|
Description :
|
It seems fitting that this monster motorhome is from Australia, the same country that gave us Mad Max and The Road Warrior. The owners alternately dubbed the vehicle the WORT (Weird Off Road Truck), or the Wothahellizat. The motorhome goes one step beyond the already extreme 4 x 4s: it is a 6-wheel drive (6 x 6) and can go places that even 4 x 4s fear to tread. Its lineage can be traced to the Australian Constructed Cab Over vehicle (ACCO), an army vehicle that became a fire-brigade vehicle before landing in the possession of Australian photographer Rob Gray.
Rob toiled for over three years, from late 1997 to early 2001, to turn the industrial vehicle into a comfortable go-anywhere motorhome. He stripped the truck down to the frame, had a truck shop add a few feet to the frame, and then got to work constructing the aluminum-clad steel-frame body. The final result is a sight to behold. Although statistics can hardly begin to tell the tale, they are still worth a look: six 1200 x 20 tires, 130-gallon diesel fuel tank, 1,125 miles on a fill-up, 200 gallons of water, and a 20,000-pound winch to extricate the Wothahellizat out of just about any situation. The fully self-contained interior is fitted with a refrigerator, gas cook top, microwave, and “expand-a-loo” toilet that opens out for use and then retracts to allow passage through the hallway. Roof-mounted solar cells assist battery charging and a 3,300-watt inverter provides alternating-current when needed. Without a doubt, the most interesting feature is the foldout observation deck that affords splendid views and a great platform for taking wildlife photographs.
Gray and his wife, Chris, quit their jobs in 2000 and now spend most of their time traveling and photographing throughout Australia. Exterior photographed at Blowholes, Western Australia; interior photographed at Perlubie Beach, South Australia. Photos © Rob Gray.
|
