In the Market...need your expertises..

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In the Market...need your expertises..

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In the Market...need your expertises.. - 1/9/2008 2:24:04 PM

Eric H.

Posts: 10
Joined: 1/9/2008
Status: offline

I've been in the market for an H1. My question is, I don't see many hardtop trucks, were these offered from the factory stock or are these open top conversions?

Also, I see some H1's with different dash layouts such as this one:http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/AM-GENERAL-HUMMER-H1-OPEN-TOP-CTIS-4X4-DIESEL-1998-1999_W0QQitemZ180204887516QQihZ008QQcategoryZ5360QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Is the aluminum bezel and aftermarket item? Some of the H1's I see look to have a Acrylic dash OVER the gauges, and some the bezel is AROUND the gauges. Which years did these change, do you guys have pictures of the different year gauges. I look around and couldn't find much.

Post #: 1

RE: In the Market...need your expertises.. - 1/9/2008 3:13:42 PM

3hummers

Posts: 11819
Joined: 9/23/2007
Status: offline

The hardtop trucks were a standard configuration from AMG from early in the production run.
The dash bezels are aftermarket. The dash layouts stayed pretty consistent even though there were some minor shifting of different instruments. Most, but not all trucks came with the CTIS system. That can also have an effect on instrument placement.
The doghouse configuration also changed somewhat from year to year.
You can check the ebay listings of different year models for interior dash/interior shots. Another good source is to go to: www.lynchhummer.com. Go the the H1 section and click on model year changes. Many show interior shots. Lynch usually posts interior shots of the different H1s they have for sale ( about 10 right now ) You can also go to www.dontdrivejunk.com. They usually have 10-12 H1s for sale and post tons of pictures on the different trucks.
Hope that helps.

_____________________________

2006 H1 Alpha wagon
2000 H1 Slantback
1997 H1 wagon
2008 H3 Alpha

(in reply to Eric H.)

Post #: 2

RE: In the Market...need your expertises.. - 1/9/2008 4:28:33 PM

Eric H.

Posts: 10
Joined: 1/9/2008
Status: offline

quote:

ORIGINAL: 3hummers

The hardtop trucks were a standard configuration from AMG from early in the production run.
The dash bezels are aftermarket. The dash layouts stayed pretty consistent even though there were some minor shifting of different instruments. Most, but not all trucks came with the CTIS system. That can also have an effect on instrument placement.
The doghouse configuration also changed somewhat from year to year.
You can check the ebay listings of different year models for interior dash/interior shots. Another good source is to go to: www.lynchhummer.com. Go the the H1 section and click on model year changes. Many show interior shots. Lynch usually posts interior shots of the different H1s they have for sale ( about 10 right now ) You can also go to www.dontdrivejunk.com. They usually have 10-12 H1s for sale and post tons of pictures on the different trucks.
Hope that helps.

Do you know what years they were available in. Does anyone offer an open top to hardtop conversion. I haven't seen many if any around. Any essentially if I took a an open top and bought a hardtop it'd still be structurally different right? Or are the hardtops trucks from factory removable?

(in reply to 3hummers)

Post #: 3

RE: In the Market...need your expertises.. - 1/9/2008 4:45:05 PM

3hummers

Posts: 11819
Joined: 9/23/2007
Status: offline

I have seen removable hard tops. Not sure if they are factory or not. Structurally the "B" and "C: pillars provide most of the roof/truck support in case you go turtle. I don't think there is much of a difference structurally. The Lynch model year changes should show all of the years that that model truck was available.

_____________________________

2006 H1 Alpha wagon
2000 H1 Slantback
1997 H1 wagon
2008 H3 Alpha

(in reply to Eric H.)

Post #: 4

RE: In the Market...need your expertises.. - 1/9/2008 5:27:17 PM

Injunfarian

Posts: 696
Joined: 8/5/2006
Status: offline

quote:

ORIGINAL: Eric H.

quote:

ORIGINAL: 3hummers

The hardtop trucks were a standard configuration from AMG from early in the production run.
The dash bezels are aftermarket. The dash layouts stayed pretty consistent even though there were some minor shifting of different instruments. Most, but not all trucks came with the CTIS system. That can also have an effect on instrument placement.
The doghouse configuration also changed somewhat from year to year.
You can check the ebay listings of different year models for interior dash/interior shots. Another good source is to go to: www.lynchhummer.com. Go the the H1 section and click on model year changes. Many show interior shots. Lynch usually posts interior shots of the different H1s they have for sale ( about 10 right now ) You can also go to www.dontdrivejunk.com. They usually have 10-12 H1s for sale and post tons of pictures on the different trucks.
Hope that helps.

Do you know what years they were available in. Does anyone offer an open top to hardtop conversion. I haven't seen many if any around. Any essentially if I took a an open top and bought a hardtop it'd still be structurally different right? Or are the hardtops trucks from factory removable?

eToolSmith Development

(in reply to Eric H.)

Post #: 5

RE: In the Market...need your expertises.. - 1/9/2008 10:56:23 PM

ronb

Posts: 152
Joined: 11/9/2007
Status: offline

I talked to Cal Gold a few weeks ago about a hard top with no rear shell (just a back panel/window) and they said they've made a few and it woudn't be that hard to do...for $5k. Oi vey! That back panel costs mor then the shell!! Pretty sure I could get one fabbed/painted for half that. I was never in love with the front edge of the Cal Gold top where it meets the a pillar anyway. Wish they had made it more flush and angled it.

Injunfarian, how does your top do in the rain?

rb

(in reply to Injunfarian)

Post #: 6

RE: In the Market...need your expertises.. - 1/11/2008 3:56:41 PM

Eric H.

Posts: 10
Joined: 1/9/2008
Status: offline

[/quote]

I have a removable hardtop although mine is a slantback I know calgold makes a wagon back as well and also there is the helmet top as well... but I never seen a 4dr hardtop kit for the opentop yet...
As for being able to put a factory hardtop on an opentop it is more than just putting the hardtop on you will have to replace the rollbars as well since they are about 2" higher on the softtop than the hardtop models.
As for year models best place to look is lynch hummer site.
[/quote]

I was looking for a hardtop from the factory, NON removable. So one that is welded in. I think with most removable hardtops, rain leakage, squeeking, rattling and overall interior noise is more.

So am I getting this correctly...the factory hardtop is fully welded in with no roll bar like the open top. The open top with an aftermarket hardtop will have the benefit of the rollbar, and it will be removable and not welded in?

(in reply to Injunfarian)

Post #: 7

RE: In the Market...need your expertises.. - 1/11/2008 4:31:17 PM

Eric H.

Posts: 10
Joined: 1/9/2008
Status: offline

This is factory hardtop right?

(in reply to Eric H.)

Post #: 8

RE: In the Market...need your expertises.. - 1/11/2008 5:35:11 PM

3hummers

Posts: 11819
Joined: 9/23/2007
Status: offline

It sounds like you are talking about the HMC4. It is the "SUT" version of the H1. It is a hard, non-removable top just like the wagon only with a short truck bed in the back. They were a standard H1 configuration. I don't own one but really like them. Both mine are wagons. That picture is a factory hardtop. They do have roll bars in them but the roll bars are covered by the "B" and "C" pillar trim. The lynch hummer website will have all of the production information you want on it. They break it down by year and model type.

_____________________________

2006 H1 Alpha wagon
2000 H1 Slantback
1997 H1 wagon
2008 H3 Alpha

(in reply to Eric H.)

Post #: 9

RE: In the Market...need your expertises.. - 1/12/2008 6:26:10 PM

indyh2

Posts: 80
Joined: 6/4/2007
Status: offline

quote:

ORIGINAL: Eric H.

This is factory hardtop right?

From the look of it that is a shell from an aftermarket company. It is true that on ebay soft tops are more common, but hard tops are on there just as often. If you want a hard top, get the AM General hard top, thats just my opinion. Why do you not want a soft top? Just curious. Here is a picture of a factory hardtop. Hope this helps!

Drew

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Attachment (1)

_____________________________

2004 Victory Red H2
1997.5 Fly Yellow H1 Soft top

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Post #: 10

RE: In the Market...need your expertises.. - 1/14/2008 12:11:14 PM

Eric H.

Posts: 10
Joined: 1/9/2008
Status: offline

Drew,

I want the hardtop because it will be sealed. I have test driven a couple softtop and all the owners have said that sometimes they leak water. I am going to be using this for mostly sand and cold weather. I don't want to have to clean out sand from the interior, and of course I like how it looks better as well. I haven't found a single hardtop on ebay recently. If you could point me in this direction that would be awesome!

Also, how could you tell that the white picture I posted is aftermarket? Is there a way you can spot a difference. So many variations, my mind is boggled.

(in reply to indyh2)

Post #: 11

RE: In the Market...need your expertises.. - 1/14/2008 12:25:21 PM

indyh2

Posts: 80
Joined: 6/4/2007
Status: offline

I found a hardtop with a slant back, not sure if it is removable.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1996-hummer-h1_W0QQitemZ200191362150QQihZ010QQcategoryZ5360QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

here is an open top with a hard shell
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Hummer-H1-1997_W0QQitemZ150205167973QQihZ005QQcategoryZ5360QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

I'll keep my eyes peeled.

_____________________________

2004 Victory Red H2
1997.5 Fly Yellow H1 Soft top

(in reply to Eric H.)

Post #: 12

RE: In the Market...need your expertises.. - 1/15/2008 9:40:06 AM

Injunfarian

Posts: 696
Joined: 8/5/2006
Status: offline

quote:

ORIGINAL: ronb

I talked to Cal Gold a few weeks ago about a hard top with no rear shell (just a back panel/window) and they said they've made a few and it woudn't be that hard to do...for $5k. Oi vey! That back panel costs mor then the shell!! Pretty sure I could get one fabbed/painted for half that. I was never in love with the front edge of the Cal Gold top where it meets the a pillar anyway. Wish they had made it more flush and angled it.

Injunfarian, how does your top do in the rain?

rb

Sorry I stopped watching this thread heh! but yea I know its pricey for them I lucked out and bought mine used with custom insulated headliner... ended up paying 2300 for it...
As for where the the shell meants the A pillar I honestly dont mind it... gives me about 3" to write some stuff in there... still unsure though was thinking about Real Trucks Rattle.... or Jeep Recovery Squad 1-800-NOT-JEEP kinda like their version of H2 Recovery Squad 1-800-GOT-JEEP heheh
As for hold up in the rain well I doubled up the topper tape(weather stripping) where it connects just over the B Pillar that held up fine... then my friend who helped me forgot to do it over the rear shell(just over the C pillar) that leaked a bit but I ended up buying silicon and doing both and it holds up great... but the people before me didnt do the rear window too well and that leaks. but thats fixable. The only problem I have with it is the locking mechanism on the slantback door is a bit loose and rattles at idle sometimes but then again thats tweakable as well... Also the top has alot of gaps... that you have to fill with weatherstripping etc. but if you put the time into it its a very nice top.

_____________________________

eToolSmith Development

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Post #: 13

RE: In the Market...need your expertises.. - 1/15/2008 9:45:39 AM

Injunfarian

Posts: 696
Joined: 8/5/2006
Status: offline

quote:

ORIGINAL: Eric H.

I have a removable hardtop although mine is a slantback I know calgold makes a wagon back as well and also there is the helmet top as well... but I never seen a 4dr hardtop kit for the opentop yet...
As for being able to put a factory hardtop on an opentop it is more than just putting the hardtop on you will have to replace the rollbars as well since they are about 2" higher on the softtop than the hardtop models.
As for year models best place to look is lynch hummer site.

I was looking for a hardtop from the factory, NON removable. So one that is welded in. I think with most removable hardtops, rain leakage, squeeking, rattling and overall interior noise is more.

So am I getting this correctly...the factory hardtop is fully welded in with no roll bar like the open top. The open top with an aftermarket hardtop will have the benefit of the rollbar, and it will be removable and not welded in?

the factory hardtops are removable if you try hard enough but they are not welded(aluminum body and steel roof) is a bit tricky to weld instead they are riveted together that is why the hardtops right at where they connect to the body(too many metals) also they hardtops come with rollbars they just are not as high as the softtop roll bars I believe that is due to the sagging of the softtop would make it even more compact... as for rainleakage if you install it proper it shouldnt leak... squeeking yea I get a bit.. rattling yea but im sure its fixable. interior noise is more sure more than a well insulated factory hardtop but I believe it is better than my softtop except for when its rattling....

_____________________________

eToolSmith Development

(in reply to Eric H.)

Post #: 14

RE: In the Market...need your expertises.. - 1/15/2008 9:54:32 AM

Injunfarian

Posts: 696
Joined: 8/5/2006
Status: offline

I believe the white one is a factory top due to it not being raised 2" to make up for the extended roll bar... note how it doesnt add 2-3" ontop of the windshield frame(A pillar) also with the ventilation slots at the rear I dont believe any after market did that.
Best way to tell if its after market is...
Aftermarket hardtop on softtop:
Look at the A pillar(windshield frame) if the top doesnt extend that 2-3" then it isnt a calgold conversion
Also look at it from the side the helmet is another aftermarket top now it doesnt add the 2-3" at the windshield frame but gradually does it from the windshield frame to the B pillar(just between the front doors and rear doors) if the top slants upward then it could be a helmet conversion....

Aftermarket 4dr hrdtop to slantback:
easiest way to tell is look at the slantback door... if the truck still has a tailgate then its a aftermarket conversion... if the slantback door is 1 piece then it could be a factory slantback given that its a 2000 model year...

Attached is a picture of my H1 with the Calgold slantback shell from the front you will see what i mean about the extra 2-3"

Thumbnail Image