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Fast and Furious Ripsaw Tears Through All Expectations and Snatches $242K at Auction

With the tenth movie in the Fast and Furious series getting millions of dollars each day in cinemas across the world, there never was a better time to be the owner of something, anything, related to this fictional universe. Just ask the guy who just sold a 2011 Howe & Howe Ripsaw used in one of these flicks for much more than he was expecting.
2011 Howe & Howe Ripsaw 12 photos
Photo: Mecum
Howe & Howe Ripsaw from The Fate of the FuriousHowe & Howe Ripsaw from The Fate of the FuriousHowe & Howe Ripsaw from The Fate of the FuriousHowe & Howe Ripsaw from The Fate of the FuriousHowe & Howe Ripsaw from The Fate of the FuriousHowe & Howe Ripsaw from The Fate of the FuriousHowe & Howe Ripsaw from The Fate of the FuriousHowe & Howe Ripsaw from The Fate of the FuriousHowe & Howe Ripsaw from The Fate of the FuriousHowe & Howe Ripsaw from The Fate of the FuriousHowe & Howe Ripsaw from The Fate of the Furious
We first brought the news of this vehicle into the spotlight at the beginning of the month, when we learned of it going under the hammer in Indianapolis, at the hands of auction house Mecum. Back then, the highest sum the owner was expecting to get for the ride was $180,000.

The reality, turns out, was much richer. $242,000 is the sum the Ripsaw eventually went for. That's a full $62,000 more than what was hoped for. For reference, the difference alone is the equivalent of two brand-new Dodge Challengers in SXT configuration.

Even if it broke all expectations and sold for that much, the price is not even close to how much money went into making it. We're told the value of the build back when it was made, more than a decade ago, was $750,000.

So, what is this thing all about, after all? We're talking about a machine that seems to have been specifically built to be a movie star. After all, aside from being an important asset for the Fast and Furious crew in The Fate of the Furious, it also starred in G.I. Joe, for instance.

The hardware that went into the Ripsaw is impressive, but not enough to take the value of the whole to such a high level on its own, without its involvement with Hollywood.

The Ripsaw is powered by a 2007 Duramax 6.6-liter engine linked to an Allison automatic transmission. Its exact output is not known, but the top speed the tracked beast can reach is, and that's 60 mph (97 kph).

The thing sold the past weekend complete with the original Combat Green paint used in the Fast movie, but also with the U.S. Army markings spread over the body.

We're not told who the new owner of the Ripsaw is, or what will happen to it now. We're hoping to see it star in some movie once more, or even be driven for fun and games, but the reality is we'll likely see it pop up for sale again, perhaps at a time when another Fast flick is being released into the world.

Until then, all eyes are on a 1972 De Tomaso Pantera that's going to sell at the end of June in Las Vegas. That one is from the Fast Five movie, and it's going with no reserve, meaning, of course, that the sky is the limit as to how much it is going to fetch.
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About the author: Daniel Patrascu
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Daniel loves writing (or so he claims), and he uses this skill to offer readers a "behind the scenes" look at the automotive industry. He also enjoys talking about space exploration and robots, because in his view the only way forward for humanity is away from this planet, in metal bodies.
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