Armadillo VRT

The Armadillo VRT (Vehicle Research Team) is one of the most unique, custom-built tornado intercept vehicles born out of the classic DIY "tornado tank" era of the late 2000s and early 2010s. Constructed by fabricator and storm chaser Cody Howard between 2009 and 2012, the vehicle was heavily inspired by the designs of the early Dominator and Tornado Intercept Vehicle (TIV) series. Rather than being backed by major television networks or large university grants, the Armadillo was a true passion project built from scratch to withstand the terrifying environment inside a tornado's core.

Underneath its intimidating, armored exterior, the Armadillo VRT was actually built on the chassis of a 2003 Chevrolet Tahoe Z71—the exact same base vehicle generation Reed Timmer used for the original Dominator 1. It is powered by a modified 5.3-liter LS engine, which was Cody Howard's reliable, everyday storm-chasing motor before he decided to transform it into an armored fortress. To handle the massive, punishing weight of the added steel, the vehicle's suspension system was heavily reinforced and integrated with custom internal and external roll cages. Crossbeams were strategically welded throughout the cabin to maximize structural rigidity, ensuring the crew wouldn't be crushed if a violent vortex managed to roll the heavy machine.

For defense against nature's most violent elements, the Armadillo was wrapped in heavy 8-gauge steel armor plating and fully coated in a rugged, protective layer of spray-on truck bedliner. To give it a sleek, aerodynamic look that naturally deflects high-velocity winds, the vehicle was built with an incredibly low profile, with the heavy protective skirting almost completely hiding the wheels from view. The factory glass windows were entirely discarded in favor of ultra-thick, impact-resistant Lexan ballistic sheeting to shield the occupants from flying structural debris and baseball-sized hail, while the interior walls were packed with heavy insulation to dampen sound and provide comfort during deafening severe weather events.

To prevent the wind from getting underneath the chassis and flipping it—the ultimate danger for any intercept vehicle—the Armadillo VRT features a custom airbag suspension system that allows it to slam directly onto the ground before a tornado hits. Once lowered, the driver deploys a specialized hydraulic anchoring system consisting of heavy-duty ground spikes. These spikes are controlled directly from a custom switchboard mounted on the center console, which drops the heavy metal anchors straight into the ground to effectively nail the vehicle to the pavement. When fully deployed with its skirts flat against the earth, the Armadillo's engineering is estimated to withstand extreme tornadic winds exceeding 200 mph.

Though it remains a legendary design within the core storm-chasing community, the Armadillo VRT never executed a real-world tornado intercept due to persistent mechanical failures, including a major breakdown during its primary deployment attempt at the 2013 El Reno tornado. After sitting dormant and neglected in a garage for nearly a decade, the vehicle was eventually sold to Tommie Carter Jr. and the Texas Vortex team, who lovingly restored the exterior, fixed its deep-seated mechanical issues, and nicknamed it "Brooklyn." Instead of braving the dangerous core of severe storms, the vehicle is officially retired from active field duty and functions as a restored show-piece for local car shows, parades, and community events.