Steel Soldier

My other "car guy" craziness from the last year is this 1990 AM General M998 HMMWV.  No offense to the H2 and H3 owners out there but I made this offhand comment one day: "You know, if I was going to own a Hummer, I think I'd want to own, you know: A Real Hummer."

The seed of a thought was planted and watered with enough whiskey and dark beer and one day, this is what emerged.  A good friend paved the way and started collecting veteran vehicles from military decommissioned auctions.  It is truly amazing what you can buy.   A 105mm tow-behind field artillery piece?  Sure, no problem, they have them. Disabling the firing capability and scarce ammunition-availability equates to "Okey-Dokey" legal status.  

Getting the hummer road-legal was a bit of a challenge, even being spoon-fed the path through the bureaucratic woods by the same friend who'd been through it.

At the end of the day and after ALOT of work crawling around the engine compartment, I have to say that this M998 HMMWV (H1) Humvee is one of the funnest things I've ever driven.     It makes me wish I had more time, tools and (did I mention time?) to tinker with it.  I've been stuck between the mindset of "keep it original" and "go-nuts and customize the crap out of it."  

Sadly, I think between my two impractical / range limited vehicle choices, our crowded driveway and cramped schedule I'll end up parting with one of these two vehicles in the coming months.  Being a grown-up sucks doesn't it? :)