“One of many largest questions I get is ‘can it go underwater?’ Folks love that query,” mentioned Ian Broekman, President and co-founder of Mil-Spec Automotive in Auburn Hills, Michigan. “And in principle, you can. However we put all this good leather-based within the inside, so please do not. You’ll be able to rise up to about right here safely (Broekman factors to the fender of Mil-Spec’s new second-generation Hummer M1-R, about 45-50 inches above the bottom). I’ve had a truck to right here (factors to about 55 inches) and I would not suggest it.”
The well-heeled prospects that come to Mil-Spec for a automobile are on the lookout for one thing distinctive, succesful and highly effective. And there aren’t many to go round. The corporate’s unassuming 40,000-square foot facility produces 3-4 automobiles per 12 months, at a value of round $300,000. The M1-R Hummer has them at capability in the intervening time. However on its web site, you may also see the Mil-Spec F-150 that it beforehand constructed, which is sort of a Ford Raptor made for Blackwater safety forces.
Exterior: Spectacular and Intimidating
This explicit M1-R was already purchased by a buyer who someway day by day drives and parks it in Manhattan. It is lined in a Rhino-liner-type, however not truly Rhino liner overlaying, “as a result of it would not take coloration as effectively,” Broekman advised us. It is tough to the contact, however not sandpaper-rough like a few of these liners. This can be a pickup truck variant, however Mil-Spec can even do slantbacks and full SUV-style H1s. Broekman did be aware that the turnkey value may be going up somewhat, because the used automobile market exploded, however for those who deliver the corporate your personal H1, they knock about $30K off the value, but it surely’s not what the corporate would like.
“H1 Hummers used to price us about $40,000, now they’re as much as $50 or $60K,” Broekman mentioned. “We would fairly supply them ourselves, as a result of we all know what to search for.”
The entrance of the automobile is dominated by its black brush bar, off-road lights, and a heavy-duty winch. It seems prefer it might simply drive over any automobile that parked it in at a live performance. The hood is held down by two large straps, whereas the pushbar is locked down with pins. The facet accents, fabric prime roof, and wheel arches are in black right here, however clearly, every part could be custom-made. The highest of the hood options an enormous vent, and we’ll get to the rationale why in a minute.
The completed product, as seen right here, takes about 8 months to construct. “This one took somewhat longer as a result of it was a brand new era. We already had a prototype constructed off the army truck,” mentioned Broekman, “however we needed to swap every part over and do last verification on this truck. All in, it took about eight months. We are saying normally 7-9 months however attempt to are available in early.”
Mechanical: Impervious and Unstoppable
The M1-R has 18 inches of floor clearance, which means you can get beneath it simply with out utilizing a flooring jack. The truth is, for those who get this automobile, you will want a severe jack setup to carry it. It rides on 20-inch wheels with 38-inch Nitto Ridge Grappler off-road tires. These make it good for an strategy angle of 57 levels, a departure of 47 levels, and a breakover angle of 29 levels. It could possibly additionally keep on with a 40 % angled gradient to both facet and has seven inches of wheel journey. It is actually solely restricted by the dimensions of path.
“Sometimes, they’re extra restrained by way of coloration and efficiency, however this truck has 850 hp, 1,350 lb-ft and a completely selectable enhance system from its 6.6-liter Duramax diesel,” mentioned Broekman.
It is constructed by an organization referred to as HPS Diesel, which begins with a 2008 Duramax diesel block, and strengthens from there. It has larger turbos and with the selectable enhance, can drop to about 500 hp for simply cruising round city. In fact, we turned up the wick to full energy, which made the M1-R roll coal like a redneck rally. To be trustworthy, we felt somewhat self-conscious when flooring it. A six-speed Allision 1000 transmission permits it to tow 10,000 kilos.
“Cooling is the most important subject, the most important concern for H1 drivers,” mentioned Broekman. “We beefed it up; it has transmission coolers, an even bigger intercooler, an even bigger radiator and digital followers. The rationale it is a difficulty for the H1 is the packaging, but in addition the best way the hood is setup, air tends to go over it and never into the radiator. Numerous guys in desert racing, Rod Corridor particularly, put two large digital followers that pull air by means of, so we try this. And we additionally discovered that for those who use a smaller diameter clutch fan it pulls is extra air.”
Therefore the large vent within the hood, overlaying two big radiator followers.
The brakes are larger too, and the suspension is extra strong. Desert racer Rod Corridor’s son Chad has a enterprise promoting upgraded Hummer H1 suspensions, so that is what they use right here. It is one of many few issues Mil-Spec would not do in-house.
“We do not do paint, we do not do engine constructing, we wished to make the ability client-focused,” mentioned Broekman. “They’re shopping for the craftsmanship. Paint is soiled, it is actually higher to have somebody that does it full time. We tried wiring off-site too, but it surely’s such a bespoke program, shoppers at all times need customized equipment. Upholstery and electronics in-house hold the value down.”
The M1-R has selectable four-wheel drive (the outdated H1s had been everlasting AWD), but it surely does sport an onboard compressor like these military vehicles. “However they are not accountable for holding the wheels full just like the outdated ones,” proprietor and CEO Adam Mitchell advised us. It may be hooked as much as air instruments although, which is a cool bonus when out within the wild.
Shifting contained in the truck, it is as yellow as the skin, with somewhat extra black leather-based thrown in for good measure. The seats are diamond-stitched and cozy, and every part is now steel on the second-generation automobile.
“The primary-gen M1-R had much more plastic, we had been simply determining the packaging. We had a set finances, so the second time round our complete mission was to eradicate all plastic,” mentioned Broekman. “Every thing you see or contact within the inside, besides the switch case-control, is now billet steel.”
That features the customized Mil-Spec steering wheel with leather-based on the entrance, a crimson 12 o’clock marker, and billet steel backing. The important thing seems like one thing you’d use to launch nuclear missiles and the toggles on the impossibly huge middle console really feel like an area shuttle. There’s an aftermarket touchscreen audio setup that may join by way of USB or Bluetooth. 9 audio system deliver sound to the cabin.
The solar visors are sourced from a Learjet and constituted of darkened Lexan. Mil-Spec says this second era “has somewhat extra of a Twenty first-century expertise to it: a push-button shifter, digital parking brake, and an digital differential controller.” Fortunately, it additionally has a backup digicam.
Driving Impressions
Placing the pedal down on this monster will deliver up two issues. One, it is loud. Very loud. From the engine to the exhaust to wind and highway noise, you will have to talk as much as have your passenger hear you. The tender prime was by far the most important perpetrator. Both taking it off or swapping to a tough shell would most likely cut back the interference by 50 %.
The second factor we thought was “holy sh*t this factor is quick!” Even in its low, 500-hp mode, the M1-R was fast to get going and fast to leap from 65 mph to 90 mph, albeit with somewhat black smoke from the exhaust. And like we mentioned, while you flip that little dial beneath the ignition to full-power mode, you can smoke out a line of site visitors, which we might by no means suggest.
Clearly, it makes waves in site visitors. Truck bros pulled up on us to take footage. A number of SUV folks slowed all the way down to allow us to catch up. Sadly, we did not see any normal Hummers on the highway to essentially get a way for what these unique house owners would consider it. We did, nevertheless, get to drive an unique. And it was a canine. With the pedal to the ground, it might solely muster about 50 mph.
Again within the M1-R, it felt as huge as a site visitors lane, and we saved watch consistently to ensure we weren’t crossing the traces. The steering was surprisingly straightforward for such a giant automobile, and with the knobby tires it drifted round a bit. It has the aerodynamics of a brick, which additionally contributed to that. The brakes had been stiff, however not very delicate. It took actual leg energy to gradual this sucker down.
What this automobile pines for is difficult-to-traverse however wide-open areas. We would take this in a desert race over virtually something available on the market. For a day by day driver? You need to be a sure form of particular person.
Mil-Spec is not a brand new startup anymore, it has been round since 2015. The corporate has now produced and bought dozens of automobiles, and through the pandemic, it began breaking into new areas. Its upholstery division has grown and is now doing a personal jet mission. It is also moving into marine upholstery as a handful of those guys went out of enterprise through the chaos of the previous 14 months.
Mil-Spec is not going away, it has orders, it has house, and nobody else is doing what it is doing, not less than to not this stage. It sells monstrous automobiles to all corners of the planet, and for those who’re on the lookout for one thing to drive through the apocalypse, we could not think about something extra helpful. Simply do not count on to win any local weather awards.