Wild and wonderful cars and trucks of the 2023 SEMA Show

Expected to attract more than 160,000 visitors over the course of the week, it’s the world’s biggest automotive aftermarket, tuning and custom car show.

This year’s event feels like it’s back to its pre-Covid best, with packed halls and a huge array of amazing machinery. Join us for a look at some of SEMA’s best custom cars, trucks and off-roaders…

Comedian and actor Kevin Hart’s latest restomod is this GTO, completed right before SEMA by Detroit Speed & Engineering. Under the hood is a 755-hp, supercharged LT5 motor. The build incorporates numerous parts from Holley-owned companies, including the Detroit Speed suspension and Baer Brakes 15-inch R-Spec rotors with XRT 6-piston calipers. The BASF metallic paint is a Mercedes shade called Mystic Brown.

Berg Performance/Berg Peaks founder, Aaron Marshall entered the Colorado company’s 955 Cayenne in SEMA’s TORA (Truck & Off-Road Alliance) feature vehicle competition. The off-road-ready Porsche received a fresh wrap for the show.

‘Lo-Blo’ is a daily driver for car builder Kyle Hogue, who based it on a 1930 Model A coupe body and 1929 Ford frame rails. The boxed and sealed frame also acts as the tank for the air suspension. Power comes from a 480 Chevy Big Block (a bored-out 454) that’s also supercharged, helping to give the low-riding rod its name.

If you’d wondered what an E90 M3 GTS might look like in a wagon body, this tasteful build by Precision Sport Industries in Florida is it. Under the hood is a Carbahn 4.6-litre S65 stroker engine while the retrimmed interior incorporates BMW M Performance seats and custom Alcantara panels.

The Toyo Treadpass section is always home to some of SEMA’s most innovative new builds. Having previously turned heads with his Mercedes vehicles, John Sarkisyan’s latest creation is an arresting 250 Testarossa lookalike built from a 2008 Ferrari 612. The hand-built bodywork incorporates carbon fiber and a glass hood insert. The Ferrari rolls on HRE wheels and Toyo Proxes R888R tires.

The original concept for what became the ‘63 Stingray was sketched by a young Peter Brock in 1957. Today, Brock – now aged 86 and living near Las Vegas - has teamed up with Mike Staveski to produce a limited run of restomod Stingrays whose chrome-free exteriors are closer to Brock’s original design than the eventual production car. Based on an Art Morrison chassis, the Corvettes have late-model LS power.

Nissan commissioned Tommy Pike Customs in South Carolina to build this modern tribute to the 1971 East African Safari Rally-winning 240Z, which appears alongside it in the SEMA display. Toughening up the Z for off-road use included raising it two inches with custom KW and NISMO suspension parts and fitting Yokohama M/T tires. There are plans to develop a package of parts for sale so that Z customers can take their cars off-road, too.

Owner Mike Slater of Easter Truck & Accessories says, “If you find something that you typically don’t see, you buy it”. So it was with this Panel Wagon, which was rebuilt on a Wrangler LJ chassis with a 2.8-litre Cummins diesel motor. The unique dashboard was made from two doors put together and the interior wood paneling was done by a carpenter.

There’s no mistaking this replica of the iconic Family Truckster from the National Lampoon’s Vacation movie. As the fake advert put it, “Twice the headlights. Four times the woodgrain”. Resplendent in metallic pea paint, the original was based on a 1979 Ford LTD Country Squire. We love the detail in this recreation, right down to the Lou Glutz Motors license plate.

The most eye-catching of the many custom builds at the Toyota booth this year is the mighty FJ Bruiser Concept, a rock-crawler based on a 1966 FJ45 pickup. With motive power from a modified version of TRD’s current NASCAR engine, the complex driveline enables the FJ to crawl at 12mph or race to 165mph. There’s even an underbody track system to help it escape from high-center situations.

Ford has a scaled-back presence at SEMA this year. One highlight is this Safari Concept, the work of Tjin Edition of Laguna Niguel, California. It’s billed as, “the ultimate off-road-ready electric vehicle” and features fender flares, Rigid lights, a Warn winch, lifted suspension and two elements from the upcoming Mach-E Rally production car – the front underbody shield and rear spoiler.

This comprehensively reworked 2015 Land Rover Defender 110 features a Safety Devices roll cage, sits on an all-new chassis and is powered by a 6.2-litre LT1 V8. The package also includes a Detroit Locker rear diff, Fox dampers and AP Racing brakes.

The classic Meyers Manx beach buggy has been revived under new ownership, including the introduction of the 2.0 EV. For SEMA this year however, customizer Chip Foose worked with Meyers and EMPI to create a different take on the Manx, imagining how it would be to use a Porsche 356 as the donor car instead of a Beetle. Power comes from a 2275cc VW engine.

One of many unique vehicles on display in the new FutureTech Studio area – which showcases future propulsion technologies – is this Tesla-swapped Gullwing, again the work of John Sarkisyan. A Model 3 unibody chassis was narrowed to get the proportions of the classic 300SL, but the Tesla’s electronic features still function, including self-driving system and infotainment screen.

Shawn Bassett of Attacking the Clock Racing is a familiar face in the Toyo Treadpass but his latest vehicle is a little different to the usual time-attack race cars. Completed entirely in-house in only five weeks, the Kei truck currently retains its stock engine but will soon gain a turbocharged Hayabusa before it takes to the track. Note the barge boards behind the front wheels and the radiator and oil cooler mounted on the sides of the bed.

An eight-year project inspired by the famous streamliner that was raced at Indy by Barney Oldfield in 1919, this restomod is dwarfed by the trucks parked around it in the SEMA outdoor display. The clamshell aluminum body was hand formed and conceals BMC mechanicals centered on a 1275cc engine. It weighs in at just 1115 lb, including driver.

Dacono, Colorado-based EarthRoamer builds around 40 of its off-road adventure vehicles every year, based either on Ford or Chevy truck chassis. The Ford F-550 Super Duty-based, 6.7-litre diesel-powered LTi has 1,000 miles of range. It boasts a 12kWh lithium-ion battery pack, can store 100 gallons of fresh water, sleeps four and has a base price of US$695,000.

Imported from Europe especially for SEMA, this custom ID Buzz Cargo van was created by Jamie Orr and Auto Östringer in Germany. In addition to the wrap featuring sponsor Landsail Tires, it has 21-inch Rotiform wheels, H&R coilovers and a Thule Caprock roof platform rack for spare tires.

As if a six-door pickup weren’t special enough, 21-year-old Brandon Johnson of J5 Custom designed, laser-cut and welded a new frame from scratch in three months as part of a project to lift the Ford by 28 inches. It rides on custom air suspension and Carbon shocks.

Built from two Jeep Wrangler JKs, this wild combination was put together by Auto Definitions. The 2011 and 2013 Wranglers, a Rock Hard 4x4 roll cage, Aries Automotive bumpers and Quake LED lighting are topped off by a tent from Overland Vehicle Systems.

Avery Dennison trainers wrapped this stock red C3 ‘Vette during SEMA to showcase the possibilities of custom wraps. The design was printed MPI 1105 film and combined with a matte overlaminate for a distinctive finish.

A brand-new build by Tony Quinones of TQ Customs and the TV show Car Masters: Rust to Riches for Scorpion EV boss, Bill Cardoso, this EV pickup started life as a long-bed F-250 but has been shortened to a fit a new chassis that incorporates a Tesla Model S rear drivetrain. The bed is lined with solar panels instead of wood to trickle-charge the separate 12V electrical system. Subtle styling cues are drawn from the latest Ford GTs.

The intricate wrap on this Supra is described as, “a fusion of baroque architectural styling with samurai yoroi/oni mask design,” by the designer and owner, known on Instagram as The Black GT. They also penned the custom aero kit that was built by Galvez Customs. Reflective accents illuminate under light.

Artist and hot rodder Coby Gewertz’s striking coupe already claimed Hot Rod of the Year at the 7th BASF Nashville Nationals in May this year and is now a finalist in SEMA’s Battle of the Builders. Notable for its drag-race-inspired vertical stripes and gold leaf accents, the rod was built by South City Rod & Custom around a body sourced from Mike Wolfe of the American Pickers TV show.

Matchbox is soon to release a miniature version of this Gladiator, which has been extensively customized by RealTruck. The real vehicle boasts a four-inch Superlift lift kit, Go Rhino lights and Rugged Ridge fender flares, bumpers, rack and tent.

The Wisconsin-based Ringbrothers custom shop always produces something special for SEMA and among three reveals this year is ‘Paramount’, a sleeper Rolls-Royce. Beneath the largely stock body lies a 6.2-litre, 640-hp LT4 engine and 10-speed transmission sitting in a custom chassis. More than 1000 LEDs were sewn into the headliner as part of 3400 hours of work on the build.

It took three years to complete this full-carbon-bodied C10, which incorporates some 600 lb of carbon fiber to shave at least 1000 lb from a stock, steel-bodied truck. The Chevy was built for owner Rod Parsons of Ripley, West Virginia by ZRodz/Fiber Forged Composites of Knox, Indiana. With the molds made, the shop is now producing further C10 bodies in carbon.

JH Restorations in Windsor, Canada, conceived this modified Merkur as a modern upgrade to the Sierra RS500 Cosworth. It has a custom bodykit, Ford Area 51 blue paint, a 2.3-litre turbo engine and a Bowler-prepped Tremec TKX 5-speed transmission. There are elements of Mustang and C6 Corvette in the drivetrain and suspension, too.

The woodgrain decal work on Christopher Malloy’s 1,000cc Pao is designed to evoke old-school SoCal surfer wagons – a theme continued by the carbon-fiber surfboard on the roof, made by The Carbon Lab. Further modifications include fog lights and a refurbished interior.

Making its first trip to SEMA, Orange, California-based Hot-Rod Chavik is displaying this road-legal IndyCar recreation that was completed in 2016 and later imported to the US when the family relocated from Bohemia, Czechia. The original was built and raced by Phil ‘Red’ Shafer at the Indy 500 in the 1930s.

In true SEMA style, this ambitious, beautifully painted, six-month custom build was finished just a week before the show. With a 1979 Bronco in mind, Precision All-Out Customs & Restorations in Springfield, Illinois, shortened a long-bed F-150 by 15 inches. The team installed a roll hoop and hard top over the rear occupants, as well as the ‘Bronchilla’ (cooler) and ‘Broncgrilla’ (butane travel grill).

This elegant custom creates a fastback version of the Buick Y-job by shortening and lowering the standard car, which also rides 15 inches lower than stock on AirRide suspension. The body underwent extensive reshaping and smoothing, with the headlights repositioned behind the huge chrome grille.

Another EV swap stopping visitors in their tracks is on display at powertrain supplier, Legacy EV. It’s a project by Gas Monkey Garage and a goal is to maintain the original car’s weight distribution by placing the 300 hp motor and 84.6kWh battery pack in the rear, behind a McLaren F1-style three-person cockpit with central steering wheel.

Evoking the Tacoma X-Runner of 20 years ago, this new Tacoma concept envisions a modern incarnation of the once-popular sport truck. It has a 3-inch-wider track, strengthened frame and numerous components from the larger Tundra, including the front brakes, air-suspension and a modified, 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 producing 421 hp.

‘Otis’ was built for the 2023 Ultimate Adventure off-road challenge. The ‘56 body sits atop a modified 2007 JKU frame. Power comes from a 5.3-litre LS motor and 4L60E transmission and reaches the trail via Raceline beadlock wheels and 40-inch Milestar Patagonia tires. A custom work rack in the bed holds Bubba Gear recovery gear.

Project Rugged Rogue uses a mixture of custom and prototype NISMO parts to beef up the standard 2024 Nissan Rogue crossover SUV (sold in some markets as the X-Trail). Highlights include a 3-inch suspension lift, prototype off-road 18-inch wheels with Yokohama Geolandar M/T G003 tires, carbon-fiber fender flares and rear spoiler, a front bumper guard and roof-mounted kayak and mountain-bike racks.

A contrast to some of SEMA’s glitzier builds, Ali Tenzer’s understated cabriolet got an engine rebuild and race tune, has had new front and rear bumpers, received a new black soft top and has been completely resprayed.

Flat Out Autos took inspiration from the K5 Blazer to create this Silverado-based KR2. The regular work truck was shortened by 22 inches, widened, and the rear of the cab cut open, with a custom rear cabin and roll bar added along with a carbon-fiber top by Sankuer Composites.

And finally… KTL Restorations of Danville, Virginia, completed a full rotisserie restoration of this 351 Cleveland-powered Cougar, which also retains its original four-speed manual transmission. Owned by a client from Aruba, it’s finished in Competition Orange from the Glasurit 55 Line.

That’s it for our tour of some of SEMA’s finest vehicles. The trade show runs until November 3^rd and is immediately followed by SEMA Fest, which is open to the public. Click here for more information!