So how much per mile to "test drive" the HEMTT. I know everyone is thinking it, so figure it cant hurt to ask.
I have a funny story to relate to that (we think its funny anyway).
Years ago our local MV club President wanted to come up with ways to make the club some more revenues at events. He came up with an idea, we would charge $5.00 a head to drive my tank over a car.
Some background: I had recently had my vehicle arrive from England after it had a year long restoration and was built up from a stripped bare hull. Only new or rebuilt parts were used with the exception of some of the electrical boxes and wiring. Even the transmission was a new unit, but it had to go back to Alvis to go on their transmission dyno because a seal took a set in storage. The single faulty seal was found, replaced and worked like the new unit that it was. The transmission is a hot shifted 7 speed and is easily the most complex and expensive component of the entire vehicle, it is an AMAZINGLY complex piece that only the British would design. But in short, essentially, the whole vehicle was new.
Anyhow, I asked what would happen if the transmission were damaged in his planned activity. I asked if the club would be willing to pay for it's replacement. He asked the cost of the tranny, to which I replied, "they are currently running about $130,000 new, and they aren't surplusing ANY since all CVRT's are (were) going back for rebuild." That kinda ended that idea . . . I didn't mention I had a spare I got from New Zealand for $5k.
The HEMTT is kinda the same thing for me, it isn't as expensive to fix by any means, but I've mistakenly let other people drive my equipment before and several times it has ended badly. I'm afraid there are only a handful of people I will let drive it, and those are the people I've known for years and seen firsthand how they treat equipment. I let someone drive my Scorpion for the first time last year, that went well and I will let Damon (DMA251) drive it at the next Arlington Airshow.
In short, no driving my new baby at this time.
BTW, they are having me do some high speed runs with the Scorpion this year, I'm gonna try for 60+ mph on a taxiway. We tried last year but they only gave me about 300 feet of bumpy grass and that isn't enough room for 260 hp to get 17,000 lb. rolling over 35-40 mph.