Meet Clyde, an Ex-Microsoft Mobile Lab Semi-Truck That Now Lives as a Penthouse on Wheels

Retirees Scott and Susan Burbank always wanted to spend their retirement touring the country. Like any other adventurous couple, they needed a recreational vehicle. But there was a problem. Scott is 6’8” (2 meters) tall, which meant getting a unit with high ceilings and enough space for an extra-large bed, nothing regular RVs offered.

Fortunately, Microsoft was retiring an old semi-truck that once housed a mobile computer laboratory. The couple had some experience converting an old sailboat into an ultra-efficient camping cruiser. Modifying the semi-truck was going to be a walk in the park. They called it Clyde.

“We wanted open architecture. We built a house before this and, no walls kind of the idea of an open loft and you can’t find that off the shelf, so we needed to so that, “ Scott confessed.

Everything in the semi truck was stripped out, with nothing underneath for bathrooms or fresh water. It was full of wires and hanging cables.
Fortunately, that’s what the couple were looking for - a big hulk of a vehicle that luckily came with an aluminum frame and skin. Under the hood, the semi comes with a turbocharged diesel Mercedes engine.

Scott wanted a full shower in the RV, but that wouldn’t make sense considering they needed space for a full bed. They took advantage of the fact that their RV didn’t have interior walls and invented the ‘Murphy Shower.'

It’s nine inches deep and opens up into the living space. The shower pan pops down, creating a 5-foot shower space with curtains all around.

Since their bed is 8 feet long, it takes up considerable space. Therefore, they built a Murphy bed that folds and pops out of a wall to make space for a conference room where they have skype meetings.
Their dining room also works as a living room, multi-use space, and storage for their motorcycle.

They took advantage of the fact that their motorhome was once a lab with many cables hanging everywhere and used the same lines for a control tower for all their electronics and power systems onboard.

They modified a section initially used to haul racecars into a back porch. It also doubles up as an anti-aging guarantee elevator for the couple when they get too old to walk up the steps.

The couple thought it would take around 4 to 6 months to complete their RV project. In the end, it took 14 months working six days a week, 10 hours a day.

“When we got this, it was just this big white ugly beast. It just had nothing on the interior. This was a computer lab. Originally it was built as a computer lab for Microsoft, and they took it around the country,” Scott said.

Apart from its prominent gigantic characteristics, the semi-truck also comes with cool graphics on the exterior which Susan created herself.
Scott says they got the inspiration from WW1 American ships. These ships have dazzle stripes on the exterior that act as camouflage with an optical illusion. The lines threw off enemy ships since they couldn't tell which direction it was moving.

The recreational vehicle is powered entirely by solar power. Instead of propane, they use an induction cooktop. According to the couple, they can live off-grid for weeks at a time, with the only limiting factor being water. Their onboard tanks can hold enough water for 3-weeks.

We recommend watching the video below for the full motor home tour. The couple also gives a detailed explanation of their build process.