The SEMA Show is one hell of a car show…or at least that’s what a lot of people think. In fact, if we had a quarter for all the times we’ve heard someone tell us that they know someone who built something that won the SEMA Show, we’d be rich as hell and need not work anymore. There is no “winning” the SEMA Show by the way. Sure, there are awards, and plenty of insanely bitchin rides, but the official reason we’re there is to check out, celebrate, and discuss the latest and greatest that the automotive aftermarket industry has to offer.
Unofficially we’re there to check out all the killer rides and drool over things that you’ll see almost nowhere else.
While there are hundreds of vehicles that will be on display, here are a few that we are really excited about seeing up close and personal. Lucky for you, we can check out some preview photos thanks to our friends at Ridetech who sent these over.
In no particular order, here are some really neat rides we’ll be seeing today!
SEMA Spotters Guide – RideTech Rides are Everywhere!
Ahh… the SEMA Thrash. There’s nothing like it. Talented builders burn midnight oil to get their cars and trucks ready for the big show. Commitments have been made, promises must be kept and the entire automotive world is watching. The process is stressful yet rewarding.
When the doors to the Las Vegas Convention Center open and its aisles fill with enthusiasts, the hard work pays off. Many of the world’s best custom vehicles debut in Las Vegas each year. To highlight that fact, SEMA hosts its “Battle of the Builders” competition showcasing the right mix of established and upcoming shops. We know of at least two RideTech Rides entered in the Build-Off this year. Back on the show floor, the roster of award-winning builders is long. Like you, we are eager to check out cars from Johnson’s Hot Rod Shop, Rad Rides by Troy, Goolsby Customs, Ironworks Speed & Custom, Strange Motion, Lakeside Rods & Rides and many more shops.
RideTech has tremendous gratitude. So many of these automotive works of art feature our products including air suspension, coilover suspension, shocks and more. Partner-chassis manufacturers such as TCI and Schwartz Performance, SpeedTech Performance and many others often rely on our shocks, coilovers and ShockWaves®.
With that, we gathered up a selection of RideTech Rides for you to browse. At last count, more than FIFTY SEMA display vehicles are rocking RideTech products. Words cannot describe our collective pride. We thank all of our great customers including enthusiasts, distributors, dealers and car builders. Sit back and enjoy this sampling of cars, trucks and hot rods. If you’re in Vegas, be sure to stop by and see the RideTech display in booth 22587 — the usual spot.
Johnson’s Hot Rod Shop will have two customs on display including George Poteet’s 32 Ford Tudor (video above) and the Pilgrim & Stubbs Racing diesel-powered 54 Chevy pickup. Find it in the Mothers display #61008 in Silver Lot #1 resting on our TQ Series Coilovers. Poteet’s 32 will be part of the Ford display. It features our Polished Hot Rod Shocks.Rodger Lee and the crew at Ironworks built this ultra-clean 67 Camaro. It rides on Speedtech Perfromance suspension with RideTech coilovers. We can’t wait to see the Sid Chavers interior. Find it in the Mobil1 booth #24243Ralph Holguin has a new TV Show on Velocity named after his shop, RMD Garage. They built some exciting vehicles in 2017 including this 1958 Apache. The big diameter wheels make it look like its running ShockWaves®. In fact, its running our HQ Series coilovers on a TCI chassis. You can see them through the clear bed floor. Look for Dream Catcher in the SCT Performance Booth and check out this video.Painter and car builder KC Mathieu is debuting this black-as-night 57 Chevy with a one-off interior and an equally one-off set of EVOD Industries wheels. See it in the Restomod Air booth #23597.Classic Car Studio has a hot new TV Show on Velocity called “Speed Is The New Black”. Look for this Viper-powered Chrysler 300 with RideTech air suspension in the Centerforce booth. #23813If you’re attending SEMA, seek out this RideTech-equipped F100 built by Classic Car Studio. Its caramel colored leather interior really complements the British Racing Green paint and gold wheels. Magnaflow Booth #23253We’re excited to see this 69 Firebird convertible in person. It’s built by Ryan’s Rod & Kustom out of Ninety Six, South Carolina. Look for it in the Mother’s display – booth# 22957Ringbrothers are the masters of SEMA car reveals. As such, this is the only picture we have of their new Charger build. We hear it runs RideTech shock absorbers. Look for it in the BASF Paint display Booth #20353.C10’s of all generations are super hot. Lakeside Rods & Rides built this insane 66 called “Unruly” riding on ShockWaves®. See it in the Prestone booth# 30321. Photo by Goodguys Rod & Custom Association.Revology has been building replica Mustangs for a few years. The cars are based on 100% new parts including bodies. At SEMA 2017, Revology is debuting a brand new 67 Shelby. Not just a replica, be sure to look under the hood. Booth #61036 Roush Performance.Here’s another rendering. Fabricator Brandon Sisco has been working with the Barrett-Jackson Showroom to build this unique C10 Blazer running RideTech CoolRide Air Suspension with HQ Series shocks. See it in the American Billet booth #24689.Stryker, a really angry Hemi cuda built by Jesse Matlock of Jesse’s Auto Body will make an encore appearance in the VDO booth #22693.Old trucks with patina contrast the many 100 point show cars at SEMA. Custom Rod Garage built this square fender on a TCI Chassis with our shocks. See it in the Jet Performance booth #23713You don’t always see sedans built with this much attitude. Tim Strange of Strange Motion made it happen. It uses our sleek Polished Hot Rod Shocks. See it in the Royal Purple Booth #23543.Another unique 32 Ford is the Time Merchant a pickup roadster built by Goolsby’s Customs. It will be on display in the BASF booth #20353. Like the Johnson’s Hot Rod Shop and Strange Motion builds, Time Merchant uses our Polished Hot Rod Shocks.There are a couple of RideTech-equipped new Mustangs debuting at SEMA including examples from Petty’s Garage and Tucci Hot Rods. Both cars are under wraps for now. See the Petty Mustang in the Petty’s Garage Booth #23689. The Tucci Mustang will be in the Ford display booth #22200If you really like 57 Chevy pickups, check this one out by Premier Street Rods. It will be in the E-Stopp booth #23289. This Pearl White custom looks stunning in person. If you cant wait until SEMA, check out the walkaround video on Premier’s Facebook page.Here’s another great pickup rolling out of Premier Street Rods. This one’s a 51 Ford riding on a RideTech-equipped TCI Chassis. It will participate in SEMA’s Battle of the Builders and is on display in the Ford booth #22200. We hear there may be a third pickup from Premier at SEMA, as well. These guys have been working really hard.
Visit RideTech’s Facebook page each day for more SEMA vehicle and product updates. We will be posting live as well.
6 thoughts on “The SEMA Show Officially Starts Tomorrow, But Here Is A Spotter’s Guide To Some Stuff We’re Excited To Check Out In Person”
Chevy Hatin' Mad Geordie
The “patina” look is long past its expiry date. That Chrysler 300 would look so much better with a new paint job and as it stands it makes a mockery of the car’s fine lines and all the work that the builder put into it.
john
Must agree with CHMG… that 300H deserves a real paint job as good or better as any SEMA car. Only show goers tell them that.
phil
you suck dicks
KCR
I can understand were both of you are coming from . However why cant a grand old lady just grow old gracefully? Say if when you get to be say 60 years old. And you get a pacemaker to keep your heart up and running. Should they then take straight to facial reconstruction surgery? I for one like the look to a degree. Rust holes ,no I’m not into that so much.Sun baked paint is OK. besides most of us real people are not up to 10 and 20 grand for a disassemble repaint and reassemble.This look is not done ,in my opinion. It may be an over used saying.But, they are only original once.The thing I don’t understand is. They put such huge wheels on everything now,and to set it low there is a huge amount of work to be done to get everything working properly. And they make it almost unbearable to ride in.And I;m sure SEMA will be full of that stuff. Just my thoughts
jerry z
I have to agree on the wheels. They start looking like toys with those 20+ inch wheels.
Mopar or No Car
If you’re gonna put a Viper engine in that thing you can’t leave the suspension/brakes/wheels untouched. I don’t think that year even came with disc brakes. This car looks just as good slammed as any Impala. All I ask for is tasteful giant wheels if you’re gonna do giant wheels.
The “patina” look is long past its expiry date. That Chrysler 300 would look so much better with a new paint job and as it stands it makes a mockery of the car’s fine lines and all the work that the builder put into it.
Must agree with CHMG… that 300H deserves a real paint job as good or better as any SEMA car. Only show goers tell them that.
you suck dicks
I can understand were both of you are coming from . However why cant a grand old lady just grow old gracefully? Say if when you get to be say 60 years old. And you get a pacemaker to keep your heart up and running. Should they then take straight to facial reconstruction surgery? I for one like the look to a degree. Rust holes ,no I’m not into that so much.Sun baked paint is OK. besides most of us real people are not up to 10 and 20 grand for a disassemble repaint and reassemble.This look is not done ,in my opinion. It may be an over used saying.But, they are only original once.The thing I don’t understand is. They put such huge wheels on everything now,and to set it low there is a huge amount of work to be done to get everything working properly. And they make it almost unbearable to ride in.And I;m sure SEMA will be full of that stuff. Just my thoughts
I have to agree on the wheels. They start looking like toys with those 20+ inch wheels.
If you’re gonna put a Viper engine in that thing you can’t leave the suspension/brakes/wheels untouched. I don’t think that year even came with disc brakes. This car looks just as good slammed as any Impala. All I ask for is tasteful giant wheels if you’re gonna do giant wheels.