This Former FBI Mobile Command Center Would Be a Terrifying but Awesome RV
People are making campers and RVs out of anything they can get their hands on these days. Remember the Fabulous Flamingo? Granted, this one isn’t a converted airplane, but I dare say you’d likely be the only person at the campgrounds spending the weekend in a retired FBI mobile command center RV.
Can you buy a retired FBI mobile command center?
Yes, you can. Unfortunately, this one has already sold for the seemingly-reasonable price of $58,100. However, now that we know we can, it’s time to start dreaming.
GSA Auctions recently sold this retired FBI mobile, and by the looks of it, someone bought one hell of a machine.
What are the specs of an FBI mobile command center?
This gargantuan is a 2005 Freightliner Argosy Mobile Command Unit. This beastly craft measures 13 ft, 6 inches High, 42 Ft Long, and weighs 54,000 lbs. As you may have noticed, the command center is a 6×4 powered by a six-cylinder Detroit Diesel 60 with an Eaton-Fuller semi-manual transmission.
This beast once served as the mobile command center for the FBI’s Seattle office. Its spartan slate-gray exterior is more Cold-War-era tank than RV. Although the interior has enough room to make this thing homey, there isn’t quite as much room inside as it seems from the outside. According to Motor1, the rear doors conceal a massive power generator. If you have to sacrifice room in an RV, having a government-grade power generator might not be the worst use of space.
The coolest part of this Big Brother mobile is the inside. The listing says the current layout has it looking like an office. The auction listing mentions that the sale includes three desks and three stacks of chairs. Empty server racks and exposed wiring are still against a wall. There are slideouts on each side for expanding the space after finding a place to park this big rig.
While this project may seem a bit overwhelming, hell, the finished product would be overwhelming; you can see how cool this thing can be. We can only assume that whoever bought this beastly machine will likely turn it into some sort of camper.
What is the best vehicle to convert into a camper?
The RV craze was kicked off by COVID lockdowns but has not only sustained but has continued to thrive. This increase in camper demand has driven more people to build their own.
The most common camper conversion vehicles are transit vans. These vehicles offer plenty of space, tall roofs, and sometimes four-wheel drive. Probably the second most popular camper conversion vehicles are pickup trucks.
But some special souls decided to convert more extreme vehicles like ambulances, fire trucks, and, I guess, FBI mobile command centers.
Unlike so many other automotive builders, custom camper builders are forced to think pretty far outside the box, especially on a build like this one. Unlike car designers who only have to worry about the seating positions, these RV makers have to design living spaces. Because of this, the camper market is home to many different types of creatives. It is a truly booming market ruled by creatives.
Let’s just hope there are more retired FBI command centers that can be better used in the woods than spying on bad guys.