Ride into an Oklahoma Tornado
I just heard on the news that Steve Green, the guy who built the “Tornado Attack Vehicle”, a Baja type car built to drive directly into a tornado, is offering a ride to the highest bidder on E-Bay…… The latest bid is $121,000…… He’s bringing the vehicle back to Oklahoma for the ride (of a lifetime?)….. Risky business to say the least…… I wonder why he doesn’t auction off more than one ride?……. Think there’s a chance there may not be anything left to ride in after the first one?……..
Hell, I’m dumb enough to go, just not rich enough…… Anyone got $121,000.01 they could loan me?…… I’m sure my life insurance policy will pay you back…….
April 8th, 2005 at 7:37 pm
The winning bidder also gets to star as co-pilot in a reality TV show. Seems like for that much money, one could build one’s own car and possibly buy a DV camera too. You can see what the car looks like and some chase video at Tornado Attack. From my chasing experience, it could take an entire season to get the right footage because it depends on being at the right place at the right time. Furthermore, there may be no “right” time for some storms, as they just don’t produce. I recommend they take pictures of cows while waiting for it to spin up for good luck. That worked for Huskysooner and me.
April 9th, 2005 at 5:49 am
Thanx, Jek for seeking out the website for the “Tornado Attack” story and details…. Check it out……
I just watched the news and the current bid is $121,400 and ends tomorrow….. Better hurry if you want some fun “Inside Mother Nature” in the great state of Oklahoma….. (We attract them all, don’t we? – that’s the reality.)…..
He should be here tomorrow….. They are predicting severe weather with tornado possibilites…..
April 10th, 2005 at 10:15 am
For $121,400 I might be willing to go the wrong way in a thunderstorm.
That is to say towards the tornado!
April 11th, 2005 at 8:25 am
Cows, indeed! That 26 April 1991 Red Rock storm made #3 (or #2 — can’t remember) on Gary England’s top 9. I note that in one part of the “Tornado Attack” website the car is rated to 240 mph, while elsewhere the number of 260 mph is used, with the disclaimer, “its limits are yet to be tested against the dynamic forces of nature.” Hee hee! The Red Rock F4 was measured (W-band Doppler) at 287 mph, and the 3 May 1999 F5 was measured at 328 mph.
April 11th, 2005 at 10:18 am
Hey Huskysooner, why is that storm called the Red Rock storm?
April 11th, 2005 at 1:18 pm
Red Rock is the town it passed closest to on its long path. I’ve heard it called the Billings-RR storm, too. Also, I got the speed wrong on the 3 May storm — should have been 318 mph. I’m sure that will please all you MOPAR fans.
April 12th, 2005 at 10:52 am
In MoPar terms the 318 cubic inch engines are referred to as “small blocks” along with the 340….. Sort of the Chevy “327” of the MoPar family of engines….. The BIG MoPar engines were referred to as “big blocks” or “raised blocks”….. This is where the muscle was: the 383’s, 440’s and 426 Hemi’s…. As a one time owner of a 426-Hemi powered Challenger, I always joked with the “small block” owners with the phrase, “Small Blocks for Small Minds” because you could spend a fortune on them and they still couldn’t come close to out-performing a “stock” big block….. Sorry ’bout ramblin’ off on a tangent…..
I think I could take that old ’71 Hemi-Challenger (which is now worth around a quarter of a million dollars, who knew?) and out-perform Stevie’s Tornado Potato (which is probably what it will look like if he ever gets it into a real tornado, and that would be “mashed” of course)….. All I have to do is practice driving ’round and ’round in tight circles at 318 mph….. How hard could it be?…. Now, that would be a trip!…..
Oh, yeah, I will take some sour cream and chives along just in case…..
April 12th, 2005 at 5:40 pm
Don’t forget the gravy.
April 23rd, 2005 at 7:15 pm
Refrence to comment # 7 , M Rambler; Youre never gonna let me live that down are you ?Re: The race between the my blue charger and Green Weenie
BTW, I heard the Tornado Guy on John Boy and Billy Big show, ( A national Radio Morning Show) He said that the bid was up to 250 K And still did not meet the reserve.!