Chase Vehicles
The current vehicles which take us on our journeys and adventures...
2008 Ford Focus SE Coupe
since 2009, Richards Focus has been the center of most of our excursions.
Memorable chases:
November 17 2013 - McHenry Co / S Chicago Supercell
2011 - Whitewater, WI Tornado warning
April 2011 - Funnel in Iowa
April 2011 - Solon Ia Tornado Warning
2011 - Arkdale / Friendship Tornado Damage
2011 - N IL Supercell
1998 Honda Civic LX
August 2014 - Present
Erik's daily driver following the 98 neon's passing back in January.
Memorable Chases
2014 - Shelf with whales mouth
2014 Toyota Prius C
2015 - Present
no new information yet
Memorable Chases
not available
Chase Vehicles
Past vehicle that took us on our adventures...
2000 Ford F-150 XLT 4x4
February 2014 - Present
Dave's newest transport... not the most fuel efficient but will be a great hauler.
Memorable Chases
2014 - Roll cloud near hampshire
1998 Dodge Neon Highline Coupe
April 2009 - January 2014
Erik's neon was his primary chase / spotting vehicle from 2009 - early 2014. The car had low miles and sadly met its fate when the timing went at only 62k.
Most known for being there on Siren Days!
Memorable Chases
2013 - Snowstorms
2013 - McHenry Co Hail
2010 - Huntley Shelf
2009 - McHenry Co Shelf
1996 Subaru Outback
2011 - 2014
Was Dave's primary transportation, was replaced by the truck.
1989 Chrysler LeBaron GTC Turbo Coupe
xx - 2013
Between the GP and the Focus came the GTC Turbo Coupe. Being fans of the 80s and 90s mopars Rich took up this project and it was very useful during the time he had it. When the focus came along it went into storage till recently removed from service.
Memorable Chases
2008 - Kingston Tornado Warning
2003 Ford Taurus SES
2003- July 2011
Was probably the best chase vehicle we had, this poor car tackled most of our better chases but in the end it lost a fight with a fire hydrant -_-
Memorable Chases
2011 - Dane Co WI Tornado
2010 -
2009 - Large Marengo IL Hail
2008 - Harvard IL Tornado
1994 Plymouth Voyager
October 2005 - January 2009
Great people hauler, this Voyager was freshly off its service as a transport van for the county blood bank. Clean and well maintained she came to live with Erik in 2005, perfect taking up to 7 people on cross state chases. Would still be here today if some dumb kids decided not to go drinking and driving and hit it head on late on a snowy day.
1995 Pontiac Grand Prix SE
2003 - 2007
Before the Focus, was Rich's GP. This vehicle las we checked in 2013 was still spending its days in the Rockford area.
Memorable Chases
2004 - Bull Valley IL Tornado
2005 - May storms
1987 Plymouth Reliant K LE
2005 - 2005
Maybe not the best in reliability at the time as it was only with us for 4 months, but she was decked out in all the "stuff"... the only chase it could have gone on was the August tornado outbreak in southern wisconsin in 2005 but blew her brakelines out the day before the event so a loaner car took the place that day.
Memorable Chases
none
1992 Dodge Spirit
September 2003 - 2008
The Spirit was Erik's primary driver and went on several local chases.
Memorable Chases
2004 - Sheridan Supercell