By SEMA News Editors
SEMA Battle of the Builders presented by Mothers Polish recognizes the top vehicle builders in the world, celebrating innovation, craftsmanship and passion within the automotive aftermarket industry.
Troy Trepanier was crowned the overall winner of the 2025 SEMA Battle of the Builders presented by Mothers Polish competition with his stunning creation, a '36 Ford roadster named "Fenderless." Trepanier won the Hot Rod/Hot Rod Truck category and edged out three other class champions, Tim Franklin (Sport Compact/Import Performance), Ron Jones (Off-Road) and Thomas Dickerson (BFGoodrich Young Guns), to secure the overall title.
Trepanier, a fixture in the custom car world, returned to the top of the industry's most prestigious builder competition eight years after winning the Battle of the Builders title in 2017. His latest build captivated judges and fans alike at the 2025 SEMA Show with its flawless craftsmanship, balanced design and innovative engineering.
Troy Trepanier's latest build captivated judges and fans alike at the 2025 SEMA Show with its flawless craftsmanship, balanced design and innovative engineering.
"It was great to be back in the SEMA Battle of the Builders contest. It has grown a lot since we first won the event eight years ago," said Trepanier. "We finally had a car worthy of being back in the competition. There were so many great cars this year. Everybody was a winner: the Top 40, Top 12 and especially the final four."
Completed in January 2025, Fenderless is a completely scratch-built vehicle designed to resemble a vintage Ford roadster, but with every dimension reworked to achieve ideal proportions as an open-wheel car. Every major component of the project was fabricated in-house by Trepanier at Rad Rides in Manteno, Illinois, including the body, chassis, suspension and all machined parts.
The 2025 SEMA Battle of the Builders winning vehicle features:
- A '57 McCullough-supercharged 312-cid Ford Y-block engine.
- A Bowler 4R70W transmission.
- A quick-change rear axle with torsion bar suspension.
The bodywork, paint and interior were handled entirely by Trepanier's team, which finished the roadster with a modified Porsche Aventurine Green Metallic color to radiate elegance.
"Trepanier's vehicle is a testament to the level of creativity, craftsmanship and innovation that define the SEMA Battle of the Builders competition," said RJ de Vera, SEMA Vice President of Marketing. "This program celebrates the builders who push the boundaries of what's possible and inspire the next generation of automotive visionaries."
SEMA Battle of the Builders recognizes the top vehicle builders in the world, celebrating innovation, craftsmanship and passion within the automotive aftermarket industry. Franklin won Sport Compact/Import Performance with a 1960 Porsche Custom 356 that was in absolutely terrible condition before going through a transformation that resulted in contoured body/rolled rocker panels and a fresh streamlined look. Jones' Off-Road-winning 1973 VW Thing was created from the ground up with a one-off chromoly long-travel tube chassis and featuring more than 350 machined pieces. Dickerson earned the BFGoodrich Young Guns title with a 1967 Chevrolet C10 that he built on his own with a custom engine bay, glass, headlights and interior.
Troy Trepanier was crowned the overall winner of the 2025 SEMA Battle of the Builders presented by Mothers Polish competition with his stunning creation, a '36 Ford roadster named "Fenderless."
Keep an eye on SEMA News later this week for a deeper dive into Trepanier's superb '36 Ford Roadster, and read the related articles below:
- SEMA Battle of the Builders Field Narrowed to Top Four
- SEMA Announces 2025 Battle of the Builders Top 12
- Battle of the Builders Top 40 Confirmed, Find Out Top 12 Today
For more information about the SEMA Battle of the Builders competition and this year's winners, visit sema.org/botb.
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