Jeff Dunham's Insane 750HP 'Rat Rod' Humvee | Jay Leno's Garage

[00:08] >> No, not bad at all. Well, the thing is how it does it without a lot of vibration, noise, harshness. I mean, it just does it. Just gets a kind of picks up its skirts and runs this thing, yeah.

[00:20] >> Well, you can put a lot of people in a bad mood on the road when you outrun bad mood on the road when you outrun them in a Hummer. >> And now for something completely different. This is a heavily modified

[00:34] Humvee, you know, the military vehicle that was developed that became the the whole story. This belongs to our good friend Jeff Dunham. And here's the kind of guy Jeff is. This is the most sensible vehicle he owns. The most

[00:47] practical, the one you can use on a daily basis. Jeff, come on in, my friend. Good to see you. This You You You always make me laugh cuz you You always have these unusual ve- And this is pretty unusual now. So, it's

[01:00] >> Right. >> but General Motor. This predates This is modified military vehicle. >> Right. So, AM General got the contract and uh started developing the Humvee and came out with the first Humvee in '85.

[01:14] >> It's a mouthful. The Humvee stands for the High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle, and they changed that to Humvee. So, that's what this was. >> There's no U there. Highly >> I don't know. High Mobility Multipurpose

[01:29] >> Humvee. You got to add the U. Yeah. So, that's what this was. This is an '87. They came The first one was '85. The This is an '87. So, these guys took this thing and modified it. But what's interesting is when I first saw this for

[01:43] got it wrong because they added a bunch of Hummer parts. And the Hummer is what Arnold helped happen. He went to the military in the early '90s and said, the you know, on the where they were

[01:58] HMMV's go down the road and he goes, "I want one of those." And of course, the government into making these things to first civilian use. So, this thing came out, the Hummer came out and they modified the HMMV's to be more civilian

[02:13] friendly. They put in air conditioning, cushy seats, radios, and also some of this thing was for sale, I looked at the ad and I went, "That's not a HMMV, that's a Hummer." Cuz these mirrors are Hummer, a bunch of other things. So,

[02:26] they added a bunch of parts to make it HMMV Hummer, but its guts is is HMMV. >> Now, the original was four-wheel drive or all-wheel drive? drive? >> Yeah, this is rear rear This is a

[02:40] perform anything. As you see, it's sitting on the ground. It only lifts up So, it's just But it's a showpiece and it's a showstopper. I don't know if still shots or video does this thing justice cuz it's unbelievable what they

[02:55] >> And this is all cat What What does this thing weigh? >> It's a I have no idea what it weighs now. The guys that did this, they're I but the guys that did this have Patriot Liner. And if you notice, this is not

[03:08] normal paint. This is like This is like what goes in the bed of your truck. And they're both in the Navy, they're veteran It's a veteran-owned company. And so, they just they make this stuff to put in your bedliner or to cover your

[03:21] promotional vehicle. >> Well, it's Well, that's what we're doing because we're promoting. I mean, it's such an unusual I'm Everything is massive. I can't imagine this has got to be 10,000 lb.

[03:33] >> Well, they took they took the Duramax turbo diesel and put compound turbos on it. So, it went from 350, 60 horsepower to 750 horsepower. this thing. >> Right. And I'm not a rat rod guy. I I I

[03:50] stock. >> I've seen that. Yes, the stock vehicles. >> There's an asterisk when I say that. >> So, yeah, I do like some of the fun goofy stuff, but I don't like taking a

[04:04] car and modifying it. And I I like I like it to smell and look and feel like it did from the factory. But when this thing came along, I've been a Hummer fan for since almost the beginning. I The first one I bought was in '95 and they

[04:16] first came out in '91, '92. I raised my kids, my three daughters are all grown adults and I would take my kids My daily driver for 10 years, the only car I had >> a station wagon Hummer and I and they all the people that all the mothers at

[04:30] school hated me cuz I would drive up in the '90s in a giant thing like this and drop my kids off. And there was a kid seat in the back. I love this thing. >> And Audrey, my wife now, she supports my habit and she thinks this stuff is is is

[04:43] >> Well, there you go. Well, very good. Well, you got to have that. >> Yeah. >> So, when you get I've never had a car ground. I've I've never figured out the purpose of it except now it's really

[04:56] >> Well, you got to watch your toes when you're >> I would imagine. Now, when you get when you start it, does it automatically come >> It's got an air ride switch system and you can raise it to three different

[05:09] Yeah. >> All right. So, and now it's actually >> It is on the ground. And the first when I first got this, the guy that sold it to me, you know, he came to with it to tell me all the bells and whistles on

[05:23] there and started to lower it and he goes He taps me on the shoulder and >> [laughter] >> And what what state was this in California? >> No, the company's in Louisiana and so,

[05:36] over it. You know, [laughter] Louisiana is like the craziest place. I I love the guys You know, my jet bike came out of Louisiana. There's just >> Something in the water. >> Yeah, something in the water besides

[05:50] >> Well, they're nuts. They did the same thing with a a Gladiator uh a couple company. They did the same thing. They rat rodded that thing out. >> Well, I mean there's a lot of work here. I mean I I'm not even sure what these

[06:04] >> Right. >> These rose joints and all this kind of stuff. I mean just massive stuff. >> Yeah, and believe it or not it drives >> But it's a little bit wide. It's

[06:16] slightly wider than legal. But what they tell me is it's not the width that's >> Oh, yeah. Yeah, that yeah, that's what it is. >> [laughter] >> But I I mean honestly, Jay, when I when

[06:28] you take this thing to a car show, it gets more attention than anything. >> is the car show. I mean that's what it is. I imagine we're going to get a lot of views on this cuz it Now, what does this do? This opens up

[06:41] >> Oh, that's the former place to open the engine compartment. now. Yeah, there's nothing there's no getting in there now. out in the open here. >> Yep. Yep. You want to know what what the

[06:53] car show? >> It It'll be sitting on the ground and up?" >> Yeah. Yeah. >> It's like no, we drag it. >> And you got your center exhaust right

[07:07] >> All right. >> It's a massive engine. So, AM General uh at the end of the the run of the Hummers, the last year was 2006. And by the way, it's been almost 20 years since the last Hummer came off the production

[07:21] line. They're coming to the tail end of the uh the Humvee line because the new >> size engine is this? >> This is a 6.6 uh Duramax turbo diesel. >> And obviously V8. And like I said, it has the compound turbos on it, which

[07:38] >> Yeah, I think so. >> I didn't memorize that fact. >> Oh, no. That's all right. And these these are these custom-made pieces here? >> they are. I you know, I've never seen anything like this until I saw this.

[07:52] So, yeah, it's pretty >> And power steering, obviously, power >> Okay. >> And in my a Hummer once, my the pump went out, which handles both the brakes and the steering. I was

[08:07] coming north on the 101 or north on the 405 getting on the 101, you know, that >> Yeah, and the pump went out right when I was going through the turn. >> And I thought I went across uncontrolled over across three or four lanes, didn't

[08:20] guardrail on the other side, I was able to wrestle this dumb thing straight. assist. >> imagine. I would imagine. look at the interior. >> Yeah, they did a great job. They've got

[08:34] >> Oh, look at that. >> Everything's completely custom. there. >> Not much of a Hummer left in there. >> Classic words. >> And I said I've been a Hummer fan for

[08:49] >> Well, yeah. I mean, it's it's it's pretty I I do like this color and I like >> Yeah. >> And this back opens up, right? >> And that is that your trunk area? Is that what that is?

[09:03] that what that is? >> Yep. >> No, I think these guys this was it. >> Okay. >> Okay. Now, what's in here? >> I I What's in here now? I don't know.

[09:16] >> Does this open this tailgate? >> It used to. >> But everything's been modified and customized. This, by the way, is not a real slantback. So, the military slantbacks, this is a a custom on this

[09:29] >> Got you. >> So, it it's hard to figure out where the begins and ends. That'll chop off a finger.

[09:41] I think it's the other way. >> Okay. Yeah, I'm not sure. Oh, there it >> But yeah, this was the tailgate. So, I imagine at some point this was the >> Cuz there were many different

[09:54] >> And boy, you're close right there on that with that >> I look forward to you driving this, Jay. >> Yes. Yes. Well, it it looks comfortable enough. >> Yeah. No, they did a great job. But by

[10:10] the way, this over here, this passenger seat is what people would complain about don't know how these guys in full fatigues would get inside these things. There is nowhere to sit, especially in the front passenger side.

[10:24] >> Well, let's open the hood and take a look. Oh, we don't need to. It's right >> Yep. >> And this is your brake reservoir, right? That's Yeah, that's brakes.

[10:37] >> Okay. >> Well, I mean, it certainly looks nicely put together. Let's take it for a ride. >> All right. >> Now, normally I would hop in this and we'd drive it out, but uh

[10:50] almost took out both sides of my door here coming in. >> It'll make better TV if I hit your car as going out rather than you hitting responsible. All right, here you We'll switch. Here we go.

[11:02] >> And good luck. >> Yeah. Thanks. It's a little wide. >> Uh Anytime I'm with Jeff, I'm stepping

[11:16] down. >> [laughter] have to turn the compressor on? >> a button.

[11:28] We got to let it pump up a little bit. >> Boy, this This is a wide car. >> This is why when my daughters were growing up this is the perfect date car for them. >> Oh, that's funny.

[11:41] >> at how smooth it is. I was expecting a very diesely >> Yeah, and and again this is a different turbo diesel but it it feels and sounds exactly the same. You know, the Alphas were the ones they redesigned at the

[11:53] were the ones they redesigned at the very end and only in 2005-2006 were the Alphas but they went from top to bottom redesigned everything. They went from the the GM regular diesel engine to the Duramax.

[12:06] >> And only did it for 2 years and they they put the 6-speed Allison transmission in it which changed everything. They upgraded the air conditioning, did all that stuff and then the economy did this

[12:20] nobody wanted a Hummer. >> I'm astounded at how little room there It's got this this >> Yeah, and this this is not custom. This >> Right. >> when it was a a Hummer H1 V. And see how

[12:34] you have no leg room over there? >> I I know, it's crazy. >> All right, let's see if it'll work. Here we go.

[12:58] right. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. >> All right.

[13:10] >> I'll yell out you put your foot on the brake. Okay, here you are. I got it. And then the rear tires are wider than everything.

[13:37] >> If I have to hit something, what should I hit?

[13:53] explain it to me. This is a a fly-by-wire steering. >> So, the steering wheel at some point could be completely sideways or upside >> Right. >> How How does that work? What How would I

[14:06] >> Well, I was thinking the same way a drone works or the same way RC model car works. You just turn the turn the steering wheel on your model RC radio controlled car and it turns the wheel. >> But what I'm saying is

[14:19] steering wheel is right, going straight. >> otherwise it looks like this. Where it's not straight. And they said, itself out." >> it's not connected to this There's no

[14:32] But what I understand is so there's no center point on this. >> But it's like a rheostat on an electric >> Okay. But see, it's just weird that I'm

[14:46] straight and the steering wheel is >> Huh? See what I mean? Oh, I see. Yeah. Yeah. >> Yeah. You could go You could drive this around. It's quiet. I I was expecting

[15:02] of noises. >> Right. >> how was that? >> Got a tour. It was great. And what was

[15:15] vehicles, all the Hummers and Humvees there It's the exact same vehicle, thing going on. They get the same drivetrain, everything until it got to

[15:27] the very end and the civilian ones would go one way and the military ones would go the other way. And on the military ones, they got the plastic terrible seats and no air conditioning and then the the civilian

[15:39] the nice seats and the air conditioning >> think the military one also had a big skid pad underneath it. Cuz all right, probably these was uh what I'm told, I don't know how true this is, somebody throws a grenade under

[15:52] floor. >> The I think they started armoring them But one of the tests, you know, and there were three contenders for the Humvee contract and it was AM General which eventually got it and then there

[16:06] was Teledyne and Chrysler. And they each had to produce 11 vehicles and they all had to produce 11 vehicles and they all went through 600,000 mi of tests over X number of months to see which one would win and AM General won out. And one of

[16:20] the things they had to do was have the Hummer in the back of a Hercules airplane flying at 100 something miles an hour with a parachute on the skid and then they would have to drop the Humvee out of the back of the the

[16:35] and it would have to survive the the landing and skid at 100 miles an hour on landing and skid at 100 miles an hour on the on the on the platform and survive. >> Exactly. Like this steers very

[16:50] >> nicely. God, this power steering is unbelievable. >> Yeah. >> This has got to be 10,000 lb.

[17:08] going down the road. >> So, the gross vehicle weight of a Humvee >> Okay. >> Curb weight is 5200 to 5900 lb.

[17:24] >> Yeah. >> suspension and all that, he he got to be close to at least 7 or 8, right?

[17:44] >> Yeah. The shifter there, I think they just got vehicle. >> Oh, I see. >> But way more civilized than I thought it'd be. I thought it'd be just a

[17:56] >> Yeah, it looks like a ridiculous monster, but >> Yeah, whoever did this knew what they were doing.

[18:09] or what? >> The company, Patriot Liners, had a customizer do it just for to be their promotional vehicle. And they took it to all the car shows and trade shows around the country. Oh, it

[18:25] was featured in SEMA in 2023, I think. >> Oh, okay. >> Yeah. And it kind of won the show that year. year. Cuz people loved it.

[18:40] they brought the Hummer is when when AM General got the Hummer to the civilian market. The original Hummer didn't sell very well at all because there >> 10,000 lb, an enormous thing. >> And they were noisy, they were gas

[18:54] >> And they were noisy, they were gas guzzling, 10 mi/gal, maybe. used to the width. The trouble is they had no dealer. There were no dealers real dealers around the country. And so there's only

[19:07] >> Right. >> If you wanted to get this thing to replace your Escalade, huge mistake. It's a niche market because, you know, cannot beat this thing. It's unbelievable. You want to go hunting or

[19:20] >> Is it really unbeatable off-road? I mean, aren't there aren't lighter, >> Well, this is 20 years old. >> No, but I mean I mean a a good Jeep would be better than this and because it seems like you you chance of getting

[19:34] stuck in this seem greater just because of the great weight of the whole thing, >> Well, but that's what was so great about this thing was the way that it would climb out of almost any place you you could put it. One of the ways you did

[19:46] that was to push the accelerator and the brake down at the same time and it could figure out which which wheel to turn >> Right. >> and if one wheel's turning, it stops and brakes that one and then turns the other

[19:58] wheel and and and the inflation system was like no other. >> central tire inflation system, you can inflate and deflate the tires while >> Yeah. >> So, you could go down to 15 lbs and get

[20:11] >> But, this is not really a Brentwood school thing, you know? >> No. So, that's when So, what happened was whoever was running GM at the time was at the Detroit Auto Show in the late

[20:24] called whoever and said have you seen the crowd around the Hummer? And they said yeah, yeah, don't worry about it. A year later, they went back to the Detroit Auto, people crawling all over the Hummers and they said we get I got

[20:37] >> So, then that's when the marriage of GM came along, got the marketing rights and developed the H2. And the H2 was a huge seller. It was a And the H2 was a huge seller. It was a more domesticated and uh

[20:56] >> And it was it was great. Every celebrity wanted one. >> Yeah. >> the whole thing and that was all the H2. And then they came out with the H3, which was actually more nimble than

[21:09] anything and it would out-climb it would out-climb this because like you say it was much lighter weight but it was still very very capable.

[21:22] >> Yeah. That's this one. >> No, but you know what I mean. >> Yeah.

[21:35] I mean >> It's not that bad. It's real It's really not that bad. And like I said, the the the Hummer H1 was my daily driver for 10 years. The only car I owned. I'd get the the bad glances from the other the

[21:49] parents at the kids' schools and it's like, "Okay, that Escalade you're driving is probably doing worse than my vehicle cuz I'm getting, you know, 10-11 miles per gallon in a diesel and I bet your Escalade's getting 8 and 1/2 or 9."

[22:02] >> Yeah, and the and the real one that wasn't turned into a rat rod is pretty much the same way. It doesn't feel much different. This is just a little bit wider cuz of the tires and the stance. >> Yeah, I just expected a rattling clangy

[22:15] >> Well, then we ought to do a segment sometime with a regular Hummer or Humvee cuz you know, I I own almost every configuration of the of the Hummer that >> [laughter] >> That's like saying, you know, I have no

[22:29] cavities. I I've never brushed my teeth. Really. vehicles, Jay. >> No, no, I I like it. I don't I wouldn't it. That seems like

[22:42] >> Well, it it was just it served our military very very well and then they for the >> Now that's interesting that you say that because I remember at the time 60 Minutes doing things on the the Humvee

[22:56] overpriced, oversold, over You know what I mean. The idea was that soldiers are getting injured in them because they weren't built nearly as strong as >> was Of course, but that was before they started armor plating them.

[23:11] >> And then when they started putting the the bullet resistant glass, and then the you know, the land mines and that stuff. Every spec that the government requested that all three, Teledyne, Chrysler, and

[23:26] AM General were going after, AM General met every single one of them. One of the list, I guess, on the checklist was the you know, blast resistant from >> And who is AM General? That's not American Motors. Not Jeep.

[23:41] >> I think they're just AM General. >> Just a separate company. So, they had no tie in to Chrysler or anybody else. >> No. It wasn't until General Motors came along and said, "Can we get in on this?" And and

[23:55] when if we can do that." right? >> Oh, yeah. The electric one's great. And And again, that is a very, very capable vehicle. And the military used a fleet

[24:09] of those, the electric ones from what I understand, as their silent approach vehicle. Do So, that's what I've read. I you know, who knows on the internet what's true and what's not. >> Well, this engine's very tractable. I

[24:21] >> Right. >> I mean, most of what we're hearing is >> I mean, most of what we're hearing is tire thumping and

[24:37] >> [laughter] >> Well, the thing is how it does it without a lot of vibration, noise, harshness. I mean, it just does it. Just gets a kind of picks up its skirts and runs this thing, you

[24:50] >> Well, the Hummer Alpha, like I said, they only made 700 Hummer Alphas, and those are always the very last in the production for civilians. And the Duramax engine is in that, the Allison transmission is that, and you can put a

[25:03] lot of people in a bad mood on the road when you outrun them in a Hummer. >> But it's so easy to drive. It's just not Yeah, you're not wrenching it left and Yeah, you're not wrenching it left and right. I mean, it's very good.

[25:17] >> Oh, I I have no idea. I think if there's >> Yeah. Yeah. >> [laughter]

[25:30] >> Well, Jay, I can always count on you to bring something to the party. >> Well, Jay, I always appreciate you being >> like it. Your tastes are so eclectic. I mean, it's just

[25:43] But I I reach a point where I go, "Ah, no, that's a don'em. No, no, no, that's that's a That's a don'em." >> Well, you know, sometimes things that are odd succeed.

[25:57] >> And they're always a lot of times they're attached to odd TV or cartoon Yeah, I'm not much older than you that I would be the next generation, so I car. >> Well, I I I will draw the line there,

[26:11] SquarePants. >> I I You know, don't make any promises. >> I I You know, don't make any promises. Hey, see you guys next week.