Daily Mail – 10-9-06:

Driver Stephen Ellison keeps bringing traffic grinding to a halt – by going to town in a 7.5 tonne tank.

The father of one has left other motorists stunned after shelling out £14,000 on a 1974 Sabre light reconnaissance tank.

Now 42-year old Stephen uses the military vehicle instead of a car for shopping trips – zooming round at up to 40mph near his home in Winsford, Cheshire, drawing astonished looks from fellow motorists and passers-by.

“Young and old alike are fascinated with it,” said Stephen, a former Territorial Army soldier. “It really unites people.

“The tank’s 30mm gun is deactivated and the only thing that really marks it out as different on the highway are the rubber tracks it has fitted to protect the road.

“But the tank’s covered through a classic military vehicle insurance policy, it’s taxed at £165 a year, it’s MOT exempt and runs on unleaded fuel. But costs about £300 to fill the tank.

“There are plenty of big vehicles on the roads these days, but nothing quite like my tank which has a 4.2litre engine.”

I’m still saving for my CXT!



  1. Improbus says:

    And I thought my fuel mileage sucked! Cripes!

  2. Mark says:

    Imagine pulling up to the drive thru at Wendys. I said I WANT EXTRA PICKLES ON THAT BURGER!!!

  3. Higghawker says:

    Wont the tracks tear up the pavement?

    Editor’s note: From the article, it has been fitted with “rubber tracks” so as to “protect the road.”

  4. BHK says:

    I thought about this when I was younger and looked into it. #3 is right – many residential roads are not designed to accomodate 7.5 ton vehicles, much less the sort of treads a tank has. They also tend to exceed the width of a lane, though the smaller ones now coming available may be just the ticket for someone who wants the latest in UAVs (Urban Assault Vehicles.)

  5. Miguel says:

    Well, I could use one of these here in Portugal. The roads are full of holes…. and assholes… I could drive right over both… No parking spot? No problem, just park over that Audi and Mercedes over there…

    And it would be the ultimate offroad vehicle… Those idiots in SUVs wouldn’t stand a chance!

    Road rage? Mmmm, don’t think so, would you argue with a guy with a tank?

    Great idea! I have to get one!
    🙂

  6. Eideard says:

    There’s a dude over the hill from me who has a 40’s Dodge Power Wagon — still painted in Marine Air Base colors. He uses the damned thing to haul haybales once in a great while; but, he won’t part with it.

  7. OhForTheLoveOf says:

    I measure my masculinity by notches on the bedpost.

    That might be a crude way to do it, but I get better gas mileage.

  8. Uncle Dave says:

    #7: So how well does does that work with that hammock of yours?

  9. Higghawker says:

    Sorry for the hasty post, I digress, I didn’t read the whole article. I stand corrcted.

  10. Ballenger says:

    This is the worse case of of overcompensating for a small Prinus, er Prius envy I’ve ever seen.

  11. Jägermeister says:

    #7 I measure my masculinity by notches on the bedpost.

    So you got something in common with Rosie O’Donnell… 😉

  12. Mr. Fusion says:

    #11, My wife doesn’t get it, but I’m crying I’m laughing so hard.

  13. OhForTheLoveOf says:

    #12

    I envy you your wife… Someone to share a meaningful life with…

    While you cry with joy, I cry with the despair that can only be sunk deep within after a seeminingly endless string of meaningless short term sexual encounters with the finest women Indiana has to offer….

    (you know, when I read it on the screen, it doesn’t seem nearly as cool)

  14. Angel H. Wong says:

    Another man with a small penis driving an armored substitute.

  15. Jägermeister says:

    #11 – No worries… It takes a while for my wife to get my humor as well. 😉

  16. Jägermeister says:

    #15… That should have been and answer to #12… it’s been a long day…

  17. Ballenger says:

    On #10, scratch “envy”. I need to start drinking more so I will have an excuse for my crappo proofreading.


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