Bespoke 1986 AM General HMMWV Is the Sickest Humvee You’ll Ever See, Rocks Turbo V8 Muscle

For those who still don’t know, Humvee is a casual term for HMMWV, which itself stands High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle. Why ‘Wheeled’? Because these types of distinctions matter in the military, where some craft advance by air, others by sea.

The HMMWV was produced by AM General for use by the United States military complex. It saw action in the Gulf War, in Iraq, Afghanistan, Syria, plus several other battlefields, including Mexico, believe it or not – as part of the so-called “war on drugs” which the U.S. is unable to win. Anyway, it saw its first action during Operation Just Cause, when the U.S. invaded Panama.

The final specs for the Humvee were drafted in 1979, and AM General won the contract over the likes of Chrysler Defense and Teledyne Continental, both of which produced competing designs. Compared to the Jeep, the Humvee was much larger, had a wider track, more ground clearance, and it could plow through a lot more obstacles, including water – it had waterproof electronics.

Enough backstory? Fine, I can sense that you’re itching to know more about this particular custom Humvee, which is currently getting auctioned off to the highest bidder.

It’s a 1986 AM General M998 HMMWV, built originally for the U.S. Army but subsequently modified for civilian use. The exterior was refinished in Jewel Blue and now features aftermarket half-doors, CNC-cut aluminum trim (doors, hood, quarter panels), dual side mirrors, aftermarket headlights, ‘H1X’ hood cutout and fender badges, LED lights, a pintle hitch, plus body-color 20-inch TrailReady wheels with 40x13.5” Maxxis Razr MT tires.

This truck is also equipped with four-wheel independent suspension and inboard-mounted discs.

Inside, you’ll find four Braum Racing ALPHA-X high-back bucket seats, body-color sheet metal surfaces, yellow Braum Racing harnesses, custom front and rear consoles (with cup holders), a Wet Sounds Bluetooth sound bar (above the rear seats), and a MOMO flat-bottom steering wheel fronting the GlowShift custom instrumentation.

As for performance, you’ll love what’s been done to this Humvee. Gone is its original engine, replaced instead by a 6.6-liter Duramax ‘LML’ turbodiesel V8 unit, reportedly fitted with an aftermarket turbocharger. Power is sent to either the rear or all four wheels via a GM 6L80 six-speed automatic gearbox, a dual-range transfer case and portal axles.

A bit of info on the LML turbodiesel – it's a 403 ci engine used by GM on the Chevy Silverado HD and the GMC Sierra HD between 2011 and 2016. As factory-standard, it would have produced 397 horsepower and 765 lb-ft of torque, more than enough for any rugged workhorse.

Now, since this Humvee also has a custom turbocharger and an ECM tune, let’s assume that it’s putting down north of 400 horsepower.