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The Hummer H1 is one of the most badass trucks ever made, and it can still put some big bad brawny SUVs to shame!
The Hummer H1 is one of the most iconic civilian trucks known to man. This incredible beast was produced from 1992 all the way through to 2006. The Hummer H1 already had a huge fanbase and continued to grow in popularity due to its involvement in Operation Desert Storm and from Arnold Schwarzenegger and his enthusiastic campaign, he is also an avid fan of Hummers and is actually the proud owner of many Hummer vehicles.
In 2006, General Motors, unfortunately, announced that 2006 would be the last year of the Hummer H1. This was due to new emissions laws that took effect in 2007. And it's safe to say that no Hummer H1 that was ever created would pass any emissions laws these days.
While the Hummer H1 was made available in five different variations, the Hummer H1 only had three common variants in the form the soft top version, a four-door hard top pickup truck, and a wagon body version. A two-door pickup truck and a four-door slant back were the less common variants. At the time of production, the soft top and station wagon versions of the Hummer H1 were the only two variants made available in the mass market.
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Over the Hummer H1’s long production, many strong, reliable, and powerful engines were used. Some of the most impressive and standout engines include the 6.2-liter V8 Detroit Diesel GM TH400/3L80, which was paired with a 3-speed automatic transmission. A 6.5-liter V8 Detroit Diesel GM 4L80-E was paired with a 4-speed automatic transmission.
A 5.7-liter V8 Vortec 5700 gasoline TBI/GM 4L80-E was connected to a 4-speed automatic transmission. A 6.5-liter V8 Detroit Turbo Diesel GM 4L0-E paired with a 4-speed automatic transmission. And the latest engine to be used on the Hummer H1 was the almighty 6.6-liter Duramax LLY Turbo Diesel 1000, attached to a 5-speed automatic transmission.
No wonder the Hummer H1 was such a reliable and sturdy beast seen as it shared the same first-stage assembly line as the HMMWV, aka the Humvee. Midway through the process, the cars are separated to create either a military HMMWV or a civilian Hummer H1. Many components, such as brakes, differentials, the frame, and many major body panels, such as the quarter panels, tailgate, and hood, are shared by both vehicles.
can the Hummer H1 is able to glide through waters as deep as 30 inches, climb steps as high as 22 inches, and provide a 16-inch ground clearance, it's pretty clear that the Hummer H1 was and still is able to handle any type of terrain. Another cool feature that allowed the Hummer H1 to glide across several types of difficult terrain is the central tire inflation system, which allows the driver to increase or decrease the tire pressure at any given moment to adapt to the terrain.
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The Hummer H1 housed many surprising and extraordinary features that made it stand out from the crowd. As mentioned before, the central tire inflation system is pretty extraordinary. More unusual features included inboard brakes, geared hubs, which allowed the drivetrain’s half shafts to be elevated for higher clearance; and the higher positioning of the radiator, which slopes back over the engine.
The choice not to use simple run-flat tires was also a pretty cool feature, with aluminum or rubber inserts being an option for run-flat ability. While the chemical warfare-resistant paint was only made available on the military versions, it was still pretty awesome and is definitely worth a mention. Now, nobody can deny that the Hummer H1 was a fantastic car in many ways, but many people consider the Hummer H1 to be somewhat counterfeit.
This is because the Hummer H1 used front brake calipers from the AMC Eagle, steering columns from the Ford LTD, an ignition key set from the Ford Escort, armrests from the Jeep Cherokee, and seats from the Isringhausen. Even though the Hummer H1 wasn’t fully original, it was still innovative in many ways.
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The exterior design of the Hummer H1 is beautiful yet monstrous. A coalition of SMC fiberglass, steel, and aluminum was used to construct the exterior body parts of the car while they were assembled using a combination of rivets, bolts, and cyanoacrylic. The Hummer H1 was such a hit with fans that it managed to get itself into the Playstation 2 games, Midnight Club 3, and Need for Speed: Underground.
In 2006, the final year of the Hummer H1’s production, Arnold Schwarzenegger voiced the Hummer H1 in Pixar's hit film, Cars. The Hummer H1 in the Cars film was known as The Governator, which is such a fitting and suitable name for such a high-quality and powerful motor. If you get the chance to get your hands on one of these beasts, then do it!
Sources: Hummer, General Motors, AM General
Tom is currently working as a radio presenter, film producer and also a writer. He is a true Mancunian, with a big passion for the media industry, he feels privileged to be in so many different sectors of the industry.