 Here is an interior view of...  Here is an interior view of the driver-side aluminum "window" panel. This panel also holds the fuel filler neck and hose which leads to the fuel cell. |  Per race rules, the factory...  Per race rules, the factory dash structure was left in place, except in a few areas where modification or clearance was required to accommodate the front 'cage bars. All the nonessential parts such as the radio, heater, air conditioning, ducting, etc. were stripped out, and only the bare-minimum structures remain. |  The build team refit the stock...  The build team refit the stock dashpanel over the stripped front structure. The glovebox was removed, and some lower plastic pieces were trimmed for legroom clearance. You can also see the "X" bracing in the "B" pillar behind the seating area and the large fuel cell sitting in the bed. |
 One of the fabricators at...  One of the fabricators at General Motors built a race-serious control panel to fit in the center of the factory dash. This panel houses all the switches that control the engine and lighting functions in a layout that is easy to read and operate. |  Here you can see the fully...  Here you can see the fully assembled dash and interior with the center switch panel, navigation/radio gear, and auto-shifter installed. The factory steering column and steering wheel were retained. |  With the interior complete...  With the interior complete and seats and harnesses installed, race necessities were added. These included a floor jack, various handtools, a first-aid kit, fire extinguishers, and spare parts. |
 The new Fox Racing external-bypass...  The new Fox Racing external-bypass shocks arrived and were installed on the new front hoop mounts. The oil reservoirs were piggyback-mounted on the side on each shock. |  Here you can see the front...  Here you can see the front shock looking up from below. These shocks were custom-built to length and valving for this specific vehicle. Note where the stock inner fender was trimmed for clearance to accommodate the longer, fatter shock assembly. |  Similar shocks were added...  Similar shocks were added to the rear leaf spring suspension. It was a tight fit getting the large shock bodies positioned between the leaf packs, sway bar, and framerails. |
 The lower end of each rear...  The lower end of each rear shock attached to the modified lower spring plate shown here. MasterCraft limit straps were used at each corner to prevent excessive suspension droop. |  A desert race truck has to...  A desert race truck has to have plenty of bright lighting. The build crew mounted four large Lightforce units on the fabricated pushbar. Another group of night-driving lights sits on a light bar at the front roofline to provide more illumination from a higher vantage point. |  No detail was left out. A...  No detail was left out. A couple of simple but elegant tube mirror mounts were fabricated for the front doors. These cool little fixtures were all TIG-welded of course. |
 With the H3 complete, it was...  With the H3 complete, it was time to test it out. Rod Hall arrived in Mesa to give the new rig a spin. The race team took the Hummer to a local desert spot and spent the day doing some test runs and getting to know the suspension and handling. |  The crew inspected the front...  The crew inspected the front suspension after a short shakedown run. There was a small issue with a front shock bushing that they decided to modify and improve. All else looked pretty good, and with a few minor changes the H3 was loaded up the next day and headed for Las Vegas. |  The first real race in the...  The first real race in the new Hummer was the Vegas to Reno run, a distance of about 500 miles. The team finished the race in just under 14 hours to take Second Place in its class, missing First Place by a mere 4 minutes. |