New Home for BRDM
There have been no news about the BRDM (armoured reconnaissance vehicle) at this Live Journal page for about two months; but many things have happened. The most important is that I performed customs clearing of armoured vehicle and obtained Russian documents relating to it. Obtaining self-propelled vehicle certificate of title, drawing up of all required documents and even a trip to Belarus for the needed documents took in total five moths. Till the end, I didn’t believe in reality of this enterprise but impossible is possible! And what is more, overhaul and repair of the vehicle will turn into active phase. Firstly, it can be done relatively undisturbedly when the self-propelled vehicle certificate of title is in the pocket. And secondly, now our expedition to Crimea is sponsored by the Vista Motors company.
We have recently transported the armoured vehicle to a maintenance centre of Vista Motors, where we will repair the vehicle all winter. Of course, we had some troubles during the transportation.
The BRDM starts and even can move but not along the roads because the vehicle has no insurance, number plates, lights and a driver with driver’s license, so I had to look for a vehicle carrier. However, it was not easy to find in Moscow a vehicle, which can transport a 7-tonne armoured car. Nevertheless, a transporter was found and he arrived in proper time for the BRDM.
We figured out that the vehicle can be placed on the platform end to end so we decided to use a winch kit. It was easier to control wheels’ moves and to guide the driver, because he could hear or see hardly anything when the vehicle is moved under its own power. The vehicle was on the platform after half an hour.
We had to ride pass MKAD (Moscow Automobile Ring Road), Kiev and Volokolamsk roadways and then go to the car service. Everybody was guessing how many times road police would stop us. On one side, we were stopped only once. On the other side, it was the only road patrol on the road, so one can say that 100% road police patrols stopped us.
A policeman run out to the centre of road and desperately started to wave a stick. Of course, he was an idiot, because a heavy transporter with a 7-tonne armoured vehicle can’t stop immediately. He answered nothing when we asked him why he stopped us, but a little nervously demanded to show documents.
“Why have you stopped us? Have we breached the law?”
“Show your documents!”
“Why are you asking them? Have we bent the rules? You are not at the stationary post.”
“Just show me the documents; I will not take them away.”
We had no time to dispute with the officer and all we had all the documents. He cursory looked at them and moved away to fight for traffic safety.
All the time when we rode, the lane on the right in front of us was relatively not busy. This was because many drivers lined up on the right from the transporter and started to shoot choking the highway. We reached petrol station in such a clique.
And then we sat in traffic near Krokus. Nevertheless, we didn’t meet obstacles any more and after a while reached the maintenance centre.
Experts from Vista are able to do almost anything, but in our case they will do only a part of works. Let’s look through the list.
The vehicle doesn’t need a body repair, but it is necessary to install an additional structure to increase inner space. In fact, it is the only operation, which will be performed ‘on departure’ in a special metal-repair shop. It is not very easy to cut a 7-mm armour at a common car service centre.
After mounting the additional structure, hole spacing for windows and final metal works, the vehicle will return to the service centre. It will be painted there; chassis, electric and will hydraulic system be repaired; various equipment will be installed. It is still not clear what to do with an inner trim; we will decide it later.
I have put Iphone 5 for scale. The vehicle features the Ki-58 off-road tyres but I want to change it to the Ki-126 like at the BTR-82. Before the expedition we will definitely change tyres. There is another problem: it is unclear how to balance such a massive tyre.
Protector! At the Ki-58 initially it is wore down very intensively, then very slowly when 60% is left. Each wheel weighs 80 kg; the disk is demountable. There is armoured type of these wheels — the Ki-80N. Such wheel weighs 120 kg.
Several words about lights. Now the vehicle features standard dimmed headlights without blackout mask. We will install distance beam headlights. I think of mounting the Luna projector.
At last, we drove the vehicle indoors. It is impossible to operate without two men coordinating your actions inside because you can hardly see anything inside. Then we will install parking cameras.
The GAZ-41 engine. There is a lot of work with it, so and with everything inside the vehicle. The most evident works:
1) To wash out
2) Change pumps/runners/spacers where possible
3) Service the engine
4) Install breakerless ignition
Popular question: is it better to install a diesel engine? Installing the diesel engine will make a hull back heavier on 250 kg; it will worsen swimming characteristics. In other words it will drown.
In the evening we loaded the vehicle at the transporter and drove to the metal works shop. Now we are experienced so the process is going faster.
Silent Moscow streets )
Of course, it is wonderful to continue to do something despite everything. In the story with the BRDM hardly every time I want to drop everything because every time the fate throws down new challenges, so it is even more pleasant to cope with another problem and keep going. I have even not believed in success, but nevertheless keep on moving.
Mind, the goal is to ride to Crimea and swim over Kerch Strait aboard the BRDM. It is absolutely mad but interesting and captivating endeavour. In summer 2015, we will start in Moscow and drive through Western Russia. When we will be in Taman, we will move to another shore of the strait.
At this stage, we have come up with technical sponsors and we (actually I am alone, but “we” sounds more seriously) announce about the start of partnership programme. You and your company can become an official sponsor of the expedition, attract audience and mentioning of your trade name in my posts and on countless photos of our armour vehicle. Everybody who sees the vehicle takes photos of it. To obtain additional information you should mail at brdm@tima.me.
Don’t forget our official twitter: https://twitter.com/brdmblog, all new photos and stories are to appear there first.
