Ultimate Camper
To say that Lynn and Terry McClanahan are Hummer enthusiasts would be a severe understatement. As the owners of American Outfitters of La Mesa, California, the dynamic duo have made the Hummer their main source of business and in the process have become the most knowledgeable people about the vehicle one will ever meet.
While a good majority of us would be more than content to own just one of the world's ultimate vehicles, the McClanahans own many. Built to showcase talent and expertise, we're featuring two of the McClanahan's favorites. The first rig is their two-passenger '96 AM General Hummer Extra Cab, which has had a SnugTop camper shell with AM General doors integrated onto it. Used primarily for long-haul expeditions, this unit has been built to serve as the ultimate piece of camping equipment.
Perfectly content with the drivetrain and powertrain of the vehicle, Terry began the rig's customization by installing a BD engine brake power control module, which provides an increase of 40 hp and an additional 90 lb-ft of torque. A pyrometer and turbo boost gauges were also added. To aid the 6.5L turbodiesel with breathing duties while crossing rivers, a 27-inch aluminum air intake tube with an integrated precleaner air filter was installed. An American Outfitters hoodscoop also aides in keeping the engine at reasonable operating temperatures.
The factory dampers were replaced with Cepek adjustable shocks and the factory front springs with a pair of heavy-duty units to accommodate the 12,000-pound Warn winch. The stock wheels and tires were swapped out for a set of custom two-piece Hutchinson aluminum 17-inch units with bead locks. Wrapped around the rims are massive 37-inch Goodyear Wrangler MT/R tires. For additional protection to the CTIS system, custom billet aluminum guards were placed on the wheels.
The underbody has had numerous panels and guards added to fend off any unwanted branches, boulders, or obstacles encountered while underway. Protecting each side of the rig are custom-fabricated steel rocker panels. Up front, a Garvin Industries HD brushguard with an integrated lightbar protects the fiberglass hood, while in the rear, an Off-Road America's steel bumper was modified by Terry for just the right look. The fullsize spare tire is mounted via a pivot system, which Terry manufactured.
Essential to any expedition-worthy rig, the Hummer was fit with a 30-gallon auxiliary fuel tank that resides in a custom-built enclosure on the right rear-passenger side of the vehicle. This addition makes it possible for the rig to travel nearly 1,000 miles between fill-ups. On the left side of the truck, a custom-built 37-gallon water tank was installed and is attached to a heat exchanger, which makes taking hot showers in the middle of nowhere a reality. Numerous custom-made expedition boxes have been installed both inside the cab and in the cargo area. Custom-fabricated shelves were installed in the space where the rear glass window once went. The 3-foot custom roof rack was built by Terry and serves as a platform for the numerous GPS and radio antennas, Hi-Lift jack, shovel, the 5-inch IPF HID 900-series driving and rear spotlights, slide-out shower enclosure rack, and the 5-foot Range Rover three-sided awning.
Military-grade blackout lights have been installed up front, while the remainder of the factory lighting system has been updated with the latest LED light technology.
Keeping communication flowing between the McClanahans and the rest of the world is the job of a Maxon VHF radio, a Lowrance 2000 GPS unit, a Lowrance Global Range 1600 system, and a CB unit. Refreshments are kept cool via the 35-gallon Fridge Freeze portable refrigerator/freezer unit. Supplying enough power to these systems are four Optima batteries, which have been installed in the cargo area. A Delphi wireless satellite-radio unit provides the tunes while underway. The HVAC system was also updated with the latest and greatest that AM General had to offer.
Like we said earlier, if there were to be an ultimate piece of camping equipment, this would surely be at the top of the list.