The G.M. Hummer that should've worked...

[H3Coyote]

Okay, first, AWESOME BUILDS in this forum everyone..!
This is my H3, which made a lot of sense to me, at first...
A 5 cylinder engine that actually saw 18 in the city and 21 on the highway for mileage.
It was smaller and far more maneuverable than it's predecessors, at in an urban environment, as well as the trails I was going to have it on.
It was bigger inside than either my YJ trail rig, or TJ daily driver for my gear, a child, girlfriend, and the murder dog.
It fit in the garage.
It was $65,000.oo LESS than the H1 that was on the lot with it, and $20,000.oo less than the H2.
Not everybody had one.
I could eventually make it a "pass-through" cab vehicle like my 4Runner, K5, and Bronco were (I really loved that 4Runner).
So, I sold both Jeeps, and I was in. I absolutely am not a "brand" owner. I like vehicles that people build, with their creativity, skill, and ingenuity. That's what makes them so cool..!
So I really started to want to get out to some SERIOUS wheeling with it... MOAB, Rubicon, go on Ultimate Adventure with the group from 4 Wheel and off road, even pre-run the King Of The Hammers courses out in Johnson Valley where I spent some time camping back in my military days before it all went KOH crazy (and it's awesome to see..!)...
But then, I started seeing all these camping rigs, then pickup builds, and I couldn't stop thinking about the coolness of a completely self contained camping rig, like the weird 4x4 conversion van I grew up riding around in back in the days when we all hated disco music because, well, Stairway to Heaven, Hotel California, and Strangle Hold ruled (they're still awesome too).
So, I voided my warranty, accidently, by changing my oil at 3,000 miles, instead of 4,000. And the little 4L60e (700r4 with electronics) puked the clutch basket in first gear.
Then I was pissed, and I swore I wouldn't put that 5 cylinder back in, or that transmission.
I was going to do a truggy build that was capable of actually running Baja and KOH...
But that little voice, the one we NEVER paid attention to when we were young... It just kept pokin' at the white meat in my head saying "Hey, dumbass, you're old, get over it, enjoy life before you break your freakin neck... again..."
So, then I found this video on YouTube about an awesome 80 series Toyota that an engineer built...
And here I am...

 

[H3Coyote]

My daugther, at my birthday fire...
"Hey Dad, can I drive your Hummer in the creek..?"
"No, you're 12..!"
So then I hear my truck driving up out of the creek...
That's my Mom in the passenger seat, my daughter had been driving since she was 10, just my Bronco, and the YJ...

 

[H3Coyote]

We drove up to see Christopher Titus in Madison, that was the night I felt the trans slip, we were 2.5 miles from the house, and I babied it back... nearly SHITTING myself from stress... I argued for a month with the aftermarket warranty company that changing engine oil had nothing to do with the transmission operation, we even took samples of the Royal Purple Engine Oil to send them. But NOOO, they know better than me, I'm only an aircraft mechanic... So, I gutted the drivetrain.

 

[H3Coyote]

I found a Suburban on Craigslist during an "I hate warranty companies" rant with a 454 in it, and pulled that drivetrain out to go in the H3 because I like to party.

 

[H3Coyote]

Um... Yeah, so, after a night of measuring till my brain bled, and drawing all over the underbody with a silver sharpie, and some spray paint, I had to deal with my own stupidity and face facts...
It wasn't going to go in, and leave me any room for stuff like front driver and passenger seats, or a firewall. I'd have to build a "doghouse" like a van, or a motor home.
I didn't like the idea of completely cutting out the firewall, and changing the physics of a great platform because I was butt hurt...

 

[H3Coyote]

So, I started with little stuff, like removing the interior in the back, to prep it for bedliner.

 

[H3Coyote]

Then, I started to strip away more stuff that didn't match how I wanted to build or drive it...

 

[H3Coyote]

Somewhere during that time I had the local Hot Rod Shop guy make up some louvered panels for me...

 

[H3Coyote]

That was the day I decided to make it more like I wanted, so I took out the rear windows, and cut off the rear of the roof...

 

[H3Coyote]

 

[H3Coyote]

Then I helpped my brother in law move to Idaho, it was a long drive staring at the back of a yellow Ryder truck, when I got home it was too cold, and I was just burnt out, so that's where I stopped for this year.
I have a donor vehicle with an LS drivetrain to go in it now, and I just want to drive it again... I'll just keep buying different parts and tools until spring, I've picked up an old Iver Johnson revolver for a shift lever, I've got an old grenade I picked up at a gun show, along with an inert RPG rocket. I built our TV wall from old ammo crates and stone, so I'll use some of them for interior pieces along with an original Eames chair ottoman. I've got a ton of ideas now...

 

[Chaentjens]

Awesome to see people going out of the "box"!!
Keep up the great work! Pics pics pics[emoji6]

Have you thought about the Cummins 2.8 crate engine?!!

Sent from my SM-N950U using Tapatalk

 

[TerryD]

You certainly go "all in" when you do something, eh buddy? I'm looking forward to seeing how this thing works out. Cheek out some of the chopped Patrols from Aus-land if you liked how the pickups and such worked for full on overland rigs.

 

[H3Coyote]

Chaentjens... You're right about those new little Cummins engines, they'd be perfect for this..!
And the torque they make is outstanding..! Fred from "Dirt Every Day" has been doing a lot with that little power house. I'm really actually impressed with the way Cummins has stepped up their game... Excellent point, thank you..!
TerryD... I TOTALLY DIG the Nissan Patrol, it's one of my favorite rigs, I'd like to see some of those with a rear chop, and a "pop-up" in it's place... that would be a great look on a patrol..! Thanks, I'll look for those.

 

[Raul B]

I'm a big fan of the H3's... esp the alpha version.... its a great solid vehicle....

 

[Motohead1]

That thing needs a 98-99 OM606 swap. Just sayin.

 

[HappyOurOverlanding]

WOW!!! Definitely out of my league of build modifications. Can't wait to see how your final assembly looks.

 

[Tinker]

Awesome! Can't wait to see more of this, something about the look of the H3 has always made me want to go nuts modding one.

You had mentioned the Ultimate Adventure... you must've seen that solid axle swap'd & exo caged H3? Man I just about shorted out my keyboard from drool as I watched it crawling

 

[H3Coyote]

That thing needs a 98-99 OM606 swap. Just sayin.

That would be awesome..!

 

[H3Coyote]

Awesome! Can't wait to see more of this, something about the look of the H3 has always made me want to go nuts modding one.

You had mentioned the Ultimate Adventure... you must've seen that solid axle swap'd & exo caged H3? Man I just about shorted out my keyboard from drool as I watched it crawling

Oh yeah..! His name is Chris over on pirate4x4, he's a great guy..! I'll ask him about posting his build over here, his was originally a 5 cylinder also, but he did a more "factory" LS 5.3 swap... he's got a lot of pictures of his build and camping out in Johnson Valley...