datzenmike Posted April 28, 2012 Report Share Posted April 28, 2012 I love my job as it allows me access to peoples back yards, which is great in itself but also allows me to view other back yards and all the goodies laying around just going to waste. Gone back after hours and made some killer deals including "you haul it out of here.... it's yours". People store things intending to do something with them and 5 years go by, your wife is nagging you to get rid of them or you finally admit you aren't going to do anything with it... and time slips by and it's easier to just do nothing. So along I come and talk them up and explain how I really need it to keep my truck on the road, blah blah blah and it's mine. Score! Well a couple of months ago we worked on a property and back in the wood are some old cars (well they look like they are being stored there) a few boats, and junk and a large locked garage and trailer. Tons of old shit laying around. Under a tree I find this home made tracked vehicle. Like a tank with rubber tracks and plywood body. This thing is rough with 6" of moss on it and the roof caved in. Huh? wtf? it has a 620 dash in it. No way but it is. So I try to find the motor, yeah, it's in the back. The wood cover lifts but threatens to fold in the middle, but inside is an L motor! W-58 and best of all a matchbox!! making this a '79 motor. Has a standard but can't see enough t tell if 4 speed or not. FF to today and after dropping in 3-4 times to find out if the owner lives in the trailer out front by the road, I finally get an answer. I talk to the lady and she was really nice. I explain how I would like to save the parts in it and she gives me the number to call her husband tonight. I just got off the phone. Dave seems like a fun guy. I mentioned I would like some parts and he says he has a loader and if I bring a trailer he'll load the thing if I want to take it home. Whoa, I said, my wife would kill me, could I come by and start removing stuff... he says sure, fill your boots. If you take an axe to the body you could probably get at the transmission too. So tomorrow I'm loading my tools and heading over. Would like to lift the head with the manifolds attached and get that matchbox and coil. Doubtful it's a 5 speed, but it has the truck rear end in it he said. I'll know more later this weekend. Quote Link to comment
TENDRIL Posted April 28, 2012 Report Share Posted April 28, 2012 so was it pretty much a a 620 drivetrain with tracks..and a wood body? Quote Link to comment
datzenmike Posted April 28, 2012 Author Report Share Posted April 28, 2012 Yeah the motor was in the back and the owner said VW something? But also said the truck rear end was in there also. He said it was made out of lots of different things. Will take camera tomorrow. Quote Link to comment
HRH Posted April 28, 2012 Report Share Posted April 28, 2012 Niiiiice!! You sure you don't want to save it? You could bring it to Canby! :D Quote Link to comment
thisismatt Posted April 28, 2012 Report Share Posted April 28, 2012 Inigo Montoya: You keep using that word (prerequisits). I do not think it means what you think it means. :P Quote Link to comment
datzenmike Posted April 28, 2012 Author Report Share Posted April 28, 2012 Yup, fucking spell chek and not paying attention. Perquisite ... Thanks Mandy. Well here it is.... drivers and rear pass doors fell off when opened, roof caved in. Engine is like wet card board. Rad full of green stuff. 3 core! I checked. By eye the fuel pump is larger. I'm used to the smaller ones. First time I saw the larger ones was at Canby. W-58 head. Engine complete minus battery. Wix filter another good sign.... Has the matchbox EI dizzy so that makes this a '79 fo' sho. This think has been here for some time, 10 years? I checked and the 4 speed is probably in reverse and feeding forward to a VW? trans axle? VW shifter just between and behind the front seats. The owner offered to use a loader to yank the motor out and although I don't really need it, I'm beginning to think it might be worth saving. It's full of anti freeze. . Quote Link to comment
Logical1 Posted April 28, 2012 Report Share Posted April 28, 2012 That thing is badass, I would have loved to see it in action! Save that engine for sure and the dash looks in nice shape too! Quote Link to comment
Tristin Posted April 28, 2012 Report Share Posted April 28, 2012 I would try to rebuild the tank... its an awesome concept and would love to see it running again. Dont destroy it just from an engine! 1 Quote Link to comment
datzenmike Posted April 28, 2012 Author Report Share Posted April 28, 2012 I won't destroy it..... nature has pretty much done that. Two of the three doors I opened just fell right off in my hand. Mechanically it probably runs. Maybe should slip the dizzy back in and get a battery and see how she sounds. Quote Link to comment
TENDRIL Posted April 28, 2012 Report Share Posted April 28, 2012 yeah no cracks on the dash!! Quote Link to comment
datzenmike Posted April 28, 2012 Author Report Share Posted April 28, 2012 It has some smaller hairline cracks. I'll go back and have a better look and if reasonable will get oics. If someone wanted to buy it cheap I could bring to Canby. Quote Link to comment
Tristin Posted April 28, 2012 Report Share Posted April 28, 2012 Im going to be a badass and drive it to Canby. Fixed. 1 Quote Link to comment
Jayden71 Posted April 28, 2012 Report Share Posted April 28, 2012 I won't destroy it..... nature has pretty much done that. Two of the three doors I opened just fell right off in my hand. Mechanically it probably runs. Maybe should slip the dizzy back in and get a battery and see how she sounds. Fresh gas and check the oil, bet she purrs like a kitten! Quote Link to comment
Tristin Posted April 28, 2012 Report Share Posted April 28, 2012 Im going to be a badass and drive it to Canby. 1 Quote Link to comment
datzenmike Posted April 29, 2012 Author Report Share Posted April 29, 2012 Ha ha ha ha Quote Link to comment
Tristin Posted April 29, 2012 Report Share Posted April 29, 2012 It kind of looks like its flying, but thats what only 10mins worth of photoshop will get you. Quote Link to comment
crackerjack69 Posted April 29, 2012 Report Share Posted April 29, 2012 that's awesome. Add another Datsun to my wishlist: the Datsun tank :D Use it to haul a Datsun boat. Quote Link to comment
Ooph! Posted April 29, 2012 Report Share Posted April 29, 2012 That looks like it was someones upgraded or home made Snow Cat. I had heard most used an air cooled motor, no water in the block to freeze and crack but I remember the large ones I saw as a kid had an inline 6 for power. That one appears to have VW wheels on it so at one time it might have been VW powered. Quote Link to comment
king bee66 Posted May 4, 2012 Report Share Posted May 4, 2012 did they mentioned what this was created for? Quote Link to comment
datzenmike Posted May 4, 2012 Author Report Share Posted May 4, 2012 Vancouver island... barely gets below freezing, lots of rain and woods. It was on a very wooded lot. I'll call him and ask next time. Quote Link to comment
]2eDeYe Posted May 4, 2012 Report Share Posted May 4, 2012 Wow, can't believe I missed this one. Nice find Mike :thumbup: Datsun Tank = Awesome! Quote Link to comment
Guest 510kamikazifreak Posted May 4, 2012 Report Share Posted May 4, 2012 Vancouver island... barely gets below freezing, lots of rain and woods. It was on a very wooded lot. I'll call him and ask next time. We used to get a fair amount of snow and freezing , going back to the early 80s, I remember seeing cars on Long Lake in Nanaimo. Quote Link to comment
paradoxx Posted May 4, 2012 Report Share Posted May 4, 2012 looks like something to do with a son of mine someday :D Quote Link to comment
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