Great Danes Hummer H3 Build

[GreatDaneHummer]

I hear ya on the steps, no big deal. I am sure they are well worth the money. Will pick up a pair next month when I get back.

 

[GreatDaneHummer]

Front 32", side 13.5" and 4" corner lights up and wired.

 

[GreatDaneHummer]

Painted the front grill. Not much left chrome on the H3. Just the two side H3 emblems but those are going to black carbon fiber ones this next week. Need to come up with some kind of fender flares soon. No way to keep it clean right now.

 

[Ghostbuster]

How far are your tires sticking out from the fenders?

 

[GreatDaneHummer]

About 1.5 - 2"

 

[H3Wolf]

Installed 12" Efan, Dual Optima Batteries and the Spod controller with LCD screen today. This has really turned into a fun project to spend some time with my dad. We both work so much its hard to find time to hang out together. This next weekend is ARB air compressor on board and finish all the LED lights up top. Maybe when CJ finish's a new bumper I can finally take care of the stock looking front end.

That's an awesome idea. How did you wire up the dual batteries, and how's the voltage doing running everything?

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[CaseyS]

Like the dark grille on the silver truck with the red accents.

 

[GreatDaneHummer]

I used this:

http://www.equipt1.com/item/dual-battery-system-kit-with-surface-mount-controller

The dual batteries are not the problem, now its not having a strong enough alternator to keep up with charging them. Everything still runs fine but I can tell it pulls down the engine a little. It will still hold even with 100+ amp draw going...

 

[H3Wolf]

Hmmm that seems good. You thinking about doing an alternator upgrade?

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[GreatDaneHummer]

Hmmm that seems good. You thinking about doing an alternator upgrade?

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I really don't want to spend the money on a high end alternator for the 3.7l when I will be swapping the engine this winter. I had a very nice custom built up 4BT for this truck but I sold it to a good friend for a little profit since he did not want to wait for the company to build him one also. It seems from all that Casey has gone through to get a 4BT to run well far out weighs the simplicity of just dropping a 6.0 or 6.2 in it and swap over some Alpha parts. It seems like many have had very successful swaps with little to no after install long term sacrifices or issues. I am decently mechanical and have done most of the work on my truck but an engine swap is a little over my head so I will be having it done outside.

Another issue I am fighting with is how much to keep spending into a 10 year old platform? I know I am not the only one wrestling with this thought. If I swap the engine, go with a solid front axle and update some of the fading interior I will be $30k or so later with an awesome H3 but with a resale value of maybe $20k if lucky. I would really like to buy an H1 in the next 2 years so I am between a rock and a hard place I feel on what to do as my next steps. Most likely the trans will give out in the next year also.

*Sorry for the long answer.

 

[Bowser-II]

I have thought the same on the investment. Long term I would like swap in a diesel if i can navigate through the Maryland emissions successfully. It is a lot of work for a brand that no longer exists. And at the end of the day it is also part of the reason I will still plan to do so. We have a unique vehicle, and only becomes more so as fewer and fewer mid size SUVs go to unibody construction and short travel suspension. The H3 isn't perfect, but they are different and they are still an all around more enjoyable ride than an unlimited wrangler (in my opinion).

Bowser II


2010 H3 I5 Adventure,
black and 'almost' no chrome

 

[GreatDaneHummer]

I agree they are very special but I have always wanted an H1 since I was a kid and I am almost at a point in my life thanks to God that I can afford one. I have a nice 4 Runner I can drive daily or trade it in for a 2500 while working on rebuilding an H1 slowly.

 

[GreatDaneHummer]

Frustrated with my cooling setup and AC still not being truly amazing I have resorted to getting professional help. 2x 12" puller fans with custom shroud, larger custom made radiator, condenser ready for a MAC truck and 2x pusher fans on the front side through a trans cooler. Attached is an idea of what it will look like. Custom cutting the front end and creating a new opening and mounts. Relocating the air bag sensors and horn out of the way.

 

[H3Wolf]

Have you all thought about a hummvees from military auctions? They are basically an h1, and really all you need to do is paint and interior work, and maybe other things depending on the type you get.

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[GreatDaneHummer]

Some people dream about buying a Corvette, some a Porsche or Ferrari but for me I dream about owning an H1. Not for hard core off roading but to rebuild into a show quality truck with the occasional trail run with friends etc. Wont be driven back and forth to work but for those days when you had a **** day and you go home, open up the garage and fire up your toy. A Hummvee is what I would buy if I just wanted to trailer a beast to beat the living **** out of it through every kind of worst terrain I could imaging. The H1 is what I want to take the lady to go camping with. I like the 2001 and 2002 models. Seems to be lots of them for sale in good shape. The 2006 Alpha's are just too crazy expensive for my wallet.

 

[amrg]

From personal nightmare experience trying to cool a cammed ls3 in 125* weather:

1. The clutch fan pulls alot of air
2. Im running dual 12" 400 watt spal fans and they probably match the clutch fan or better (pull 60 amps together)
3. Running an aftemarket griffin rad. It leaves 4.2" gap to the engine and the fans are 4". As a result im running my setup shroudless and this isnt the optimum setup. May swap to a CSF rad that is thinner but will let me instal a shroud + will help with airflow as the griffin is 2.4" thick
4. Running a 16" spal pusher fan but its not the best in the market. Will upgrade the fan. A pusher fan if not matched to the puller will restrict airflow.
5. Truck still runs between 221 & 230* at peak temps!

Put all that aside, while doing one of the 6 setups I tried, I recal that the A/C condensor will work flawlessly with a really good pusher fan setup.

And, forget the truck sounding anything other than a jet fighter while cruising with windows down.

Good luck!

 

[amrg]

Oh and btw, a wider radiator will interfere with the frame rails!

 

[GreatDaneHummer]

WOW!! So there is little to no hope in trying to keep the H3's cool in high temp weather?? I am pretty determined to find an ultimate solution and will post up pictures of this crazy cooling adventure I go on. The 1" body lift does open it up slightly more no? I have not installed yet the Run Cool Hood but another mate on here said he is seeing 40 deg cooler temps under hood on hot days like your using.. I would love to have some pusher fans connected to the underside of the louvers.

From personal nightmare experience trying to cool a cammed ls3 in 125* weather:

1. The clutch fan pulls alot of air
2. Im running dual 12" 400 watt spal fans and they probably match the clutch fan or better (pull 60 amps together)
3. Running an aftemarket griffin rad. It leaves 4.2" gap to the engine and the fans are 4". As a result im running my setup shroudless and this isnt the optimum setup. May swap to a CSF rad that is thinner but will let me instal a shroud + will help with airflow as the griffin is 2.4" thick
4. Running a 16" spal pusher fan but its not the best in the market. Will upgrade the fan. A pusher fan if not matched to the puller will restrict airflow.
5. Truck still runs between 221 & 230* at peak temps!

Put all that aside, while doing one of the 6 setups I tried, I recal that the A/C condensor will work flawlessly with a really good pusher fan setup.

And, forget the truck sounding anything other than a jet fighter while cruising with windows down.

Good luck!

 

[amrg]

WOW!! So there is little to no hope in trying to keep the H3's cool in high temp weather?? I am pretty determined to find an ultimate solution and will post up pictures of this crazy cooling adventure I go on. The 1" body lift does open it up slightly more no? I have not installed yet the Run Cool Hood but another mate on here said he is seeing 40 deg cooler temps under hood on hot days like your using.. I would love to have some pusher fans connected to the underside of the louvers.

When I was running the 5.3, I had stock 2 pusher fans (an 11" and an 8") from the small powered spal fans. They probably give 500 cfm each bundled with the clutch fan. Highway was running 220* at 120* ambient. Sadly, I don't have more numbers as I never really monitored temps.

But the a/c was great.

The I5 I have doesn't have aux fans and apart from standing still for 15 mins un same weather the a/c is great.

 

[GreatDaneHummer]

Last measurement I took was 88 degree's ambient with 51% humidity showing showing 166 degree under hood temp with 226 engine temp after 15 min of standing still in traffic. I am using the CSF radiator with a single 12" pusher fan at 2000 CFM* This is what it says, not very real I think. Maybe realistically its 1300 CFM. The AC is medium, not great but not horrible in this situation. First 2 min of driving then it starts blowing cold again, not amazing but it is cold. Factory OEM was ICE COLD. I don't just want my setup to be as good as OEM I want it to be good enough for a desert race car running a 700hp V8 at full throttle staying at factory normal temps blowing ICE cold hang meat freezer AC.

 

[H3Wolf]

Some people dream about buying a Corvette, some a Porsche or Ferrari but for me I dream about owning an H1. Not for hard core off roading but to rebuild into a show quality truck with the occasional trail run with friends etc. Wont be driven back and forth to work but for those days when you had a **** day and you go home, open up the garage and fire up your toy. A Hummvee is what I would buy if I just wanted to trailer a beast to beat the living **** out of it through every kind of worst terrain I could imaging. The H1 is what I want to take the lady to go camping with. I like the 2001 and 2002 models. Seems to be lots of them for sale in good shape. The 2006 Alpha's are just too crazy expensive for my wallet.

True, I worked with a guy for a while, he was trying to convert a hummvee to almost an h1, was doing good. But still can not get that h1 feel.

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[Happy Hummer]

WoW, really nice work GreatDH...
Nice rack! Swartzy I had no ideal that you guys were just right near Chicago?
I'm just right over the border in WI. Kenosha area...

 

[GreatDaneHummer]

Thanks, I felt so inspired by working on the H3 that I started my own off road company. You will see more info on it soon. I have a new Jeep being built up now along with a Toyota 4Runner.

 

[GreatDaneHummer]

Full float 14 Bolts in the yard. :woot:

 

[Panzer07]

Damn they pretty

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