‘Storm Chasers’ tornado vehicle found after 10-year scavenger hunt using Google Earth

Landowner did not realise armoured TV truck was even left on his property in Kansas a decade ago

(KSN)

A tornado intercept vehicle from the Storm Chasers TV show has a new owner after it was found in Kansas using Google Earth.

Storm tracker Robert Clayton used the Internet to track down the armoured vehicle, which was left in Kansas in 2011 by filmmaker Sean Casey as part of an elaborate online scavenger hunt.

Now a decade later it has finally been found.

“We started going on Google Earth, and we found it on Google Earth in some dude’s yard,” said Mr Clayton.

The landowner admitted he had no idea that the Tornado Intercept Vehicle was even on his land but agreed to let it be removed.

“Per his rules, I own TIV now,” said Mr Clayton.

TIV1, is based on a 1997 Ford pickup truck, and is one of two that were used on the TV show.

(KSN)

The truck will need upgraded window and a lining to the sheet metal that covers the truck and will also get hydraulic anchors that will drop to the ground to anchor the vehicle during high winds.

Its new owner will also add scientific instruments to collect data when in a storm.

“I’m not a scientist, don’t want to be a scientist, but I want to help those affected by tornados,” he said.

The documentary Storm Chasers ran for five years on the Discovery Channel before being cancelled in 2012.

It was filmed every year in the “Tornado Alley” area of the central US, with the goal of filming inside a tornado using the TIV.