Boys toys
I bet we all remember playing with our first train set and then
graduating to a Scalextric, fighting to stay on the track at the
first corner in a heroic attempt to outgun our best mate’s finest
powerslide. It was the stuff childhood was made of.
Happy days, but then us boys never grow up, do we? Some go
one step further though. Just recently, I’ve come across grown
men who have bought their own big boy’s toys and are having top fun
playing with them - because they can.
Witness my amazement when I was asked to give an agreed value a
DKW amphibious troop carrier recently. Enquiring as to why a
normally sane guy would buy one, the not unreasonable answer came
back: “why not?” Couldn’t argue with that.
If you can’t afford one of these at around £20k, how about a
Daimler Ferret armoured car instead? For about £7k, you can be your
local neighbourhood’s answer to Captain Mainwaring; and it wouldn’t
half go down well at the local on Sunday.
If that’s too big, then a Willys Jeep could be just the
ticket. Genuine WWII examples up to 1945 are highly prized and
can reach £20k in exceptional circumstances. A good one will
set you back around £10k and that definitely will fit in your local
pub car park.
But Jeeps amphibians aren’t the only odd vehicles I’ve seen
recently; how about a 1930 Foden Gully Clearer? (drain cleaner to
you and me). These are pretty rare, but quite why anyone would want
one is a mystery. I think I’d sooner call Dyno-Rod myself.
Fire engines are another favourite; I’ve seen everything from a
Land Rover water pump to a full-on La France turntable - and
they’re usually in immaculate nick. Curiously, given their
usefulness, prices are reasonable and a Land Rover can be had for
£3k if you look in the right place.
There’s also a ready market for tractor units - that is, the
business end of a truck rig. I’ve recently had to value a Peterbilt
and a Kenworth - both as American as momma’s apple pie. They
are a world away from some of the dreary British commercials,
sporting as they do, acres of gleaming chrome fittings and a very
satisfactory growl when roused. One of either will set you
back at least £20k and double that for a show-winner. If you fancy
yourself as Rubber Duck and running in convoy with your mates, one
of these could be for you.
But the daddy of all playthings sports a 200mm gun turret and
full body armour. I’m talking about the guy who wanted to insure
his Sherman tank for £75k and his mate who decided to go the cold
war route and buy a Russian T-55 battle tank. Having a 520bhp 39.00
litre V12, it clearly isn’t something to be messed with; but
contrary to what you may be thinking, these are remarkably good to
insure because the risk of anything putting a dent in the thing is
negligible.
This means the cost of insuring such a beast is surprisingly
reasonable, which is why more and more people with a decent wedge
and plenty of room decide to indulge their fantasy. I mean, if
you saw one in Sainsbury’s car park, you wouldn’t park next to it,
would you?