paulob1 Posted May 28, 2009 Share Posted May 28, 2009 Okay here's a tricky question...I may just have access to one and am thinking of buying it...anyone any idea if parts are available and what the cost of a full ground up restoration would be...most parts are on it but the tin worn has had its day with the flimsier parts, skirts bins and things... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrian Barrell Posted May 29, 2009 Share Posted May 29, 2009 Most parts are available if you know who to ask! As to the cost of a full restoration, if you mean paying someone to do it you should budget around £150,000 to do it properly. There is a lot of stuff in a Conqueror. Good luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paulob1 Posted May 29, 2009 Author Share Posted May 29, 2009 Ouch thats a bit steep...I can only imagine its a bit of heavy enginering nothing at all special....big engine, (little) wheels big tank...massive track, was supposed to be really good off road....hmm maybe I will have to consider my options here, it will surely be worth only a few quid once complete so it would have to be a labour of love...perhaps I will just have it as a gate guard, tart it up and leave it at that... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john fox Posted May 29, 2009 Share Posted May 29, 2009 Ouch thats a bit steep...I can only imagine its a bit of heavy enginering nothing at all special....big engine, (little) wheels big tank...massive track, was supposed to be really good off road....hmm maybe I will have to consider my options here, it will surely be worth only a few quid once complete so it would have to be a labour of love...perhaps I will just have it as a gate guard, tart it up and leave it at that... having worked with the one at Duxford are you sure you really want it? Agreed it would be stunning on the show circuit and its my personal favourite tank but the practicalities of owning one are astronomical Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
antarmike Posted May 29, 2009 Share Posted May 29, 2009 (edited) And have you thought how you are going to transport a 65Tonne , 13 feet 1" wide monster?? Edited May 29, 2009 by antarmike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stormin Posted May 29, 2009 Share Posted May 29, 2009 And have you thought how you are going to transport a 65-68 Ton , 13 feet wide monster?? If it needs restoration and particularly £150,000 worth it may be a long time before he needs to move it anywhere. You offering your services with the Antar, by any chance Mike? :whistle: You'd have to give serious consideration to what is probably a once in a lifetime opportunity to own such a vehicle. Although it sounds like a lot of work and a lot of money, if you've got the time and can keep the enthusiasm to spread it over say 10 years or more, it seems more doable. What's the rush? (Normandy 75th?) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrian Barrell Posted May 29, 2009 Share Posted May 29, 2009 Hardly applicable for Normandy! If you restore it yourself, it will obviously cost a lot less but don't understimate the amount of work required. The engine and transmission are peculiar to Conq and are not overly plentiful and though I don't know which particular tank you are referring to, they all need a lot of work before they will go again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
antarmike Posted May 29, 2009 Share Posted May 29, 2009 (edited) Now if I had enough money to buy and restore a Conqeror, there may just be enough left in the pot for a 150 Acre plot in Lincs and I could just drive it around and around on my land. I wouldn't care if it never went out anywhere, people could come and see me....and we would all enjoy private drive it days....(then I woke up!!!) No sorry not offering Transport. (when I win a lot of money and Buy an Oshkosh and 7 axle trailer......) The Antar is totally the wrong vehicle for todays road conditions, and My trailker couldn't carry one anyway! Edited May 29, 2009 by antarmike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
antarmike Posted May 29, 2009 Share Posted May 29, 2009 You may be aware that John Atlee has decided not to take a tank or his Constructor anywhere this year. When I talked to him, he cited the stress of being out on the road with A Conqueror behind as one reason why he wanted a year away from all that agro.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrian Barrell Posted May 29, 2009 Share Posted May 29, 2009 I don't blame him. I was involved in moving the Conq from Pounds to the IOW on a home made trailer.... That was bad enough.... Actually the trailer is very well made and did the job perfectly but is is a big job. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paulob1 Posted May 29, 2009 Author Share Posted May 29, 2009 hmm am still not totally off the idea...as I say it could just be my labour of love and i do have 200 acres in guildford already...perhaps i could put rubber pads on it and drive it around...I cannot see why the bodywork will not polish up quiete nicely and then getting the engine running just to show that it does would be good enough for me...to be able to move it a few feet once a year would be a bonus of course...well let me do the deal first and see how it all progress. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stormin Posted May 29, 2009 Share Posted May 29, 2009 Hardly applicable for Normandy! If you restore it yourself, it will obviously cost a lot less but don't understimate the amount of work required. The engine and transmission are peculiar to Conq and are not overly plentiful and though I don't know which particular tank you are referring to, they all need a lot of work before they will go again. All right I was getting carried away, hadn't realised they weren't introduced til 1955 despite starting design in 1944. Bet there's a few jeeps in Normandy that were made later than that. Is the basic running gear not the same as the smaller Centurion, just with a more powerful engine? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrian Barrell Posted May 29, 2009 Share Posted May 29, 2009 Norman, no they don't share much of anything with Cent or anything else. They are a thing of beauty on the move though! You're absolutely right about the Jeeps though.:-D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
antarmike Posted May 29, 2009 Share Posted May 29, 2009 Am I right in saying the Cent had carburettors, but the Conqueror went to fuel injection of the Meteor? Presumably we are talking gun tank not Conqueror ARV? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Farrant Posted May 29, 2009 Share Posted May 29, 2009 Am I right in saying the Cent had carburettors, but the Conqueror went to fuel injection of the Meteor? That is correct, Mike. This injected version of Meteor, the M120, was also used in the Churchill Flail, to power the flail drum. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArtistsRifles Posted May 30, 2009 Share Posted May 30, 2009 It would/will be a sight worth the seeing whatever happens!! I've only ever seen one other Conquerer - and that was static in Saumur. To see a moving one...... :yay: :yay: :yay: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
antarmike Posted May 30, 2009 Share Posted May 30, 2009 Did you miss the REME Museum Conqueror ARV running round the Playpen at GDSF last year? Sadly it won't be there this year.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snowtracdave Posted May 30, 2009 Share Posted May 30, 2009 Several years ago now - must have been mid 80's - there were a couple recovered from the firing ranges just down the road from me - I think one went to Duxford & the other was going to be swapped with the Russians (? I think , not certain now) for something interesting . I keep meaning to trawl through my pics to find the ones I took after they had been pulled out - unfortunately in those days all my photo's were 35mm slides so I also need to get myself one of those little scanners . We also saw the remains of a very sad DUKW and what had once been a couple of Bren Carriers pulled out at the same time . Also a very very flat F1 Vauxhall Victor ! Seem to remember that at the time the whole thing was treated as a major recovery exercise by the REME & that there were some enormous holes in the ground where their ground anchors had dug in . Somebody tell me I'm remembering corrrectly & not completely lost the plot :-D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArtistsRifles Posted May 31, 2009 Share Posted May 31, 2009 Did you miss the REME Museum Conqueror ARV running round the Playpen at GDSF last year? Sadly it won't be there this year.... Equally sadly - I've never yet made it to the GDSF!! :cry: :cry: :cry: One day perhaps!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john fox Posted May 31, 2009 Share Posted May 31, 2009 Somebody tell me I'm remembering corrrectly & not completely lost the plot :-D Your memory is fine! They both went to Duxford. One become the runner I referred to earlier (and have driven ) the other was "done up" by the Duxford friends and exchanged with Russia for an IS 2. IMHO there was rather an embarrasing difference in quality between the two, perhaps explaining why not much further action on the exchange programme. The IS2 even had all its guns live when it came over! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lauren Child Posted May 31, 2009 Share Posted May 31, 2009 Your memory is fine!They both went to Duxford. One become the runner I referred to earlier (and have driven ) the other was "done up" by the Duxford friends and exchanged with Russia for an IS 2. IMHO there was rather an embarrasing difference in quality between the two, perhaps explaining why not much further action on the exchange programme. The IS2 even had all its guns live when it came over! <PLUG> The one we have in the museum is coming out and is expected to run at our show in a couple of weeks time </PLUG> Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArtistsRifles Posted June 4, 2009 Share Posted June 4, 2009 What was the final decision Paul - will you be going for it or??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paulob1 Posted June 5, 2009 Author Share Posted June 5, 2009 no too much trouble in the end...and I dont have enough money spare... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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