All gone crazy here  at Tanks a Lot, you find a few gold bars in a gulf war tank, cleverly hidden in one of its auxiliary fuel tanks and it's big news! 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=km5k60PR1dU

Or is it the fact we handed it in that's making the worlds media queue three deep down our yard for an interview?

On top of that we have the Crown Prince of a very sandy place wanting TANKLIMO, wednesday night to track him and his buddies about London clubbing it - and on top of that, lots of repairs as usual on the day to day vehicles that we are preparing for the FULL MONTY at the end of April, ground is drying up so its looking good!  Check out the website or facebook if you are looking to buy a voucher and have some fun!

WHAT WOULD YOU HAVE DONE.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=km5k60PR1dU

If, while you were restoring a captured Iraqi tank from gulf war one with lots of help from friends and family you made the find of your life.
Earlier in the week you had found live 50 cal ammunition and had to call the firearms dept and hand it in pronto.
So your already thinking other stuff could come to light and every time you un bolt another lump, you wonder what could be behind it. Then you can't understand why you can't lift the last external ...fuel tank even though you know it's been drained by yourself. All the fixings are undone, all the pipes are disconnected but it won't budge. Turns out it's just the sheer weight! with some help you manage to lever the fuel tank up with a crowbar then lift it higher with a scaffold tube. Its then that you see a suspicious square hole hacked in the bottom of the fuel tank. Your expecting guns but find five huge gold bars weighing about 5 kilos a piece. lots of useful suggestions from the team, Cash converters, cash for gold?- I don't think so. In the end it's a choice between the police, the Iraqi embassy or Kuwaiti embassy. Bear in mind the tank could easily have been involved with the invasion of Kuwait and the defence of Iraqi before it was captured by the British army and brought back to the UK as a trophy of war.
If you report the find and it's taken away- it's unlikely you will ever see it again, but you know your squeaky clean and in the clear. who knows one day, probably not soon, it could legally be yours.
WHAT WOULD YOU HAVE DONE.

Greg Rutherford gets a lift from Tanks A Lot!

Just having a drive round London and spotted GREG RUTHERFORD, out shopping....so we offered him a lift!

https://www.facebook.com/GregRutherfordMBE/videos/vb.1765454517064354/1824573357819136/?type=2&theater

Tanks-Alot: THE BEAST!

Tanks-Alot: THE BEAST!: The Beast arrived. Not doing much in the righty lefty department, but nothing some head scratching and a big hammer can't put right. 1st...

THE BEAST!

The Beast arrived. Not doing much in the righty lefty department, but nothing some head scratching and a big hammer can't put right. 1st job is a little water leak, then a wobbly fan, possibly clean the injectors and then the steering. Question is- do we make it beautiful or keep it original!!. Our new toy gets us nearer to the 'From Russia With Love' crush package we're dreaming up. Basically a car crush but everything Russian ex Afghanistan captured vehicles. Tough to drive, but loads of fun, unless your near an exhaust when it fires up. Big thanks to Joe for giving up his baby.

https://www.facebook.com/1827864624123682/videos/1864990433744434/

Military Spares for Sale

Please check our listings for many useful things.

Contact us for more information or to purchase an item

Boxed air filters designed for the Rolls Royce K60 engine

Item - 21731T

This is for a pair of new, boxed air filters designed for the Rolls Royce K60 engine fitted in Abbott Self Propelled Guns, 432 Armoured Personnel Carriers, 434's as used by REME, and a few other variants. All vehicles take two - but feel free to stock up while they are cheap and available.  We have,  for the first time in 25 years, some spare.  These are normally like hens teeth!

Price:£50.00 Pair

DR Who / From Russia With Love.

Well Christmas is now a memory and we are back in the mud, yee ha.  Lots of quotes going out for all sorts of crazy stuff, got confirmation of a BBC jobbie today, but they just can't make up their minds what colour they want the tank. I say tank, they want an OT64. A huge 8x8 Czech amphibious armoured car, its for Dr Who, or Dr What as I call it. It's filmed in Wales on a full time set, last time we were there it was a medieval castle and they wanted our gold chieftain chugging in and out of the castle for a couple of days with The Dr or Mr Garibaldi standing on the front wing playing an electric guitar.
Little  Sis (Jill) came to ride shotgun and generally do all the heavy stuff lugging battery's about, and did a very fine job too. The food was great, we had a posh hotel and lots of laughs.
I'm chasing a few new vehicles. A fox and a Russian T 55, had this idea to do a V I P car crush with just Russian vehicles called From Russia with Love.  Basically,  drive 4  vehicles, fire an RPG and run a car over with our huge 2s3 Arkasia, or the T55 if it's up to the job. Potentially all our previous crushers who have left wonderful stuff on our Trip Advisor have an excuse to all come again!

A new arrival at Tanks-alot

It's been 4 days now since big Lenny a very beautiful female green wing Macaw has been dropped off by her long term owner and best friend. An emotional time for the guy who's work commitments have made it hard to give Lenny the fun she used to have. Every day she gets a little more tame with me and yesterday she sat on my arm for the first time and today she has sat on my arm many times, but she's not sure about a jolly good tickle yet.

JJ, my favourite Green wing Macaw, may have got himself a girlfriend if it all goes well. He has become a bit jealous but not removed my ears yet. She's heavy. Very heavy, bit like a chicken! I'm guessing he may feel a bit menaced with her being bigger than him.

Reminds me of an old girlfriend of mine, 6'3 in her flats and at least 18 stone but a sweet face. A man can just about live with that, Billy Joel did, but her cock was a good 4 inches longer than mine so it could never last.  

Not much tank work going on today, just a few quotes and selling Monty gift vouchers. Looks like we may have a New Year's Eve job in London with an Abbott, should be fun. Maybe we could fire a huge blank on the stroke of midnight, I better suggest it. Kate and I already have a private tank party on the farm in the day so a busy time. 

Old codgers were really old wardogs

Todd broke the news to me that he had asked a bunch of people from a care home along for a look around the armoury. As he gets older and even more decrepid I'm guessing he's trying to feather his nest a bit, or chasing a career. Or it could be a karma thing-god knows.
When the van showed up I thought whoops these guys are all in wheelchairs this could be tricky, then I spotted the muscles on the girls helping and I knew it would be plain sailing.
The old codger to be wheeled in first was Joe. He didn't say anything and looked a bit cold. I shook his hand and tried to make conversation, asked if he wanted a Luger to hold, "no not really" he replied.
Todd asked if he had been in the services. "Navy" he replied. We tried to weedle a bit more out of him and it turned out he chased submarines all over the med in a destroyer for several years and scuttled more than a few. And sunk the French navy on the orders from Churchill to stop it getting in to German hands, the French sailors were still abroad,whoops- another reason possibly why the French don't like us brits a lot.
Most of these guys had a story. Ted was particularly interesting being in the REME repairing tanks in Korea, the care home were lucky to get him back- if I had a comet or valentine in bits it's unlikely they would have.
The very quiet guy suddenly blurted out "have you got a boys anti tank rifle?" then told us all about it, I got this feeling he still had one in his garden shed. Bless um all. A very interesting bunch, a mine of information, I even asked Joe if he had all his adventures written down, he told me about his war journal he had kept and said he may look it out to see if he still agrees with what he wrote all those years ago.
Nick mead

Anti-Fracking Campagners, David Cameron

Had an enquiry about driving Tanklimo around Witney, sounded a nice easy job start at 9am finish at midday.

Then we were told Dame Vivian Westwood was coming along great more the merrier.
And a coach load of anti-fracking Nannies with gas masks. Right at the last minute I was told we were heading for David Cameron's house for the demonstration, ow shit.

Was a little concerned but luckily I had Jill with her Police calming smile and my get out of jail box with its secret unseen contents handy Needles to say the day went smoothly.

Tanklimo went like a dream; Jill did lots of calming, her smile working overtime. And I learned all about Fracking and talking northern, another fun day, another Dollar’s 
Many thanks all involved.

The Stig nearly revealed., Top Gear Reveals Stig, Or Not

We had a call from Guy Fawkes, not the person, the promotions company.  Seemed they wanted to make a statement with massive impact in an attempt to save the Stig and the gangs' jobs!

That's easy, do it in a tank! Of course given that Mr Clarkson had already dished out a few slaps to a colleague, all over a corned beef sandwich after 18 hours of filming, saving his skin was never going to be straightforward.  No doubt the corned beef originated from Argentina and karma always finds a way to even the score.  Fans will remember one particular episode in which the lads managed to upset just about everyone in the country in question.

To cut a long story short, we got the booking and we just happen to keep a Tank hidden in London so we were ready for action in a matter of hours.  This job needed Tank Nut Dave's navigation skills and diplomacy, Jill's police calming and picnic making qualities and my great hair and urban tank driving experience.  

The day went like clockwork but if the truth be told more like cuckoo clockwork.  We arrived with the Stig a tad late so this just added suspense which allowed for even more press to turn up.  We met lots of celebs, took a booking or two then chugged on to the Embankment and had a superb picnic on the tank turret while parked next to the Thames reflecting on the day's events.

I have just one regret and it's a big one.  I will never forgive myself for not taking the opportunity to yank the Stig's joggers down while he had both hands full of a rather large petition!  Jill and I were in the perfect position on the tank and this was really too good to turn down.  I really did want to reveal the Stig in a way that most people hadn't thought of.  I will always wonder if he goes commando or not. 

Soon after the show was axed Stig turned up and confessed he never really liked cars but loved tanks.  Having failed his army medical he has worked at Tanksalot since.  By the way, the reason he didn't speak on the show was that no one can make heads or tails of his Polish accent!

Maybe next time.

The New Dr Who Series

Now the dust  has settled and the new Dr who series has started we can add our pictures to the website Three days and thee night in sunny wales for three minutes of footage, but great footage because it has a Tank in it, do I sound biased.

Hard work all this hurry up and wait. And all the eating drains your strength.

As back up I took smiley Jill my sister when I'm on a film set and heavy work is needed with experience I now know to disappear and leave Jill struggling, and in no time at all she will be surrounded in big burly guys flexing their muscles and falling over each other to help.

The Chieftain behaved itself well yet again which is a miracle for any chieftain. On reflection I slipped up only once I could have saved them a fortune.

The plan was to drive it through the castle gates in to the courtyard as they filled the place with smoke. If I had backed the Chieftain in with the turrets facing backwards, with a couple of revs I could have made more smoke and they wouldn't have needed the tubes on my exhausts and a dozen men on each side running along carrying them.

Watched the first episode loved my tank couldn't even see the top of my head, BUMMER.
Must admit I lost the plot very quickly, maybe it shod now be called Dr What? Rather than Dr who, But cheers guys we both had a great time.