{"id":8937,"date":"2022-01-26T17:11:55","date_gmt":"2022-01-26T16:11:55","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.padoan.it\/?p=8937"},"modified":"2022-02-03T14:54:17","modified_gmt":"2022-02-03T13:54:17","slug":"tanktribe-the-story-of-grillo","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.padoan.it\/en\/tanktribe-the-story-of-grillo\/","title":{"rendered":"#TANKTRIBE – The story of Grillo"},"content":{"rendered":"

[…] When you do something with passion, with joy and pleasure, you get to the point where you fall in love even with a piece of wood or a bolt, and I talk to “Grillo”.<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

Let’s start with the last words of the interview with Mr Renato because they express the values and mission of #TANKTRIBE.<\/p>\n

The #TANKTRIBE project aims to tell the passion of those who every day create value with their vehicle.<\/p>\n

The story of Renato, his wife Laura, and “Grillo” formally began in 2013, but the desire for adventure really started in the 1970s.<\/p>\n

For a few months now, they are traveling in southern Europe, particularly in France, Spain and Portugal. Unfortunately, the pandemic has limited the original African itinerary, a shared passion of the couple.<\/p>\n

Their passion for Africa and the African desert goes back a long way, first on a motorbike in Tunisia following the iconic Paris-Dakar race, and then by four-wheel vehicle with their son travelling through Tunisia, Algeria, Mali and Niger.<\/p>\n

“Grillo”, in its current form, was born in 2013.<\/p>\n

It is a 1984 ex-Italian Army vehicle, overhauled and rebuilt by Renato and the people who supported him, and then certified by qualified personnel.<\/p>\n

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Seen for the first time in January 2013 at a demolition shop, it was immediately purchased and transported home by Mr. Renato, who saw in it the right opportunity to create an “Overland” vehicle.<\/p>\n

8 years later, combining passion and work, “Grillo” has been totally rebuilt, with a new living cell and equipment suitable for tackling rough terrain, difficult conditions and challenging scenarios.<\/p>\n

In terms of mechanics, the vehicle has all the characteristics of all “overland” 4×4 vehicles, in this case with electronics reduced to a minimum, off-road tyres, four-wheel drive, front and rear differential locks and a gearbox with five normal gears, five reduced speeds and a reverse gear.<\/p>\n

As mentioned, the vehicle was completely disassembled and the relevant parts were overhauled with the appropriate modifications.<\/p>\n

Special housings for the batteries were also built, two tanks for grey and black water were installed, and the vehicle was equipped with two Padoan diesel tanks for a total of 600 litres.<\/p>\n

Two wheel holders were installed on the chassis, supported by a hydraulic winch.<\/p>\n

A hydraulic winch with a maximum traction of 13 t was installed on the central part of the front frame, driven by a hydraulic pump installed on the gearbox of the vehicle.<\/p>\n

The cabin was installed with a special anchoring system known as a ‘three-point hitch’, allowing the cabin to be free from the torsion of the chassis, with less stress for both.<\/p>\n

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Returning to the trip, the current adventure, which will last around 6\/7 months, is planned as a prologue to the highly desired journey through Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Serbia, Bulgaria, Turkey, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Russia and finally Mongolia, which is expected to last around 1\/1.5 years.<\/p>\n

We asked Renato: ‘What is the sentimental value of this vehicle for you?<\/p>\n

Renato’s answer is the essence of the union between a driver and a vehicle: “The sentimental value is inestimable, having waited several years for a dream to come true is priceless” and again “The time spent searching for the right parts, overhauling and building Grillo has allowed us to create a relationship that goes beyond the use of a vehicle, it is part of me, part of us” concluding “When you do something with passion, with joy and satisfaction, you get to the point where you fall in love even with a piece of wood or a bolt, and I talk to Grillo”.<\/p>\n

Thanks to Renato and Laura for sharing your passion with us!<\/p>\n

–<\/p>\n

A heartfelt thank you to Stefano Bertaina of COVENTIR (Cuneo) for involving us in telling the story of “Grillo” and for supplying the diesel tanks that equip the vehicle.<\/em><\/p>\n

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All rights reserved to Mr. Renato<\/strong><\/p>\n