First Storm Chaser Tornado Interceptor Located In Kansas

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Just in time for spring!

With spring just around the corner, you might be looking for a vehicle that can withstand some severe weathers. If you live in somewhere in tornado ally, like Kansas, it might actually be practical to drive a tornado chasing tank. If that sounds like you, you’re in luck, because the original vehicle used in Storm Chasers has been located.

In 2007, Storm Chasers debuted to the world to bust the doors open on the practice of tornado chasing. Aired on The Discovery Channel, it is filmed In the central parts of United States, and the team uses tornado ready tanks to stand up to the storms.

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These vehicles are called TIVs, or tornado intercept vehicles, on the show, and TIV1 was the first of the two vehicles used on the show. TIV1 is a 1997 Ford pickup truck with tons of armor to allow the team to film safely.

After the show concluded in 2011, and the crew no longer needed these wild vehicles, one was sold off, and the other one TIV1, was the subject of a scavenger hunt. KSN Storm Tracker Robert Clayton took the heart of Kansas to find it. “We started going on Google Earth, and we found it on Google Earth in some dude’s yard,” Clayton recalled.

Parked on a piece of property for a decade, the landowner had no idea the tornado chasing tank was on his land. Per the rules of the scavenger hunt, whoever found it would be the new owner. Clayton now plans on having it restored to its original glory, as it is in some serious need of TLC.

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