Dominator 3 Tornado Chaser Is Based on a Ford Super Duty Pickup

It may be a Ford Super Duty underneath, but this 11,000 pound behemoth looks more like some post-apocalyptic ride now.

Chasing tornados is obviously a dangerous endeavor, yet also a rather necessary one in many cases. While some participate in this activity for pure adventure, others do it for gather data and report back to weather bureaus, which helps us better understand these devastating acts of nature and provide accurate forecasts for people in their path. When it comes to notable tornado chasers, Reed Timmer is one of the better-known names out there, having starred in TV series Storm Chasers and Tornado Chasers, as well as in the documentary film Tornado Glory. and as it turns out, his latest vessel for that type of activity – recently spotted out and about by a Reddit user – is based on a Ford Super Duty pickup.

Timmer calls his latest storm-chasing rig Dominator 3, and to create it, he started with a 2013 F-350. Thanks to the presence of loads of armor – which also gives it a rather unique shape – it can handle the 200 mph winds created by an EP5 tornado, and it features cool stuff like wind speed sensors, double-pane Lexan windows, and Kevlar-reinforced 16-gauge steel to prevent flying objects from ending up inside the usual looking rig as well.

As one might imagine, the Dominator 3’s unique shape is specifically designed to ensure that wind goes all around it, which keeps it from flipping over or become a flying object itself. Thanks to an airbag suspension underneath, Timmer can lower the vehicle down closer to the ground, after which he can deploy spikes if needed to help further glue it to the earth. Technically, this won’t completely prevent a rollover, but just in case, there are four-point harnesses and helmets inside to protect occupants.

Other than those wild upgrades, Dominator 3 is pretty much just a Ford Super Duty underneath, with its 6.7-liter Power Stroke diesel still in place, along with the six-speed automatic transmission. The massive machine tips the scales at around 11,000 pounds thanks to all of the aforementioned bits and pieces, however, which means that it’s neither quick nor efficient out on the highway. Regardless, the most important thing here is that it keeps Timmer safe and intact, so he can head into storms while others seek shelter.

Join the Ford Truck Enthusiasts forums now!

Brett Foote

Brett Foote has been covering the automotive industry for over five years and is a longtime contributor to Internet Brands’ Auto Group sites, including Chevrolet Forum, Rennlist, and Ford Truck Enthusiasts, among other popular sites.

He has been an automotive enthusiast since the day he came into this world and rode home from the hospital in a first-gen Mustang, and he's been wrenching on them nearly as long.

In addition to his expertise writing about cars, trucks, motorcycles, and every other type of automobile, Brett had spent several years running parts for local auto dealerships.

You can follow along with his builds and various automotive shenanigans on Instagram: @bfoote.