WTH, Found a tank today.

[11Echo]

It is an M60, not a M48 and not a M60A1. I spent time in all three many years ago.


When you climb down in there Frodo, the nomenclature plate should be in the upper left corner , front of the hull, of the drivers compartment.


The first pic is a M48 with the more common 90mm gun,(M48's in combat were eventually upgraded to the 105's), next a M60A1 same era with the 105 and my avatar is of me sitting on my M60 with it's M68 105mm gun.

 

[cyberspace_7]

First I'm looking at a tank, then a guy with a tin foil hat, next I'm tying to find my house using satellite imaging...I love this site!

 

[ABN173]

I found the below at: M-60's being offloaded onto 9 axle steerables in Sparks,NV

"Not all equipment is destroyed or de-mil'd. The terms of disposal are in the contract, usually manufactures put de-mil or disposal clauses into the contract to prevent military surplus sales from cutting into their civilian sales. For example I used to work for a guy who bought skids of military surplus electronics. One particular radio from Rockwell Collins was a hot item, problem is the radios were de-mil'd with a hammer. The smashed up units were still sold off. People would then buy these radios because even though there is a check list for what to smash, not everything is always smashed. So if you get enough radios you can make one good one, or get enough of the major parts and build the rest. Collins didn't want hundreds of cheap high quality military grade receivers to flood the market. No one would want buy a new collins if a better high quality model was available that sold for less than a new collins.


Tanks are a different product, there isn't a civilian version (let alone use) for an old M60. So if no destroy clause was in the contract the military is free to do what they want with the old units.

You can buy surplus tanks, they are de-mil'd but mainly the armaments are dismantled or destroyed, the rest works. I believe some of the older M60's are sold off. A tank would be nice but my most wanted military toy would have to be a M548 fully tracked cargo carrier. Detroit screaming 6v53 powered and carries up to 12000 pounds of cargo. 4 man cab that is either open or fully enclosed. Weighs only 16,390 pounds dry and has a highway friendly 102 inch width for easy transport. Can be moved with a dully pickup. A tank would require a big lowboy like above and oversize/weight permits. Maybe if you had allot of property and moved it there once it would be fine. There is a video on youtube of an older M60 that is privately owned and runs over a few junk cars."


I'm still looking for the youtube clip mentioned.

 

[gimpyrobb]

I have M60 parts. Can I play too?

 

[4x4 Forever]

Most likely came from Fort Polk.

And I do remember seeing several on my jaunts from SWLA to Monroe, all around the Alexandria area. Ruston is not too far ... Then again this was 25+ years ago. My dad, retired AF, said that the military sold several of these from Polk / Beauregard in the early to mid-70's, demil'd (rats) of course. Mostly to be, uh, recycled.....

 

[coolnick73]

Tanks are a different product, there isn't a civilian version (let alone use) for an old M60.

I can think of a bunch of reasons to own one...

Grocery getter
Lawn ornament
Device to burn extra diesel

I am sure there are more

 

[M725]

I bet that NAPA phone has been ring off the hook.

 

[bubba_got_you]

And crawl all over it, take pics, pretend to drive it, make motor noises, etc !

[FONT=&quot]
Vroom vroom … FIRE!..boom……kerpow
[/FONT]can i play too lol

 

[atilathehun]

i can pitch in two if it is ever out and about i have 200 odd acers to play on. If this thing is legit of course o and frodo you need the gas mask with the tin foil

 

[wreckerman893]

OK.....we know the owner is prob not a member of SS.

The question is....what is/are/was his plans for this (big arsed) piece of military history.

We can only hope that he is not a member of the "one of these days I'm gonna restore it" club. If he is it will prob rust in place until he croaks and the heirs fight over it.

Frodo...I would approach him with a very low key inquiry......if he smells money the price will double as you speak to him. Chances are he knows it is a rare item if it is legit. If it is not legit you will prob get the bums rush off the place.

There could also be another explanation for why it is there.......it could be on loan to a Veterans Organization and be there for storage or paint. In that case Uncle Sam prob knows where it is.

If it is for sale, we (those of us who lust for armor but have a deuce budget) should check out the possibility of forming an organization to own it and give it the love it deserves. If it could be made operational it could be rented out to film producers or other interested parties.

The last time I went to "Thunder Over the Valley", the annual Columbus, GA air show there was a Huey on a trailer. It was owned by a group that toured it around to different events.
They charged a small fee to have photos made in it.
I assume they did this to support their Huey habit. One of the guys told me they never expected it to fly again they just wanted to save it from the scrapper or from being stuck up on a pole somewhere as a "gate guardian".

Just my rambling thoughts for what they are worth.

 

[USAFSS-ColdWarrior]

Let us know when to start the SAVE THE TANK campaign.

You know - the kind of promo with bumperstickers, billboards, public service announcements, talk show appearances, buttons, telethons, bake sales, girl scouts and cub scouts waving flags with tears in their eyes about the poor old neglected TANK - - Heck, I'd even shed a tear if the Big Green INCREDIBLE HULK sits and just rots in that American jungle setting.

 

[BimmerPower]

I would purchase shares of this HOT IPO

 

[frodobaggins]

The good camera battery is charging....

Lord, give me the guts to climb down the turret, the luck to make it in and out without breaking a leg, and let anyone that sees me be a poor shot.

 

[saddamsnightmare]

September 20th, 2009.

All Kidding aside gentlemen:


If Awwwwhnold can have his Austrian Army M60 in Ca., where drinking straws are registered weapons, there have been any number of tanks been let go by Uncle Sam in the past, usually with a demilled, thermited main maount bore, for various end uses. After WWII any number of Shermans were sold that way, and 15 or so years ago I knew of one a farmer had up in the Cumberland Valley of Pa., no turret, I guess he figured he'd bought a tracked tractor. It ran then, but had all the elan of a WWII Ford Greyhoud without turrett, cool..... but that's about that.
Check into the paperwork if any, get the VIN for our great vehicle tracker Carnac the Great, bearer of the gemstones of knowledge, and worst come to worse, put togather a historic vehicle consortium and query your local Senator, for help with DoD if need be.
Maybe the VFW or AML are the caretakers, and might want some help from us younger motivated guys to get their memorial and educational object up and running?
Worst that can happen is a no......


Cheers,

Kyle F. McGrogan


Patent holder on the "Tinfoil Stetson" guaranteed to deflect more then radio waves......!

 

[tamangel]

M60 video's

here's some vids from youtube using the search word 'M60 Tank'

YouTube - m60 tank

Mike

 

[68t]

buy the tank if possible, 1985 miss guard was issued 150 brand new M1 abrans, they gave the m60 away like candy bars. they given them to vfw , american legion , fire dep. little township , dump then in the sea. but they had to have a concrete pad to be give one of the tanks. my vfw post was given one of them.

 

[dk8019]

Our local VFM where we shoot has one as well. It's in need of a repaint, I'm planning to offer to do it in the near future. Story is that it ran when the parked it, but they drained it of fluids, an ran her until she died.

 

[ETHOS]

i want one.... i know it would make the neighbors happy

 

[uscgmatt]

It would be nice with a "Slow Down Children At Play." sign hanging from the barrel.

 

[gmayor]

St. Robert, MO got two M60s like the one found about 6 years ago through the below program. Remember signing the paperwork, they had to be displayed to high standards or they would take the property back. Each year the city has to send pictures showing condition of the tanks. They are located along I-44 and Rt66 in St. Robert. Wonder if they lost track of the one found?
A. Certain organizations can get excess combat vehicles for static display. The U.S. Army Tank Automotive Command coordinates this program. For further information call 1-800-325-2920 extension 4-7360.