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Each year the Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) Show attracts more than 160,000 visitors to the halls of the Las Vegas Convention Center.
It’s a bucket-list event for car and truck enthusiasts, with around 2,400 exhibitors and the best selection of new custom-built cars and trucks to be found anywhere in the world.
We went deep into the show halls to find the hidden treasures of this year’s SEMA, including this Jeep Kaiser 4x4, whose multifuel engine will reportedly run on just about anything that burns. Join us as we uncover lifted trucks, restomod Jeeps, drift cars, tow trucks, muscle cars, camper vans and everything in between…
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Mercedes-Benz-‘300SL Gullwing’ (2018)
Toyo Tires showcases eye-catching new cars and truck projects each year at SEMA and the 2018 ‘Treadpass’ line-up between the Central and South Halls was as impressive as ever.
The pick of the bunch was perhaps John Sarkisyan’s 300SL reproduction. Built in only four months, the car started life as an SLK 32 AMG. At 94in, the SLK’s wheelbase is identical to the SL’s, so the fiberglass body – produced from molds of an original SL – was a perfect fit. It was a dream project for Sarkisyan, whose devotion to the Gullwing is evidenced by the SL tattooed on his forearm!
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Ford Bronco
Hamel, Illinois is home to Gateway Bronco, which creates Ford Bronco restomods in three different specifications. This example is a Fuelie, powered by a 347ci (5.7-liter) ‘Stroker’ V8 with a 5-speed manual transmission. Leather seats and Wilwood disc brakes are standard; the options fitted to this Bronco include an Alpine sound system, removable hard top and an Eaton E-Locker front differential.
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Chevrolet Chevelle Laguna Concept (1973)
Detroit's Big Three use SEMA to launch new performance parts for both current and older models. This year, Chevrolet’s 6.2-liter LT5 crate engine made its debut. The $20k, 765 hp supercharged motor – based on that of the Corvette ZR1 – was showcased in a Chevelle Laguna concept that also boasts an electric power steering conversion and a suspension upgrade.
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MG MGB GT ‘Double Agent’ (1974)
The enormous, 5-liter Roush Coyote V8 just about fits into this 1974 MGB. The car was built by owner, Joe Holyfield and RM Motorsports in Wixom, Michigan. The body color is Phoenix Gold, as seen on BMW M3s circa 2001.
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GMC-Denali Dually 10x10 (2018)
There are countless lifted pickup truck builds at SEMA, most of them stellar by any normal measure, but this towering Denali was one of the biggest on show in 2018. Built by Time Warp Customs and Southern Off-Road Specialists out of Alpharetta, Georgia, the truck has a custom rear suspension by Time Warp and custom rear axles from Differential Engineering.
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Mazda R100 (1972)
This race-style R100 is owned by Rod Nielsen of Abbotsford, near Vancouver, Canada. It has a three-rotor, turbocharged 2-liter engine that makes 710 hp. The car was selected as a finalist in the Sport Compact category for SEMA’s annual Battle of the Builders competition.
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Chevrolet C30 Custom Camper (1973)
Powered by a 402ci (6.6-liter) Chevy big block, this camper is named ‘ReRun’ and was built by Ohio-based Creative Mobile Interiors. The aluminum camper body features air conditioning, a powerful sound system, smart TV, wi-fi, a queen bed and a kitchenette with bamboo countertops.
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Polaris RZR ‘Lightning McQueen’
The ATV aftermarket is well served at SEMA and there are many custom designs on show. This Polaris RZR-based machine combines two characters from the Disney Cars movies to good effect. The race number 95 is stitched into the custom Beard bucket seats.
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BMW i8 Liberty Walk
Typical of the many incredible wraps on display at SEMA is this BMW i8 that’s been customized with a body kit from Japanese tuner, Liberty Walk. The theme is military, but on the side is the familiar philosophy of Liberty Walk founder, Wataru Kato: ‘imagine all the people living life in peace’.
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Rat Rod ‘Resurgence’
With a chopped 1936 Autocar truck cab over the rear wheels and a Dodge chassis, this steampunk-inspired rat rod was one of the most distinctive vehicles on display at SEMA this year. It was built by Resurrected Rust Garage for less than $3000.
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Datsun ‘Fairlady M’
Not your average 240Z. The powertrain from a salvaged E60 BMW M5 – that’s the 507 hp V10 and SMG transmission – was swapped into this Datsun to create the ‘Fairlady M’, which was displayed at SEMA at the booth of wheel supplier, König.
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Ford F-100 ‘Shadow’ (1955)
‘Shadow’ is a frame-off restoration and modernization of a classic Ford pickup by customizer and reality TV star, Ralph Holguin of RMD Garage in Long Beach, California. Features include 4in extensions to the rear fenders, a mahogany bed and a Coyote 5-liter V8.
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Mazda RX-7
Tire maker, Maxxis showcased this rapid RX-7, the result of a two-year build by David Mazzei and Krowrx Fabrication in Alabama. Its four-rotor engine is rare in North America and develops 811 hp at 1 bar of boost from the huge Garrett turbo. It’ll be likely be good for more than 1000 hp, should it be turned up to 2 bar in the future.
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Maserati GranTurismo Liberty Walk
More from Liberty Walk, this time a Maserati GranTurismo in a copper wrap. Air suspension gave it the ground clearance to drive from its California home to Vegas on UHP tires from Chinese brand, Landsail.
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Dodge A100 ‘Little Dead Wagon’
Graveyard Carz rebuilt this 1964 Dodge A100 pickup to handle 936 hp from a supercharged Mopar Hemi 426. Inspiration came from the famous, wheelstanding ‘Little Red Wagon’ drag racer, once the world’s fastest truck.
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Twin Engine Mini
Powered by two Honda B16 engines with a combined 1115 hp, this nitrous-injected Mini pickup – based on a 1965 original – is a SEMA regular. Ireson Motorsports of Fort Myers, Florida built the gull-winged machine, which also features air suspension, a single-seat cockpit and composite panels.
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Jeep Kaiser 4x4 (1966)
Erman Ozguzel created this 4x4 truck by removing an axle from an original 6x6 Jeep Kaiser troop carrier. With bigger tires fitted, the truck now manages 70mph instead of the original 55.
The Kaiser’s multifuel engine will reportedly run on just about anything that burns, but goes best on diesel. There’s no power steering, so maneuvering it into position at the booth of lighting company, Hima required strength and patience!
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Chevrolet Corvette C1
All is not as it seems with this C1 Corvette. The wheels are modern 20in items from the Deluxe Wheel Company, cleverly painted to mimic the original whitewall look. The rims enable the Vette to run a C6 Corvette front suspension, including 13in brake discs. Under the hood is a 532 hp LS V8.
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Jeep Traveller (1963)
Just 705 of these Travellers were produced with the 230ci (3.8-liter) ‘Tornado’ OHC inline-six. This is #385 and was the subject of a frame-off, total restoration by Willys America in California.
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Honda Civic Type R with in-wheel motors (2017)
The Ring-Drive concept has been created by Orbis to offer in-wheel electric drive. In this case, it turns the Civic Type R into an AWD hybrid. The wheel is divided into a stationary hub and a ring that rotates around it, driven by an electric motor. On the Type R, each rear wheel provides an additional 51 hp and 70 lb-ft of torque.
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Chevrolet Bel Air Gasser (1955)
Gassers are always popular at SEMA. The elaborate paint scheme on this example, appropriately displayed at the booth of paint maker Sherwin-Williams, was created by Ryan Evans of Vegas shop, Count’s Customs.
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Volkswagen Golf Mk.2 (1991)
Kraftwerx Auto, a Volkswagen repair shop in Nova Scotia, Canada, built a Mk.2 Golf for SEMA 2018. The AWD car has a Pandem widebody and a turbocharged VR6 from a Mk.5. Sparco seats with GTI tartan are a nice touch.
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Nissan S15 Silvia Formula Drift (2018)
Irishman James Deane took the 2018 Formula Drift championship in this Silvia, which was displayed by its turbo supplier, BorgWarner. Deane won two rounds on the way to retaining the title he first won in 2017.
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DeLorean
Florida-based EPAS Performance makes electric power steering conversions for vintage and classic cars, including DeLoreans. The column-mounted system can be fitted to surviving original DMC-12s, of which there are around 7,000, and to the new cars due in 2019.
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Berlin Buick
A SEMA returnee in 2018 is the Berlin Buick, a mid-engined Beetle that was built by Browns Metal Mods in Port Leyden, New York. In place of the rear seat is a 215ci (3.5-liter) Buick ‘Nailhead’ V8 mated to a modified VW transaxle.
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Twin Mill
Hot Wheels collectors will be familiar with the Twin Mill, versions of which have featured in the toy range since 1969. This full-size car had its original suspension replaced by an air bag conversion courtesy of Level Ride Air Suspension, which is based close to SEMA’s Vegas show halls in Henderson, Nevada.
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Chevrolet G.20 Shorty Van (1976)
Mike Apelons of Erie Coast Customs in Ohio owns this 1976 Shorty, which is displayed on the booth of MrTailLight.com. The van was trimmed by Anderson Custom Interiors and the exterior is finished in a Lamborghini color, Arancio Borealis.
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Dodge Power Wagon (1946)
Created for the TV series Road Hauks, this Power Wagon body sits on the modified frame of a 1994 Ram pickup. The build was carried out for Pit Bull Tires (the truck wears its 44in rubber) and took two months to complete. Power comes from a Cummins diesel.
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Volvo Amazon Wagon (1965)
In a hall of mostly US aftermarket parts for Jeeps and pickup trucks, nothing says ‘Swedish exhibitor’ like a Volvo. This Amazon has an original 1960s Thule roof rack, plus period skis and snow chains.
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Ford Mustang Police (2017)
This movie Mustang evokes the real-life police Mustangs used by agencies such as the California Highway Patrol throughout the 1980s. The car played the part of Barricade in Transformers: The Last Knight fitted with lights from SEMA exhibitor, Whelen.
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Dodge Challenger ‘Cactus Runner’ (2012)
Baja sand racer meets Detroit muscle on this Challenger. The supercharged Hemi drives either just the rear wheels, or all four via a transfer case that offers both low and high-range operation. There are 35in BF Goodrich tires and the suspension lift incorporates Kevlar-infused polyurethane bushings from the car’s builder, Daystar.
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Cadillac Sedanette Custom (1949)
Owned by Bruce and Cheryl Conwell, the 1949 “Wickcad” Cadillac Sedanette won the Goodguys 2018 Custom of the Year award. Built by Chris Carlson of Mulvane, Kansas, the 532 hp Caddy was radically reprofiled for a more streamlined look.
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Sherp ATV (2018)
In a Halloween-themed display at SEMA, the Sherp ATV was marketed as being “The ideal machine for survival in the apocalypse”. The skid-steer machine will climb out of water onto ice and up slopes of 35°, with special fuel reservoirs onboard to keep you moving while tilted.
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Studebaker Champion (1940)
Maurie Hoover from Arizona completed the three-year build of his Studebaker just in time for this year’s SEMA. Hoover had hankered after another after selling his original, more than 50 years ago. The new machine has a 406 hp small-block Chevy motor and Turbo-Hydramatic 350 transmission.
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Jaguar E-Type Series III (1974)
SEMA exhibitor, Pasubio supplied the leather interior trim for this 18-month, frame-off E-Type restoration. The car has a 5.3-liter V12 with custom electronic fuel injection, mated to a 5-speed automatic.
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Chevrolet C10 pickup
The bed of this new C10 restoration by Fat Fender Garage in Arizona features Rockland Custom Products storage lockers. Rockland supplies lockers to emergency services vehicles as well as off-road and custom trucks.
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Nissan Kicks Sound Machine (2018)
A DJ-ready Kicks was one of Nissan’s five custom vehicles at SEMA. Fabricated at Vehicle Effects in Hollywood, the SR-based Sound Machine adds more Bose speakers to the standard Personal Plus sound system, inside and under the vehicle, as well as Pioneer DJ equipment on an articulating rear drawer.
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Jeep Cherokee Chief (1979)
Columbus, Texas-based Jeep Heritage showed this rolling chassis alongside a recently completed Cherokee Chief restoration. Each of the company’s restorations strips the vehicle down to the bare frame.
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International MXT ‘Fate of the Furious’
Toy companies exhibit at SEMA to showcase new ranges, to network with licensing partners and to capture the latest trends for future designs. Jada produces The Fast and the Furious models in several scales and had Hobbs’s International MXT, as driven in The Fate of the Furious by Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson, at its booth.
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Ligier Crawford-Honda Formula 3 car (2018)
A regional FIA Formula 3 championship was launched in the Americas in 2018. The Ligier Crawford JS F3 chassis were powered by a 274 hp version of the latest Civic Type R’s K20 2-liter turbo, tuned by Honda Performance Development in California. US driver, Kyle Kirkwood took the inaugural title in the car pictured.
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Sam Schmidt’s Corvette Z06
IndyCar team owner and former driver, Sam Schmidt has been quadriplegic since a testing accident in 2000. This specially modified Corvette Z06, built by team sponsor, Arrow Electronics, is a companion vehicle to the semi-autonomous one owned by Schmidt. He’s able to drive it thanks to a head control system that translates head twists left or right into direction changes, and sips or puffs into acceleration and braking.
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Volkswagen Scirocco (1980)
Taking a 1980 Scirocco S as its base, this track car build in the style of Mk.1 Scirocco racers was completed by wheel manufacturer, Rotiform, and features its forged two-piece wheels. The VW was displayed at the booth of suspension specialist, H+R, which supplied its adjustable coil-overs. Other highlights include a Berg Cup body kit and a 2-liter alloy motor with JE pistons for a compression ratio of 14:1.
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Dodge Hellcat ‘Hellcab’
Used as a development car for Advanced Flow Engineering’s range of Demon parts, this distinctive Hellcat incorporates revised headers, intake and exhaust components, and is retuned to suit. The wrap includes a fare tariff that promises an initial fare of One Soul…
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Cadillac Coupe De Ville (1960)
This finned behemoth was completed just two weeks before SEMA opened its doors. Built by the Lewis Milinich Body Shop in Hanford, California, it incorporates Accuair’s e-Level air suspension, with two five-gallon compressed-air tanks installed in the trunk. Power – all 1115 hp of it – comes from a twin-turbo LSX 427 motor.
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Toyota BJ42 Land Cruiser (1984)
Proffitt’s Resurrection Land Cruisers is a specialist restoration shop based in Austin, Texas. This BJ42 was one of five of the Toyota 4x4s it brought to SEMA. A body-off restoration was recently completed, during which the original factory diesel motor was swapped for a modern Cummins R 2.8.
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Ford RS200 (1986)
This rally refugee from the Group B era has found a new life as part of Ken Block’s Hoonigan fleet. The custom-tuned, 2-liter Evolution motor makes more than 700 hp and the wheels, suspension and tires have been replaced. The body color was achieved by laying matt black vinyl on top of a gloss-black paint.
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Kia Stinger Queensland Police (2018)
After a three-stage evaluation process, Queensland Police Service in Australia will put 50 Stinger GTs into service before the end of 2018. Aside from special equipment such as lights and radios, the only modification to the standard car was a new wiring loom for the V6 to handle police electronics. The Stinger will be the first foreign car to perform pursuit duties for the QPS.
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Ford Edsel Ranger (1952)
A Roush Racing supercharged Coyote motor and 5-speed Tremec transmission are at the core of this unusual Edsel, which was built for owners Kathy and George Lange by Alloway’s Hot Rod Shop in Tennessee on an Art Morrison chassis.
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Ferrari 328 GTB (1988)
And finally, another new build garnering attention at the Toyo display was this 1988 328 GTB owned by Mitch Button from Los Angeles. The car has been fully rebuilt with air suspension and a custom exhaust. The body has been refinished in a modern Ferrari gray and even sported a Hawaii license plate in a tribute to Magnum P.I.
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