LightningCato Posted February 14, 2013 Share Posted February 14, 2013 (edited) (removed) Edited December 20, 2020 by LightningCato Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eddy8men Posted February 15, 2013 Share Posted February 15, 2013 i'd go for the abbot, it's a better investment and spares are easy to come by. rick ps. or you could go to france and buy a sherman variant from the chap in bordeaux Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrian Barrell Posted February 15, 2013 Share Posted February 15, 2013 rick ps. or you could go to france and buy a sherman variant from the chap in bordeaux Which you would then never get back into the US...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robin33ba07 Posted February 15, 2013 Share Posted February 15, 2013 I have an OT 90 M2 (BMP ) really excellant vehicle easy and great fun to drive ,they can be bought in Czech ex reserve with low kms. dont know a lot about Abbots but all will have been sold off after a hard working life Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andym Posted February 15, 2013 Share Posted February 15, 2013 The majority of surviving Abbots have almost all been (mis)used by "Tank Driving" firms although there are a few that haven't. You may get lucky, but expect to pay a premium. The Abbot parts that are in common with the other FV430s are relatively easy to find but the Abbot-specific parts are more difficult. Luckily most things can be repaired rather than replaced. As when buying any FV430 check the gearbox oil for signs of water (white streaks or froth) as heat exchanger failure is a fact of life. You can fix them, but it's a pack-out job to do so. If you want to have a show-worthy vehicle pay particular attention to the presence of CES, particularly interior turret bits and pieces. Most of the ex-Tank Driving vehicles will probably have been stripped. Finally as an investment an Abbot is the better bet. I didn't buy mine for that purpose, but having paid £7500 for it as a pile of bits I see that decent, complete ones are now pushing £20k. They only ever built 150 and probably only half of those still remain. Andy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony B Posted February 15, 2013 Share Posted February 15, 2013 I know somone with an Abbot, in a place where the gun can still be live firing! :cool2: A real blast!:-D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paulob1 Posted February 15, 2013 Share Posted February 15, 2013 bmp 1 great fun, stronger more durable than an abbott, asuming 432 standards of parts...( ie I have never owned an abbott) and parts mostly repairable and can be sourced from Europe, so in the end its take your pick...I think the Abbott is more tank like than the BMP to be fair... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lauren Child Posted February 15, 2013 Share Posted February 15, 2013 If you are going for a soviet vehicle, go for an OT. The Czech & Polish vehicles tend to be better built than the general Soviet stuff. Between the BMP and Abbott, the Abbott would win out for me. The FV43x series are very easy to maintain and keep running. Also, the automatic gearbox makes it really easy to drive. Make sure you get a good hull as the suspension bushes go and then it gets very expensive, very quickly. If I were you, I'd also consider a CVR(T). It's lightweight which makes it reasonably easy to work on. It'll fit in an ISO shipping container to get it home, meaning you can spend more on the vehicle and spares. There is plenty of support and spares for it, and something like a Sabre or Scorpion has a good tank-like look about it. The gearbox is like a motorbike. You can actually fit two CVR(T)s into a normal ISO container with a bit of wiggling, so there's space for spares if you pack it well. If you need to transport it long distances to shows etc. then it'll fit on a normal car recovery vehicle. If I could fit in one, I'd have it in a heartbeat. Unfortunately they don't come in my size :banghead: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rnixartillery Posted February 15, 2013 Share Posted February 15, 2013 (edited) Which you would then never get back into the US...... :rotfl: Rob...............rnixartillery. Edited February 15, 2013 by rnixartillery Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArtistsRifles Posted February 15, 2013 Share Posted February 15, 2013 I'm biased - but I'd got for the BMP class over the Abbott simply because access to critical systems is a LOT easier - nearly all work can be done with the engine in situ rather than needing a hoist and frame to lift the pack out. They tend to break a lot less often (fingers crossed I haven't jinxed myself saying that!!) whilst for driving the greater speed and agility make for more fun. If you can drive a car you can drive one of these, they are that simple. If, like me, you are built on the large size the space inside the hull for the driver and commander gives them the edge over the CVR(T) too IMHO. As Robin says - get an ex-Czech Reserve unit and everything that is supposed to be in the interior is in there - and works. Try finding that on a comparative priced Abbott. Got hold of a Czech BMP-1 and the odds are the main gun will still be live as will the Malyutka firing circuits...... the only downside might be a longer wait for spares - they are available from Eastern Europe but first you have to find a supplier willing to sell to individuals and then wait for shipping. Although if the Abbott specific parts are as rare as other posters say - you will actually be better off as the BMP class parts are available. Try talking to Duncan Nicholson at www.tanksforsale.co.uk about these. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BRDM Driver Posted February 19, 2013 Share Posted February 19, 2013 I have an Abbot, a Scorpion and a BRDM-2. You'll get a nearly new eastern bloc 'tank' for less money but spares will be a pain if you need them... You'll have to pay quite a bit to get well sorted Abbot or Sabre, or you go the other route and buy a 'project' with all the bits to sort it out yourself. (Which are all readily available here in the UK) I think it depends how much of a 'tank' you want too! I love my Abbot mainly because it has a big gun! If I had more space, I'd have a T72! If you are down in the south of the UK, take a look at The Tank Museum at Bovington. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LightningCato Posted February 21, 2013 Author Share Posted February 21, 2013 (edited) (removed) Edited December 20, 2020 by LightningCato Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArtistsRifles Posted February 21, 2013 Share Posted February 21, 2013 If you go for the BMP - you won't regret it. It usually takes about 2 hours to get the grin off my face every time I take mine into the arena at a show - esp. W&P Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andym Posted February 22, 2013 Share Posted February 22, 2013 If ypou want to chat about Abbots while you're over just drop me a PM. Andy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pkitson Posted March 3, 2013 Share Posted March 3, 2013 (edited) I'll have to agree with Neil. My BMP-1 is a hoot to drive. I drove 113's in Canada, and the BMP will run circles around them! Maintenance is straight forward. Who is the fellow in France with Sherman's for sale??? Perry Edited March 3, 2013 by pkitson Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LightningCato Posted March 25, 2013 Author Share Posted March 25, 2013 (edited) (removed) Edited December 20, 2020 by LightningCato Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Billruston Posted March 25, 2013 Share Posted March 25, 2013 Ever thought about a chieftain? There not actually that dear? Just the weight etc ect Bill. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LightningCato Posted March 25, 2013 Author Share Posted March 25, 2013 (edited) (removed) Edited December 20, 2020 by LightningCato Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joeferret Posted March 25, 2013 Share Posted March 25, 2013 For those who wanted the pictures here is the vlog of the trip: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6pylWTGSMUg Great video thank you so much for posting............ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joeferret Posted March 25, 2013 Share Posted March 25, 2013 OP looks like your really having fun..........I am very happy for you......To have all those support people truly is special...Tell one of your master mechanics there are some houses for sale near me.......I am into history if I had the money I would buy a Sherman or Hellcat..But I truly am satisfied with my little Ferret scout car........Please keep us posted on what you get with maybe a video!!!! The very best to you... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Billruston Posted March 25, 2013 Share Posted March 25, 2013 Cheiftains go for around 7k to 25 30k There's loads of t72 &t55's on mil web from a dealer in czeach I think Bill. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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