Author Archives: Trevor Freeman

About Trevor Freeman

Trevor is a real gearhead who loves everything from classic American muscle cars to high-performance exotics. When he's not reading about cars or taking photos at a car show, he's probably out cruising around. He is currently working on restoring a 1980 Chevrolet Monza hatchback.

SEMA 2023: 1969 Pontiac GTO by Detroit Speed

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Founded in 2002 by Kyle Tucker, Detroit Speed and Engineering has grown into a manufacturer of performance suspension parts and kits for American muscle cars and trucks. Indeed, it seems that every other car at SEMA has some part on it made by DSE.

But the Mooresville, North Carolina company does more than just make parts – they are alsoa full hot rod shop that does custom cars for clients. At the 2023 SEMA Show, DSE showed off this gorgeous 1969 Pontiac GTO restomod owned by actor and comedian Kevin Hart.
The Detroit Speed website has 6 galleries of build photos of this car, and they are well worth a look. This is an all-star build using the best components available.

The A-body chassis has been upgraded with a Detroit Speed X-Gen 595 suspension up front and a custom DSE QuadraLink suspension in the rear. Ride comfort is achieved through JRi adjustable coilover shocks at all four corners.

The GTO rides on a set of HRE Wheels “Valkyrja” that measure 20×9.5 up front and 20×12 in the rear. They are wrapped in Michelin Pilot Sport 4s tires. The wheels look great with gold spokes behind the polished lip.
When it comes to performance, the original GTO was no slouch! It was offered with a 350-horsepower or 360 horsepower engine back in 1969, and could hit 370 horsepower with the Ram Air IV option package. This GTO has been upgraded with a Chevrolet Performance LT5 6.2L supercharged crate engine producing a whopping 755 horsepower! It is coupled to a Bowler Performance T-56 six-speed manual gearbox with a Hurst shifter. It’s more than you could have imagined back in 1969.

Additional performance upgrades include a Holley premium mid mount accessory drive system, Baer disc brakes with massive 15″ R-Spec rotors and Baer XRT 6-piston calipers, and an aluminum battery mount from DSE.

The team at Detroit Speed spent a lot of time getting the body of the car just right. Nearly every panel has been modified including the front and rear bumpers, hood, front valence, spoiler, and much more! The car was painted in Mercedes Mystic Brown Metallic, which is a unique choice. I know it doesn’t fully come across in pictures, but it really looks great in person.
The car’s stunning custom interior was the work of Avant-Garde Design in Palm City, Florida. The car received a full interior treatment with Recaro Specialist seats upholstered in two tone white and brown to match the exterior of the car. Additional driver comforts include an Ididit steering column, Classic Instruments Gauges, and a VintageAir GenIV HVAC system for heating and air conditioned comfort.

The car is a real head-turner and great showcase of the top-tier work that Detroit Speed and Engineering and their partners are capable of.

Check out the 1969 GTO build gallery: https://www.detroitspeed.com/blog/post/kevin_s_gto_assembly_and_fitment/

SEMA 2023: 1949 Chevrolet 3100 Pickup NautiD by Weaver Customs

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The Las Vegas Convention Center encompasses more than 4.6 million square feet of floor space spread across multiple buildings. When the SEMA Convention comes to town, they occupy the entire facility. To say that the SEMA Show is big is an understatement. It is so big that it’s hard to see everything, even over multiple days.

If you spend all of your time in the convention halls, you might miss a great vehicle in one of the outdoor displays. At the 2023 SEMA Show, I saw this amazing custom Chevy pickup truck in the Adam’s Polishes booth in front of the Central Hall.

The truck is a 1949 Chevrolet 3100 pickup nicknamed “NautiD.” The truck was built by Weaver Customs in West Jordan, Utah.
The crisp body lines of the “Advance Design” styling really come through in this truck, which has shaved trim, drip rails, wipers, and mirrors. The non-metallic gray color is also eye catching, which is actually Axalta Chalk Grey. I spent a few minutes admiring the truck up close.

The truck has a ton of custom touches including a custom bed, flush mount glass, shaved and smoothed body, and a restyled front and rear end. There are more than 100 custom billet machined pieces on the truck.
Under the hood, the original straight-6 engine has been replaced with a 6.6-liter Duramax LLM diesel engine with twin turbochargers! This is coupled to an Allison 6-speed transmission. A custom Flowmaster exhaust keeps the power flowing smoothly. The Duramax engine is an interesting choice for a build, but it fits the spirit of the truck as a workhorse.

The custom-built chassis has an independent front suspension with a 4-link rear suspension with Ridetech components. A narrowed 9-inch rear end puts the power to the rear wheels. Speaking of which, the wheels are one-off designed which are 18×8 in the front and 20×12 in the rear with Michelin tires.

The interior has a minimalist design aesthetic blended with modern amenities. The truck has air conditioning, a Kicker stereo, power windows, and even 2 cup holders in the center console. A pair of custom Dakota Digital gauges provide essential information to the driver. The interior was done by Innovation Custom Interiors in Ogden, Utah who wrapped the seats and console in Guinness Hydes leather.

This Chevy 3100 is a 74 year old truck that has been completely reimagined with modern power, handling, and amenities. With this full restoration and upgrade, I’d say the truck is ready to take on the next 70 years and beyond.

Be sure to give them a follow @weavercustoms on Facebook and Instagram.

SEMA 2023: 1956 Ford F600 Crew Cab KINGPIN by Classic Car Studio

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Some artists work with clay, oil, acrylic, and others with wood. At Classic Car Studio in Brentwood, Missouri they employ a team of artists who work in sheet metal. Using welders, cutters, grinders and similar tools, they transform ordinary cars into custom creations that defy expectations.

There were so many people crowded around Classic Car Studio’s 1956 Ford F600 crew cab pickup at the 2023 SEMA Show that I could barely get any pictures of the truck! Nicknamed “Kingpin” the truck is a full custom build by CCS.
The original cab was cut and extended into a crew cab with suicide rear doors. In the build videos on YouTube, you can see the crew fabricating the sheet metal for the roof, cab and other panels using bead rollers and body hammers, using time-honored techniques. Every panel on the truck from the front bumper to rear bumper has been massaged in some way, from the custom roll pan to the hand-formed fender flares.

The chassis is all custom built in house, with the exception of the Porterbuilt front subframe. It includes AirLift bags with AccuAir air management.

Under the hood is a 24V Cummins diesel engine from D&J Precision Machine, coupled to a Firepunk 48RE transmission and a custom GM 14-bolt differential with 3.42 gears.

While trucks aren’t typically known for comfort, KINGPIN is a very comfortable place to be. The custom-stitched interior uses Relicate leather for the seats and interior pieces. Behind everything, SoundSkins dampening cuts down on road noise.

Driver amenities include a Sparc Industries steering wheel and a full complement of Dakota Digital gauges. The electrical for the truck was completely redone with a Highway 22 Plus universal wiring system from American Autowire.

The exterior is finished in BASF Glasurit “Area 51” blue, which was originally offered on the current generation of F150 pickup. I like that they went with an OEM Ford color for the ’56, even though it’s not a color from the era.

There are so many custom touches on this truck, it’s hard to count them all. My favorite thing about the truck is the unique shape of the wood in the truck bed. I’ve truly never seen another custom truck like this before, and it really showcases the kind of creativity that CCS is capable of.

The fabrication shown in their videos is top notch, and really stands out, even among a sea of other amazing cars and trucks at SEMA. I can’t wait to see what Classic Car Studio comes up with next!

1953 Chevrolet Corvette CF1 Roadster by Dave Kindig

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Dave Kindig became a household name in 2014 when his show “Bitchin’ Rides” debuted on TV. However, he was well-known in the custom car world long before that. At his shop in Salt Lake City, Dave and the team build, restore and modify custom cars for their clients. The show is more focused on the cars compared to Overhaulin’, which is about trying to get a car done on a tight timeline and in secret.

Fans of the show may remember that in 2021, Dave embarked on a project to do his own small-production run of cars inspired by the 1953 Chevrolet Corvette. The “CF1 Roadster” is Kindig’s take on the classic Corvette. The episodes ran in Season 8 of the show and featured the car’s debut at the 2021 SEMA Show in Las Vegas.
I was fortunate to see Chassis #07 of 10 on display at the Arizona Concours d’Elegance on January 21, 2024. It was an uncharacteristically rainy day in the desert with clouds and rainthroughout most of the day. Still, they were able to remove the plastic and exhibit the car during the show. The Arizona Concours d’Elegance provides the opportunity to admire and enjoy rare and special cars such as this, and I am grateful to the organizers and volunteers who put the event together.

Though it looks like a custom 1953 Corvette, the CF1 Roadster is a completely new car. It starts with a Roadster Shop chassis that retains the stock Corvette wheelbase, while adding modern strength and rigidity to the car.

The body features plenty of changes including a raked windshield, restyled wheel arches, custom headlamps, a redesigned grille, and much more. The entire body is made of carbon fiber and weighs just 70 lbs (32 kg) while also being incredibly strong. The new body is wider and longer than the original. There are some trick features too, such as the fuel filler and onboard trickle charger concealed behind the car’s flip-up taillights. The car is a true roadster with no soft top or cover of any kind.

Under the hood is a 427 cubic inch LS7 V8 engine that has been upgraded by Lingenfelter Performance Engineering to produce 650 horsepower and 580 lb-ft of torque. This is a huge upgrade over the ’53 Corvette’s original 150 horsepower engine. Poking out through the hood is the 8-stack EFI setup from Borla.

Other performance highlights include a floor-shifted GM 4L80E automatic transmission, independent rear suspension, and Wilwood 14-inch disc brakes mounting 6-piston front and 4-piston rear calipers. Dakota Digital gauges and a Borla exhaust that exits through the rear bumper, just as on the original Corvette.

The wheels are a unique design created by Kindig and made by EVOD. They are inspired by Lamborghini Miura wheels and are finished in gold with chrome tri-bar center caps. They measure 21″ up front and 22″ in the rear and are wrapped in Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tires.

This specific car was shown in the Dynamat booth at the 2022 SEMA Show.
At the same time Chassis #07 was on display at the Arizona Concours, CF1 Roadster Chassis #04 was just a few miles away at the Barrett-Jackson collector car auction in Scottsdale. While there are some cosmetic differences, the cars are substantially the same specification. Chassis #04 is painted in Blue Suede Blue with a white interior, while Chassis #07 is Bering Sea Blue with a tan interior. Chassis #04 sold for a staggering $605,000 at auction (including the buyer’s premium). So if you were wondering what one of these ultra-rare and bespoke roadsters is worth, there is your answer.

I think that Kindig’s take on the classic Corvette is a good one. The CF1 Roadster is a very special car that is truly a work of art on four wheels.

2000 Chevrolet Corvette Avelate Z06 Custom Convertible

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The Chevrolet Corvette is sort of like a ’32 Ford or a ’49 Mercury in that it has become a canvas for others to customize. It is a starting point where people they feel they can improve. Some companies like Callaway and Lingenfelter have used this formula to great success. It is still a Corvette, but with a little more power and a little more style.

Others have tried to follow the same path, but have not found commercial success. One such company was Avelate, which was formed by former GM designer Don Johnson and Dean Arnold.
According to the website CorvSport.com: “The Avelate borrowed some design inspiration from the previous Corvette generations and incorporated all of them into the C5 model. Initially, the plan was to make 100 cars per year, but throughout its production run, only 25 examples were only built.”

The auction description says that this 2000 Chevrolet Corvette Avelate Z06 convertible is one of 27 builds produced between 2000 and 2002. It is finished in Copper Pearl with a black convertible top. The car has a 6-speed manual transmission. It was consigned to sell at the Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale auction in January 2024.

The car has the stock windshield and side glass, though it has a custom body including door skins, hood, trunk, and front and rear bumpers. Studying the car, I see a C3-styled front end and C1-style scallops on the doors.

This car has Avelate logo floor mats and retro-style Fuel Injection and Corvette badges on the fenders.
It’s got a lot of customizations that make it unique from the herd of production C5s, but do the cosmetic customizations make it any better than a regular Z06? Honestly…no, they do not.

That sentiment was reflected in the final hammer price of $29,700 which is exactly in line with the prices of a C5 Z06 on Bring A Trailer. Only super low mileage cars go for more, and this car had 31k miles at the time of auction.

The Avelate Corvette is a unique curiosity for the right buyer, and another notch in the belt of small production manufacturers who thought they could do better than the OEM.

SEMA 2023: 1968 Chevrolet Camaro ARDUOUS by Tyler Nelson

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Based on how many amazing cars are at the SEMA Show, you might think that restoring a classic car is easy. Just order the parts and put it together! But the truth is that when it comes to parts and labor, it costs a lot to get quality work. If you ask Tyler Nelson of Revision Rods & Rides, he might say that building a car is an arduous process.

His 1968 Chevrolet Camaro is nicknamed “Arduous,” which is defined as: involving or requiring strenuous effort; difficult and tiring. I think that is an accurate description of the work that goes into building a top-tier car for SEMA.

With any project, there are always unforseen problems and challenges. Parts don’t fit, dealing with back orders and shipping delays, things break during removal and installation, and introducing custom-made parts adds a whole world of new challenges. Such is the case with this 1968 Camaro. At his shop in Rapid City, South Dakota, this Camaro was completely taken apart and rebuilt using new parts and plenty of upgrades as well.

The Camaro’s original chassis has been replaced with an Art Morrison chassis with a fully independent rear suspension. Under the hood is a GM Performance LT376/535 crate engine producing 535 horsepower, coupled to a GM 8L90E 8-speed transmission. The engine is hidden beneath a custom made air intake and engine cover that were fabricated for this car, giving it that show car look when the custom built hood is open. Everything from the fender liners to the radiator support was custom made for this car, then painted to match the exterior body color, which is a custom mixed BASF Refinish blue with accent stripes.

The interior is completely custom with the dashboard, center console and door panels made out of aluminum and wrapped in two-tone Hydes leather. While I am not generally a fan of white seats, I think that the contrasting gray and white interior looks really sharp for this car.

The car also features tons of one-off machined parts. Look closely and you will see a hexagon pattern, which is repeated in the front grille, the brake reservoir cover, the machined AC vents, the hood cowl vents, the speaker grilles in the rear dash and even the inserts of the front bucket seats. Even the gauge cluster has a subtle 6-sided surround to it.

The drip rails have been shaved and the glass is flush mounted, giving the car a more modern look. It rides on Billet Specialties wheels.
The car was a Top 12 finalist in the Battle of the Builders at the 2023 SEMA Show, and a Top 3 finalist in the Hot Rod category. Arduous has received plenty of recognition including Meguiar’s Magnificent Masterpiece and GM IRON Builder of the Year finalist at the GoodGuys Heartland Nationals in 2024.

This car was truly a labor of love for the clients, Mary & Clayton Graham who own this beautiful Camaro. It really was a treat seeing it in person at the SEMA Show. Congratulations on your well-deserved success! I can’t wait to see what comes next from the talented team at Revision Rods & Rides.