Note: This article has been archived because it is currently broken on Yahoo. I was responsible for both writing and photography for this slideshow, which appeared on Yahoo Autos. Since it’s been reconstructed as a single post, it’ll take a moment to load.
What began as the Specialty Equipment Manufacturers Association trade show for peddlers of spare car parts has grown into a Vegas-sized gathering of every wild idea at large in the American automotive scene. While automakers bring scores of vehicles to SEMA every year hoping to generate publicity for their parts stores, it’s the grassroots custom cars that bring the show life — and this year’s dispays ran from 2,000-hp Impalas to a lowrider wagon that doubles as a rolling tribute to a well-liked photographer.
1. Jae Bueno’s 1962 Impala lowrider
This 1962 Chevy Impala station wagon was built and painted by Danny D at Custom Pinstriping and Paint of Baldwin Park, CA. It was built for Los Angeles photographer Jae Bueno, who captured the West Coast car culture before he passed away from cancer in June 2013. Bueno’s casket was painted by Danny D to match the Impala’s paint job.
2. Hyundai Veloster “Walking Dead” Zombie Machine
Hyundai’s “The Walking Dead” Veloster Turbo ZSM features multiple mounted machine guns, front saw blades and dual front chainsaws, doom whistle, and side flame thrower.
3. 1971 Chevy C10
“Adel,” a 1971 Chevy C10 built by Chimera Customs of North Palm Harbor, Fla., for Jim and Amy Jo Osborn, features a Chevy Performance LS3 E-ROD 430-hp V-8. The truck ultimately will be auctioned to benefit the Austin Hatcher Foundation for Pediatric Cancer.
4. 1933 Ford Tudor sedan
This 1933 Ford Tudor sedan was built by Matt Parker, Brandon Parker and Hector Hernandez. It features a Fatman Fabrications chassis, independent front suspension, and a custom interior sound system and speaker system.
5. 1948 Chevy pickup
This 1948 Chevy truck owned by Rob and GayLyn Concienne is colorfully named “Oh, for Crap Sake!” The truck was purchased new by Rob’s grandfather in ’48, and Rob bought it from him when he was 13 years old. According to Rob, his grandfather was fond of saying “Oh for crap sake, why do you want that old truck?” Years later, Rob and his grandfather rebuilt the engine together. The truck was built by Rocket’s Hot Rod Garage in Outlook, Wash.
6. 1972 Chevy C10
This 1972 Chevy C10 pickup owned by Robin Greenhagen was built by Mike, Michael and Chris McLin at The RestoMod Store in Independence, Mo., and has won multiple hot-rod awards.
7. 1967 Chevy C-10 pickup
This 1967 Chevy C-10 pickup, called “Shameless,” was built by Don McDavitt & Maurie Hoover at Classic Auto Restoration in Lake Havasu, Ariz.
8. 1950 Chevy Deluxe lowrider
This 1950 Chevy Deluxe lowrider is owned by Eric Conner of Fellas Car Club of Southern California.
9. “Monster Bear” kid-driven monster truck
“Monster Bear,” driven by 10-year-old Kid KJ of Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., is a half-scale monster truck powered by Ford Racing’s 252-hp turbocharged EcoBoost I-4. It weighs 3,000 pounds, is 7 feet tall and 11 feet long, and can jump 12 feet and crush cars just like the real deal. Kid KJ has been driving monster trucks since he was five years old.
10. Ford Shelby Cobra with Coyote 5-liter V-8
This Ford Shelby CSX6083 Cobra features a Shelby CSX6000 chassis from DenBeste Motorsports and Ford Racing’s 5.0L Coyote engine. It was built by Speedway Classic Car Inc in Las Vegas, Nev.
11. Ford F-150 SVT Raptor
As part of its Racing School at SEMA, Ford offered ride-along demonstrations in this F-150 SVT Raptor.
12. 1968 Ford F-350 dually lowrider
This 1968 Ford F-350 dually lowrider was built by Jays Fine Line Rigs of Noonday, Tex.
13. 1939 Bugatti
This 1939 Bugatti Type 57C belongs to the Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles, Calif. It originally belonged to the Prince of Persia, Mohammed Reza Pahlavi, and was given as a wedding gift from the French government. The body was constructed by Vanvooren of Paris. In 1959, the car was sold from the prince’s collection for roughly $275 U.S. dollars. It was restored in 1983, after passing through the hands of a number of different owners.
14. Twin-turbo Impala
This 1961 Chevy Impala, named “Under Pressure,” belongs to Gil and Janet Losi of Murrieta, Calif. It was built by Steve Cook of Steve Cook Creations in Oklahoma City, Okla. It has a 2000 hp 540ci Twin Turbocharged Big-Block engine that necessitated repainting the hood and installing heat-shielding to protect the paint job. The car’s moldings are all hand-built solid brass.
15. 1958 Chevy Cameo custom
This 1958 Chevy Cameo concept was built by T.C. Penick at Bay One Customs in Springfield, Tenn. It has a 383 Stroker V-8 motor, 355 locking nine-inch axle, Turbo 350 transmission, and handmade bed, taillights and bumper.
16. Ford roadster
This Ford roadster, “Blue Steel,” belongs to Doug Dwyer and has a vintage Ford SOHC engine. It was built by Larry Maddox Motorsports in Hemet, Calif.
17. 2014 Hurst Trans Am
This 2014 special edition Hurst Trans Am uses the modern Chevy Camaro to create the car that Pontiac might have built had it survived GM’s bankruptcy.
18. Gulf Racing Edition Ford Focus ST
This 2013 Gulf Racing Edition Ford Focus ST by Universal Technical Institute and Tjin Edition has a 2.0L GTDI Ecoboost engine, MagnaFlow center exit exhaust, 19-inch concave Forgestar wheels and custom wide flares.
19. 1932 Ford Red Deuce Coupe
Vic Edelbrock’s 1932 Ford “Red Deuce” 5-window coupe was built by Roy Brizio Street Rods in San Francisco and has a classic West Coast flame motif. It was created from a new Ford Official Licensed body shell from United Pacific and has an Edelbrock small block 347 C1 Ford Racing crate engine.
20. ICON Thriftmaster pickup
The ICON Thriftmaster pickup, based on the 1947-1953 Chevy 3100 five-window truck, was developed with the support of General Motors Performance Parts and has a fuel-injected, supercharged aluminum V-8 with full emissions and ABS four-wheel disc brakes. The electric bike in back is a collaborative design by ICON and E-tracker, based on a 1915 board trackracer and tops out at 40 miles per hour.
21. Viper-powered Karmann Ghia
This 1967 Karmann Ghia, called “Blue Mamba,” has a Viper V-10 650-horsepower engine. Chassis and machine work were done by Deanz Rodz and Racecarz of Graymont, Ill.
