A High School Amateur's Storm Chase Vehicle

[Marc R. O'Leary]

I do in fact have one.

JesterTech

If you love old cars, and other random shit, you've come to the right place.

www.youtube.com

I just post random shit, and this is no exception.

Subscribed...looking forward to some chasing action on there.

 

[Bonne van der Veen]

Well...in EU traffic you aren't holding a camera in one hand the whole time.

Haha, ok, I didn't cross my mind that one would actually hold a camera and trying to point the camera towards a tornado while driving. Sounds like an unsafe action, but then again: I'm worthless when it comes to multitasking. =)

 

[Marc R. O'Leary]

Haha, ok, I didn't cross my mind that one would actually hold a camera and trying to point the camera towards a tornado while driving. Sounds like an unsafe action, but then again: I'm worthless when it comes to multitasking. =)

You never think you'll do it or plan to do it but you will do it. Snapping rapid fire photos out the window at 70mph isn't something I ever expected to do but sure as heck I've done it.

 

[Jack R. Jester]

You never think you'll do it or plan to do it but you will do it. Snapping rapid fire photos out the window at 70mph isn't something I ever expected to do but sure as heck I've done it.

I have done it while pulling 90.

 

[Marc R. O'Leary]

I have done it while pulling 90.

Not in that truck!

 

[Jack R. Jester]

Not in that truck!

Yea, in the burb, the yellow one doesn't even have an overdrive (yet) so it would be pulling about 4500 rpm st that speed.

It's not impossible, but sort of deadly.

 

[James K]

I just drove 2 hours and picked up a topper for my truck yesterday. It's going to become my home during that week.
Once I install a bed and some other comfort items, it'll beat any one star motel I could afford.

Seems like a perfect way to do it

Haha, ok, I didn't cross my mind that one would actually hold a camera and trying to point the camera towards a tornado while driving.

Something I personally wouldn't risk, I'd probably end up dropping the camera! ... not to mention doing this would most likely also be illegal in my state..

 

[Roger Brown]

I think you'd be much better off in the Suburban than the truck. The burb is already large enough to sleep in, and you have the back seat for extra storage. You mentioned possibly pulling a camper, or adding a slide in camper, to the truck, there's no way I'd recommended that.

The camper adds lots of weight & height, not good in winds or traveling through areas with damage (low trees & wires). Pulling a camper would be a huge PITA. It will kill your gas mileage, make it impossible to turn around when you get to areas with damage & the road is blocked. Leaving it somewhere, while you go chase during the day, and then returning to pick it up later isn't practical. I've started my chase day in Nebraska and ended up in Oklahoma by the end of the day. If you're worried about gas mileage, you can't possibly back track to pick up a camper at the end of each chase.

I'd work on getting your transmission rebuilt, in the burb, and make it your chase vehicle. Just my opinions. As long as you're safe & have fun, do what you want! Good luck whatever way you decide to go!

 

[Jack R. Jester]

Here are a few images that I took perilously while driving.
(Nothing really going on in this one)

(Tornado Warned Storm, pretty nice Gustnado with an SLC hovering above it)

(I took this one pointing away from the action)

(Not much going on in this one)

(Taken soon before I got hammered with pea sized hail)

(I pulled over just to get this beautiful shot)

I remember taking one while going upwards of 90mph.

It was May of last year, the day after the Lewiston tornado.

I have footage of most of these events, but they were recorded onto VHS using my 1981 RCA CC011 Newvicon Tube Camera. I might upload some of that footage to YouTube at some point.

 

[rdale]

I remember taking one while going upwards of 90mph.

Just so I'm following - you are bragging about reckless driving and excessive speeding?

 

[Jack R. Jester]

Just so I'm following - you are bragging about reckless driving and excessive speeding?

Yup.

You know yesterday I drove 80 miles without no drivers side door, turn signals, mirrors, and expired registration.

Never got pulled over.

I was driving to the junkyard in order to rectify this situation.

(The other door was rusting apart to the paint where the doorskin was flapping up in the wind).

 

[Jack R. Jester]

Did I mention that is was about 32 degrees out?.

 

[rdale]

Thanks - just want to make sure we keep good storm chasing practices front and center. I'd hate for the public to get a bad image of the practice.

 

[B. Dean Berry]

If you're going to drive and shoot at the same time, I'd recommend a Gripper 115 camera mount.

 

[Mark Blue]

The only thing I see on your schematic that you cannot use is Stormtrack on the door. I hope you aren’t planning to use that because anything you do in the field could reflect back on Stormtrack and we cannot be in a position that appears we are sponsoring your chase activities.

The senior members have given you quite a bit of good advice. Advice you’d be hard pressed to find elsewhere, so I’d recommend following their guidance and definitely chase safe. We’ve had our fair share of deaths in the community and we’d rather not have another. For now I’m done playing Dad. I just want to see you accomplish your goals and return home safely when you do chase.