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Over 10 TONS......................

Gino

Premium Subscriber
Hi folks.............

Here's one we finished up today, but I'm not posting this because of our lettering job, but of the incredible size of this beast.

We do many of the local and surrounding municipalities Police cruisers and trucks, along with ambulances and other emergency vehicles. We do quite a bit of this kinda work. Nothing great or fancy, but it pays lotsa bills.

Anyway, a few months ago we lettered our second SWAT vehicle and it was large, like an aircraft carrier, but nothing compared to this black monster today. Today's vehicle is like a frickin' tank on wheels. It's over 20,000lbs.... unloaded and unmanned. This thing has 2-1/2" glass, 3" plating and armor, 14' battering ram rod for knocking down buildings and doors. I think it's called a persuader. There are gun ports all around this thing, huge arsenal, [not loaded yet] and a turret on the top for snipers and observation along with the capacity to put a revolving machine gun up there. It also serves as an escape hatch should something blow it up and turn it on it's side. The doors are too heavy to open otherwise.

I drove it around a little today and it was fun. I almost drove it into my neighbor [JOE's] building........ :Oops:

Anyway, you can see where Larry is hand lettering the front... the size of the tires.


The last picture is the one we did a few months ago.
 

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Mike F

New Member
Man, and I thought the Ford Excursion my town bought awhile back was overkill. That thing looks like it was designed to patrol Camden or Philly at night.
 

Pat Whatley

New Member
Not knocking you Gino but my first thought was how much did that thing cost taxpayers and what bill did some congressman hide that in? Hell yeah, economy in the tank, unemployment at record levels, infrastructure falling apart....let's blow $750,000 on an urban assault vehicle!

Have they reinforced all the bridges in the county to handle the thing?
 

Gino

Premium Subscriber
I don't want to turn this into a political thread because it was more about the size and just the sheer uniqueness of this thing that got me.

Yeah, it might cost alot, but this is paid for by many surrounding municipalities. I don't live in the ghetto.... anymore. I was born and raised until I was about 13 or 14 in a less than desirable area. After I moved out, my first home was dead smack in the middle of the ghetto. It's all I could afford, but I had a goal. After I met the Goddess, we moved out within 4 years to where we are now.

Back while growing up, I didn't mind all the sirens, guns shots and trouble. I was used to it and grew up in it, but once I was married, I realized this was no place for her.

Go 25 years later to out in the country where we live now..... and we had a big drug bust, right down the street from where we live a few months back. Around 6 in the morning, we heard what we thought was a hunter shooting before 7am. Turned out the SWAT team was there throwing in gas grenades and the guy was somewhat armed, not heavily, but still he was. There were 12 cops with machine guns, snipers in the trees and all kinds of weapons to do whatever they needed done. With this ting, they can go right up to a front door without putting an officers life at risk. These guys risk their lives big time to keep people safe. For some reason, their job seems to have a lota people shooting at them and when the other team has rocket launchers and assault weapons, I want my Police force better equipped then the enemy. I want the hoodlums taken out completely if necessary.

Nope, I would gladly donate towards this sort of thinking. In fact we do. Much of this stuff is donated or discounted beyond belief.

I have to pay taxes that goes towards much of the scum creating these problems, so I'll give gladly on this side, too.




Yeah Color, certain parts were painted because of the high heat that is created up front. That's a lota steel heating up when running.
 

Mike Paul

Super Active Member
Damn, that's a serious vehicle....

Looks a hell of a lot better than some of the ones our service men were driving in Iraq & Afghanistan...

:doh:
 

SignosaurusRex

Active Member
That's one hell'uva machine Huh! Absolutely insane. Is that the G3 model? I see it's equipped with the optional penetration rams, as well as others. One of our local municipalities got that unit last year. We did all the graphics "Stealth" style. Each half of the windshield alone weighs well over 100 lbs. Our municipality got it on a Federal grant. There is a lot of FORD in those things.
 

Craig Sjoquist

New Member
Well I'm glad that you hand lettered some of it, since vinyl does not hold up to heat well at all, being black the sun alone would destroy the vinyl fairly quick.

Also glad this looks intimidating not like Orlando's ( looks like a parade float ) police and sheriff cars also look like they belong in the parade.

These idiots doing the crime have made it so we pay the price either to protect us or they destroy us.
 

Gino

Premium Subscriber
That's one hell'uva machine Huh! Absolutely insane. Is that the G3 model? I see it's equipped with the optional penetration rams, as well as others. One of our local municipalities got that unit last year. We did all the graphics "Stealth" style. Each half of the windshield alone weighs well over 100 lbs. Our municipality got it on a Federal grant. There is a lot of FORD in those things.


Yep, G3 Ford with a 550 engine and lotsa goodies. This thing can detect chemicals and resist chemical warfare. It's an amazing piece of machinery.

Yeah, same here on the money. I found out this morning from the chief, this was a federal grant. The area is bad around here, as I've made note of numerous times on this site about our area. The other one I have pictures is called the Nimitz. He told me that was gotten for $3,000. That thing was completely outfitted for free by our local 'Reading Hospital'.

The area is bad, we just had a sheriff killed in the line of duty recently and if he would've had this tank, he never would've been harmed.

According to police reports, a joint detail of troopers from the Pennsylvania state police, the fugitive task force, the U.S. Marshals’ service and the Berks County Sheriff’s office went to the Pine Swamp Road address Wednesday attempting to serve Connor with the arrest warrant.

This tank just showing up, tells the offender, he's in trouble and will most likely cause them to back down. However, this tank will get you in so close to the source of the trouble without officers being shot down when trying to overtake someone barricaded in their house, they can breach it and be inside without being shot.

Is it overkill ?? Probably, in some cases, but I have no problem helping these brave men and women in their job which involves death on so many levels every time they go to work.

There is no price too high to help protect those that risk their lives for our protection, let's give them a little back. Sure, a grant is from the government, but so is welfare and all those other programs set up for many of our citizens. I want to be in with this group, so we made a decision to help even further. :unclesam:
 

HaroldDesign

New Member
Quite the machine. I'm amazed that by now things like this still have tires that inflate. Bullet proof, but can still get a flat. Strange.
 

Gino

Premium Subscriber
Here's a good picture of the tires. Look at all those lug-nuts !! The tires are the runflat kind. You can fire 50 rounds into them and you can still go. Maybe 150 miles or more. They will go down, but there is another setup in there to ride on some synthetic compound or membrane so as to not get stuck over a flat-tire. bt-side outside.jpg

It's just such a neat vehicle................. bt-front outside.jpg


When he left the shop today, you should've seen all the people gawking at it and taking second glances.
I think the next time I get someone that doesn't pay me.... I'm calling them to go get them for me. :clapping:
 
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