In ‘De Telegraaf’ from Saturday March 14th a 3 Colom wide article was printed from Ivo Jr. and his M5 Halftrack.
Translation:
IHC HALF-TRACK M5
STRONG WAR HERO
In the garage of a young car enthusiast you would expect a fast hatchback, not an armored car from World War II. Ivo Rigter (28), however, was lit by his father and restored along with him an IHC Half Track M5.
By Remco Slump
“Why an armored vehicle and not a sports car? That’s because of my grandfather. He found it much too dangerous that my father Ivo (Sr.) wanted to have a race car when he was young. “Let me give that boy an old jeep” ‘he thought, “then he can restore the car, is busy and, when it is ready, he will not crash that easy”. And so the ball started to roll. After he had restored several Jeeps my father bought this IHC Half Track M5 in 1987. In the 2nd WW this great vehicle has served the Allied Polish troops. After the liberation of the German city of Wilhelmshaven it was completely reconditioned by Mercedes-Benz under the ‘Wiedergutmachung’ law. After this the vehicle was deployed by the French army in South America (French Guiana). However after this initial purchase the Half-Track was many years untouched. When there was a nice workshop to restore the vehicle we started the restoration. This was, with exception of some small details, completed in 2009.
Just in time so to be able to participate in the commemoration of the 65 D-Day landings in Normandy. At events we participate a couple of times per year, because the Half-Track – where a truck driving license is required – is not a car that you easily take to a super market.
For the long distances a low-loader is required. Its fuel consumption is 1 liter to the km. and the tracks are very expensive. “It’s me and my father therefore mainly to restore it and make sure that this very strong Half-Track technology will outlive us all”.
