SEMA 2019 between meetings...
Updated: Apr 1, 2020
It's also looking like all Irish, U.K. and European car shows / motorsport events being postponed or cancelled for the next few months, so let's keep things positive by going back through what we got. Now before we go further, I'd like to point out that our visit to the states at this time was purely for meetings, we had no media team or even an actual camera between us. So everything you see below is taken by either myself or Baggsy on our iPhones or a GoPro. Nothing has been edited, just shoot n runs.
Anyway... enough blabber, here is some of the cars that stood out to either myself or Baggsy managed to get a quick shot of between meetings. If you've ever been to Sema you will know that A. its almost impossible to see all of it, and B. Its extremely hard to get a full shot of a car without people being in the shot!
Lets start with straight off the plane, in the Uber to the hotel we spot this rough n ready R32 GTR rubbling beside us in traffic on Las Vegas BLVD. The R32 has only recently become street legal in the states so it was a pretty surreal sight, Sema week or not. Even though I have seen so many of these cars in Europe at events over the years, it was like I'd seen one for the first time. I think the video game-like backdrop of the strip made it look like something straight out of 'Gran Turismo' picture mode or even 'GTA'.
"Can I take your bags sir" Yeah as soon as I get a snap of this Ninja Turtle, Liberty Walk, Ferrari F430. Only ever seen newer Rarri's done by LB so this caught our attention right outside our hotel! Jet lagged AF.
While on the subject of Ferrari's, walking into the event on day one it was hard not to notice the Race Service 348.
How sick is the cage and targa top combo? Who wouldn't wanna clip off roof to show off them bad boy kevlar seats. Why does it appear to have a Mercedes badge in the centre of the steering wheel? Must be a story behind that.
This beaut is the vision of Donut Media & Race Service co-founder, James Kirkham. Almost every car talk conversation we had at the event involved this marvel.
Momo with this awesome 911 with a modern safari / rally build to launch their new all terrain tyres. I never actually knew Momo done tyres until I seen this booth!
I am a sucker for big old school rally spot lamps on modern cars.
Tasteful example of a X80 USDM drifty Toyota Cressida. The two tone is done perfect, like an AE86's bigger brother.
Jenkies Scoob.
This Ford Transit actually inspired us to modify our own back home in the UK, simple and clean. A combination of subtle modifications and colour changes. Its not every day you see a twin axel MK7 lowered.
Its also not every day you see a MK7 Transit turned into what can only be described as something that Matt Tracker drove out of Bowler Hill.
Seriously though, where can we get these and are they road legal?
As much as big arches and wide bodykits are cool, its real nice just seeing an s-chassis on its stock fenders.
You might remember this FD RX7 from the Netflix TV show, Hyperdrive.
Nope, this is not a rebranded classic Mini. This is a classic 1960's Honda N600, it's RWD gets its name from its humble 36BHP 600cc motor. This one however has an 800cc Honda VFR super-bike engine conversion that revs to 12000rpm. Rapid.
If Robocop was a dually pick up he would be this F-350 Heavy Duty we found on the Ford stand.
The Z32 is a chassis that more and more people are experimenting with as cool street cars, like this savage 2JZ powered one. Style guide on point too some Enkei RPF-01's combined with aggressive aero.
I actually have some many more photos and vids from this mini adventure to the states so maybe I'll go do a part 2 in the next coming weeks now that its looking we are stuck inside.