We’re wearing grooves in the show floor here at the 2013 SEMA show. Chad and I are pounding the pavement, shooting photos, meeting with the best companies in the industry, and digging for the best dirt we can scoop on new parts in the pipeline, new builds, and new trends that will sweep the hot rodding universe by storm. If we were taking a tally this year the weirdo bolt on fender trend seems like it is coming into vogue. The bad news is that most of the cars sporting these parts have caused us to use our emergency bad stuff barf bags, but the good news is that most of the other people here have recognized that this is happening and aren’t all that into it either, so there is hope for the future. In this gallery we have parts, cars, sights and scenes from Wednesday.
Here’s one thing we can tell you about SEMA 2013. Every single one of these shows has a personality and this one is the most vibrant, hopeful, and determined we have experienced in the years we have been coming. It is VASTLY different from the trepidation laden 2008 and 2009 years and more chock full of cool new stuff than 2010,11, and 12. While “economic recovery” is certainly something we can sit around and debate hard from sun up to sun down, we can tell you that the industry is investing in itself. Many companies we have talked to told us that they have brought new engineers on, added staff, and have plans for new product lines that will show their faces in late 2014 at the next SEMA pow-wow. All of this is good news. This is a hard scrabble industry that has survived world wars, gas crises, financial crises, and still looks to grow and innovate. That’s cool no matter how you slice it.
HIT THE LINK BELOW TO SEE OUR WEDNESDAY SEMA SHOW PHOTOS – ALL NEW!
SEMA 2013 – 
‘”. . . . the weirdo bolt[-]on fender trend seems like it is coming into vogue . . . .”
Sorry, but tastefully done, these flares have been RULING HARD ever since the 1970s. Get “hip” to the program, Bangshift!
(Just wait until Steinmetz wheel arches, box flares, and IMSA wide-bodies start kickin’ back in!)
I feel bad for that poor Pantera.
Agreed
I really like Ring Brothers work and I think Panteras are one of the coolest car of the ’70’s. But, something about the lines on this one doesn’t look right to me. Like the proportions have been changed. Could be just the photos. What’s with the half yellow, half graphite interior?
They put an LS into everything. Pretty much destroyed the charisma of that car by eliminating all the original chacter. A ricer interior and a generic engine, coupled with the front end detail from a new Japanese offering.
I was almost surprised to see the Ring Bros aren’t Japanese. Couldn’t tell by their modifications. They put a damned LS in that and also their otherwise cool carbon fibre 65 Mustang.
Bolt on fender flares are indeed weird. Brian is correct, as he is with his observation on the health of the industry, good stuff Bri!