Tank for sale on eBay, some assembly required

What better way to celebrate the presidential inauguration than with one of America’s most respected military icons. This M47 Patton tank, though not entirely functional, is up for sale on eBay with an asking price of $65,000. It's the perfect alternative for when an M3 isn’t rugged enough.

The seller makes it perfectly clear that the tank has been demilled and can not be made to fire, thankfully. But it’s still really cool nonetheless. It was built in 1955 at the Detroit Arsenal Tank Plant in Warren, Michigan while under government contract, and leased to the Italian armed forces in the mid-60s. A total of 2,480 M47s were leased or sold to the Italian army and used until the 1980s.

After an early retirement, this particular example was destined to live out its life as a range target at Fort Hood in Texas. But due to its rarity – only 9,000 examples were produced – it was purchased by a private collector in 1989 who set about restoring it.

Though it never did get a full restoration, it still retains 90 to 95 percent of its original parts. Included in the sale is the original Continental 1790-5B engine, a primary drive, a drive shaft, a driver hatch, a bustle box, and fuel tanks on either side. You just have to piece it all together.

Overall, the seller says the tank is in relatively good condition given its age and is ready for a full restoration. Don't worry, it’s completely legal to own in the U.S. and a number of the components can be easily sourced by military manufacturers in Europe. So if you were looking for the perfect weekend project and/or a way to scare the neighbors, look no further. 

Source: eBay

 

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