A Duramax Hummer H2… but not from GM [SEMA]
Yea, the SEMA coverage keeps on coming, even though the show closed 3 days ago (hey, print mags won't be running this stuff for another couple of months). Anyways, there was no placard for this vehicle (as was generally the case for anything parked outside, which was about half the show), so we can only pass along what little information was displayed across the hood in chrome-look vinyl lettering. Basically, this is the GM/Isuzu Duramax dropped into a Hummer H2, a combination that's so utterly logical (given the H2's ¾-ton heritage and a reputation for thirstiness) that one continues to wonder why GM isn't offering this combo from the factory. SMA's combination looked - to use a cliché – factory stock. Sorry, but I forgot to poke my head underneath it and see if this conversion uses the stock 4L85E or the more durable Allison 1000. Click through to see what it looked like under the hood.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
mj 10:26PM (12/18/2005)
Maybe they don't offer it because the Duramax line is at capacity. Same for the Allison trany line.
Nice problem for GM to have for a change.
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Jennibay 10:26PM (12/18/2005)
The guy doing these is Jonathan Goodwin from Kansas. He was in Las Vegas for a time, but I think he's back in Kansas.
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bio 10:26PM (12/18/2005)
I think Pat is a GM stooge...
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Jim McCann 10:26PM (12/18/2005)
The H2 with a Duramax would be great as would be a 2500 Avalanche same chassis. Know reason why they cant drop in the engines, probably has something to do with getting rid of current inventory. I have an Avalanche with the 8.1L and its a great truck but I cant make my own Bio-Diesel and put it in like I can with my Ford 250 Powerstroke. I need the large trucks for work and towing as do many other people so why not the Duramax?
Hydrogen is an easy fuel to make but the problem is the containment tanks and possible explosions. You cant just pipe it through our current gas pipelines; they would all leak because the molecular structure is different and is far more volatile then natural gas. That means when you have an explosion in a town with a pipeline leak the whole town is gone not just a few buildings. The same problems with an auto accident, its not like the gasoline or diesel spilled on the highway and can be quickly washed away and a lot is vaporized (Bio-Diesels ignition point is 615 degrees F you need a torch to set it on fire). One tank explosion from a small car could blow a hole in the road that could take days to repair let alone take out several other cars that stopped long before they ran into anything.
This is not to say that hydrogen couldnt be contained safely and will become the most logical fuel of the future, it just will take a lot longer than to change a few engine mounts on the assembly process and put in what we already have.
My two cents.
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Steve 10:26PM (12/18/2005)
Another perfect example of why Detroit management is clueless.
While acres of Hummers gather dust due to abysmal fuel economy, a more powerful, more fuel efficient Hummer is only available as an "aftermarket" upgrade (at an expense no doubt sufficient to render it non-economic).
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Erik 10:26PM (12/18/2005)
The graphical work on the hood and windshield lettering is incredible - best so far out of SEMA ;) Really though, it's a great idea, and perfect timing for GM to release it, if only they would. Maybe the haters would finally STFU. Yea, right.
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JAG 10:26PM (12/18/2005)
Yeah, knowing GM they will bring it market just when the Hydrogen crase is taken off (by BMW and others) and diesels are being discontinued. Why will it be different with this one, they saw it coming years agooooo and haven't done a thing, so don't hold your breath.
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Joe 10:26PM (12/18/2005)
Hydrogen will never take off. Hydrogen is too expensive to manufacture and the infrastructure isn't there to distribute it. It will never happen. Diesel is the future. The question is, why doesn't GM offer this as an option? Management is so clueless it's beyond belief
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Anthony 10:26PM (12/18/2005)
This would be awesome! A new biodiesel powered H2 would be something to see. A nice "trendy" vehicle to run on everybody's favorite alternative fuel!
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md 10:26PM (12/18/2005)
Hummer already has working hydrogen test mules, and if I'm not mistaken Arnold Schwarzenegger drivers one.
Instead of saying that hydrogen isn't possible shouldn't we be asking how can it become feasible economically? Sure it doens't make sense now, but it is a relatively new idea. There are no means for mass distribution, but it can happen. Did the gasoline distributing infrastructure just appear overnight? Nope, and there were probably skeptics back then too.
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Izzy 10:26PM (12/18/2005)
I totaly agree on with MD on the Hydrogen thing. But Its really still many years off from reality, Even if GM is able to release a Hydrogen powered automobile for public sale and use by 2010 as planned by the chairmen staff of GM, it may take a while for the gas station supplyers to catch up with GM.
As such the only two likly possiblitys will be home refueling like Honda does for its Natural gas powered Civic, or a fuel reformulator in the actual auto that will strip Hydrogen from gas as its pumped into the auto.
As for the actual truck, Yes.. GM really has it's head up its bung hole not building it like this! I Really like the H2 despite all its short commings and this would go a long way towards releaving all of those short commings... (Well that and putting the spare tire in a possition so you can actually tow stuff with the H2.)
Im sure they have duely noted all these short commings and some time durring a freshing cycle will deal with them.
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Koba 10:26PM (12/18/2005)
Well, if that isn't Detroit for you. I have a friend that has worked 25 years in a Ford plant building the Explorer, and the question on the production floor that's brought up at every meeting is why don't the big SUV's use Diesel (seeing as how it's superior to gas in almost every way). GM=clueless, Ford=clueless, and Cheysler=clueless if it weren't for the Germans. I personally would like to see a good Diesel V6 in something like a Tahoe.
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Pat 10:26PM (12/18/2005)
those things are cool but i wouldnt mind a Hummer with the 2.8L Atlas I-4. 185HP should be enough to get the heavy-weight to 60mph in 20 or less seconds which is plenty fast for someone who has a 250 dollar a month insurance rate like me
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Pat 10:26PM (12/18/2005)
Diesel engines are dumb.....why cant we have high HP and high torque engines....i'll stick to my gasoline engines thank you.....Im gonna swap my new H3's 3.5L for a 2.8L GM I-4 from the Atlas series.Bolt on a turbocharger and steal an Alpha badge off of an H1.
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mike 10:26PM (12/18/2005)
There were three 6.6 Duramax Diesel conversions to the H2's. The one that immpressed me the most was the black and maroon lambo doored lowered H2. It was from sin city motorworks and it looked factory. They said they also have a lifted one as well. I did crawl underneith all these. You should have. No doubt that the black and maroon one was being looked at by GM engineers, and I was there when they were saying how overly impressed they were with the sin city motorworks conversion. I am having mine converted now after visiting them in Las Vegas and driving theirs.
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Paul 10:26PM (12/18/2005)
Hey Pat - So more power for less fuel is dumb? And if a factory stock 6.6 lbz duramax with 360 HP and 650 torque isn't a high HP/high torque engine then what the hell is?!?
Get your facts straight before shooting your mouth off...
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