Strengthen Your Company Through Community

No matter what niche you're in—rods, restoration, racing, restyling, reps, trucks or wheels and tires—there's a SEMA council or professional network that's right for your company. SEMA councils and networks offer members a variety of market-specific programs and activities designed to provide educational and networking opportunities while promoting their particular industry segment.

Visit ARMO's website.

ARMO Industry Mixer

ARMO is hosting an industry mixer at Spring Carlisle amongst the top restored vehicles in the country. Gather in the ARMO Hot Products Tent conveniently located in the middle of the fairgrounds for drinks and finger food. Network with industry friends while checking out the hottest products in restoration. SEMA staff and council leadership will be there to discuss council initiatives and benefits for your company. The mixer will take place Thursday, April 21, at 5:00 p.m. We’ll see you there!

The ARMO Hot Products Showcase is an exciting and valuable opportunity for ARMO-member companies to put their product(s) in front of 100,000 restoration enthusiasts at Spring Carlisle.

Register Your Products for ARMO’s Hot Products Showcase

The ARMO Hot Products Showcase is an exciting and valuable opportunity for ARMO-member companies to put their product(s) in front of 100,000 restoration enthusiasts at Spring Carlisle. The Showcase is open Thursday–Saturday, April 21–23. For just the cost of shipping your product(s) to the Carlisle Fairgrounds, you’ll receive:

• Product placement in the ARMO Hot Products Tent, located strategically in the center of the event grounds.
• Professional product photography.
• Product photo placement in the ARMO booth at the SEMA Show and in a photo gallery on SEMA.org.
• Consideration for an ARMO New Product award in one of nine categories.

If you are going to Carlisle, you can save on shipping costs by dropping off and picking up your product onsite.

Register your product(s) by April 14 to ensure signage deliverables.

For more information, contact Council Director Jim Skelly at 909-978-6690 or jimsk@sema.org.

Back to Top

Visit YEN's website

James Snoddy and his family.

Young Executives Network (YEN) Member of the Month: James Snoddy, Jammock

Tell us about yourself.

I’m originally from Rochester, New York. I am an alumnus of the University of Maryland, College Park, with a degree in English literature and of the Johns Hopkins University, with a masters in writing. I’m the inventor of the Jammock (it’s a hammock for your Jeep or truck). I own and run the company. Jammock does more than $200,000 in sales each year worldwide.

I’m a former U.S. Army infantry officer, following seven years of enlisted service as a military policeman. I served as a stryker platoon leader for 16 months in Iraq and led more than 480 combat patrols and raids, finishing my tour with zero U.S. casualties under my command, which I regard as my greatest achievement. I’ve served the United States in every major theater of the Global War on Terror, including as a military policeman guarding the Pentagon crash site following 9-11; a prison guard at Camp X-Ray in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba; an infantry officer in Mosul, Baghdad, and Hamam al-Alil, Iraq; and (very briefly) as a cooperative biological engagement program project manager in Kabul, Afghanistan.

I led a project reducing biological threats in Afghanistan for the Defense Threat Reduction Agency. I’m a member of the Truman National Security Project’s Defense Council. I’ve previously served in the Department of State’s Bureau of Counterterrorism as a regional affairs officer for the Maghreb. I am a former Presidential Management Fellow. I also served as an intern at the White House and for the New York State Attorney General.

I am a recipient of the Bronze Star Medal and the Combat Infantryman’s Badge among other decorations, and I'm an Eagle Scout. I am currently serving the United States overseas.

Who/what are your major influences?

Comfort! I was influenced to create the Jammock because I like Jeeps, chilling and reading. The Jammock allows me to do all three. My stepfather, Jerry Erban, was a salesman all his life. I’ve been in the Army and in government. I don’t have an MBA or any sales experience, except for selling Boy Scout Christmas wreaths. My stepdad was there as a consultant and confidant to help me focus my efforts and gain confidence. He’s old-school sales. He’s snailmail to 150 Jeep dealers in Florida old-school. He’s a coffee-mug-with-no-lid-on-the-dash-of-the-Oldsmobile-to-make-a-sales-call old school. He taught me when to take a deal, leave a deal and make a deal. He gave me confidence in my product and ideas during the dark times. Between he and my wife, they’re the reason the company exists.

What is Jammock? How does it work?

It’s a hammock for your Jeep (or truck bed). It’s a very simple invention that improves on another (as so many great inventions do). We took the 1,000-year-old design of the hammock and engineered it to fit into the space over a Jeep and in a truck bed. Once installed, it does not have to be removed. It is six products in one: a Jammock, load-bearing soft-top, windjammer, lounge chair, overhead storage, and sling-seat off the vehicle. The Jammock will hold more than 350 lbs., and will not interfere with OEM tops.

What was the hardest part of bringing your product to market?

The color. Can you believe it? The color almost sunk me. When I first started, I ordered 100 Jammocks in “Sahara Tan” because that’s the color my Jeep was. No one—let me repeat that—no one wanted to buy a tan Jammock. Everyone kept saying they’d buy one if it was black. I was more of the Henry Ford mold at that time. “They can have any color Jammock they want as long as it’s tan!” I wasn’t willing to budge because I’d sunk a few thousand dollars into the Sahara Tan production run. Eventually, the market budged me, but the real push—and the saving grace of Jammock as a concept and as a company—was my genius wife, Nadia, suggesting that I do a pre-order round to finance the next production run of our newly created Jammock Black. When pre-orders opened, we sold a ton the first day and paid off the factory. Sales have increased substantially since then.  

On the eve of launch, after months of R&D followed by testing and evaluating the Jammock, I had a nightmare: will it fit in a JK (the current Jeep Wrangler model)? I had the previous-generation model (TJ), and that was where I’d conducted all the testing, including fitment. I went to a Jeep dealer and told him that I was interested in buying a new Jeep, but only if it would fit my awesome Jammock. We got the Jammock installed only to find that the TJ had a lot more room up top than the JK. I had to cut 3 in. off the width of the Jammock to make it a universal fit.

For the JammockTruck, I had to build a replica of a truck bed in my basement to check size, fit and installation since I didn’t own a truck. We fit several people at once on the Jammock during human testing. I conducted further testing after I sold my house, but I still didn’t own a truck, so I had to rent a Zip Car (cars and trucks by the hour) near the Pentagon. The truck never left the parking spot. I was there conducting tests; it was a pain.  

Having the time was also difficult. I have a day job. I have a wife. I have a kid. I have to run. I have other interests. There’s lots of demands on the time of the small businessman. But you chip away at it and get it done when you find time. You end up becoming very efficient in everything you do in order to finish everything. You have to be or you will not survive in this business.

How has social media and the Internet changed how you get your product to the end consumer?

I hired Erica Taylor as the voice of Jammock. She runs the Twitter feed and handles all the press, blogs, ad infinitum. Erica has been with Jammock for almost a year and my sales have doubled since then. The Internet hasn’t changed how I get Jammocks to Jeepers because I never had a business model without it. The website is my main vehicle for sales, both retail and wholesale. There are some brick-and-mortars, but it’s mostly Internet. I would not be in business without it—too much overhead to lease a store. My fulfillment company is fully integrated into the website and they take care of filling orders. I’m at the point now where I can commit my time to thinking strategy.  

What is the marketing technique that you find most effective when reaching your audience?

Getting butts in Jammocks. It’s old-fashioned and labor intensive, but it is pound for pound the best way to make a sale. The Jammock does not look all that comfortable. It’s tough to see how heavy duty it is, how well built and how high quality all the components are. People who sit in it tend to love it forever.

What should we look for from Jammock in the future? Any new products you are working on?

The JammockTruck is still in the nascent stage. But it’s going to revolutionize the motel and taxi industry. What?! The JammockTruck, either in good weather or with a truck bed cap will enable you to sleep in your truck. Driving cross country and don’t want to spring for a motel? Sleep in your truck. At the bar and had one too many? Save money in legal fees and sleep in your truck.  

After building your own business, what advice would you give to someone chasing a new idea?

Take advice but make your own decisions. You are in command and thus are responsible for everything your unit does or fails to do. You’re the one who will pay or profit based on the decisions you make, so own them. Don’t be afraid to make mistakes, but own them as well, learn from them and move on. Model your business off of other successful businesses. There’s no need to reinvent anything. Tried and true are tried and true for a reason. Don’t be afraid to spend money—but don’t buy into the sunk cost fallacy either. Most of all is this: procrastinators and liars do not last long as entrepreneurs. You will live and die by good customer service. A lie may save you a few grand in the short run, but it’ll burn you in the long run. You have got to get off your butt and execute or your idea will remain just that.

 Back to Top

Strengthen Your Company Through Community

No matter what niche you're in—rods, restoration, racing, restyling, reps, trucks or wheels and tires—there's a SEMA council or professional network that's right for your company. SEMA councils and networks offer members a variety of market-specific programs and activities designed to provide educational and networking opportunities while promoting their particular industry segment.

Visit ARMO's website.

ARMO Industry Mixer

ARMO is hosting an industry mixer at Spring Carlisle amongst the top restored vehicles in the country. Gather in the ARMO Hot Products Tent conveniently located in the middle of the fairgrounds for drinks and finger food. Network with industry friends while checking out the hottest products in restoration. SEMA staff and council leadership will be there to discuss council initiatives and benefits for your company. The mixer will take place Thursday, April 21, at 5:00 p.m. We’ll see you there!

The ARMO Hot Products Showcase is an exciting and valuable opportunity for ARMO-member companies to put their product(s) in front of 100,000 restoration enthusiasts at Spring Carlisle.

Register Your Products for ARMO’s Hot Products Showcase

The ARMO Hot Products Showcase is an exciting and valuable opportunity for ARMO-member companies to put their product(s) in front of 100,000 restoration enthusiasts at Spring Carlisle. The Showcase is open Thursday–Saturday, April 21–23. For just the cost of shipping your product(s) to the Carlisle Fairgrounds, you’ll receive:

• Product placement in the ARMO Hot Products Tent, located strategically in the center of the event grounds.
• Professional product photography.
• Product photo placement in the ARMO booth at the SEMA Show and in a photo gallery on SEMA.org.
• Consideration for an ARMO New Product award in one of nine categories.

If you are going to Carlisle, you can save on shipping costs by dropping off and picking up your product onsite.

Register your product(s) by April 14 to ensure signage deliverables.

For more information, contact Council Director Jim Skelly at 909-978-6690 or jimsk@sema.org.

Back to Top

Visit YEN's website

James Snoddy and his family.

Young Executives Network (YEN) Member of the Month: James Snoddy, Jammock

Tell us about yourself.

I’m originally from Rochester, New York. I am an alumnus of the University of Maryland, College Park, with a degree in English literature and of the Johns Hopkins University, with a masters in writing. I’m the inventor of the Jammock (it’s a hammock for your Jeep or truck). I own and run the company. Jammock does more than $200,000 in sales each year worldwide.

I’m a former U.S. Army infantry officer, following seven years of enlisted service as a military policeman. I served as a stryker platoon leader for 16 months in Iraq and led more than 480 combat patrols and raids, finishing my tour with zero U.S. casualties under my command, which I regard as my greatest achievement. I’ve served the United States in every major theater of the Global War on Terror, including as a military policeman guarding the Pentagon crash site following 9-11; a prison guard at Camp X-Ray in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba; an infantry officer in Mosul, Baghdad, and Hamam al-Alil, Iraq; and (very briefly) as a cooperative biological engagement program project manager in Kabul, Afghanistan.

I led a project reducing biological threats in Afghanistan for the Defense Threat Reduction Agency. I’m a member of the Truman National Security Project’s Defense Council. I’ve previously served in the Department of State’s Bureau of Counterterrorism as a regional affairs officer for the Maghreb. I am a former Presidential Management Fellow. I also served as an intern at the White House and for the New York State Attorney General.

I am a recipient of the Bronze Star Medal and the Combat Infantryman’s Badge among other decorations, and I'm an Eagle Scout. I am currently serving the United States overseas.

Who/what are your major influences?

Comfort! I was influenced to create the Jammock because I like Jeeps, chilling and reading. The Jammock allows me to do all three. My stepfather, Jerry Erban, was a salesman all his life. I’ve been in the Army and in government. I don’t have an MBA or any sales experience, except for selling Boy Scout Christmas wreaths. My stepdad was there as a consultant and confidant to help me focus my efforts and gain confidence. He’s old-school sales. He’s snailmail to 150 Jeep dealers in Florida old-school. He’s a coffee-mug-with-no-lid-on-the-dash-of-the-Oldsmobile-to-make-a-sales-call old school. He taught me when to take a deal, leave a deal and make a deal. He gave me confidence in my product and ideas during the dark times. Between he and my wife, they’re the reason the company exists.

What is Jammock? How does it work?

It’s a hammock for your Jeep (or truck bed). It’s a very simple invention that improves on another (as so many great inventions do). We took the 1,000-year-old design of the hammock and engineered it to fit into the space over a Jeep and in a truck bed. Once installed, it does not have to be removed. It is six products in one: a Jammock, load-bearing soft-top, windjammer, lounge chair, overhead storage, and sling-seat off the vehicle. The Jammock will hold more than 350 lbs., and will not interfere with OEM tops.

What was the hardest part of bringing your product to market?

The color. Can you believe it? The color almost sunk me. When I first started, I ordered 100 Jammocks in “Sahara Tan” because that’s the color my Jeep was. No one—let me repeat that—no one wanted to buy a tan Jammock. Everyone kept saying they’d buy one if it was black. I was more of the Henry Ford mold at that time. “They can have any color Jammock they want as long as it’s tan!” I wasn’t willing to budge because I’d sunk a few thousand dollars into the Sahara Tan production run. Eventually, the market budged me, but the real push—and the saving grace of Jammock as a concept and as a company—was my genius wife, Nadia, suggesting that I do a pre-order round to finance the next production run of our newly created Jammock Black. When pre-orders opened, we sold a ton the first day and paid off the factory. Sales have increased substantially since then.  

On the eve of launch, after months of R&D followed by testing and evaluating the Jammock, I had a nightmare: will it fit in a JK (the current Jeep Wrangler model)? I had the previous-generation model (TJ), and that was where I’d conducted all the testing, including fitment. I went to a Jeep dealer and told him that I was interested in buying a new Jeep, but only if it would fit my awesome Jammock. We got the Jammock installed only to find that the TJ had a lot more room up top than the JK. I had to cut 3 in. off the width of the Jammock to make it a universal fit.

For the JammockTruck, I had to build a replica of a truck bed in my basement to check size, fit and installation since I didn’t own a truck. We fit several people at once on the Jammock during human testing. I conducted further testing after I sold my house, but I still didn’t own a truck, so I had to rent a Zip Car (cars and trucks by the hour) near the Pentagon. The truck never left the parking spot. I was there conducting tests; it was a pain.  

Having the time was also difficult. I have a day job. I have a wife. I have a kid. I have to run. I have other interests. There’s lots of demands on the time of the small businessman. But you chip away at it and get it done when you find time. You end up becoming very efficient in everything you do in order to finish everything. You have to be or you will not survive in this business.

How has social media and the Internet changed how you get your product to the end consumer?

I hired Erica Taylor as the voice of Jammock. She runs the Twitter feed and handles all the press, blogs, ad infinitum. Erica has been with Jammock for almost a year and my sales have doubled since then. The Internet hasn’t changed how I get Jammocks to Jeepers because I never had a business model without it. The website is my main vehicle for sales, both retail and wholesale. There are some brick-and-mortars, but it’s mostly Internet. I would not be in business without it—too much overhead to lease a store. My fulfillment company is fully integrated into the website and they take care of filling orders. I’m at the point now where I can commit my time to thinking strategy.  

What is the marketing technique that you find most effective when reaching your audience?

Getting butts in Jammocks. It’s old-fashioned and labor intensive, but it is pound for pound the best way to make a sale. The Jammock does not look all that comfortable. It’s tough to see how heavy duty it is, how well built and how high quality all the components are. People who sit in it tend to love it forever.

What should we look for from Jammock in the future? Any new products you are working on?

The JammockTruck is still in the nascent stage. But it’s going to revolutionize the motel and taxi industry. What?! The JammockTruck, either in good weather or with a truck bed cap will enable you to sleep in your truck. Driving cross country and don’t want to spring for a motel? Sleep in your truck. At the bar and had one too many? Save money in legal fees and sleep in your truck.  

After building your own business, what advice would you give to someone chasing a new idea?

Take advice but make your own decisions. You are in command and thus are responsible for everything your unit does or fails to do. You’re the one who will pay or profit based on the decisions you make, so own them. Don’t be afraid to make mistakes, but own them as well, learn from them and move on. Model your business off of other successful businesses. There’s no need to reinvent anything. Tried and true are tried and true for a reason. Don’t be afraid to spend money—but don’t buy into the sunk cost fallacy either. Most of all is this: procrastinators and liars do not last long as entrepreneurs. You will live and die by good customer service. A lie may save you a few grand in the short run, but it’ll burn you in the long run. You have got to get off your butt and execute or your idea will remain just that.

 Back to Top

By SEMA Editors

Following are dates and locations for several upcoming SEMA-sponsored shows, measuring sessions and activities.

For association-related travel, contact Manya Petropaki (manya.p@travelstoreusa.com) at Travel Store USA, 949-930-9268.

By SEMA Washington, D.C., Staff

The Joint Transportation Committee passed legislation to require the state, upon the owner’s request, to issue titles for older vehicles not currently required to be titled under Connecticut law.

Legislation to require the state, upon the owner’s request, to issue titles for older vehicles not currently required to be titled under Connecticut law was passed by the Joint Transportation Committee. These vehicles would include those more than 20 model years old. The bill will next be considered in a vote by the full House. The measure would expand the out-of-state market for older Connecticut motor vehicles and enhance their value to collectors. 

For more information, visit the SEMA Action Network (SAN) website. For details, contact Steve McDonald at stevem@sema.org.

By SEMA Washington, D.C., Staff

The Joint Transportation Committee passed legislation to require the state, upon the owner’s request, to issue titles for older vehicles not currently required to be titled under Connecticut law.

Legislation to require the state, upon the owner’s request, to issue titles for older vehicles not currently required to be titled under Connecticut law was passed by the Joint Transportation Committee. These vehicles would include those more than 20 model years old. The bill will next be considered in a vote by the full House. The measure would expand the out-of-state market for older Connecticut motor vehicles and enhance their value to collectors. 

For more information, visit the SEMA Action Network (SAN) website. For details, contact Steve McDonald at stevem@sema.org.

By SEMA Washington, D.C., Staff

The Joint Transportation Committee passed legislation to require the state, upon the owner’s request, to issue titles for older vehicles not currently required to be titled under Connecticut law.

Legislation to require the state, upon the owner’s request, to issue titles for older vehicles not currently required to be titled under Connecticut law was passed by the Joint Transportation Committee. These vehicles would include those more than 20 model years old. The bill will next be considered in a vote by the full House. The measure would expand the out-of-state market for older Connecticut motor vehicles and enhance their value to collectors. 

For more information, visit the SEMA Action Network (SAN) website. For details, contact Steve McDonald at stevem@sema.org.

By SEMA Washington, D.C., Staff

The Joint Transportation Committee passed legislation to require the state, upon the owner’s request, to issue titles for older vehicles not currently required to be titled under Connecticut law.

Legislation to require the state, upon the owner’s request, to issue titles for older vehicles not currently required to be titled under Connecticut law was passed by the Joint Transportation Committee. These vehicles would include those more than 20 model years old. The bill will next be considered in a vote by the full House. The measure would expand the out-of-state market for older Connecticut motor vehicles and enhance their value to collectors. 

For more information, visit the SEMA Action Network (SAN) website. For details, contact Steve McDonald at stevem@sema.org.

SEMA News—April 2016

EVENTS

By SEMA News Staff

Battle of the Builders:

The Top 10

The 2015 SEMA Battle of the Builders Top 10 admire Ryan Basseri’s entry. From left: Eric Kozeluh, Marc Kozeluh, Mike Ring, Phil Gerber, Jeremy Gerber, Alan Johnson, Jim Ring, Kyle Tucker, Ryan Basseri, Andy Leach, Bobby Alloway and Chip Foose.

In addition to hot products and leading manufacturers, the annual SEMA Show attracts top vehicle builders who debut their one-of-a-kind creations in front of more than 140,000 industry professionals at the world’s premier automotive trade gathering. For many of these builders, the SEMA Battle of the Builders is their chance to prove that they are among the elite. Hundreds enter; only one can win.

Working during the 2015 SEMA Show, an esteemed panel of judges narrowed the field, and then the builders of the top 10 contenders—those shown on these pages—voted among themselves to decide who should be the winner. The competition culminated Friday night at the SEMA Ignited event, where consumers joined in the action and watched as the winner was named during the filming of a nationwide broadcast special, “SEMA: Battle of the Builders,” on the Velocity Network.

The TV special premiered February 1, with re-airings scheduled in 2016. Visit www.SEMAignited.com or check your local cable/satellite provider for dates and times.

Vehicle: ’33 Ford Roadster

Show Display Location: PPG Booth 24601

Build Notes: The ’33 full-fendered steel Ford roadster owned by Larry and Carol Olson was the 2015 America’s Most Beautiful Roadster winner. Features include an Alloway custom chassis, one-off Billet Spec wheels, custom Classic Instruments gauges and PPG black paint with candy flames, buried in clear and sanded smooth. The engine is a 241ci Red Ram Hemi with six Stromberg carbs acting as butterflies for a hidden electronic fuel-injection system. It is backed by a Legends five-speed transmission.

Builder: Bobby Alloway is the owner of Alloway’s Hot Rod Shop in Louisville, Tennessee, established in 1991 as a full-build facility. Alloway has won Street Rod of the Year three times, Street Machine of the Year, America’s Most Beautiful Roadster two times, The Ridler Award, and many other honors. He personally contributes in every build, whether it be wiring, fabricating or painting and final assembly.

Website: www.allowaysrodshop.com

Bobby Alloway '33 Ford Roadster

Vehicle: Honda Integra Type R

Show Display Location: CSF Cooling Booth 21555

Build Notes: The imported Honda Integra Type-R was fully customized in every way. Every system on the car was rebuilt and redesigned to meet the high standards of race readiness and signature show-car style. It was touted as “the most anticipated import build of the year.”

Builder: Ryan Basseri is owner of Rywire Motorsport Electronics in Garden Grove, California. “We specialize in motorsport looms and race-car wiring,” he said. “We have built looms for the fastest cars in the world and have built cars that appear in some of the world’s most prestigious places.” In addition to the Battle of the Builders Top 10, this Integra was named a Mothers Polish Shine Award winner at the 2015 SEMA Show. Rywire’s other accolades include numerous magazine features and other high-visibility builds for movies and overseas clients.

Website: www.rywire.com

Ryan Basseri, Honda Integra Type R

Vehicle: ’65 Impala

Show Display Location: Pirelli Booth 41013

Build Notes: The ’65 Impala body was mated to a ’08 C6 Corvette chassis, designed to pursue the idea of what kind of musclecar Chevrolet’s Corvette studio might have made. It initially appears to be a visually accurate ’65 Impala, but shrunk in the wash. To make it all fit, the C6 Corvette platform was stretched more than 7 in., the body was shortened 14 in., and the top was dropped 1½ in., requiring thousands of modifications. The rear wheelwells were lifted 2 in. and pulled forward 7 in. All of the trim pieces, grille and bumpers were hand made, and the custom steel quarter-panel extensions were welded in place to eliminate the original pot-metal pieces. Sponsors and contributors included BASF, Pirelli, MagnaFlow, MHT Wheels, Mac Tools, Lincoln Electric and Katzkin Leather.

Builder: Chip Foose owns Foose Design in Huntington Beach, California. Achievements include winning the Detroit Autorama Ridler Award in 2002, 2003, 2005 and 2015. Foose is the star of the “Overhaulin’” TV show on Velocity. He has been inducted into the Hot Rod Hall of Fame, won the Amber Award and is an eight-time winner of the Goodguys Street Rod of the Year award.

Website: www.chipfoose.com

Chip Foose ’65 Chevrolet Impala “Imposter”

Vehicle: ’15 Chevy Colorado

Show Display Location: Go Pro Booth 20327

Build Notes: The ’15 Chevy Colorado custom pre-runner features a complete Roadster Shop chassis with 27 in. of travel. It is powered by an 800hp LS engine, and the body includes one-off carbon-fiber fenders and bed sides.

Builder: Phil and Jeremy Gerber of Mundelein, Illinois, are the owners of The Roadster Shop, a chassis/suspension manufacturer and custom hot-rod/musclecar builder for more than 25 years. The shop won GM Design awards in 2009, 2011, 2013 and 2014 and is a multiple-time finalist for the Mothers Shine Award. The Roadster Shop is located within a 30,000-sq.-ft. dedicated facility that houses full chassis production, metal fabrication, vehicle construction and a paint-and-body department with a downdraft spray booth.

Website: www.roadstershop.com

The Roadster Shop ’15 Chevrolet Colorado

Vehicle: ’73 Chevy Camaro

Show Display Location: Penske Racing Booth 25043

Build Notes: The one-off wide-body Camaro pro-touring race car featured custom carbon front fenders, hood, nose, front and rear flares and rockers, front and rear splitter and diffuser. It was powered by a 750hp LS engine with a Jericho five-speed transmission.

Builder: Jeremy Gerber of Mundelein, Illinois, is the co-owner of The Roadster Shop, a chassis/suspension manufacturer and custom hot-rod/musclecar builder. Roadster Shop creations have appeared on more than 25 magazine covers and in more than 50 articles. The shop won GM Design awards in 2009, 2011, 2013, and 2014 and is a multiple-time finalist for the Mother’s Shine Award. The Roadster Shop is the only shop to have two vehicles named in the Battle of the Builders Top 10 at the 2015 SEMA Show.

Website: www.roadstershop.com

The Roadster Shop ’73 Camaro

Vehicle: ’53 Studebaker

Show Display Location: ARP Inc. Booth 23613

Build Notes: Each piece of the Studebaker’s sheetmetal was fabricated or massaged to fit. All of the trim pieces were fabricated or machined to flow properly, including the handmade front and rear bumpers, the lower valances, the custom-machined taillights, the headlight bezels, the door handles, the grille and the trim moldings. The roof has a subtle wedge chop, and the windshield is laid back a considerable amount. The rear wheelwell openings were raised and recontoured, and the front wheelwells were lowered and recontoured. The custom chassis uses a C6 Corvette front suspension and a trailing-arm rear suspension with triple-adjustable Ride Tech coil-overs and Wilwood 14-in. disc brakes, and the wheels are one-off Halibrand Champ look-alikes. Keith Dorton supplied the 700 horsepower big-block engine with Hilborn stack injection converted to FAST electronic fuel injection. It is fed by an Aeromotive fuel pump with Earl’s ultra-flex plumbing, and the engine is backed by a Bowler 4L80E trans and a Currie 9-in. rear.

Builder: Alan Johnson of Johnson’s Hot Rod Shop, Gadsden, Alabama. In addition to numerous magazine covers and features, Johnson’s accolades include a Goodguys Rod & Custom Trend Setter Award presented at the SEMA Show, and he is an SCTA Record Holder on the salt. He has also been honored with an Industry Leader award, a Mothers Shine Award, a Don Ridler Award, a Ford Design Award, a Chrysler Design Award, a Stroker McGurk Award, a Judy Murray Memorial Award, a Triple Gun Award for Excellence, Goodguys Street Rod and Street Machine of the Year awards and multiple People’s Choice awards.

Website: www.johnsonshotrodshop.com

Alan Johnson ’53 Studebaker

Vehicle: ’95 Toyota Supra

Show Display Location: Outside Grand Lobby

Build Notes: Battle of the Builders judges recognized this ultra-high-performance ’95 Toyota Supra because it is detailed to the level normally found on domestic show cars. The engine bay is smoothed, and no wires are visible. The intercooler and the radiator are laid out in a V-mount configuration. The intercooler features hand-hammered end tanks, and there is full ducting to all of the coolers. The Supra’s underside is as detailed as the top side, with every nut and bolt hand finished and cad plated. Even the suspension arms are hand detailed. The car was voted best MK4 Supra, best exterior and best engine bay at the peer-reviewed Supra in Vegas event in 2014, and it was featured on the August 2015 cover of Super Street magazine.

Builder: Eric Kozeluh, Signal Hill, California. Twins Turbo Motorsports has participated in numerous SEMA Show build projects, including the Mustang RTR-X that was debuted in the Ford booth at SEMA 2010.

Website: www.twinsturbo.com

Eric and Marc Kozeluh ’95 Toyota Supra

Vehicle: ’62 Chevy Bubble Top

Show Display Location: SEMA Hot Rod Industry Alliance/Automotive Restoration Market Organization Booth 23395

Build Notes: The Chevy features an LS-9 supercharged engine, a Bowler six-speed transmission, an Art Morrison chassis, machined side trim, door handles, taillights interior handles and gauge bezels, a Recovery Room Hot Rod interior and Charlie Hutton body and paint.

Builder: Andy Leach of Bennington, Nebraska. Cal Automotive Creations was launched in 2008 and has already garnered considerable industry recognition, including the 2013 Ridler Award, the 2013 Street Rod D’Elegance, the 2013 Street Rod of the Year, the 2013 Ford Best of Show, the 2014 SEMA Show Trendsetter of the Year, a 2014 Legend Cup and a 2015 Barrett Jackson Cup. The shop’s primary focus is hot rods. If the shop’s technicians buy a store-bought part, they usually cut it up and create something of their own, and there isn’t a single bolt-on part on this latest creation. All of the shop’s cars feature unique, modern twists to vintage classics.

Website: www.calautocreations.com

Andy Leach ’62 Chevrolet “Bubble Top”

Vehicle: Mustang Fastback

Show Display Location: BASF Booth 21437

Build Notes: Ringbrothers initially brought its all-carbon Mustang Fastback body to the 2013 SEMA Show and this year unveiled the completed vehicle. For the finished carbon-fiber Mustang “Espionage,” Mike and Jim Ring widened the iconic shape of a ’65 Mustang 2 in. and then laid the entire body up in lightweight, super-strong carbon fiber. Wegner Motorsports built the 416ci, 959hp V8. Inside, the car is outfitted with Recaro seats, a Race Pak IQ3 and no stereo system, because who needs one when you can listen to a Whipple Supercharged engine roar through a custom Flowmaster exhaust? The car is coated in custom BASF Glasurit Spy Green.

Builders: Jim and Mike Ring of Spring Green, Wisconsin, are the co-founders of Ringbrothers and were born with fuel running through their veins and a passion for building innovative cars. At the age of 10 and 11, Jim and Mike were doing body work and painting cars anywhere they could, including their parents’ basement and a friend’s chicken coop. The Ringbrothers shop pulls double duty, serving as a collision-and-repair shop to the community in addition to delivering one to two custom-built cars a year. In addition to collision repair and custom builds, Ringbrothers also produces a line of high-quality billet accessories as well as custom fiberglass and carbon-fiber pieces. The Ringbrothers line of fiberglass and carbon-fiber body pieces gives fans the opportunity to incorporate the Ringbrothers signature style into their own builds. Ringbrothers has won numerous design awards, including the General Motors award for Best Chevrolet of Show at the 2014 SEMA Show, back-to-back Goodguys Street Machine of the Year awards, multiple Mothers Shine Awards, numerous magazine covers and several builds commissioned by OEMs.

Website: www.ringbrothers.com

Ring Brothers ’65 Ford Mustang

Vehicle: ’70 Chevy Chevelle

Show Display Location: Grand Lobby

Build Notes: The Chevelle is designed to illustrate where technology meets classic American musclecar styling. Under the hood is a MAST LSX 427 supercharged 4.0L Whipple engine that is detailed in old-school livery using Chevrolet orange and black colors with a custom accessory drive and custom-machined pulleys. The transmission is a GM Bowler 4L80E with a classic horseshoe Chevrolet shifter and redundant paddle shifters. The DSE frame utilizes DSE front and rear suspension geometry and coil-over shocks and springs. A Bosch M4 Motorsport ABS package works in conjunction with Davis Technologies traction control. The Chevrolet Corvette C6 ZR1 Brembo six-piston calipers and 15-in. carbon ceramic rotors are connected to GM C6 hubs front and rear. The exterior includes a motorized cowl-induction hood flap that is synced to actual throttle position. The front and rear bumpers have been narrowed, sectioned and modified to accept custom-machined aluminum turn-signals bezels. The front grille surround is a one-piece, custom-machined aluminum trim part, plated to match the brushed nickel used throughout the car. Other exterior features include a vented rear bumper, electrically operated recessed door handles, underhood closeouts and catch cans and handmade inner front fenders. The engine is set back 6 in. into a recessed, smooth firewall. Classic Chevelle black with white-stripe paint goes over smoothed, flattened and fitted GM sheetmetal. A full rollcage bolts to the frame but allows the body to be removed with the rollcage. The interior has six-way adjustable power seats, an HVAC climate-control system, power windows, door locks, a navigation system with front and rear cameras and a Dakota Digital gauge cluster in a stock-appearing Chevelle dash pad.

Builder: Kyle Tucker, Mooresville, North Carolina. Kyle and Stacy Tucker of Detroit Speed Inc. have been building cars for more than 20 years. The car-build side of DSE has created numerous award-winning cars, including the winner of the inaugural Battle of the Builders at the 2014 SEMA Ignited. They have also built award-winning cars for stars such as Dale Earnhardt Jr., Kyle Busch and others. Detroit Speed also designs and manufactures chassis and suspension products for the automotive aftermarket and is a leading manufacturer in the industry.

Website: www.detroitspeed.com

Kyle Tucker ’70 Chevrolet Chevelle SS

SEMA News—April 2016

EVENTS

By SEMA News Staff

Battle of the Builders:

The Top 10

The 2015 SEMA Battle of the Builders Top 10 admire Ryan Basseri’s entry. From left: Eric Kozeluh, Marc Kozeluh, Mike Ring, Phil Gerber, Jeremy Gerber, Alan Johnson, Jim Ring, Kyle Tucker, Ryan Basseri, Andy Leach, Bobby Alloway and Chip Foose.

In addition to hot products and leading manufacturers, the annual SEMA Show attracts top vehicle builders who debut their one-of-a-kind creations in front of more than 140,000 industry professionals at the world’s premier automotive trade gathering. For many of these builders, the SEMA Battle of the Builders is their chance to prove that they are among the elite. Hundreds enter; only one can win.

Working during the 2015 SEMA Show, an esteemed panel of judges narrowed the field, and then the builders of the top 10 contenders—those shown on these pages—voted among themselves to decide who should be the winner. The competition culminated Friday night at the SEMA Ignited event, where consumers joined in the action and watched as the winner was named during the filming of a nationwide broadcast special, “SEMA: Battle of the Builders,” on the Velocity Network.

The TV special premiered February 1, with re-airings scheduled in 2016. Visit www.SEMAignited.com or check your local cable/satellite provider for dates and times.

Vehicle: ’33 Ford Roadster

Show Display Location: PPG Booth 24601

Build Notes: The ’33 full-fendered steel Ford roadster owned by Larry and Carol Olson was the 2015 America’s Most Beautiful Roadster winner. Features include an Alloway custom chassis, one-off Billet Spec wheels, custom Classic Instruments gauges and PPG black paint with candy flames, buried in clear and sanded smooth. The engine is a 241ci Red Ram Hemi with six Stromberg carbs acting as butterflies for a hidden electronic fuel-injection system. It is backed by a Legends five-speed transmission.

Builder: Bobby Alloway is the owner of Alloway’s Hot Rod Shop in Louisville, Tennessee, established in 1991 as a full-build facility. Alloway has won Street Rod of the Year three times, Street Machine of the Year, America’s Most Beautiful Roadster two times, The Ridler Award, and many other honors. He personally contributes in every build, whether it be wiring, fabricating or painting and final assembly.

Website: www.allowaysrodshop.com

Bobby Alloway '33 Ford Roadster

Vehicle: Honda Integra Type R

Show Display Location: CSF Cooling Booth 21555

Build Notes: The imported Honda Integra Type-R was fully customized in every way. Every system on the car was rebuilt and redesigned to meet the high standards of race readiness and signature show-car style. It was touted as “the most anticipated import build of the year.”

Builder: Ryan Basseri is owner of Rywire Motorsport Electronics in Garden Grove, California. “We specialize in motorsport looms and race-car wiring,” he said. “We have built looms for the fastest cars in the world and have built cars that appear in some of the world’s most prestigious places.” In addition to the Battle of the Builders Top 10, this Integra was named a Mothers Polish Shine Award winner at the 2015 SEMA Show. Rywire’s other accolades include numerous magazine features and other high-visibility builds for movies and overseas clients.

Website: www.rywire.com

Ryan Basseri, Honda Integra Type R

Vehicle: ’65 Impala

Show Display Location: Pirelli Booth 41013

Build Notes: The ’65 Impala body was mated to a ’08 C6 Corvette chassis, designed to pursue the idea of what kind of musclecar Chevrolet’s Corvette studio might have made. It initially appears to be a visually accurate ’65 Impala, but shrunk in the wash. To make it all fit, the C6 Corvette platform was stretched more than 7 in., the body was shortened 14 in., and the top was dropped 1½ in., requiring thousands of modifications. The rear wheelwells were lifted 2 in. and pulled forward 7 in. All of the trim pieces, grille and bumpers were hand made, and the custom steel quarter-panel extensions were welded in place to eliminate the original pot-metal pieces. Sponsors and contributors included BASF, Pirelli, MagnaFlow, MHT Wheels, Mac Tools, Lincoln Electric and Katzkin Leather.

Builder: Chip Foose owns Foose Design in Huntington Beach, California. Achievements include winning the Detroit Autorama Ridler Award in 2002, 2003, 2005 and 2015. Foose is the star of the “Overhaulin’” TV show on Velocity. He has been inducted into the Hot Rod Hall of Fame, won the Amber Award and is an eight-time winner of the Goodguys Street Rod of the Year award.

Website: www.chipfoose.com

Chip Foose ’65 Chevrolet Impala “Imposter”

Vehicle: ’15 Chevy Colorado

Show Display Location: Go Pro Booth 20327

Build Notes: The ’15 Chevy Colorado custom pre-runner features a complete Roadster Shop chassis with 27 in. of travel. It is powered by an 800hp LS engine, and the body includes one-off carbon-fiber fenders and bed sides.

Builder: Phil and Jeremy Gerber of Mundelein, Illinois, are the owners of The Roadster Shop, a chassis/suspension manufacturer and custom hot-rod/musclecar builder for more than 25 years. The shop won GM Design awards in 2009, 2011, 2013 and 2014 and is a multiple-time finalist for the Mothers Shine Award. The Roadster Shop is located within a 30,000-sq.-ft. dedicated facility that houses full chassis production, metal fabrication, vehicle construction and a paint-and-body department with a downdraft spray booth.

Website: www.roadstershop.com

The Roadster Shop ’15 Chevrolet Colorado

Vehicle: ’73 Chevy Camaro

Show Display Location: Penske Racing Booth 25043

Build Notes: The one-off wide-body Camaro pro-touring race car featured custom carbon front fenders, hood, nose, front and rear flares and rockers, front and rear splitter and diffuser. It was powered by a 750hp LS engine with a Jericho five-speed transmission.

Builder: Jeremy Gerber of Mundelein, Illinois, is the co-owner of The Roadster Shop, a chassis/suspension manufacturer and custom hot-rod/musclecar builder. Roadster Shop creations have appeared on more than 25 magazine covers and in more than 50 articles. The shop won GM Design awards in 2009, 2011, 2013, and 2014 and is a multiple-time finalist for the Mother’s Shine Award. The Roadster Shop is the only shop to have two vehicles named in the Battle of the Builders Top 10 at the 2015 SEMA Show.

Website: www.roadstershop.com

The Roadster Shop ’73 Camaro

Vehicle: ’53 Studebaker

Show Display Location: ARP Inc. Booth 23613

Build Notes: Each piece of the Studebaker’s sheetmetal was fabricated or massaged to fit. All of the trim pieces were fabricated or machined to flow properly, including the handmade front and rear bumpers, the lower valances, the custom-machined taillights, the headlight bezels, the door handles, the grille and the trim moldings. The roof has a subtle wedge chop, and the windshield is laid back a considerable amount. The rear wheelwell openings were raised and recontoured, and the front wheelwells were lowered and recontoured. The custom chassis uses a C6 Corvette front suspension and a trailing-arm rear suspension with triple-adjustable Ride Tech coil-overs and Wilwood 14-in. disc brakes, and the wheels are one-off Halibrand Champ look-alikes. Keith Dorton supplied the 700 horsepower big-block engine with Hilborn stack injection converted to FAST electronic fuel injection. It is fed by an Aeromotive fuel pump with Earl’s ultra-flex plumbing, and the engine is backed by a Bowler 4L80E trans and a Currie 9-in. rear.

Builder: Alan Johnson of Johnson’s Hot Rod Shop, Gadsden, Alabama. In addition to numerous magazine covers and features, Johnson’s accolades include a Goodguys Rod & Custom Trend Setter Award presented at the SEMA Show, and he is an SCTA Record Holder on the salt. He has also been honored with an Industry Leader award, a Mothers Shine Award, a Don Ridler Award, a Ford Design Award, a Chrysler Design Award, a Stroker McGurk Award, a Judy Murray Memorial Award, a Triple Gun Award for Excellence, Goodguys Street Rod and Street Machine of the Year awards and multiple People’s Choice awards.

Website: www.johnsonshotrodshop.com

Alan Johnson ’53 Studebaker

Vehicle: ’95 Toyota Supra

Show Display Location: Outside Grand Lobby

Build Notes: Battle of the Builders judges recognized this ultra-high-performance ’95 Toyota Supra because it is detailed to the level normally found on domestic show cars. The engine bay is smoothed, and no wires are visible. The intercooler and the radiator are laid out in a V-mount configuration. The intercooler features hand-hammered end tanks, and there is full ducting to all of the coolers. The Supra’s underside is as detailed as the top side, with every nut and bolt hand finished and cad plated. Even the suspension arms are hand detailed. The car was voted best MK4 Supra, best exterior and best engine bay at the peer-reviewed Supra in Vegas event in 2014, and it was featured on the August 2015 cover of Super Street magazine.

Builder: Eric Kozeluh, Signal Hill, California. Twins Turbo Motorsports has participated in numerous SEMA Show build projects, including the Mustang RTR-X that was debuted in the Ford booth at SEMA 2010.

Website: www.twinsturbo.com

Eric and Marc Kozeluh ’95 Toyota Supra

Vehicle: ’62 Chevy Bubble Top

Show Display Location: SEMA Hot Rod Industry Alliance/Automotive Restoration Market Organization Booth 23395

Build Notes: The Chevy features an LS-9 supercharged engine, a Bowler six-speed transmission, an Art Morrison chassis, machined side trim, door handles, taillights interior handles and gauge bezels, a Recovery Room Hot Rod interior and Charlie Hutton body and paint.

Builder: Andy Leach of Bennington, Nebraska. Cal Automotive Creations was launched in 2008 and has already garnered considerable industry recognition, including the 2013 Ridler Award, the 2013 Street Rod D’Elegance, the 2013 Street Rod of the Year, the 2013 Ford Best of Show, the 2014 SEMA Show Trendsetter of the Year, a 2014 Legend Cup and a 2015 Barrett Jackson Cup. The shop’s primary focus is hot rods. If the shop’s technicians buy a store-bought part, they usually cut it up and create something of their own, and there isn’t a single bolt-on part on this latest creation. All of the shop’s cars feature unique, modern twists to vintage classics.

Website: www.calautocreations.com

Andy Leach ’62 Chevrolet “Bubble Top”

Vehicle: Mustang Fastback

Show Display Location: BASF Booth 21437

Build Notes: Ringbrothers initially brought its all-carbon Mustang Fastback body to the 2013 SEMA Show and this year unveiled the completed vehicle. For the finished carbon-fiber Mustang “Espionage,” Mike and Jim Ring widened the iconic shape of a ’65 Mustang 2 in. and then laid the entire body up in lightweight, super-strong carbon fiber. Wegner Motorsports built the 416ci, 959hp V8. Inside, the car is outfitted with Recaro seats, a Race Pak IQ3 and no stereo system, because who needs one when you can listen to a Whipple Supercharged engine roar through a custom Flowmaster exhaust? The car is coated in custom BASF Glasurit Spy Green.

Builders: Jim and Mike Ring of Spring Green, Wisconsin, are the co-founders of Ringbrothers and were born with fuel running through their veins and a passion for building innovative cars. At the age of 10 and 11, Jim and Mike were doing body work and painting cars anywhere they could, including their parents’ basement and a friend’s chicken coop. The Ringbrothers shop pulls double duty, serving as a collision-and-repair shop to the community in addition to delivering one to two custom-built cars a year. In addition to collision repair and custom builds, Ringbrothers also produces a line of high-quality billet accessories as well as custom fiberglass and carbon-fiber pieces. The Ringbrothers line of fiberglass and carbon-fiber body pieces gives fans the opportunity to incorporate the Ringbrothers signature style into their own builds. Ringbrothers has won numerous design awards, including the General Motors award for Best Chevrolet of Show at the 2014 SEMA Show, back-to-back Goodguys Street Machine of the Year awards, multiple Mothers Shine Awards, numerous magazine covers and several builds commissioned by OEMs.

Website: www.ringbrothers.com

Ring Brothers ’65 Ford Mustang

Vehicle: ’70 Chevy Chevelle

Show Display Location: Grand Lobby

Build Notes: The Chevelle is designed to illustrate where technology meets classic American musclecar styling. Under the hood is a MAST LSX 427 supercharged 4.0L Whipple engine that is detailed in old-school livery using Chevrolet orange and black colors with a custom accessory drive and custom-machined pulleys. The transmission is a GM Bowler 4L80E with a classic horseshoe Chevrolet shifter and redundant paddle shifters. The DSE frame utilizes DSE front and rear suspension geometry and coil-over shocks and springs. A Bosch M4 Motorsport ABS package works in conjunction with Davis Technologies traction control. The Chevrolet Corvette C6 ZR1 Brembo six-piston calipers and 15-in. carbon ceramic rotors are connected to GM C6 hubs front and rear. The exterior includes a motorized cowl-induction hood flap that is synced to actual throttle position. The front and rear bumpers have been narrowed, sectioned and modified to accept custom-machined aluminum turn-signals bezels. The front grille surround is a one-piece, custom-machined aluminum trim part, plated to match the brushed nickel used throughout the car. Other exterior features include a vented rear bumper, electrically operated recessed door handles, underhood closeouts and catch cans and handmade inner front fenders. The engine is set back 6 in. into a recessed, smooth firewall. Classic Chevelle black with white-stripe paint goes over smoothed, flattened and fitted GM sheetmetal. A full rollcage bolts to the frame but allows the body to be removed with the rollcage. The interior has six-way adjustable power seats, an HVAC climate-control system, power windows, door locks, a navigation system with front and rear cameras and a Dakota Digital gauge cluster in a stock-appearing Chevelle dash pad.

Builder: Kyle Tucker, Mooresville, North Carolina. Kyle and Stacy Tucker of Detroit Speed Inc. have been building cars for more than 20 years. The car-build side of DSE has created numerous award-winning cars, including the winner of the inaugural Battle of the Builders at the 2014 SEMA Ignited. They have also built award-winning cars for stars such as Dale Earnhardt Jr., Kyle Busch and others. Detroit Speed also designs and manufactures chassis and suspension products for the automotive aftermarket and is a leading manufacturer in the industry.

Website: www.detroitspeed.com

Kyle Tucker ’70 Chevrolet Chevelle SS

SEMA News—April 2016

EVENTS

By SEMA News Staff

Battle of the Builders:

The Top 10

The 2015 SEMA Battle of the Builders Top 10 admire Ryan Basseri’s entry. From left: Eric Kozeluh, Marc Kozeluh, Mike Ring, Phil Gerber, Jeremy Gerber, Alan Johnson, Jim Ring, Kyle Tucker, Ryan Basseri, Andy Leach, Bobby Alloway and Chip Foose.

In addition to hot products and leading manufacturers, the annual SEMA Show attracts top vehicle builders who debut their one-of-a-kind creations in front of more than 140,000 industry professionals at the world’s premier automotive trade gathering. For many of these builders, the SEMA Battle of the Builders is their chance to prove that they are among the elite. Hundreds enter; only one can win.

Working during the 2015 SEMA Show, an esteemed panel of judges narrowed the field, and then the builders of the top 10 contenders—those shown on these pages—voted among themselves to decide who should be the winner. The competition culminated Friday night at the SEMA Ignited event, where consumers joined in the action and watched as the winner was named during the filming of a nationwide broadcast special, “SEMA: Battle of the Builders,” on the Velocity Network.

The TV special premiered February 1, with re-airings scheduled in 2016. Visit www.SEMAignited.com or check your local cable/satellite provider for dates and times.

Vehicle: ’33 Ford Roadster

Show Display Location: PPG Booth 24601

Build Notes: The ’33 full-fendered steel Ford roadster owned by Larry and Carol Olson was the 2015 America’s Most Beautiful Roadster winner. Features include an Alloway custom chassis, one-off Billet Spec wheels, custom Classic Instruments gauges and PPG black paint with candy flames, buried in clear and sanded smooth. The engine is a 241ci Red Ram Hemi with six Stromberg carbs acting as butterflies for a hidden electronic fuel-injection system. It is backed by a Legends five-speed transmission.

Builder: Bobby Alloway is the owner of Alloway’s Hot Rod Shop in Louisville, Tennessee, established in 1991 as a full-build facility. Alloway has won Street Rod of the Year three times, Street Machine of the Year, America’s Most Beautiful Roadster two times, The Ridler Award, and many other honors. He personally contributes in every build, whether it be wiring, fabricating or painting and final assembly.

Website: www.allowaysrodshop.com

Bobby Alloway '33 Ford Roadster

Vehicle: Honda Integra Type R

Show Display Location: CSF Cooling Booth 21555

Build Notes: The imported Honda Integra Type-R was fully customized in every way. Every system on the car was rebuilt and redesigned to meet the high standards of race readiness and signature show-car style. It was touted as “the most anticipated import build of the year.”

Builder: Ryan Basseri is owner of Rywire Motorsport Electronics in Garden Grove, California. “We specialize in motorsport looms and race-car wiring,” he said. “We have built looms for the fastest cars in the world and have built cars that appear in some of the world’s most prestigious places.” In addition to the Battle of the Builders Top 10, this Integra was named a Mothers Polish Shine Award winner at the 2015 SEMA Show. Rywire’s other accolades include numerous magazine features and other high-visibility builds for movies and overseas clients.

Website: www.rywire.com

Ryan Basseri, Honda Integra Type R

Vehicle: ’65 Impala

Show Display Location: Pirelli Booth 41013

Build Notes: The ’65 Impala body was mated to a ’08 C6 Corvette chassis, designed to pursue the idea of what kind of musclecar Chevrolet’s Corvette studio might have made. It initially appears to be a visually accurate ’65 Impala, but shrunk in the wash. To make it all fit, the C6 Corvette platform was stretched more than 7 in., the body was shortened 14 in., and the top was dropped 1½ in., requiring thousands of modifications. The rear wheelwells were lifted 2 in. and pulled forward 7 in. All of the trim pieces, grille and bumpers were hand made, and the custom steel quarter-panel extensions were welded in place to eliminate the original pot-metal pieces. Sponsors and contributors included BASF, Pirelli, MagnaFlow, MHT Wheels, Mac Tools, Lincoln Electric and Katzkin Leather.

Builder: Chip Foose owns Foose Design in Huntington Beach, California. Achievements include winning the Detroit Autorama Ridler Award in 2002, 2003, 2005 and 2015. Foose is the star of the “Overhaulin’” TV show on Velocity. He has been inducted into the Hot Rod Hall of Fame, won the Amber Award and is an eight-time winner of the Goodguys Street Rod of the Year award.

Website: www.chipfoose.com

Chip Foose ’65 Chevrolet Impala “Imposter”

Vehicle: ’15 Chevy Colorado

Show Display Location: Go Pro Booth 20327

Build Notes: The ’15 Chevy Colorado custom pre-runner features a complete Roadster Shop chassis with 27 in. of travel. It is powered by an 800hp LS engine, and the body includes one-off carbon-fiber fenders and bed sides.

Builder: Phil and Jeremy Gerber of Mundelein, Illinois, are the owners of The Roadster Shop, a chassis/suspension manufacturer and custom hot-rod/musclecar builder for more than 25 years. The shop won GM Design awards in 2009, 2011, 2013 and 2014 and is a multiple-time finalist for the Mothers Shine Award. The Roadster Shop is located within a 30,000-sq.-ft. dedicated facility that houses full chassis production, metal fabrication, vehicle construction and a paint-and-body department with a downdraft spray booth.

Website: www.roadstershop.com

The Roadster Shop ’15 Chevrolet Colorado

Vehicle: ’73 Chevy Camaro

Show Display Location: Penske Racing Booth 25043

Build Notes: The one-off wide-body Camaro pro-touring race car featured custom carbon front fenders, hood, nose, front and rear flares and rockers, front and rear splitter and diffuser. It was powered by a 750hp LS engine with a Jericho five-speed transmission.

Builder: Jeremy Gerber of Mundelein, Illinois, is the co-owner of The Roadster Shop, a chassis/suspension manufacturer and custom hot-rod/musclecar builder. Roadster Shop creations have appeared on more than 25 magazine covers and in more than 50 articles. The shop won GM Design awards in 2009, 2011, 2013, and 2014 and is a multiple-time finalist for the Mother’s Shine Award. The Roadster Shop is the only shop to have two vehicles named in the Battle of the Builders Top 10 at the 2015 SEMA Show.

Website: www.roadstershop.com

The Roadster Shop ’73 Camaro

Vehicle: ’53 Studebaker

Show Display Location: ARP Inc. Booth 23613

Build Notes: Each piece of the Studebaker’s sheetmetal was fabricated or massaged to fit. All of the trim pieces were fabricated or machined to flow properly, including the handmade front and rear bumpers, the lower valances, the custom-machined taillights, the headlight bezels, the door handles, the grille and the trim moldings. The roof has a subtle wedge chop, and the windshield is laid back a considerable amount. The rear wheelwell openings were raised and recontoured, and the front wheelwells were lowered and recontoured. The custom chassis uses a C6 Corvette front suspension and a trailing-arm rear suspension with triple-adjustable Ride Tech coil-overs and Wilwood 14-in. disc brakes, and the wheels are one-off Halibrand Champ look-alikes. Keith Dorton supplied the 700 horsepower big-block engine with Hilborn stack injection converted to FAST electronic fuel injection. It is fed by an Aeromotive fuel pump with Earl’s ultra-flex plumbing, and the engine is backed by a Bowler 4L80E trans and a Currie 9-in. rear.

Builder: Alan Johnson of Johnson’s Hot Rod Shop, Gadsden, Alabama. In addition to numerous magazine covers and features, Johnson’s accolades include a Goodguys Rod & Custom Trend Setter Award presented at the SEMA Show, and he is an SCTA Record Holder on the salt. He has also been honored with an Industry Leader award, a Mothers Shine Award, a Don Ridler Award, a Ford Design Award, a Chrysler Design Award, a Stroker McGurk Award, a Judy Murray Memorial Award, a Triple Gun Award for Excellence, Goodguys Street Rod and Street Machine of the Year awards and multiple People’s Choice awards.

Website: www.johnsonshotrodshop.com

Alan Johnson ’53 Studebaker

Vehicle: ’95 Toyota Supra

Show Display Location: Outside Grand Lobby

Build Notes: Battle of the Builders judges recognized this ultra-high-performance ’95 Toyota Supra because it is detailed to the level normally found on domestic show cars. The engine bay is smoothed, and no wires are visible. The intercooler and the radiator are laid out in a V-mount configuration. The intercooler features hand-hammered end tanks, and there is full ducting to all of the coolers. The Supra’s underside is as detailed as the top side, with every nut and bolt hand finished and cad plated. Even the suspension arms are hand detailed. The car was voted best MK4 Supra, best exterior and best engine bay at the peer-reviewed Supra in Vegas event in 2014, and it was featured on the August 2015 cover of Super Street magazine.

Builder: Eric Kozeluh, Signal Hill, California. Twins Turbo Motorsports has participated in numerous SEMA Show build projects, including the Mustang RTR-X that was debuted in the Ford booth at SEMA 2010.

Website: www.twinsturbo.com

Eric and Marc Kozeluh ’95 Toyota Supra

Vehicle: ’62 Chevy Bubble Top

Show Display Location: SEMA Hot Rod Industry Alliance/Automotive Restoration Market Organization Booth 23395

Build Notes: The Chevy features an LS-9 supercharged engine, a Bowler six-speed transmission, an Art Morrison chassis, machined side trim, door handles, taillights interior handles and gauge bezels, a Recovery Room Hot Rod interior and Charlie Hutton body and paint.

Builder: Andy Leach of Bennington, Nebraska. Cal Automotive Creations was launched in 2008 and has already garnered considerable industry recognition, including the 2013 Ridler Award, the 2013 Street Rod D’Elegance, the 2013 Street Rod of the Year, the 2013 Ford Best of Show, the 2014 SEMA Show Trendsetter of the Year, a 2014 Legend Cup and a 2015 Barrett Jackson Cup. The shop’s primary focus is hot rods. If the shop’s technicians buy a store-bought part, they usually cut it up and create something of their own, and there isn’t a single bolt-on part on this latest creation. All of the shop’s cars feature unique, modern twists to vintage classics.

Website: www.calautocreations.com

Andy Leach ’62 Chevrolet “Bubble Top”

Vehicle: Mustang Fastback

Show Display Location: BASF Booth 21437

Build Notes: Ringbrothers initially brought its all-carbon Mustang Fastback body to the 2013 SEMA Show and this year unveiled the completed vehicle. For the finished carbon-fiber Mustang “Espionage,” Mike and Jim Ring widened the iconic shape of a ’65 Mustang 2 in. and then laid the entire body up in lightweight, super-strong carbon fiber. Wegner Motorsports built the 416ci, 959hp V8. Inside, the car is outfitted with Recaro seats, a Race Pak IQ3 and no stereo system, because who needs one when you can listen to a Whipple Supercharged engine roar through a custom Flowmaster exhaust? The car is coated in custom BASF Glasurit Spy Green.

Builders: Jim and Mike Ring of Spring Green, Wisconsin, are the co-founders of Ringbrothers and were born with fuel running through their veins and a passion for building innovative cars. At the age of 10 and 11, Jim and Mike were doing body work and painting cars anywhere they could, including their parents’ basement and a friend’s chicken coop. The Ringbrothers shop pulls double duty, serving as a collision-and-repair shop to the community in addition to delivering one to two custom-built cars a year. In addition to collision repair and custom builds, Ringbrothers also produces a line of high-quality billet accessories as well as custom fiberglass and carbon-fiber pieces. The Ringbrothers line of fiberglass and carbon-fiber body pieces gives fans the opportunity to incorporate the Ringbrothers signature style into their own builds. Ringbrothers has won numerous design awards, including the General Motors award for Best Chevrolet of Show at the 2014 SEMA Show, back-to-back Goodguys Street Machine of the Year awards, multiple Mothers Shine Awards, numerous magazine covers and several builds commissioned by OEMs.

Website: www.ringbrothers.com

Ring Brothers ’65 Ford Mustang

Vehicle: ’70 Chevy Chevelle

Show Display Location: Grand Lobby

Build Notes: The Chevelle is designed to illustrate where technology meets classic American musclecar styling. Under the hood is a MAST LSX 427 supercharged 4.0L Whipple engine that is detailed in old-school livery using Chevrolet orange and black colors with a custom accessory drive and custom-machined pulleys. The transmission is a GM Bowler 4L80E with a classic horseshoe Chevrolet shifter and redundant paddle shifters. The DSE frame utilizes DSE front and rear suspension geometry and coil-over shocks and springs. A Bosch M4 Motorsport ABS package works in conjunction with Davis Technologies traction control. The Chevrolet Corvette C6 ZR1 Brembo six-piston calipers and 15-in. carbon ceramic rotors are connected to GM C6 hubs front and rear. The exterior includes a motorized cowl-induction hood flap that is synced to actual throttle position. The front and rear bumpers have been narrowed, sectioned and modified to accept custom-machined aluminum turn-signals bezels. The front grille surround is a one-piece, custom-machined aluminum trim part, plated to match the brushed nickel used throughout the car. Other exterior features include a vented rear bumper, electrically operated recessed door handles, underhood closeouts and catch cans and handmade inner front fenders. The engine is set back 6 in. into a recessed, smooth firewall. Classic Chevelle black with white-stripe paint goes over smoothed, flattened and fitted GM sheetmetal. A full rollcage bolts to the frame but allows the body to be removed with the rollcage. The interior has six-way adjustable power seats, an HVAC climate-control system, power windows, door locks, a navigation system with front and rear cameras and a Dakota Digital gauge cluster in a stock-appearing Chevelle dash pad.

Builder: Kyle Tucker, Mooresville, North Carolina. Kyle and Stacy Tucker of Detroit Speed Inc. have been building cars for more than 20 years. The car-build side of DSE has created numerous award-winning cars, including the winner of the inaugural Battle of the Builders at the 2014 SEMA Ignited. They have also built award-winning cars for stars such as Dale Earnhardt Jr., Kyle Busch and others. Detroit Speed also designs and manufactures chassis and suspension products for the automotive aftermarket and is a leading manufacturer in the industry.

Website: www.detroitspeed.com

Kyle Tucker ’70 Chevrolet Chevelle SS