In 2008, and after the TIV made it on prime time television in a series called Storm Chasers that began airing on the Discovery Channel in October 2007, Casey and his team built the TIV-2 using a Dodge Ram 3500 as a base.
However, the six-wheel vehicle was plagued with problems leading Casey back to the drawing board for a series of improvements, which were completed in 2009.
The updated TIV-2 is armored with two-inch thick aluminum, Kevlar and steel. It is equipped with special steel plates that slide down to the road to prevent it from being lifted into the air by a tornado. If the situation calls for it, special spears shoot three-feet into the ground providing additional stability.
The truck also features a 360-degree rotating turret from where the cameraman does the shooting. It tips the scales at 14,000 pounds and is powered by a 6.7-liter Cummins turbodiesel engine producing 625-horsepower enabling it to reach a top speed of 100 mph (160 km.
Scroll down to watch three videos of the TIV-2, including the official IMAX trailer of “Tornado Alley”.
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