Vehicle Description
1986 AM General M998 Humvee
Desert Storm brought us into the battlefield with the nearly live
action TV coverage that was available on cable news. During said
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 line produced in their Mishawaka, Indiana
facility.
For consignment, a 1986 AM General M998 Humvee with a 6.5 liter
turbo diesel, troop seating, and a newer top.
Exterior
All business begins with a massive grille guard protecting the
front end of the military monster and faded drab green paint is met
with camouflage canvas on the newer top and doors. The back has a
pickup style bed with raised areas for sitting and side rails while
the tailgate is clearly out of uniform wearing patches of paint in
different colors. The Yosemite Sam mud flaps were added as they are
no doubt not regulation at Fort Dix, where this Humvee lived part
of its life. High clearance in the middle is only a part of the
trudging capability which includes high approach and departure
angles and 16.5-inch wheels with gargantuan 31x12.50x16LT tires.
Tow shackles and hooks are numerous and an airlift back bumper
spans beyond the seven foot width of this M998, just in case you
get stuck in the parking lot at Cabela's and need a lift out. Large
towing mirrors stick out well beyond the 7 feet and flank a
perfectly vertical windshield. As a heavy truck, the body has
remained straight, and the only imperfection is the mismatched
paint on every side. There are three holes on the back where the
whip antenna mount would have been.
Interior
Okay, so remember, this is not a civilian Hummer, so it's going to
be bare bones and rougher than a stucco bathtub. The canvas doors
are clean and lead to simple cloth covered seats in mixed material,
loose, dirty and ready for some offroading. Everything else is
sparse and bare metal, if you don't include the drab green paint. A
large steering wheel fronts a basic dashboard with black faced
gauges, metal plates, switches, lights, and an added boost gauge
needs to be weathered a bit to fit in. The engine cover and center
hump takes up enough real estate to put your navigator in the next
county and the cabin is comparatively narrow between the windshield
and the canvas rear wall.
Drivetrain
The reverse opening hood reveals a battle ready 6.5 liter turbo
diesel engine that is fuel injected and tied to a TH400 3-speed
automatic transmission. Power is split between the axles where 2.73
gears reside and power disc brakes are used to slow this rig which
in this configuration is somewhere around 5,000 pounds.
Undercarriage
Oh sure, there's surface rust and a bit of oil on the rear
differential, but all the components of structure and suspension
are cartoonishly huge. We're talking thick steel here to protect
our troops and the bullet holes under here serve as drain holes.
Coil springs, big ones, are the main mode of suspension on the
independent front and back.
Drive-Ability
This is next level for those of us who played with toy army men in
the mud. The clickety clack of the diesel surges this beast
forward, not with enormous speed, but with plenty of torque and the
big tires roll along the tarmac of our test loop and we dare anyone
to get in our way, knowing full well we won't see another car. At
any rate, the limited functions provided on this purpose built
pickup all work as intended. While Classic Auto Mall represents
that these functions were working at the time of our test drive, we
cannot guarantee these functions will be working at the time of
your purchase.
Are you looking for a SHTF kind of vehicle? This is the ultimate
bug out beast that comes equipped with a big, steel brush guard in
the front for, you know, zombies. Or maybe you just live in the
mountains or desert where mud, snow, and rocks normally get in your
way. Perhaps you are a former military and want to use this for
show. Looking for a vehicle to promote your business? So many
options with this Humvee in the civilian world.
Classic Auto Mall is home to more than 1,000 classic and
collectible vehicles for sale via consignment in a climate
controlled 336,000-square foot showroom (that's more than 8
acres!). The largest single location consignment dealer of classic
and collectible vehicles in the country is located in Morgantown,
Pennsylvania, just 1-hour west of Philadelphia off Exit 298 of the
I-76 Pennsylvania Turnpike. For more information visit
www.classicautomall.com or call us at (888) 227-0914. Contact us
anytime for more information or to come see the vehicle in
person.
With so many great cars, you know we have a lot to talk about, and
we do that each week on the Classic Auto Mall Podcast with host
Stewart Howden. Stewart discusses new inventory as well as trends
in consignments and car prices, while interviewing celebrities and
automotive professionals about amazing cars and their history. Tune
in each week to the Classic Auto Mall Podcast wherever you enjoy
listening. You can also watch on YouTube!
