AM General to offer civilian HMMWV "kit car"

[jwaller]

Guarantee they still make the 998's

They in fact do. It was not long ago that AMG built about 500 for the mexican army. AMG still builds and sells to many other foreign countries around the world.

 

[Tanner]

Cool thing about buying one in a kit: You can build in all the weak-links and failures yourself.

'Tanner'

 

[quickfarms]

Wild

 

[Haasino]

Guarantee they still make the 998's

Not in the literal sense... the base vehicle is now the M1097A2, and the old 998 is now the M1123. Same outside appearance... upgraded frame, engine, and transmission.

The AM General website has a full listing of the models they currently offer... they're divided into A2, ECV, and REV classes.

 

[saddamsnightmare]

August 9th, 2012.

Just think of all the S404.114 Unimog parts that $75,000 would buy, and excepting for speed, the Unimog's still a better vehicle. Heck for that kind of scratch, I could get an ultra high speed axled U1300L that would bliow the doors off the HMMWV all around.....

 

[MWMULES]

They are calling it a C series new web site is up to take your order,NOTE: The HUMVEE C-Series DOES NOT Include a Powertrain (Engine, Transmission, Transfercase and Drive Shafts)
http://genuinehumveekit.com/index.html

 

[dilvoy]

August 9th, 2012.

Just think of all the S404.114 Unimog parts that $75,000 would buy, and excepting for speed, the Unimog's still a better vehicle. Heck for that kind of scratch, I could get an ultra high speed axled U1300L that would bliow the doors off the HMMWV all around.....

Well then I guess it's finally time for you to crap or get off the pot.

 

[nattieleather]

Wow 60K for a kit and once I put it together I still can't drive it because it has no engine, trans or transfercase. Wow such a deal for me! Why does that make me feel like 'just set it and forget it..it's that easy' They need Ron Popeil to help sell it.

 

[Hoefler]

In 2002 I bought a new H1. Had it for four years. Was generally sound with exception of constantly leaking wheel gear boxes. Engine was weak but never broke. A new H! with a DuraMax and Allison would be the cats pajamas.

 

[maddawg308]

Interesting, you can't buy them surplus from Uncle Sam, but you can buy a kit car, without engine, for $59K new from AMG. Well, I guess you CAN buy them now, but the old ones gotta get crushed to prevent you from getting a deal.

 

[trukhead]

Very Cool that this is being offered. I wonder how one can make it emissions friendly? I think a six or seven speed auto tranny with a micro gear reduced multifuel turbine engine (like the early 60's car project) would be the cat's pajamas. Or how about state of the art Li-Po batteries with brushless water proof stators & fields in each wheel with something like a prius style engine only with about more 250 horses.
I'd even drive one with a CUCV 6.2 and a turbo 400! 6.2 is kind of gutless though. now a 6bt......hmmm

 

[ClarkeF]

If you haven't checked out the HUMVEE-C Series site linked above for specifics, please do.

Basically this is the current REV platform - three piece frame, current body and mechanicals - including cooling stack, with the civvie soft-top rollbar setup - less the engine/transmission/t-case. They can't sell a Hummer - GM owns the name. They can't afford the emissions certification to make it a driver - thus the kit car approach. Options include the gear fan drive cooling stack, e-lockers, and other expensive bits like heated windshield glass.

If it keeps them in business and supplying frame/body/parts for the rest of us HMMWV and Hummer owners - I'm all for it.

 

[nattieleather]

The kit car approach makes sense since GM has the Hummer name and since there are other things they probably have to do if they made it driveable that would give them the OK from the gubment. It's just hard for me to swallow a 59K price tag and I can't drive it off the lot. Now if they offered the kit at say 15-20k then I would be very tempted to play with it.

 

[ClarkeF]

Now if they offered the kit at say 15-20k then I would be very tempted to play with it.

I hear you - but that's the price for a trashed HMMWV that is 25 years old in today's market... Hummers were selling new at $140k in 2006 and prices even on early 90's Hummers are in the high 20's and climbing. My 2000 Hummer is 13 years old and probably would sell very quickly at 40k.

i admit to being tempted at 60k - if I didn't already have three projects trucks and live Ina state that makes the hoops you jump through for a kit-car prohibitive, I probably would have signed up for all the latest HMMWV goodies: GFD cooling pack, e-lockers (civvie only), 12k REV frame, Wilwood brakes... Good stuff.

 

[blhar15]

I doubt this will go anywhere, as you have to comply with current EPA regulations, even for a kit vehicle, unless you start with a previous vehicle, which you would not be. Here are the EPA guidelines, http://www.epa.gov/otaq/imports/kitcar.htm

Basically you would have to have a previous vehicle to start the build, and use rebuilt or used components. I don't know of any used Hummers or HMMWV's that would qualify for this, so my guess is this program will go no where for AM General.

 

[M1224]

If AM General applied the service part numbers from the H1 on these components, then the entire assembly would be considered covered by the original EPA Cert for the production H1.

That is in an ideal world of course..... LOL

 

[TedG]

I was just at the plant: all lots were empty except for their 4 yard trucks lined up. Hmmm, no electric car deal, no HMMWVs, no H1s, no employees...

 

[Douflo]

Does anybody know what the market value is for a HMMWV like this?

 

[TedG]

Could be $30-$xxxK depending on engine, armor and legitamacy!

 

[Douflo]

I am fishing for a friend who wants to sell it. Looks like I will need to find out more. I know he paid a ton and has put a ton into it. This one has to be on the top end of the scale.