New H3 Alpha (First car) need suggestions

[Alpha_Male]

I just bought my first truck & its a hummer h3 alpha. I'm mad excited about it, it just came in today & its got 60k miles, black boss rims, worn down semi-performance tires, and the upgraded alpha monsoon sound system. All great features to start with although they will have to be upgraded eventually.
I need suggestions on exactly where i can find the best places to get aftermarket parts for the hummer and/or websites to look around for new ideas/accessories for it.
What I'm really looking to do with it is black it out completely. Theres some issue i have with the Alpha model and thats the random chrome parts around the truck, like the door handles and side view mirrors, and the front bumper apron. If anyone knows where I can buy some cheap blacked out door handles and side view mirrors let me know. I'm also looking to black out the front grille that is chrome I was told you have to take it to a local auto body and they will just paint it for around $200 but if anyone has a better solution let me know.

I also had some weird situation today when I was starting the truck up I put it in drive and it didn't move... It was as if the gear didn't switch out of park into drive, so i turned the hummer off and restarted about 5 times i did this and same situation it switched to drive but would not move, the truck would rev when i hit the gas but just would not move. so i messed around a bit and put it in reverse and it worked and i switch from reverse right to drive and it worked... if you know what happened and have a solution let me know.

if anyone has any other cool suggestions for a hummer h3 like maybe tires and rims they like or colors that go well together with a black hummer then please leave suggestions.

Thanks

 

[digglesworth]

stick around on here long enough and youll find all kinds of stuff to do. congrats on the truck. aftermarket is pretty scarce compared to other 4x4s but there is enough stuff out there to get you where you wanna be with your truck. use the search bar at the top and if you cant sift through the pages of threads to come up with an answer, just ask. lots of great folks on here with lots of hummer knowledge.

 

[Bigunit]

Welcome and congratulations on your new ride.

What year is it and got any pics of it that you could post for us?

 

[H3HummerLineX]

As for your shifting issue. Check the linkage on the transmission. If it's loose that might give you those kinda problems


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Alpha_Male]

Welcome and congratulations on your new ride.

What year is it and got any pics of it that you could post for us?

Here she is.

I'll be taking my pics as i do more stuff.

@H#HummerLineX I'll take a look at that tomorrow thats probably it i was messing around with some stuff today and probably hit that, thanks

 

[derian06]

For blacking out, I recommend either tint for the markers and signals, or VHT nightshades along with clear coat. Depending if you want rough or smooth you can go with bedliner or just regular paint for the chrome, you can buy black handles on amazon for about 20$ a piece but you're probably going to have to paint the mirrors.

some starter mods: Remove the steps, crank the torsion bars to level it, air doc intake, PCM of NC tune, rock sliders, ucp (if you're planning to wheel it).

But like others said just hang around here for awhile and you'll see all the different things you can do and how to do them. Amazing group of people on this forum. And welcome from Madison, AL!

 

[SuperBuickGuy]

welcome, black Alphas are cool


and out beating the mall out of it.

 

[Alpha_Male]

For blacking out, I recommend either tint for the markers and signals, or VHT nightshades along with clear coat. Depending if you want rough or smooth you can go with bedliner or just regular paint for the chrome, you can buy black handles on amazon for about 20$ a piece but you're probably going to have to paint the mirrors.

some starter mods: Remove the steps, crank the torsion bars to level it, air doc intake, PCM of NC tune, rock sliders, ucp (if you're planning to wheel it).

But like others said just hang around here for awhile and you'll see all the different things you can do and how to do them. Amazing group of people on this forum. And welcome from Madison, AL!

Thanks a ton I actually like those suggestions . About the mirrors though you think it will be easier to paint them rather to just buy new ones or you only know about being able to paint them be cuz you can't buy them?

 

[Alpha_Male]

welcome, black Alphas are cool


and out beating the mall out of it.

Nice hummer man you think you can help me out ? How did you black your side mirrors out & your front bumper apron?

 

[3Hummers]

Welcome to the forum.

 

[SuperBuickGuy]

bought the mirrors after I broke a chrome one, spray-on bedliner on the grill
pretty much everything I've done to it is here http://www.hummer4x4offroad.com/forum/showthread.php?5816-Search-and-Rescue-H3-Alpha-build

 

[Pappibri]

Welcome. Clean Alpha you have there.

 

[digglesworth]

Mirrors are expensive to buy. Handles, not so much. Like derian said, I've seen Dorman replacements for $20/each. First things first though, make sure you're caught up on maintenance. Fluids are easy to change.

 

[derian06]

Alot of people with black hummers use bedliner for a contrast like ricks H3T he used rustoleum rattle can bedliner.

I used rustoleum for my handles, mirrors, roofrack, and some trim along with some clear coat. But for the majority of mine I used a product called raptor liner which is much more thick and durable

bedliner is just easy to use and will stick to anything.

The handles are a pain in the butt to take off and paint same for the mirrors. I left the mirrors on to paint and took the handles off. The grill is extremely easy just 4 10mm bolts and 4 clips.

 

[digglesworth]

Dont use duplicolor bedliner... I sprayed a bunch of trim pieces including the handles and mirrors with that crap. Everything is bubbling up bad. This is my second go around cause it did it the first time so a rep sent me a bunch of free stuff to respray it. I need to take care of it somehow. Probably just order those $20 handles. My mirrors probably could use replaced since they both wobble like crazy. I'm just waiting to smash one on a tree or rock so I have to buy a new ones. The hood trim can be sanded down along with the hood corner pieces. If it ever quits raining I might try stripping it and using the raptorliner.

 

[Alpha_Male]

Alot of people with black hummers use bedliner for a contrast like ricks H3T he used rustoleum rattle can bedliner.

I used rustoleum for my handles, mirrors, roofrack, and some trim along with some clear coat. But for the majority of mine I used a product called raptor liner which is much more thick and durable

bedliner is just easy to use and will stick to anything.

The handles are a pain in the butt to take off and paint same for the mirrors. I left the mirrors on to paint and took the handles off. The grill is extremely easy just 4 10mm bolts and 4 clips.

Thanks a lot for the suggestions I'm going to do Bedliner on my grille , handles , and mirror. Do you suggest sanding any of it before I spray it on or getting any other coating to put on before I spray the Bedliner on? & also what do you recommend looks better then rust oleum or raptor liner?

 

[digglesworth]

definitely prep it. you can sand it a little to make sure theres no armorall or detailing products on there. make sure its clean and dry...

 

[derian06]

Definitely sand the chrome as much as you can, it's awful. And its just your personal preference, smooth vs rough textures.

 

[SuperBuickGuy]

what's funny is I'm thinking of going back to chrome... blacked out has kind of been done-to-death...

 

[derian06]

what's funny is I'm thinking of going back to chrome... blacked out has kind of been done-to-death...

I've seen abunch of half chrome half black rims i've liked. I think both can look good aslong as the chrome isnt overkill.

 

[Woodtick]

I wouldn't paint that roof rack. It's OEM,and brings in a good buck. Sell it and buy a black one.

 

[USMC_315]

Thanks a lot for the suggestions I'm going to do Bedliner on my grille , handles , and mirror. Do you suggest sanding any of it before I spray it on or getting any other coating to put on before I spray the Bedliner on? & also what do you recommend looks better then rust oleum or raptor liner?

I like my bedliner I've done to the grill, I used the rustoleum brand. It looks good, has a nice rough texture to it. I didn't sand down the grill at all, just gave it a very thorough wipe down. It's stuck on there fine and I've had no issues with it at all.

 

[Alpha_Male]

I like my bedliner I've done to the grill, I used the rustoleum brand. It looks good, has a nice rough texture to it. I didn't sand down the grill at all, just gave it a very thorough wipe down. It's stuck on there fine and I've had no issues with it at all.

Thanks sounds good, ordering up some of that stuff online and as soon as it gets in its going on the truck.

 

[Alpha_Male]

Definitely sand the chrome as much as you can, it's awful. And its just your personal preference, smooth vs rough textures.

Do you have any suggestions for a good spray paint that will be durable for the hummer? I plan on painting my brake calibers, H3 symbols, hooks, and some other things green, to give me a nice green black themed truck. I see you have a red front bumper apron did you use a spray paint or did you bring it to an auto body to get it painted?

 

[derian06]

Do you have any suggestions for a good spray paint that will be durable for the hummer? I plan on painting my brake calibers, H3 symbols, hooks, and some other things green, to give me a nice green black themed truck. I see you have a red front bumper apron did you use a spray paint or did you bring it to an auto body to get it painted?

G2 caliper paint on the calipers and hooks, stuff it crazy strong. And you can spray it if you buy preval sprayers (find them on amazon). Not sure if they have a monster green though.