1997 Hummer H1 - Installation
by CAE, Jan 01, 2001
It would be an understatement to say that computers have drastically changed our lives. You can do almost anything on the Web, making the days of fumbling through the Yellow Pages, driving to retail outlets to get information, and pulling out that heavy Webster's dictionary obsolete. Why strain yourself when you have the Internet? Just punch in a couple of letters on your computer and you are ready to go.
Sean Husvar is no stranger to the Internet world. In fact, he saw the Internet's potential and created his own company, Chek.com. As a business owner in a highly competitive field, Husvar wanted to do something different that would draw attention at the many computer events he attends. Husvar realized that he and his fellow competitors all seemed to have the same setup: a bunch of tables, chairs, and computers. He found it difficult to lure customers into Chek.com's booth because everything looked the same; he needed a marketing strategy.
Video System The Hummer employs various video sources, ranging from DVD, VCP, DSS, TV tuner, and video game. A Panasonic CX-DV1500 Mobile DVD player was fitted on top of the center dash, while just beneath it is a Clarion VDH 9300 video cassette player. A Sega Dreamcast was mounted in the center console next to the auxiliary climate controls. Other goodies include a Sony SAT-A4 satellite dish receiver system that receives signals from a KVH Industries Trac-Vision LM self-tracking satellite dish. The dish was installed in a self-contained enclosure and mounted in the rear portion of the roof. For further entertainment, a Clarion TTX 7501z TV tuner is tucked away in the center roof console.
With so many video sources to display, Seeley installed a total of eight monitors in the Hummer. Starting from front to back, the first is a Clarion VMA 8582 7-inch monitor installed in the center roof console. This monitor has a hinge so it can be folded up, and it is only folded down at shows. Santeca 4M 4-inch monitors are installed in each front visor and the Clarion head unit has a monitor of its own, bringing the total number of monitors in the front to four.
After some brainstorming, Husvar decided to use a 1997 Hummer to show off his Web site. The monstrous cabin is perfect for the three applications that Husvar wanted to display, which included an audio, video, and computer system. He also wanted to keep the cargo area unobstructed so all of the products in the Hummer could be easily seen, a stipulation that would be no easy task. Fortunately, Scott Seeley and the crew at Benchmark Audio in Horseheads, New York, were excited and up for the challenge.
Audio EquipmentA Clarion VRX 6771z AM/FM radio with a foldout 6.4-inch monitor anchors the system. Installing this particular piece was quite simple, since it dropped right into the factory location. Two Clarion changers reside in the center roof console: the MDC 655z and CDC 655z are 6-disc changers for mini-discs and CDs, respectively. Three Kicker amplifiers - two ZR240s and a ZR600 - power the system.
With space being a concern in the cargo area, Seeley looked to the roof to mount the amplifiers. The biggest concern here was the weight of the amplifiers, so the roof was reinforced with 1/4-inch steel crossmembers. The amp rack was made with two sheets of 3/4-inch MDF and 14-1/4-inch bolts attach the amplifier rack to the reinforced steel frame of the roof. Kicker's "Sink Links" were used to make the three amplifiers, which are trimmed with a piece of 1/3-inch MDF wrapped in headliner material, look like one giant amplifier.
No fans were needed to keep the amplifiers cool.
"I believe in having extra power so you do not overdrive the amps and cause damage," explains Seeley. "To me power is everything."
All factory locations for speakers were utilized in the Hummer. Three pairs of Kicker Impulse I5.2 components were used, with two pairs located up front and one in the rear. Instead of making another hole for the tweeter, they were mounted in the center of each 5-inch grille. Kicker Impulse I6.0 midbass drivers were installed in a kick panel that was constructed of body filler, MDF, and fiberglass, then wrapped in vinyl and painted to match the vehicle's interior. Husvar can really be heard with a pair of MTX -P12H PA speakers set on the roof rack.
