than getting the communication right...

By the way Adrian, a Chieftain tank, saracen, ferret, striker, 432 434, foden DROPS, Stalwart etc are all british, we have a few american items, but that will increase over time...

but the museum will not be just the military issues, it will be a history walk from the 1946 period to 1990, and that includes as much of human history as I can cram in...my particular bent are the wars that did happen, during the period and how it affected the world, both economically, technically, and personally, how it affected our daily lives. I am keen to show how our living standards changed over the period and so whilst the military angle is primary in many issues it is not what this museum is all about it is a part of the story...my idea being we will enter in 1946 and move through the years to 1990 and beyond...

clearly there will be some reference to the ending of the second world war and the way the landscape changed from before to after the war...how Germany was funded to get it out of the doldrums and to never see it trying to take over again..How the UK was broke, how it lost its empire, etc etc.

I could go on and on...

I personally had great interest in WW2 vehicles as a young lad but now find post war more interesting its probably a generational thing I guess , I like to see all types of vehicle military or civilian preserved as there won't be another great vehicle manufacturing era in this country again in my opinion . Cold war museum works for the RAF so why not for vehicles ! Good luck with it all mate ! :-D

Paul, I would concentrate my efforts on getting the right building ( if funds permit) as buying more vehicles to stand about in the rain or under damp sheets just creates more work as they deteriorate. Once you have the premises then everything can then stand under cover, it deteriorates at a far slower rate then, this is from personal experience of collecting and restoring MV s for past 34 years.

Paul, I would concentrate my efforts on getting the right building ( if funds permit) as buying more vehicles to stand about in the rain or under damp sheets just creates more work as they deteriorate. Once you have the premises then everything can then stand under cover, it deteriorates at a far slower rate then, this is from personal experience of collecting and restoring MV s for past 34 years.

John am with you 100 percent and i am chasing the right place hard, i have the cash to buy and am ready to go but finding the right place is like hens teeth...I have just bought a load of artic liners for the tents this will reduce the condensation massively and make them nice and cosy...I have a lot of tents...

The most important thing for a museum location, is the location! Most people won't go too far out of their way for a museum, but if the museum is near something that gets lots of foot traffic, plenty of people will drop in. If you plan on having your museum a little like ours, with running vehicles, then the next important thing is to have an area big enough to run them around, with a good viewing area and some considerations towards safety.

Something that we don't have a lot of, but really need to work on, is interactive displays. Those are always very popular and get people coming back. Also consider running special event days at regular intervals and possibly have free entry for children accompanied by an adult; as long as your gift shop is also the exit point and you make sure that you have stuff that appeals to kids, you'll make your money anyway.

We haven't found much benefit in spending much on advertising; maintaining an active Facebook page and a good website seems to be a very cost effective way of getting word out about the place, as well as turning up with a vehicle or two at other events (with permission) and handing out fliers.

Cheers,

Terry

superb info Terry thanks...all points noted...

Hi Paul

Personally, I think you should try to get hold of some of the more unusual vehicles like the the big Maz missile launchers for example, to show people what the eastern block countries were capable of.

While the history side of things is interesting to many on this forum, the average punter may not be quite so much.

I find a lot of the static displays at museums pretty "dry" to be honest, and a fully restored, numbers matching, correct bolts in every position restoration is very impresssive to MV fans. The average (whatever that may be) family will be more interestd in seeing "big" trucks/tanks and being able to get in and on them ie experience them, tank/ truck rides are way more appealing than counting rivets.

Best of luck with whatever you do,and I shall be definitely be visiting, because my Zil itch still hasn't been scratched:D

Hi Paul

Personally, I think you should try to get hold of some of the more unusual vehicles like the the big Maz missile launchers for example, to show people what the eastern block countries were capable of.

While the history side of things is interesting to many on this forum, the average punter may not be quite so much.

I find a lot of the static displays at museums pretty "dry" to be honest, and a fully restored, numbers matching, correct bolts in every position restoration is very impresssive to MV fans. The average (whatever that may be) family will be more interestd in seeing "big" trucks/tanks and being able to get in and on them ie experience them, tank/ truck rides are way more appealing than counting rivets.

 

Best of luck with whatever you do,and I shall be definitely be visiting, because my Zil itch still hasn't been scratched:D

am on the search for a MAZ and agree totally on your input, I will have littered all over the museum tanks to play in on and around and guns that move and can be played with...will have special firing ranges built too to allow people to fire real weapons subject to permissions and things but that will cost the punters dear...would like to have a gun that fires also but unlikely that ambition will be met easily, neighbours fretting about noise and all that...

I am totally not interested in nut and bolt restorations...unless someone else is paying us to do it...Andy my chief mechanic is a total perfectionist but for the museum i like real, as they are collected...as they were used as they became etc...

am on the search for a MAZ and agree totally on your input, I will have littered all over the museum tanks to play in on and around and guns that move and can be played with...will have special firing ranges built too to allow people to fire real weapons subject to permissions and things but that will cost the punters dear...would like to have a gun that fires also but unlikely that ambition will be met easily, neighbours fretting about noise and all that...

 

I am totally not interested in nut and bolt restorations...unless someone else is paying us to do it...Andy my chief mechanic is a total perfectionist but for the museum i like real, as they are collected...as they were used as they became etc...

The Maz tank transporter which has appeared at W & P is currently for sale.

okay Chieftain done..will collect in January..

making an offer on land today..if accepted I will be then applying for planning permission for a 70 x 30m 21,000 square feet floor area. A Building with three floors, first floor for the real heavies, second floor for the smaller vehicles cars and things, the top floor for living accommodation, for the library...and for other non essentials.

I will use a log cabin as a separate building for a coffee shop...

it will be heated by geo thermal heating, old oil burners and log fires plus it will be covered in solar panels, the walls will be insulated with something, not entirely sure what just yet but am thinking hay bales, it will have roller shutter doors on all sides have a large covered area outside for some machines to live outside but under cover...

plus I want to get planning for a house on the land for me to live with the museum and the Animals. It already has a large barn that will be the workshop. I am going to rig that out for restoration work