Troop carrier ideal as farm vehicle
For sale - a Hagglund troop carrier whose Upper Moutere owner Paul Mitchell describes as the ‘‘ultimate farm vehicle’’.
The lifestyle blocker and exbritish Army soldier has owned the Swedish all-terrain vehicle for 10 years.
He said it’s proved the perfect gorse crusher, and general purpose work horse.
‘‘Although a collectible, it’s also very practical. I can drive it anywhere a bulldozer goes and it’s completely amphibious as well.’’
The sale price for the tracked vehicle with amphibious qualities is $50,000.
Developed in the 1980s for service along the Russian/ Scandinavian border, the Hagglund has two cabs, and the rear cab cannot be decoupled.
It runs on rubber tracks rather than metal, and therefore can be driven on the road.
On road it can reach 55 kilometres an hour.
In water it inches along at 3kmh.
The Hagglund runs on diesel, although Mitchell said he had no consumption figures.
After a fire on his property, Mitchell fitted the Hagglund with a 1000-litre water tank and a high pressure pump, creating an allterrain fire truck.
He said the twin-cab arrangement is what got it into trouble when it was used in Afghanistan.
Its poor turning circle rendered it vulnerable in narrow streets.
After seeing military use, the Hagglund was bought by a Nelson holiday park operator.
The operator intended to use it to transport tourists across country to Nelson Lakes.
However, the venture foundered due to a lack of demand.
Mitchell said the likely owner would be a farmer, possibly one who also runs a tourism operation.
A keen military vehicle buff, Mitchell also owns an Alvis Stalwart, a 1960s British ammunition carrier, which he used to tow a bulldozer after the fire.