Manufacture Clones?

[Luke]

Since these things go for so much after military use, why doesn't a small auto company produce an exact OEM replica? Patents expire after 20 years right? So minus any sort of AM General trademarks this should be doable? Wikipedia says the government pays 65 grand for these things unarmored. Surely lots of that is fat profit and R & D.

I was envisioning a small warehouse where maybe a dozen employees make exact copies of the frames, body etc, and order 6.5 liter diesel crate motors(one company sells rebuilds with 100k 7 year warranty for 6 grand retail). Could a group of people with machining, engineering, welding, and automotive experience do this?

Would anyone buy a high quality (interior, paint, drivetrain, etc) HMMWV clone if it was priced reasonably (what is reasonable?) and had good reviews? Personally I would purchase one because I think they look much cooler than the civilian Hummers and are uncommon (for now atleast).

In about one years time I will start a 9 month machinist class, and after that I plan to get a 4 year degree in mechanical engineering. Probably a long shot, but how realistic would it be to try to do something like this? It seems like a good niche no one is really filling? I just don't want to settle for an average job designing things for someone else to sell.

 

[Ferroequinologist]

Something tells me it would cost way more to tool up a shop to build clones than you could reap from the sales of said clones.

Also, the government and AMG are probably so in bed together that if you made a fender you'd go to jail. They have some agreement, otherwise there would be HMMWVs all over GL...

 

[Snarky]

Nobody makes an exact clone because the drive train is expensive and weird. However people make kits for other chassis to look similar hummers. Urban Gorilla 4x4 Bodies :: Home and then some manufacturers copied the design for other products. Toyota Mega Cruiser - Photo gallery

People have been making vehicles that look like the hummer based on the suburban since it came out TremorMUV - a plans based Hummer styled replica

 

[6x6guy]

A friends brother I know was involves with Hummer kits, Ford pickup frames and such - and the fabricator making the kits was hit with a cease and desist order for the front hood look a like- which changed the basic design look.

 

[bkwudzhom]

The goverment is exempt from laws reguarding many issues such as saftey issues--seat belts,airbags, crumple zones, as well as fuel milage restraints. I'm sure that their are many other things that are required in civillian vehicles that are left out of military type vehicles because the GOVERMENT is exempt. These things all cost $$$$$.Just my 2 cnts.Jody

 

[capps]

The Urban Gorilla is dimensionally accurate. You can mount a genuine hood, lights, doors, and etc. I saw one that was completed with a genuine windshield frame. If mounted to an IFS GM truck and an after market IRS kit is installed, you get the look and ground clearance, approach/departure angles and the ability to buy parts at your local parts store.

There are several companies making similar vehicles in Thailand. However if you can weld the TREMORMUV is a great way to go if you are on a budget. You use many genuine parts, it is probably the closet to the real deal. Vheck out this photo.

http://www.tremormuv.com/images/zoom/screensavers/viewsize/tremormuv_014_1280.jpg

TremorMUV - a plans based Hummer styled replica