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rvt0072.jpg

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Belying its rugged exterior, Draco is a testament to compassion, love, and commitment. This one-of-a-kind fulltime 4-wheel-drive motorhome is the creation of Shahn Torontow of Victoria, Canada, who constructed it so his wife, Ross, an accomplished outdoor photographer who was disabled by Lyme disease, could still go on backcountry photographic expeditions. The bones of Draco are an Oshkosh M-1000 Aircraft Rescue Fire Truck. Torontow stripped most of it down to the frame, leaving only part of the original cab. Among the exterior structural elements is a wheelchair lift; hydraulic lifts to aid in stabilization and tire changing; 45-inch-high, 14-inch-wide tires; “Scorpion” coating over the exterior sheathing; and a winch with a 300-foot cable to get Draco out of almost any predicament. The unit is propelled by a 335-horsepower Caterpillar 3406A diesel pusher engine that generates 100 foot pounds of torque. Mounted next to the engine is a 8-kilowatt diesel generator and an air compressor. Torontow completed the work on the vehicle in July 2002. Photographed in Chico, California.