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Cotton
Cotton UberDork
10/3/14 10:15 a.m.

So I just bought this crazy truck that was use during promotional tours for Microsoft's Halo ODST and Halo Reach video games. Here it is in it's current condition, with my bike, while we're waiting for the tow truck to drag it the 40 miles to my house.

The truck is a 5ton 6x6 m820 expansible van....meaning the van body expands out 3 feet on each side.

As shown in the picture below (this is an older picture when it was on tour for ODST). This truck is massive. You can see one set of stairs, needed to get in the van body, in the right side of the picture.

I bought it as a "ran when parked" type deal, which is the reason for the tow truck.

Made it home!

I bought four new batteries for it (Interstate group 24 blems at $52 each) and surprisingly the monster 855CI 14 liter Cummins fired right up! But I have NO brakes, I mean none at all, so what do I do? Drive it!! We have 10 acres, so I drove around in 1st and 2nd gear and the truck runs great, I'm super happy with it, but after a close call with a 29k pound truck and no brakes I decided to park it, expand the sides, and play some video games while contemplating brake repairs.

The "playing video games" needs some more detail. So when this truck was on tour it had 8 flat screen TVs and 8 Xbox 360s all networked together. Generally there were 16 people inside the truck, 8 to play and 8 to watch, then they'd rotate them out. Currently it only has 4 32 inch flat screens and 4 Xbox 360s, which are networked together for multiplayer. The van body has heat, AC, lights, etc, but that all runs off 3 phase power, which I don't have (yet), so I'm running the TVs, consoles, and some lights off 110. The plan is to eventually get a big ex military tow-able generator that I can run the truck off as well as our house if the need arises.

Last night I was in it playing Burnout: Paradise City with my shop cat Larry Diddle. He really digs the Halo Truck.

Here's a crappy pic of the current state of the interior. The chairs are Xbox 360 chairs from the original tour. It's a little messy because I had to pack everything up for the tow and am not set entirely back up yet.

You can see my ear protection to the left in the pic. I needed them because, when I was driving it, the air brake buzzer was going off and it is LOUD. I mean I get it, I have no brakes, stop trying to burst my eardrums. Also it has huge pictures covering the side walls that are stills, or some type of artwork, related to the video game.

Anyway that's my latest acquisition. Most people want to know what I'm going to do with it. Right now the plan is to fix the brakes and enjoy it as a mobile man cave, insane camper, and general crazy fun toy.

Nick_Comstock
Nick_Comstock PowerDork
10/3/14 10:19 a.m.

moparman76_69
moparman76_69 SuperDork
10/3/14 10:20 a.m.

You sir are winning.

singleslammer
singleslammer SuperDork
10/3/14 10:23 a.m.

Oh my... that is AWESOME!! I would imagine that you got that thing for a steal too!

Tom_Spangler
Tom_Spangler GRM+ Memberand SuperDork
10/3/14 10:27 a.m.

Where do you even... what are you going to.... Damn!!!

dculberson
dculberson UberDork
10/3/14 10:30 a.m.

It is BEAUTIFUL. I love that truck. I don't care what's painted on the sides or what the interior is finished out as that is an amazing vehicle. I've never seen one like it. Congrats on an awesome purchase.

The video game angle is pretty cool but I would be sorely tempted to turn that into an RV. If only you could afford the fuel bill to actually take it somewhere.

Cotton
Cotton UltraDork
10/3/14 10:38 a.m.

I found this thing is a somewhat highend part of Nashville. My work neighbor, IE the guy across the hall, knows I like all kinds of crazy stuff, so it all started with him saying, "Hey my neighbor has the old ex military video game truck" and me saying "Tell me more!" while starting to foam at the mouth a little. Anyway it took awhile, but the deal was done, and I was super relieved when it finally made it home.

As far as fuel economy....I've read on a few military sites that it might get 5-8 mpg, which is more than I'd expect, but who knows. I just want to roll up to a campground, any campground, in this monster!

Appleseed
Appleseed MegaDork
10/3/14 11:05 a.m.

berkeleying Hell!

4cylndrfury
4cylndrfury MegaDork
10/3/14 11:14 a.m.

Swank Force One
Swank Force One MegaDork
10/3/14 11:15 a.m.
Appleseed wrote: berkeleying Hell!

Klayfish
Klayfish UltraDork
10/3/14 11:22 a.m.
Cotton wrote: As far as fuel economy....I've read on a few military sites that it might get 5-8 gpm,

Think you had a typo in your post, so I took the liberty of FTFY. But whatever...holy E36 M3, that is stunningly bad-ass!!

kazoospec
kazoospec Dork
10/3/14 11:24 a.m.

I especially appreciate that it weighs as much as my house, has no brakes, and you drove it anyways. Are you Chuck Norris?

Fueled by Caffeine
Fueled by Caffeine MegaDork
10/3/14 11:30 a.m.

remove game stuff.

Make camper.

Travel world.

EastCoastMojo
EastCoastMojo GRM+ Memberand Mod Squad
10/3/14 11:31 a.m.

I love it, all the way down to the grounding chains hanging off the front bumper. Moar pixxors pweeze!

Cotton
Cotton UltraDork
10/3/14 11:31 a.m.
Klayfish wrote:
Cotton wrote: As far as fuel economy....I've read on a few military sites that it might get 5-8 gpm,
Think you had a typo in your post, so I took the liberty of FTFY. But whatever...holy E36 M3, that is stunningly bad-ass!!

Lol yeah I know. I don't believe it either.... I mean how could it? But a guy can dream right?

mndsm
mndsm MegaDork
10/3/14 11:39 a.m.

Well that takes the cake. I think I've seem the end of the internet.

SilverFleet
SilverFleet UltraDork
10/3/14 12:11 p.m.

Seriously, that is 100% pure WIN right there!

captdownshift
captdownshift GRM+ Memberand Dork
10/3/14 12:20 p.m.

going to turn it into a hauler for PCA events?

Duke
Duke UltimaDork
10/3/14 12:23 p.m.

Can we ALL be your new best friend?

nervousdog
nervousdog HalfDork
10/3/14 12:36 p.m.

Wow. I mean... wow. That thing is impressive. Congrats!

P.S. - I find it hilarious that you use your cats' first and last name when referring to him.

chrispy
chrispy HalfDork
10/3/14 12:38 p.m.

1988RedT2
1988RedT2 PowerDork
10/3/14 12:41 p.m.

Nice!

If that thing gets 8 mpg, I'll be very jealous. Heck, my '85 C-30 Dooley gets 10 on a good day.

z31maniac
z31maniac UltimaDork
10/3/14 1:01 p.m.

I'd probably drop it down to one MASSIVE screen for gaming and make it a bit more useable as an RV/Adventure type, but DAMN is that awesome!

Cotton
Cotton UltraDork
10/3/14 1:05 p.m.

In reply to z31maniac:

I can take the TVs, consoles, and that center rail out in about 30 minutes, so it's not too bad to break down.

Cotton
Cotton UltraDork
10/3/14 1:07 p.m.
nervousdog wrote: Wow. I mean... wow. That thing is impressive. Congrats! P.S. - I find it hilarious that you use your cats' first and last name when referring to him.

Yeah technically that's his first and middle name, but we generally call him by both.

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