A decommissioned military tank ultimately disposed of the $800 Chevrolet Cobalt that NASCAR Cup Series driver Carson Hocevar bought for a cheap-car challenge with a friend. A breakdown had put the Chevrolet out of contention before the competition even started.
Here's what to know
Vernon Hale, Hocevar's friend, claimed his Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme needed no work; Hocevar, meanwhile, broke out several cans of spray paint to prep the Cobalt. Their challenge allowed each man $800 to buy a car and imposed no other rules, according to Motor1.
Neither man thought the finished Cobalt belonged in a driveway — a demolition derby seemed more fitting. The paint job consumed much of the day, with Hale holding up the windows to keep paint out while Hocevar sprayed the body one panel at a time.
Later, a power-steering warning appeared as they left a fuel stop, where Hocevar had filled up with Unleaded 88, and Hale had identified it on camera as the wrong fuel. The engine subsequently backfired and stopped running.
More background
What bystanders thought was a Chevrolet Caprice was apparently a surplus tank under a cover; it arrived on a trailer while the group was deciding what to do with the disabled Chevrolet.
Concerns about oversize permits had prompted a weigh station to flag the rig, according to a neighbor who stopped to watch. The neighbor also described truckers pulling over along its route.
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Motor1 reported that a member of the property's homeowners association opposed having the tank there. While this dispute involved heavy machinery, HOAs across the country have also blocked homeowners from making money-saving updates, including rooftop solar panels and native plant lawns.
What can be done?
Crushing the Cobalt with the tank became the hosts' plan once they concluded the Chevrolet wasn't worth saving. Getting it home had required help from Hale's Cutlass, which pushed the stranded car while Hocevar steered.
The tank's metal road pads posed a risk to the pavement if it turned on asphalt, Motor1 noted. That made careful unloading necessary.
The tank then drove across the Cobalt, crushing its hood and roof in a single pass while Hocevar and Hale watched nearby. The flattened wreck was then hauled out of the yard.
Where can I learn more?
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• A Tesla owner says a $185 tow left seatbelts and parking assist malfunctioning.
• A free Honda mower kept running for 20 years after a repair costing under $10.
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