hile many readers may never have the chance to actually attend the annual SEMA Show in Las Vegas, it's safe to say that at the very least, they've heard of it. The "show" is so big that it encompasses over one million square feet of space--that's more footage than pretty much every truck show held each year combined. Add to that over 1,900 exhibitors (with well over 10,000 booths) and you have a solid week's worth of walking to cover all that floor space. For us, we had a day and a half to accomplish that feat this past November...it was no stroll in the park, but worth every minute, regardless of how brief.
Fortunately for us, a good majority of exhibitors on hand at SEMA were of the late-model/OE aftermarket nature, so having to see all the companies in the expanded wheel and tire building was not priority--unless we really wanted to see the latest jewel-encrusted 26-inchers or the vast array of exotic cars and SUVs with said rolling "stock." SEMA does a fantastic job of separating the sects of the aftermarket industry, namely the hot rod manufacturers/suppliers, making it easier for us to see the people we need to see without wearing the soles off our poor shoes.
2005 was another great year for the SEMA Show, and it wasn't a slouch for classic trucks and related accessories, either. To see what the hottest new products were, along with some of the hottest new trucks, just have a look-see at the following photos. For more information on the show or on any of SEMA's efforts concerning the aftermarket hobby, please visit www.sema.org.
|
|
 This belongs in a classic...  This belongs in a classic truck! OK, maybe not financially feasible for most. It would not only look great under the hood of practically any '40s-50s pickup (non-Mopar included), it would propel the hauler like no other! |
 A certain pickup whose buildup...  A certain pickup whose buildup we've been following just happened to make the SEMA Show with no time to spare. The C-10, affectionately known as the "Paint 'N' Place '68" to everyone here at the magazine, went from a pile of parts to what you see here--Magnuson-blown 383 stroker, CPP tubular control arms and huge disc brakes, Vintage Air FrontRunner system, almost the entire catalog of Classic Industries weatherstrip and seals included. Shown in the Auto-Air Colors booth, expect to see a lot more of this pickup on future pages. |
 New products; two of the most...  New products; two of the most important words at SEMA. (OK, for some people, "free beer" was more important, but...) For companies like CPP, this is the place to debut products, such as their newly developed control arms for '67-87 Chevy/GMC trucks. |
 For Vintage Air, SEMA was...  For Vintage Air, SEMA was the venue to not only announce, but to also reveal their latest FrontRunner compact serpentine drive system for the small-block Ford family. |
 Of the standout feature trucks,...  Of the standout feature trucks, the Overhaulin' F-100 was obviously cream of the crop in nature... |
 ...While you may or may not...  ...While you may or may not see more of this one, you will find coverage of the previously overhauled truck ('52 GMC) right here in this very issue. |
 Recently featured in CT, Russ...  Recently featured in CT, Russ Conway's ex-F-250 (now Air Syndicate's) was cleverly used in the Sony Xplod booth... |
 ...Notice the revamped bed...  ...Notice the revamped bed complete with enough Sony sound equipment to keep the Ford's rear section as low as it can go. |
 If SEMA's any indication,...  If SEMA's any indication, then '60s Fords are in. OK, so they've never really been "out," but it's not common to see many this nice in a place like this. Ken Callison's longbed has been a long time in the making, but he assured us that he'd be ready for the show with his subtly modified personal ride. |
 It's no truck by any means,...  It's no truck by any means, but the display in Dynamat's booth was a must-see. Les Noyse's (get it?) Dyanliner Special is really the handiwork of artist Joshua Shaw (only a third of an actual '32 coupe) used to illustrate the various uses of the Dynamat sound-deadening and insulating materials. |
 Rick Federmeyer's ex-CT cover...  Rick Federmeyer's ex-CT cover truck was on hand as a feature vehicle in the PPG Paint booth, shown here getting a pre-show detail. |
 If you know anything about...  If you know anything about Norm Grabowski, you know he's not the type for "typical" vehicles, let alone typical anything. His backwoods Ford is pure evidence of that. |
 Along with wheels and tires,...  Along with wheels and tires, engines and related components make up for the bulk of SEMA hard parts. Of the engine outfits, Street & Performance never fails to show up with something cool each year... |
 ...this time around with a...  ...this time around with a tricked-out LS7 sharing floor space with an equally tricked-out 6.0L Hemi. |
 Finned aluminum and Mooneyes...  Finned aluminum and Mooneyes go hand in hand, which is why it's no surprise they were the first to come up with these ultra-cool air cleaners for the "little carbs." Someone with an inline-six is gonna need a pair of those here real soon! |
 Jason Hill's Second-Gen square...  Jason Hill's Second-Gen square body C-10 looked good in the early-morn Vegas sun... |
 ...while the Mid West Images...  ...while the Mid West Images channeled short box preferred the controlled temps inside the Convention Center. |
 What better way to illustrate...  What better way to illustrate your hydraulic lift's ability to handle low chassis? Revolution got it right with a nicely done '57 Chevy Stepside. |
 Boudreaux's "Budget Blue"...  Boudreaux's "Budget Blue" was one of the many trucks spotted outside, but it was the only Chevy longbed of the mix. Nevertheless, it's added bed length just added to the truck's great features. |