Built Like A

Audio Ride WORDS STEPHEN COLBRAN PHOTOGRAPHY CHRIS WALLBANK FV432 Built like a WHAT’S NEXT ONCE YOU’VE COMPLETED HIGH-END AUDIO INSTALLS ON PORSCHES, EVOS, BENTLEYS AND MORE? MONTY AT BASSMECHANIX WENT FOR THIS 15-TON FV432 ARMOURED PERSONNEL CARRIER… LIKE YOU DO! Auto Union Deutschland Ingolstadt isn’t he bought an ex-British Army FV432 that the catchiest of titles for a car company, it was decommissioned back in the ‘90s. In has to be said. And yes, Google did come late 2012 he tracked down the finest to the rescue on that one; it’s the audio fabrication shop mad enough to Ingolstadt bit that always slips my mind. take on his new project, and To help everyone out, why not come up commissioned a full custom rebuild of the with an abbreviation that really catches the interior. Step forward Monty from imagination. Forget VXR and RS, you want Bassmechanix of Newcastle. something badass like ‘FV’ in the title – FV “The owner tried half a dozen audio standing for ‘Fighting Vehicle’. The FV432, installers and they either took the piss out one of the British Army’s most popular of him or their skill set wasn’t there,” says armoured personnel carriers, brings true Monty. “Within 10 minutes of chatting, he meaning to the mil-spec style. knew to come to us. When it came to the According to the owner of this 1966 rebuild, we fired ideas back and forth until Mk2/1 model, a civilian known only as there was a strict plan in place, then we ‘Quirky Limo’, driving a proper fighting could get to work on the install. We like to vehicle is a hell of a lot of fun. Mr Limo keep things real professional here, so enjoyed it so much, having left the forces there’s no mistakes along the way and we 062 Fast Car Magazine #354 Defining Car Culture 063 Audio Rides FV432 If you’ve ever tried to park up “your tank in the garage, it’ll be immediately obvious that you’ve just run it over” Xxxx xxxxx x xx x xxxx xx xxx xxx have a tight schedule hour-by-hour.” The plan was to convert this armour- Trouble was, although the guys at plated beast into a luxury show vehicle, Bassmechanix were used to specialist with a bespoke ICE install fit for the most machinery and a precise schedule, it’s demanding clients. But then it’s hard hard to escape the physical dimensions of enough to sound-deaden a Pug 106 with the FV432 behemoth. If you’ve ever tried a big-bore exhaust, let alone a 15-ton to park up your tank in the garage, it’ll be military machine with full tank tracks. It immediately obvious that you’ve just run it would need some serious work, then. over. That’s a situation many of us “We’ve gone for two Pioneer amplifiers modifiers will face sooner or later. and four speakers, plus a 10-inch “We quickly realised it wouldn’t fit in the subwoofer, and that’s more than enough workshop,” says Monty, “So I ended up with all the sound deadening in there,” taking it home and working on it beside Monty confirms. “We tried various sound the house, taking the workshop to the deadening products, but due to the type tank instead. We’re very, very lucky in that of panels, nothing would actually stick we’re a fair distance from the nearest properly. So we made our own version neighbours...” with a wooden frame, Tiger-sealed it up 064 Fast Car Magazine #354 Defining Car Culture 065 Audio Ride FV432 No guns and ammo, just Porsche seats and a fridge! MONTY @ BASSMECHANIX OF ALL THINGS, WHY A TANK? “Why not! Driving round town, the attention it creates is crazy. It’s just for driving around in and having fun.” HOW LONG DID YOU SPEND ON THE INSTALL? “We started in about September and were done by early November. We don’t hang around!” NOW YOU’VE MODDED A TANK, WHAT’S NEXT? “We’re toying with the idea of building another one, but with a hot tub in the back!” and placed felt and loft insulation in the where there’s no shortage of grip and cavities, then put the interior panels over torque from that old school Rolls Royce the top.” lump. It’s also massively manoeuvrable, Three Porsche 928s were deprived of although again you’ll have to be careful their tombstone front seats, which Monty not to drive over your garage and whatnot. had modified around the bases to fit into Obviously you’ll also need to be trained the relatively tight passenger cell. Seated with the correct driving license, and have in relative comfort, passengers can now pockets deep enough for the 3mpg enjoy a cold beer on the move from the average economy. Then again, this thing is on-board fridge, before posting selfies designed to run on all sorts of cheap with the Samsung tablet via the Internet diesel substitutes if you lose at fuel gauge hub. It’s a vast improvement over the roulette en route to Tesco. hardcore military confinements these “It’s really mad to drive,” says Monty. “It FV432s offer on active service, with an pulls really hard and you use tillers to explosive sound system in place of the grenades and rifles. The install did help to raise some handy pointers for future SPL competition cars too: “Changing door seals is not something we’ve put much attention into before,” says Monty. “We deaden all the panels but ultimately the pressure is being held in with the door seals. For the tank we decided to over-spec the seals, so they were 3-5mm thicker than the ‘60s originals, and the difference that made to the sound was phenomenal. So we realised we should be doing that with all the SPL cars.” But aside from the aggressive soundtrack, what’s it like to actually drive a 1960s tracked vehicle down the road? Apparently it’s much faster than you’d You wouldn’t steal his expect, at least in terms of acceleration, parking space would ya? 066 Fast Car Magazine #354 Defining Car Culture 067 Audio Ride TECHSPEC 1966 FV432 MK2/1 STYLING Full armour plating to 12.7mm maximum, quad headlamps, lifting and tow hooks, top motor hatch, Mil-spec paint job CHASSIS Developed by GKN and Sankey, full tank tracks, mil-spec suspension setup, many many wheels, very very heavy AUDIO Two 21.5-inch HD screens, two Slimline PS3s, 4G wireless Internet hub, small form factor PC connected, Samsung 10.1 Note tablet, twin Pioneer GM-series amps, four 6-inch speakers and single 10-inch sub, twin sine wave converters with 5000-watt 240-volt output INTERIOR Converted to a limousine by Bassmechanix, noise- cancelling intercom system for driver and commander, six Porsche 928 Tombstone seats, Huskey fridge TUNING Rolls Royce K60 Multifuel 6500cc straight-six engine, 240bhp @ 3750rpm, 380Nm torque. Six-speed semi-automatic gearbox with torque converter control the tracks. The top speed is only providing full hydraulic about 60mph but it seems to get there lock-up immediately! The guy who owns it is OPTIONAL EXTRAS millimetre perfect with the way he drives, WOMBAT recoilless rifle, spinning it round on the spot. He’s a bit 84mm infantry gun, 81mm like Ken Block in a tank!” Indeed, you can mortar on rear turntable, spin the FV432 in a 360 and even lock-out Peak Engineering roof the tracks hydraulically at speed to lay turret, 30mm Rarden gun, down a big old skid mark or two. night surveillance, anti-tank The original aim was to start renting the missile stowage, FACE fire fighting vehicle out for stag and hen dos, control computer, BATES maybe even kids parties, but the owner battlefield target loves the custom work so much he wants engagement system, to keep it all for himself. Maybe you’ll spot Cymbeline mortar-locating this one at a show or two in the near future radar, Giant Viper mine though, pumping out the bass and clearing system, SWARM showing the mil-spec disciples how it’s Remote Weapons System, really done. There’s one thing for sure, it’ll fluffy dice never be short of attention. 068 Fast Car Magazine #354.

Load more