TIV

[mrobinett]

Sean, TIV2 looks great.... are you gonne let someone else have a go at welding? (I hope)
Where's the IMAX camera gonna mount? (If the Discovery channel illustration is close)
Oh, I notice you wear T-shirts from different branches of the armed forces, I like that. Was it intentional?
Mike

 

[Andrea Griffa]

TIV will become the back-up vehicle if TIV2 has a problem.

I agree with you, it would be fine if Tiv would be collected in some museums but it could be always useful for the future. So it's better to keep it on hand when you need it.

On the other hand Sean, will you guys take an engineer to design the project of the new Tiv2?

 

[Sean Casey]

I lucked out this time around I hope. TIV2 is being made from a donated Dodge 3500 with the 6.7 cummins desiel engine. It's in Lawton, OK where USA 6x6 is installing a third axle. With a short wheel base, 10 wheels of drive, and ARB lockers on all three axles, we plan to be off roading for much of the 08 season. (Such a nice way to see the country)

After that, TIV2 goes to the local college where the shell/turret will be made. The welding instructors will do a much better job than I could ever have. At that time the vehicle will be fit with polycarb armor both for the windows and in between the TIV2s double walls of steel, material that a company is "one-offing" for us. It's crazy material, 2 1/2" thick, but optically perfect.

 

[Joel Wright]

Hey Sean, do you guys have a ballpark estimate of what the new TIV will weigh?

Were you guys required to stop at weigh stations in the past with the original TIV?

 

[Bill Hamilton]

Here is a little news piece with video on the TIV2. Interested in seeing how it will come out.

http://www.kswo.com/Global/story.asp?S=7429345

Lawton_Twisters are fast and furious and most of us will never have a chance to see one up close except on television and the silver screen. But soon we may be able to see one up close and personal like never before.
Around 40 welding students at the Great Plains Technology Center will get a chance to help create a new Tornado Interceptor Vehicle. They already have TIV 1 and hope to have TIV 2 finished by the start of tornado storm season in about four months. IMAX and the Discovery Channel crews were at the center getting a behind the scenes look at the project for their television show "Storm Chasers".

 

[Dave Gallaher]

Well, if Discovery is filming the construction of TIV2, doesn't that make the return of the series a certainty for next season? I hadn't heard this news, but hope this is the case.

 

[Gerard Jebaily]

"Its not..THAT the wind is blowin...but WHAT the wind is blowin. If you get hit with a volvo...it doesnt really mater how many situps you did that morning." - Ron White

Sean, I understand that the TIV is heavy weight and that it will be intercepting weak tornadoes, but are those retractable cleat arms on the sides going to help you at all? They may help keep you from rolling over but i dont think they will keep you on the ground. Please tell me you guys arnt just going on hope and luck that you wont go airborne.

How exactly did you and Josh get teamed up? I understand Josh's goal is to gather scientific data. Risking life in the name of scientific discovery is somewhat acceptable. Venturing into outerspace, or in the undiscovered depths of the ocean. But risking life just to punch the inside of a tornado to film it to most everyone is just plain insanity. Do you think the discovery channel would have made the documentary if josh wurman wasnt involved to give that "in the name of science" feel? Ive been called crazy as prolly many stormchasers have. We all have to be a little bit crazy to do soemthing like this.

One idea that makes more sense to me is to have a tornado hit a 90 degree tilt radar / wind profiler. Or create a new DOW or "Doppler on wings" and fly near a tornado while aiming the radar down towards the bottom of the circulation. But i guess driving into the middle of a tornado is way cooler to the public than flying next to one. Nothing against you but the whole TIV thing just seemed to me like more of a publicity stunt than anything else. I just think the show would have captured me more if it actually had the scientific feel to it and less like I was watching Spike TV.

Oh yeah...How did you guys run out of gas? How big is the tank? Did you guys jus try to continue your chase on a low tank of gas hoping it would last or did u not notice the gauge? What happened?

At any rate, I wish you luck and I hope to one day see a jaw dropping peice of IMAX footage from inside a tornado. And remember that your frustrations are shared by MANY. I was with Howie Bluestein and his broken down DOW the day greensburg got hit. He wasnt in the greatest of moods. It reminds us that Murphys law reigns supreme while chasing. Its all part of the game and chasing is more luck than skill IMO.

 

[CEMartin2]

TIV (1) Questions

Mr. Casey,

I have to admit that I don't regularly watch stormchasers, but anytime the show is on now and I catch it I am hooked- I find the TIV absolutely fascinating. it's like what GI JOE and Adventure Team would roll around in or something KITT might have faced off against, in the 1980s.

I was wondering, any chance we'll ever see TIV hotwheels? or a model?

And for that matter, I can't seem to find all that many pictures of the TIV. I'd love to see an indepth photospread of the TIV, with pictures from every angle, and maybe stats, like weight, horsepower etc. Heck, if you ever roll through the Louisville, KY area, drop me an email- I'd love to take the pics myself.

And finally, how come the TIV is flat grey? Wouldn't high visibility orange be safer? Both to alert other traffic, and so storm watchers from a distance could see exactly where you were during visibility-challenged moments?

 

[Nick Parker]

I lucked out this time around I hope. TIV2 is being made from a donated Dodge 3500 with the 6.7 cummins desiel engine. It's in Lawton, OK where USA 6x6 is installing a third axle. With a short wheel base, 10 wheels of drive, and ARB lockers on all three axles, we plan to be off roading for much of the 08 season. (Such a nice way to see the country)

VERY NICE! You will enjoy the Cummins much better than the Powerstroke in TIV1. Cummins has had a great run with the 5.9 block and since new emissions laws came into effect as of 07, they went with the 6.7. Anyway, enjoy the raw power that "motha" will lay down. If you wish for more umphh, I would suggest doing a "cat" delete in the exhaust, a stage 2 air intake system, and something along the lines of a 100 hp chip. I'm about to purchase a 06 Dodge diesel myself and have researched these few items and found they really wake it up and provide more fuel economy. The Edge Juice with Attitude (chip) is what i'll be putting on mine. It provides multiple power settings and also come with a sleek little display that shows your EGT's, turbo pressure, etc. and has alarms if any of the parameters are breached. (Saving you from possible engine troubles on the road) Anyhoo, welcome to the Dodge world....Dodge makes em'..Cummins shakes em'!

P.S. Any good pictures or websites with pics of TIV 2 ??? (Might give me some good ideas for my rig )

Nick

 

[Aaron Wesson]

Sean I love your show.. Have all of them on my DVR... I can't wait to see the TIV2 and hope to meet you at next years NSCC!

 

[David Hoadley]

Sean, I just did a quick scan through your replies to various posts and didn't see an answer to one question I have had for some time. I am concerned that your expensive TIVs1 or 2 may not be equipped to deal with a major mud bath as the tornado passes over. Do they have any kind of water-jet spray nozzles and/or strong, wind resistant wipers to quickly clear the camera windows? That could be a big problem, depending on the surrounding ground and how wet the tornado is. Would be a shame to finally have a big one pass over --and suddenly find every window caked with an inch of prairie sod.

 

[Tammy Fore]

Inquiry

My son is doing a science fair project on tornadoes. He wants to know why and how you came up with the TIV concept. Only if you would like to share. Thanks!

 

[Sean Casey]

VERY NICE! You will enjoy the Cummins much better than the Powerstroke in TIV1. Cummins has had a great run with the 5.9 block and since new emissions laws came into effect as of 07, they went with the 6.7. Anyway, enjoy the raw power that "motha" will lay down. If you wish for more umphh, I would suggest doing a "cat" delete in the exhaust, a stage 2 air intake system, and something along the lines of a 100 hp chip. I'm about to purchase a 06 Dodge diesel myself and have researched these few items and found they really wake it up and provide more fuel economy. The Edge Juice with Attitude (chip) is what i'll be putting on mine. It provides multiple power settings and also come with a sleek little display that shows your EGT's, turbo pressure, etc. and has alarms if any of the parameters are breached. (Saving you from possible engine troubles on the road) Anyhoo, welcome to the Dodge world....Dodge makes em'..Cummins shakes em'!

P.S. Any good pictures or websites with pics of TIV 2 ??? (Might give me some good ideas for my rig )

Nick

Thanks for the tips. TIV2 has allready "lost" some of it's exhaust assembly. We had heard that the dohicky exhaust thingamagiger had clogging issues. So we've streamlinned. I'll look up that chip maker, as Banks hasn't gotten theirs out yet.

As far as the other questions...

TIV is grey becuase I don't want to drive a "Safety Orange" vehicle. I'm sure it would help safety wise, but the same could be said with every vehicle on the road.

We tried, tan, O.D., and a couple other colors but it didn't look right. TIV2 will have no paint, just the unfinished steel with a clear coat.

The camera is exposed, except for rain-x on the lens and a high pressure air jet to clear the lens. I don't plan to keep the camera running to long after impact.

 

[Sean Casey]

My son is doing a science fair project on tornadoes. He wants to know why and how you came up with the TIV concept. Only if you would like to share. Thanks!

I think your son sent me an email, which I'll write back to. If not, let me know.

 

[Sean Casey]

Oh yeah...How did you guys run out of gas? How big is the tank? Did you guys jus try to continue your chase on a low tank of gas hoping it would last or did u not notice the gauge? What happened?

No, after a dash fire the first year out we've had electical issues. That day we ran out of gas I kept pestering Josh to make a stop. But he felt the day was over and we would stop shortly after we did some last scans. We of course got the word of the storm to our south and there was no time to stop. TIV2 will have a capacit of 90 gallons and the guage will work. So hopefully that scene will not replay.