Known for their speed and agility, the French Panhard ERC-90s were highly effective armoured reconnaissance vehicles. Barrimore England-Davis tells us about his opportune purchase of one
A while ago I helped the Household Cavalry Regiment with the restoration of their French-made Argentine Panhard AML90. It was intended to be revealed to mark the 40th anniversary of the end of the Falklands War.
While sourcing parts for the restoration, I struck up a relationship with a French company specialising in upgrading older military vehicles. Prices of the Panhard parts were high and with the regimental budget already stretched, the project metamorphosised from a full-on restoration to a cosmetic and structural ‘stabilisation’, and the AML was returned to being a static gate guardian after a tour of the UK.
Out of idle curiosity I asked if the French company sold complete vehicles. The answer was ‘yes’ and I learned that they were interested in getting rid of obsolete stock. I gained a formal introduction from a parts dealer friend from Belgium and secured a site visit.
Arriving at their storage facility a few weeks later, I found several large hangers packed to the rafters with military spare parts, along…
