1997 AM General Hummer H1 Wagon 

Desert Storm brought us into the battlefield with the nearly live action TV coverage.  During the coverage, the general public and in particular car aficionados took notice of these go everywhere vehicles our troops were using known as the Humvee.  Their fascination led to a trend where AM General corporation which supplied the M998 Humvee to the military got the brainchild idea to make these trucks available to the public, and this became the Hummer civilian line produced in their Mishawaka, Indiana facility. 

For consignment, one of 1,209 Hummer's produced for the general public in 1997.  They were assembled on the same line as the military vehicles and shared some components like brakes, axle, and body panels, but were moved to a separate building for paint.   This is a go anywhere 4 door with a lots of interior room, a width of 86.5 inches, and the capability of going into three feet of water unscathed.  This example has just 7,417 title verified actual miles and may have seen more car shows than winter snows.  It comes with a clean Carfax and even has the original window sticker showing us all the luxury added into this rig including leather seating, cruise control and a central tire inflation system just to name a few options. 

Exterior
The Hummer's stamped aluminum body is painted with High Gloss Black, the first and most obvious indication that this is not the military version.  But that doesn't hinder its sheer presence which, in a word, is monstrous, boxy, and tough.  I know, it's 3 words but who's counting?  A high grille provides for aggressive approach angles, like when you're forced to climb over a Tesla with a dead battery blocking the road.  The black grille and lift hooks are all business and the exposed door hinges are epic.  Good sized windows allow light to enter the inner cavern and the back has side windows flanking the windowed barn doors.  The rear bumper is also painted black and carries heavy duty tow hooks.  In case someone doesn't know what they're looking at, HUMMER is spelled out with a large graphic decal on the lower part of the body.  Both fuel fillers, (yes, there two tanks), are on the passenger side.  Because of the width, requisite clearance lights appear over the windshield and under the rear doors.  The black paint is essentially flawless.  Eight lug 15-inch steel wheels carry enormous 37x12.50-16.5LT tires.  All in great shape!

Interior
In contrast to the shiny but utilitarian exterior, nice, molded doors covered in gray leather are a bit more civilized.  The storage pouch on each door is pleated leather in a nod to basic military practicality.  The bucket seats in front are gray leather and your shotgun rider is practically in the next county, separated by the expansive console, more on the center console in a second.  The rear seats are also two, widely split buckets but in the raised tunnel between them sits a small bench.  It's like bleacher seating where the two center passengers, the smaller, the better, will be one level above the two outside seats. The padded steering wheel gives way to a simple albeit busy dashboard.  The round speedometer is dead center while toggle switches, indicator lights and other gauges are to the sides feeling very much like an airplane.  The huge plastic center console is canted towards the seats and for the driver, affords access to the AM/FM/Cassette radio and climate controls.  The tabletop console has cup holders, a CD changer, and storage bin.  All passengers, front and rear essentially get stretches of flat gray plastic in front of them.  The “wayback” is basically flat and carpeted with shelves and lots of room for “stuff” or to camp. 

Drivetrain
A 6.5 liter Turbo Diesel V8 rated at 195 horsepower and a whopping 430 pound foot of torque resides under the forward flipping hood.  Power is routed through a 4L80E 4-speed automatic transmission and a New Venture Gear 242 Transfer Case.  4.92 gears in Zexel Tosen II differentials produce the ratio for both front and rear axles.  Inboard power disc brakes and ABS bring this 7,000-pound hauler to a halt. 

Undercarriage
Nothing noteworthy or of issue here with all being very clean and rust free.  After viewing the underside of so many “regular” cars, it looks like the land of the giants under here; everything is magnified from the steel frame to the springs to the stabilizer bars.  According to LynchHummer.com, for 1997, “complete redesign of the exhaust system from the crossover pipe to the tailpipe.".  The new design incorporates a one piece heatshield with added stiffeners to reduce exhaust resonance.  Meanwhile, independent, coil spring suspension is found at both axles. 

Drive-Ability
We've driven things like vintage cab over trucks and even a GMC 6500, but nothing feels as wide nor as tough as a Hummer.   We get the diesel humming and off we go for a short lap in a mighty vehicle.  The ride is quieter than one would expect, and the height is definitely up there.  But on regular black top, the truck rolls along confidently and certainly has enough power and torque to increase forward momentum on demand.  Using the lift hooks like gun sights in order to steer the Hummer, we're mindful of its width and mastering it would take a little practice.  Overall, feeling modern, secure, and, well, kind of badass. 

Not many vehicles have as much character and recognizability as the AM General Hummer H1.  Oh sure, you'll get some nasty looks, but ”they hate us, cause they ain't us!”.  Everyone secretly or overtly wants one of these things because they are pure cool, pure character, and represent the ultimate in good old American self sufficiency.  Now, get out of my way, I've got to hit Costco for some supplies.  

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