Idaho Off-Roading Attempt in a Mazda 6 Sedan Goes Bust; HeavyDSparks Called to the Rescue

The person had so much fun behind the wheel that he lost it. By “it,” I mean the control of the situation. At one point, the car got stuck. So the adventurer had to abandon the adrenaline – together with the car – in the hills. Not before taking out its wheels.

Still, the district forest rangers did not like the new “I’ll drive ‘till ma’ wheels fall off” landscaping idea and called the extreme vehicle rescuers and vloggers from HeavyDSparks. Typically, the YouTubers/car wreck salvagers would bring a tow truck and a massive crane, drag the immobilized car out, and drive away.

But on a forest road that’s 60 inches wide (about 1.5 meters) and covered in boulders and dead wood, no truck would fit the job description (or on the path). Luckily, the YouTubers have a secret weapon, being the professional-grade gearheads they are.

A military vehicle. No ordinary one, but the do-or-die Sisu Nasu of the Finnish armed forces. The tracked army workhorse was the perfect (and only one capable) tool for the job. With its massive Cummins engine, vast tracks, and double 18,000 winches (8,165 kg), the articulated all-terrain personnel carrier quickly pulled the Mazda out of the woods.

The vehicle that stars in this video is the first model of the series developed by the Finnish truck company Sisu. Coded NA-140BT, it entered production in 1986 and originally had a Rover 3.9-liter V8 gasoline engine. However, the Vlogging rescuers swapped the aging engine with a mighty Cummins 6.7.

This new powerplant moves the 10,700 lb. (4.9 tons) Sisu with ease, with the help of its four-track drive system. The agile articulated troop carrier is deceptively long, at over 24 feet (7.5 meters). Its maximum width of 6.3 feet (1.9 meters) means enough room for 17 occupants (five in the front and twelve in the rear unit). Seven and a half feet (2.3 meters) of cabin space makes the vehicle voluminous enough to float on water.

Not only can it float, but it can also move at a speed of 3 knots (3.5 mph or six kph) in amphibious mode. While on steady ground, the Sisu reaches a top speed ten times greater than on the water. It has a payload of 4,300 lb. (1,950 kg) and a towing capacity of 5,500 lb. (2.5 tons); it’s obvious why HeavyDSparks chose the tracked articulated vehicle for his spectacular recoveries. Click play on the second video to see Sisu Nasu’s first (but equally thrilling) rescue operation with the Diesel Brothers.

Another advantage of this exciting overlander from Finland is that it has a steering wheel rather than levers and can be driven like a regular car. That means the Sisu does not require a special license (like a bulldozer or excavator, for instance. That’s not to say that a minor inconvenience like that would deter the YouTubers).

The very entertaining rescue operation (certainly from the spectator’s standpoint!) is consequently documented in the video below this story. Even more impressive is how the Sisu Nasu performed during the entire mission, despite being knocked down three times by the heatwave.

I am undecided about the most eyebrow-raising part of the video. On the one hand, how did the Mazda 6 manage to drive all those unforgiving 20 miles of forest roads? On the other, the feisty Sisu Nasu, which is one of the most deserving vehicles of the “all-terrain” badge. Now, the Atlas ATV might have a different opinion, but that’s a matter for off-roaders to decide.