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OT - 0, Zil - 1


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I was on hire for a film job today and in the process of maneuvering around a Zil went just a trifle too close...... :blush:

 

skirt_damage.jpg

 

Two large holes in the aluminium track skirt, one mounting bolt sheared off, another half sheared and the wing mirror shattered.... The glass can be replaced - I just hope the skirt can be repaired as replacing it will be a nightmare!!!! :cry: :cry:

 

Only plus is it was a good thing I was planning on repainting her this year!!!!

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What happened to the Zil?

 

Nothing - highly embarrassing... :blush:

Mind you - had I hit it with the glacis plate it night have been different! :cool2:

 

Real shame but should be weldable I suppose... What are you going to use as a new paintjob?

 

Thinking of moving up to the 1980's with a quad colour scheme - I keep the base green and then overlay it with a sand, a light green and a dark green/black in a disruptive pattern.

I won;t take her back to pristine, just smooth some of the rougher chipped areas out (like where the "L" plates were) so I keep the "in service" look!!

 

new_cammo_scheme.jpg

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I think it looks nicer without them fitted at all - you lose the amphibious drive (not that you use it anyway) but then the track sheds soft mud much more easily and doesn't end up compressing it all into an impossible lump if you take a wrong turn into the boggy stuff :D

 

Would the insurance cover it anyway? I always see this sort of thing as wear and tear rather than something I'd even think to try running through the insurance company, especially knowing how hard most of them are to talk to. You wouldn't have been on site (or driving the Zil) if not for the fact that film work was taking place but does that make it their fault? No idea.

 

Can you tell us what film it is? :D

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Just reading the first post - :cool2: - Neil refers to manouvering around a Zil.

 

Yes - the problem was there was a very tight gap between a rack of beater kit for forest fires and the Zils. Sadly I had left her in 2nd gear and just as I thought "this feels too fast" and put my foot on the brake (running on tick-over) there was a rather load bang... The rest is history!! :blush:

 

I presume you parked the OT in the hanger yourself Lee!!!!

 

Alas Lee is not yet trained in the art of starting vehicles where all the controls are in Czech... One day......... Until then we opt not to incite the "Elf and Safety" wallahs!!! :cool2:

 

I think it looks nicer without them fitted at all - you lose the amphibious drive (not that you use it anyway) but then the track sheds soft mud much more easily and doesn't end up compressing it all into an impossible lump if you take a wrong turn into the boggy stuff :D

 

Would the insurance cover it anyway? I always see this sort of thing as wear and tear rather than something I'd even think to try running through the insurance company, especially knowing how hard most of them are to talk to. You wouldn't have been on site (or driving the Zil) if not for the fact that film work was taking place but does that make it their fault? No idea.

 

Can you tell us what film it is? :D

 

I doubt insurance would be interested - I rather think they would say, and probably rightly, it was my fault. I am thinking on what Lee said - she is due to be repainted this year so I might leave it - or I might try and find a body shop who can work in aluminium.

I like having them on - partly because I think it makes the old girl look complete and partly because it stops the idiots who think it cool/funny to try and run their hands over the top of the track wilst moving around at shows.

 

The film is called "Mercenaries" - see http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1728979/ - I have to say I had a great time doing this and it was a pleasure to do. Even though we had to do some very fast talking to stop the producer lying in the road at one point with a camera to get an unusual sequence of the beast rolling over him.....

I had to sign a disclaimer last night in case my whole face appears in the scenes of a convoy rolling through a burning village....... The storming of the palace gates I think all you see is the back of my head.

Funniest moment has to be when I had the camera man perched on the turret and half a dozen others hung of the top and side on step ladders filming the assault on the gates - and the little clapper girl walked up to the front of the OT - and her nose was level with the top edge of the glacis plate - all you could see were the eyes, nose and the clapper board.. I had to duck inside the OT fast so as not to upset her by laughing...

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