Bear Grylls SAS dune buggy from Gulf War with machine gun on top could be yours for 35,000
AN SAS dune buggy once owned by Bear Grylls with a machine gun on the roof could be yours for £35,000.
The 1990 Ricardo Light Strike Vehicle was used during the Gulf War but has since been restored to its original specification and been made road legal.
The military motor is an extremely rare find and is one of fewer than 20 examples known to have been built, according to Classic Motor Hub.
A small and fast vehicle, the Longline LSV was capable of well over 60mph and designed to operate behind enemy lines in a reconnaissance role.
Resembling a military-spec dune buggy, it also had a full-length skidplate to protect the mechanical components when traversing rough terrain.
The vehicle featured an exposed tubular chassis with sling points, enabling it to be airlifted by helicopter.
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The Longline LSV – later to become the Ricardo LSV following a company takeover - used modified Volkswagen suspension with trailing arms, torsion bars and coilovers.
It also used the 1.9-litre, water-cooled flat-four engine from the Volkswagen T25 transporter.
And, of course, it features a weapons option that means a machine gun, grenade launcher or the MILAN anti-tank missile system could all be fitted.
This specific vehicle was one of just five, four-wheel-drive Mk2s that were built for the SAS in 1990 during the lead-up to the first Gulf War.
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But it then became one of three that were subsequently released by the MOD in the late 1990s, eventually being sold into private ownership via an auction at Aston Down in June 1997.
In a March 2007 issue of Military Machines International, the owner explained how he rebuilt the engine - fitting a new Weber carburettor in the process.
He then returned the vehicle to Gulf War spec, before it was passed on to well-known historics racer Ludovic Lindsay and then adventurer and broadcaster Bear Grylls.
The Ricardo LSV is now fitted with a deactivated 50-calibre Browning heavy machine gun and comes with a technical manual, archive photographs and a number of magazine articles.
And with a previous custodian having already carried out an extensive restoration process, the vehicle is certified road legal.
For those who enjoy taking trips down memory lane, this rare sight will provide a distinctive talking point for whoever buys it next.
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A rare sight even at specialist vehicle shows, the Ricardo LSV occupies a fascinating niche in military transport history.
Elsewhere, an off-road "icon" favoured by Vladimir Putin recently went up for sale with just 362 miles on the clock at a price that would make it the most expensive of its kind in the UK.
The 2021 Lada Niva Luxe is especially rare after imports were halted by Russia's invasion of Ukraine last year.
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And a car nut was left feeling like he was "in a Call of Duty map" after finding an army truck abandoned in a collapsing military tent.
RJ from WD Detailing shared his discovery, which turned out to be a 1980's Mercedes G-Wagen, on his YouTube channel.
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