Recker Rick from Murphy’s Diesel transforms an underpowered military Humvee with more power. A 12-valve Cummins from a donor truck becomes the foundation. The swap requires complete cab removal to access the cramped engine bay.
Work begins with simultaneous teardown of both vehicles to bare frames. The Humvee’s center-mounted differential forces passenger-side engine placement for proper alignment. Rick fabricates custom mounts as the Cummins takes position. Fuel system routing changes follow the raised body configuration.
A local machine shop delivers a custom driveshaft in under two hours. The South Bend clutch handles 500 horsepower output capacity. Hood clearance becomes the final obstacle requiring spacer blocks. Rick fabricates a hood stack to route exhaust safely from the cabin.
The completed Humvee fires on the first attempt. Power delivery confirms successful drivetrain integration.
The transformation maintains the vehicle’s low center of gravity and portal axle capability. Winter recovery operations now have adequate power for mountain terrain. Complete build process unfolds in the video below.
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