Tip:
Highlight text to annotate it
X
I'm Bret Michaels.
I grew up camping in RVs.
I've logged literally millions of miles on my tour bus.
I've been on the road my whole life, and I know RVs.
♪ Got a few miles, a whole lot of rust ♪
♪ Got her dinged up good, got her stuck in the mud ♪
So if you want a rig that's rock-star-worthy,
I'm the man to help you get it.
Today on "Rock My RV"...
our mission, if we choose to accept it,
is to turn this unsuspecting, humdrum RV
into a high-tech mobile command center.
Outside, we'll spray this rig
with a high-tech protective coating
that will help it stand up to the elements,
and we'll create an ultra-cool safari-style lounge.
Inside, we'll install a state-of-the-art computer,
security and surveillance system that'll drop down
from custom-built cabinets at the touch of a button.
♪ Gonna make this whole thing look like a million bucks ♪
Forget those sad, outdated motor homes of the past.
We're kicking up life on the road to a whole new level.
♪ Rockin' my RV ♪
We're talking the most outrageous designs
and the ultimate custom transformations.
♪ I'll fix that thing, you'll see ♪
I've rocked the world, and now I'm about to rock your RV.
♪ I'm gonna fix your old RV ♪
-- Captions by VITAC --
Closed Captions provided by Scripps Networks, LLC.
This 1973 MobiLux Cruiser is owned by Bill Weber,
a former Navy S.E.A.L. pilot and extreme-sports junkie.
As an independent civilian contractor,
he leads top-secret training missions
that teaches soldiers how to track in the field.
Their target on these missions --
finding Bill and his mobile command center
in the middle of nowhere.
I use it at work 'cause it allows me to take jobs
that nobody else can because there's no hotels.
You're just out in the middle of the trees somewhere
with the guys that you're training with.
It's been in places down there that people just look at it
like, "How did that get in here?"
Come on, Bill!
How are you doing?
Excellent.
BRET: So, Bill steps out,
and immediately, this is a man's man.
It is an honor to meet you,
and before I say anything else, I want to say this.
Thank you very much from me,
my family, my kids, from all of us.
Thank you for everything you do for our country.
Yes.
...I saw you in Iraq,
and I can't begin to tell you
how much that means to everybody when they're over there.
♪ I've seen a few things ♪
♪ Played for the troops in Iraq ♪
♪ I've made a few friends that didn't make it back ♪
Well, it's the least I can do.
I loved every minute of it.
This guy's work hard, play harder.
His '73 MobiLux is about to get real, real rugged.
Back in the early '70s, this MobiLux was top of the line.
It was made by the Flexible Company,
and a new one would've set you back about 12 grand.
They're rare, too.
There were only about 300 of these made.
Like to know what you would like me to do
on the outside of this,
how you would like to take this thing.
Most of the time, it winds up in the desert.
Understood.
So kind of a beige-y,
not super-shiny kind of thing.
It needs to kind of blend in.
I think that you would like an area outside
that kind of has that Sahara Desert kind of feel,
where you might have, like, something come out
like an awning or something.
I do training courses,
and I've got maybe 10 people around.
It would be nice to have a place
to get them all in out of the real wind and dust.
How do you feel about, obviously, this carpet
BILL: Oh, yeah.
It could be a little bit of a hazard.
You may need the guys with the orange suits.
Looking around in here, I'm thinking that maybe
we might want to update with a little modern technology.
Absolutely.
Bill and I hit it off, and I said, "Bill, do you trust me?"
Bill knows who to trust and not to trust,
and I think Bill trusted me.
I have no idea what they're gonna do to this thing,
but knowing the people involved, it's gonna be pretty incredible.
BRET: Bill wants an RV
that can serve as a mobile command center by day
and a place to unwind and enjoy a good cigar by night.
The boys and I, we got this.
Rendering's done right here, and I am excited.
Look at that.
This is desert-tough.
This is a mobile command center.
BRET: Inside, we'll give Bill heavy-duty laminate floors,
new countertops, a wine cooler, a humidor with hidden door safe,
and brand-new, top-of-the-line appliances.
These computer screens --
This has got all of his ops going on right here.
This here rig will be packed
with high-tech gizmos and gadgets,
like Wi-Fi for up to 15 users, video surveillance,
a C.B. radio, high-def satellite receiver,
and a thumb-print-detection security system.
I'm wondering if we can't do something with this desk
that it's a conversion unit,
that goes from a couch to a desk.
I want to think on that.
This RV's exterior is gonna look tough
but will also create a comfortable outdoor lounge area
with a custom tent, TV, and portable furniture.
He's real adamant that we keep these on here.
He'd like to keep these side panels.
This thing's pretty cool.
We're doing, like, an outdoor kind of a tent like this.
Again, keeping within the theme of it being kind of canvas,
and it's a real work hard, play hard vehicle.
Obviously, with me, I'd like to custom-paint this out here,
you know, but what about LINE-X?
What about doing something like that?
Yeah, it's perfect.
Think LINE-X might be better?
Yeah, it'll increase the resistance.
It won't scratch as much
when he's driving through all the brambles and bushes,
and it's super-sturdy, durable.
All right, what do you say we go rip this thing apart?
We got some stuff to rip out.
Pure nastiness.
Oh, here comes water.
BRET: As soon as we ripped into this rig,
we realized everything -- and I mean everything --
had to go.
Want some more of this?! Don't block out my light!
BRET: But that was just the beginning of the problems
we were about to uncover in this 40-year-old beast.
Look at that mess. Ohh.
Let me pull this dash off here,
see what we're gonna find underneath.
Oh, my God.
Hey, Jake, look at this.
Wow! [ Laughs ]
Oh, my gosh.
BRET: The MobiLux is gonna be
the perfect combination of high tech and rugged cool.
But before any of that can happen,
the guys continue deconstruction,
and that's when we ran into a little problem.
JAKE: [ Laughing ] Oh!
What? Wow! [ Laughs ]
Oh, my gosh.
When I saw that dash, it was basically rust-crumbled cookies.
That's what it looked like.
BODIE: I really don't know
how Bill was driving around in this thing
without his steering wheel falling off in his lap.
I mean, there was that much rust.
I mean, there was nothing holding this thing together.
It's not even solid.
All the rust that we're finding on this MobiLux
is gonna be a huge issue.
It's gonna set us back 'cause we got to repair it and seal it.
We found a bunch of rot.
We found leaks, which means there might be more,
so we got to gut this thing entirely.
BRET: Even though this rust is an absolute nightmare,
it's good we found it.
The guys had to grind down all the rust
on every single surface,
then spray it with a specialized primer
made to neutralize oxidation.
That means no more rust.
From there, they brought in a new beefed-up subfloor in place
and on top, laid down durable laminate flooring,
which will stand up to all kinds of wear and tear.
With this rig rust-free,
Bodie can finally get going on a brand-new dash.
You know, we did a lot of work on the dash.
This thing was really bad when it came in, so what we did was,
we pretty much rebuilt the dash out of steel,
had to weld some new plate in, cut out all the rust,
and then we made some really cool stainless dash plates
and a new one that goes over the whole top of the dash.
BRET: While Bodie focuses on the bones of this old MobiLux,
Jake gets to work on Bill's desk/couch combo.
So, I went rummaging around the shop here,
and I found some old vintage parts that are actually
from an old train seat, I believe.
They're used to convert a bench into a bed.
What I want to do is use these and modify them,
and then this folds up, stops, and there's a desk.
Sweet!
BRET: Now, Bodie has spent a long time
transforming that rusted, old dash into something new.
Now he's focusing on bumpers which have to be tough enough
to handle any kind of rugged terrain.
Unfortunately, this motor home's
really weird-shaped and everything,
so we're gonna have to make some custom bumpers for it.
All right, so, we got the bumper all fabbed up and mocked up.
Fits good.
Gonna pull it off, and I'm gonna take it to the powder coaters.
BRET: We're making sure this rig is brawny,
but we also want to make sure it has brains,
and that's where the mobile command center comes in.
Inside of here, I want this thing
to have technology deluxe for the MobiLux.
The technology going into this thing is mind-blowing.
I don't even quite understand it.
For all the high-tech stuff that's going in here,
I think it's best if we call in some experts.
BRET: This high-tech setup includes a TV,
a computer monitor, tactical equipment,
H.D. satellite, and more.
And when it's not in use, it's all hidden away.
This is pretty much the last major piece that needs to go on
so that these guys can put in their drop-down monitor panels.
Basically, what we've added here
is a couple of high-def monitors.
We've got these on a silent actuator,
hidden up behind a cabinet, and you can hit a hidden button.
These will drop down.
It's so quiet.
We took off a little bit of his window,
but he can still look out there.
Fantastic.
BRET: Some RVs like the MobiLux are high-tech marvels in motion.
The sky's the limit when it comes to gadgetry,
from pop-up desktop computers and security cameras
to touch pads that control the entire vehicle.
Technology makes RV living safer and easier than ever.
When we're done with this rig, Bill's MobiLux will become
the mobile command center it was destined to be.
Today, Bodie and I rolled down to Anaheim.
It was an awesome trip.
Got a chance to hook up with Jeff,
and he's gonna do an amazing job
of putting a texture coating on this.
And maybe even Bodie and I can make fools of ourselves,
do a little texture coating ourself.
Hey!
One thing, no doubt, this MobiLux needs is a face-lift,
and we're down here in Anaheim to do just that.
The outside of your RV can be an expression of who you are,
from one-of-a-kind paint jobs and vinyl wraps
to brushed metal and even wood.
Exteriors are getting real creative.
We chose a protective coating because it will look good
and help the MobiLux stand up to the elements.
This right here, that's our choice right here.
Let's go with this.
JEFF: Excellent.
You know what we want to do?
I'm a fool. He's a fool.
That makes one big idiot.
Do you got suits? You think you can suit us up?
All right.
This texture coating,
which contains an advanced form of polyurethane,
is sprayed through a heated hose
and hardens in less than five seconds.
The hardness of the coating
makes it really resistant to corrosion and abrasion.
Putting that texture coating on was awesome, and it was freeing.
I felt good doing it, but I'll tell you what.
I sprayed a lot of it, so it's on there.
Bill, I hope you like it.
When Jeff and the crew
finished the texture coating on Bill's MobiLux,
it was seriously amazing.
Not only does it look like a million bucks,
but it's ready for any kind of weather you can throw at it.
Now, Bill loves his cigars, so it's important to me
that he has a place to keep them when he's out on missions.
JAKE: Because we're going for kind of a high-end look,
the humidor definitely screams high end,
so I want to make this cabinet a little bit special,
and I want it to stand out from the rest of the cabinetry.
MobiLux is a really small vehicle,
so we want to maximize space.
By putting this right up against the fridge
and kind of making it as a corner access,
what you do is you -- This is kind of a passageway.
So instead of squaring it off and blocking that passageway,
what we really do is kind of create a flow
that goes throughout the RV.
Got our bumper back from powder coating.
Let's check it out.
Perfect.
Throw a couple bolts in there, be good to go.
JAKE: The original design
for the "fold-down desk to bench" conversion
didn't quite go as planned initially
because of the hardware that we had.
Although this is really low for what it is,
Bodie and I have come up with some great solutions.
We're mocking it up as we speak.
Really pumped about how it's gonna turn out.
The converting desk/bench is finished.
I'm really pumped and proud of what we did.
BRET: Once Jake's cabinets get installed,
it is a true race to the finish line.
The kitchen, complete with butcher-blocked counters,
is tough but elegant.
A second humidor, this one with wine storage, as well,
and that custom tent for outdoor living
all top off this rugged-meets-high-tech rig.
BODIE: I think Bill's gonna love this. I really do.
I mean, there's a lot of trick stuff in this.
The technology that went into this thing --
He is gonna trip out.
It is such an awesome feeling that Jake and Bodie
did an incredible job on this thing
with very little room to move, a lot of rust.
Means a lot to me.
I cannot wait to show Bill
his "international man of mystery" S.E.A.L. mobile
combined with a country gentleman's cigar lounge.
Breaker, breaker 1-9. It's bad boy Billy coming in.
Bill's on his way. It's reveal time.
It is time to bring the heat.
I've been shot at, and I --
I'm not quite sure where to place this right now.
Pretty sure I'm gonna be blown away.
I'm ready.
Awesome. Let's rock.
That is unbelievable.
We are about to bring my friend Bill in
and show him his new mobile command center.
Actually, it was pretty good until last week,
then it really started soaking in,
and I really haven't slept for the last two days.
I am so ready to see my RV.
I want to thank you, as I've told you before,
for all the service you bring for our country, our freedom.
I'm ready.
Bret-ettes, you ready?
Ready!
Awesome. Let's rock.
[ Cheers and applause ]
Oh, my God!
That is unbelievable.
Bill's face when he saw that RV was -- "That rocks."
As you're looking at this, right, just remember
what this looked like when you brought it here, right?
We wanted it to be on the outside,
something that totally disappeared into your landscape.
Look at this thing.
Remember how it looked, but take a look.
You know, we knew that you were a country gentleman
with a cigar lounge.
Bret, that's not even the same motor home.
What are you thinking?
I've got a whole string of expletives
running through my mind.
Looks [bleep] awesome. [ Laughs ]
Thank you.
Let's walk up and take a look at this thing.
Come on.
All this stuff that's in here, right,
this is the ultimate lounge.
Have a seat for one second.
Get a good feel of these genuine leather folding chairs.
Ooh, very nice.
There it is -- a little cigar.
You got some TV, a little game on.
The cigar lounge outside is absolutely magnificent.
It'll be so nice to be out in the middle of nowhere,
watch a little TV, have a cigar, drink a little wine,
you know, work.
You know, with the TV,
this is not only great but this goes --
detaches and goes right back inside, as well,
and we have it wired with weatherproof.
So both things fold down inside and outside.
Look at this protective coating.
Me and Bodie, we sprayed that on ourselves.
BILL: One of the biggest surprises
was the protective coating on the outside of that.
200 years from now, somebody's gonna dig it out of the sand,
dust it off, and go, "Eh, this looks like it'll work
for another 300 years."
Okay.
I'm ready.
Here we go.
Look at the door only, right here.
[ Laughing ] Oh, cool!
The S.E.A.L. trident.
Let's rock. Look at this genuine leather.
That'll make a lot of frogmen happy.
[ Laughing ] Oh, dude.
[ Laughs ]
I want you to just take a good look
at the ultimate party command center.
Whoo-hoo!
You remember what this was inside, right?
[ Laughing ] Yeah.
When I saw the mobile command center --
and I've been working on this thing --
and I saw Bill's face seeing what we'd been working on,
that makes you feel awesome inside.
Look at this. We got the 12-gauge right here.
[ Laughs ] That's cool!
Shell on there.
You got all this down here -- nice-quality wine.
Gosh.
Unbelievable.
Let me step around you back here for one second.
I just want to show you a couple things.
You got your bathroom back here, right?
The bathroom looks awesome. We kept your sleeping area.
Now, you remember what this was, right?
Oh, yeah.
[ Laughing ] We got --
I think we've modernized it a little bit.
But I want to show you something that's awesome.
This is a fingerprint-activated safe right here.
Anything you want to keep in here --
all yours, private and safe.
Just push in a little bit like this, open this.
This goes on like this.
Boom, and there it is.
[ Beep ]
All right!
That is insane.
So, we'll have that done with your fingerprint on there,
and only you'll be able to get into it.
Now, Bill, you remember
what this kitchen looked like before, right?
Needed a little love, all right?
We gave it some love, and this thing is --
You got the butcher-blocked top right here.
This is awesome. You got your grill.
Oh, man.
Of course, you got some custom lighting.
This refrigerator's unbelievable.
Now, you remember what this was before, right?
Take a look at this thing -- brand-spanking-new.
You remember this area here-ish, right?
I truly understood and loved it,
but I figured we could update it just a little bit, right?
This is where the command center can happen
because let me just take this magical finger here.
[ Laughing ] No way.
This is all you.
[ Laughs ]
That is so cool.
What do you say we go up into the cockpit
and take a look at this thing?
Right here, the cockpit command center.
Oh, man!
You remember what this sucker looked like
before we got in here, right?
Look at this steering wheel.
Just put your hands on that.
Oh, dude.
If you'll just take a feel of that genuine leather.
[ Laughing ] Man!
Bodie did that for the whole dash.
Unbelievable facial grill
of nothing but knobby coolness, all right?
Speedometers, tradometers.
Oh, I can hardly wait to start touching buttons.
[ Laughing ] Just start pushing stuff!
Whoo-hoo!
Well, now, you know on here,
we have a Wi-Fi system that handles up to 15 people.
You got Blu-ray.
You got a video surveillance system.
Everything that's outside gets piped right back into here,
so you can see anything going on out there.
From where it was to where it is now,
just sitting up here, what do you think?
Oh, I-I'm speechless.
It's so far beyond my expectations,
especially on the inside.
We have a satellite now.
No matter where we go, I can watch Nascar.
[ Laughs ]
Oh, and I can also communicate.
It's like looking at a brand-new motor home.
I have no words for it. It's just incredible.
First of all, let me introduce you to two guys
that helped me rock this RV.
Oh, what's happening, man?
This is Bodie.
This is the Jakester.
JAKE: What do you think?
Unbelievable.
Well, Bill, let us show you something.
Not only is this a desk.
BRET: Look at this.
Look at what else you've won.
JAKE: Look at what else you've won.
Go ahead and make a bench here...
BILL: [ Laughs ]
...that also functions as a desk.
Bill, what do you say we go outside, have a cigar?
After you.
Yeah, let's do that!
There was a point in time when my children
were a little bit embarrassed to ride in it.
They're gonna be fighting over it now.
Bill, there's only one thing
that can make this evening better --
the keys to your RV, sir.
Your chariot awaits.
[ Laughs ]
All right.
My RV got rocked.
[ Laughing ] His RV got rocked.
Bret, Bodie, Jake, unbelievable.
Thanks, guys.
Now, that there is an RV.