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Production started on APU and Tow Bar For The Abrams

Posted: Sat Feb 13, 2010 5:15 pm
by pickelhaube
Does your bustle sag on your Abrams ?

Do insurgents laugh and point at you as you drive by ?

Is your Lt. angry at you because you can't get it up ?

Have no fear I have made just the thing. An APU ( auxilary power unit ).

Every Abrams have them .You can superglue it to the back of the turret and screw the bustle rack to the bottom.

Abrams Viagra. :wink:

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Here are a couple of pics with it in the bustle.

I PUT IT IN BACKWARDS :oops: :oops: :oops:
But you get the idea. This is the FOV. It it a great looking model but that sagging bustle really takes away from it.

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I still need to work out the front screen for the square box in front and I need to make the armor power feed but the box is mostly done.

This is a commisiion but I will make copies if anybody is interested. :wink:

Posted: Sat Feb 13, 2010 9:41 pm
by GooglyDoogly
*Edit* oops, I noticed you already noticed that it's backwards. :D

Ever thought of making the new air conditioner on the Abrams? Those APUs have been phased out.

Posted: Sat Feb 13, 2010 9:47 pm
by pickelhaube
GooglyDoogly wrote:*Edit* oops, I noticed you already noticed that it's backwards. :D

Ever thought of making the new air conditioner on the Abrams? Those APUs have been phased out.
But they can be used to hold up the bustle.

Some tanks still have em. :wink:

And most of the Abrams had them as well as the CIP panels.

Posted: Sun Feb 14, 2010 12:20 am
by tmanthegreat
Awesome! I would be down for one of those for my FOV Abrams 8) Have you devised something to fix the bustle part sag as well?

Posted: Sun Feb 14, 2010 12:47 am
by fightin
Awesome! Great job!

Posted: Sun Feb 14, 2010 7:23 am
by pickelhaube
tmanthegreat wrote:Awesome! I would be down for one of those for my FOV Abrams 8) Have you devised something to fix the bustle part sag as well?
The APU is the problem solver.

There are 2 ways you can fix it with my APU.

1. This is probably the hardest but by doing it this way you can make it removable.

Take apart the turret and put 2 screws through the back into the APU. Reassemble the turret and screw through the bottom of the bustle into the bottom of the APU.

2. This is the easiest way but the fix is permanent.

Superglue the APU to the back of the turret and then screw through the bottom of the bustle into the APU.

I am going to make the APU one solid piece.

The APU is correct for the FOV Abrams. The FOV Abrams is based on the 2003 Iraqi Freedom version and back then they all had them.

So this would be correct AND solve the sagging problem.

I am thinking $15-$25 for the unit and the umbilicle cord feed line.

The prototype is hollow so if I mount it to the turret right now it may rip it apart.

I also made wire handels for the prototype.These probably will not take in the casting so I mave to cast them into the moulds. Kind of like the FOV does with their shovels and stuff.I do not think this looks so good.

So I can do 2 things make little wire handles and you guys can mount them yourself or cast them into the moulds.

Opinions on this are welcome.

Re: Does your bustle sag ?

Posted: Sat Mar 20, 2010 4:23 pm
by pickelhaube
Well I have finished the APU and mounted it on the Abrams IT SOLVES THE SAGGING PROBLEM !!!!

It looks so much better. Now you can proud of your Abrams .

Bustle in its natural form.


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With the APU unit.

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Umbilical power line.
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Tow bar.
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I made them both as consignments. But I made copies.

The APU sells for about $25 and the towbar $15.

If there is interest I am taking orders now.

Thanks.

Posted: Sat Mar 20, 2010 4:44 pm
by flyboy_fx
Viagra for your bustle!! LOL :lol:

Posted: Mon Mar 22, 2010 8:43 pm
by pickelhaube
For those of you who are interested production has started. :D :D :D

Now is the time to put your order in.

Thanks :D

Posted: Thu Mar 25, 2010 12:07 pm
by trex0770
Put me down for the APU Matthew. BTW, will it fit the Bbi Abrams?

Posted: Thu Mar 25, 2010 1:23 pm
by pickelhaube
trex0770 wrote:Put me down for the APU Matthew. BTW, will it fit the Bbi Abrams?
Hey T-Rex,

I really do not know. I think that is should. I have heard that the BBI saging problem is 50/50. Unlike the FOV that is 100% pants on the ground.

The main bloch should fit in the bustle . I think the umbilical made need a little tweeking.

As far as the towinbars I could make the tubes a little longer just in case for the BBI.

I guess I need to get a BBI Abrams.

Re: Production started on APU and Tow Bar For The Abrams

Posted: Tue Dec 14, 2010 9:21 am
by SpecOpsMV
Matthew,

Any chance you might have one of your tow bar assemblies made up for the 1:16 Hobby Engine M1A1 Abrams?

I've been accessorizing mine and restoring some of the missing pieces.

Dale

Re: Production started on APU and Tow Bar For The Abrams

Posted: Tue Dec 14, 2010 9:36 am
by pickelhaube
SpecOpsMV wrote:Matthew,

Any chance you might have one of your tow bar assemblies made up for the 1:16 Hobby Engine M1A1 Abrams?

I've been accessorizing mine and restoring some of the missing pieces.

Dale

This was made to 1/18 scale.

So it will be a little small. But I guess it will work if you are not too picky. :D

Re: Production started on APU and Tow Bar For The Abrams

Posted: Tue Dec 14, 2010 10:24 am
by SpecOpsMV
I'll give it a try a try and see how it looks ... if need be, I can always splice in a piece to lengthen it a bit.

Do you take PayPal?

Dale
SpecOpsMV@aol.com

Re: Production started on APU and Tow Bar For The Abrams

Posted: Tue Dec 14, 2010 8:53 pm
by pickelhaube
SpecOpsMV wrote:I'll give it a try a try and see how it looks ... if need be, I can always splice in a piece to lengthen it a bit.

Do you take PayPal?

Dale
SpecOpsMV@aol.com

Yes I do.

Re: Production started on APU and Tow Bar For The Abrams

Posted: Tue Dec 14, 2010 11:40 pm
by SpecOpsMV
Sounds great! If you'll send your PayPal ID to my email address, along with the total due (plus shipping to Calif.), I'll fire off payment right away.

Dale
SpecOpsMV@aol.com