Category Archives: Car Shows

SEMA 2023: 1998 Chevrolet C1500 Truck by Carson Hendershott

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I have long been a fan of the GMT400 platform, having owned 1997 Chevrolet and 1988 GMC truck. When I saw this custom C1500 single cab at the 2023 SEMA Show, I could tell it was something special.

The truck was built by Carson Hendershott of Ontario, Canada. At just 26 years old, he was a finalist in the Young Guns category and a Top 12 finalist in the Battle of the Builders competition.
As you will see, his customized pickup is anything but stock. The metallic red paint really pops against the Steve Stanford Designs paint scheme that has a “rad minitruck” feel to it. Additional bodywork includes a shaved tailgate, roll pan rear bumper, extended wheel tubs, and a narrowed front bumper.

The showstopper is under the hood – an LSX 376 engine with a Harrop TVS2650 supercharger and titanium intake that is pumping out 1,000 horsepower. Coupled to that is a Tremec T-56 Magnum transmission, so that you can row your own gears.

The rest of the driveline is built to handle the power: a carbon fiber driveshaft, Custom 9″ Moser rear differential, and 6-piston Baer disc brakes at all four corners. The truck rides on Forgeline wheels that measure 19×10 in the front and 20×12.5 in the rear, wrapped in Michelin tires.
The front suspension has tubular control arms with drop spindles, QA1 coilovers and a QA1 front swaybar, with a custom 5-link suspension with QA1 coilovers in the rear. The modified box floor of the bed conceals a 20 gallon fuel cell.

The interior looks better than stock, too. A dashboard and door panels from a 1993 C1500 was sourced, then wrapped in black leather. The steering wheel features an OEM design, recreated in Carbon Fiber with black leather accents and contrasting red stitching. The Cobra carbon fiber bucket seats with diamond stitched inserts provide plenty of grip during cornering. A set of Dakota Digital gauges round out the interior.
This is an impressive build for anyone, let alone someone who is just 26. Huge congratulations to Carson and his team on making it to Battle of the Builders – what an achievement!

SEMA 2023: 1969 Ford Mustang Fastback “Bleu Bayou” by Goolsby Customs

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It takes a team of people to restore and build a custom car, and the team at Goolsby Customs in Alabama is one of the best in the business. Regular attendees of the SEMA Show, GoodGuys, and Shades of the Past Rod Run will be familiar with Jonathan Goolsby and his work as a premier custom car builder.

The Goolsby Customs team entered their 1969 Ford Mustang Fastback, nicknamed “Bleu Bayou” in the 2023 Battle of the Builders competition at the SEMA Show, after it debuted at the BASF booth.
When people come to SEMA, they expect to see crazy, custom-built cars done to a very high level, and this car certainly fits the bill. The ’69 Fastback has been transplanted onto a Roadster Shop Fast Track chassis, which offers vastly improved handling and cornering over the original frame.

Braking is also improved thanks to the Baer disc brakes at all four corners, which are tucked behind the Forgeline GB3C three-piece forged wheels measuring 19×9.5 up front and 20×12 in the rear, wrapped in Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tires. The wheels have “Anodized Champaign” centers and polished outers.
The real excitement is under the hood, where a Roush Performance Coyote supercharged V8 engine sits, making 666 horsepower.

The car has undergone extensive modification to the sheet metal, including a chopped roofline and custom rear end treatment that blends a lip spoiler into the trunk lid. New wheel wells, floor pans, trunk flooring and a new firewall were all custom fabricated for the car. Extensive work was also done to the hood when shaping the custom scoop. Rocker panels were extended and integrated to match the bodywork. A front chin spoiler was also custom made for the car.

Machined parts include custom door handles, taillight trim rings, and much more. The car is finished in a beautiful shade of BASF blue paint.
This build really shows off the skill and expertise for which Goolsby Customs is known. The car has so many custom touches, it’s hard to list them all! This car really caught my eye at the SEMA Show, and I am proud to feature it here on Generation High Output.

View the build gallery: https://goolsbycustoms.com/builds/blaines-1969-mustang/

SEMA 2023: 1968 International Harvester Travelette Custom Truck by Restomod Air

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Like many readers of this site, I consider myself a “truck guy.” I previously owned a 1965 Chevrolet C10 pickup and a 1997 C2500 pickup, and currently drive a 1988 GMC 3500 Extended Cab long bed dually.

One of my least favorite things about the SEMA Show are the mega-lifted show trucks. The ones with painted driveshafts, LED underbody lights, train horns, and light bars that will never see so much as a spot of dirt because they are strictly for show. Unfortunately, this formula is repeated many times over at SEMA, and I just have no interest in these vehicles.

However, I did come across a truck at the 2023 SEMA Show that caught my attention. The Restomod Air booth in the Central Hall featured this unique 1968 Travelette crewcab truck from International Harvester.
Make no mistake, hiding behind the patina blue paint and rusty bumpers, this is a fully custom built truck. In fact, I sometimes prefer the original patina over a flawless paint job. It is a truck, after all.

Owner Tony Leal hauled the truck out of a field and brought it to the Old Anvil Speed Shop in Orange, CA. The body was removed from the chassis and a completely new frame was made from scratch out of 3×6 steel. The new frame has an independent front suspension and a 4-link rear suspension, with an Air Lift Performance 3H system with Slam Specialties bags, VIAIR compressors and a FLO air tank that can drop it to the ground.
Under the hood is a Chevrolet L83 5.3-liter V8 coupled to a 6L80E automatic transmission. Fuel management is a Holley Pro-Flo fuel system coupled to a custom tank made by Old Anvil. Other goodies include Speed Engineering headers, Mattson radiator with Spal electric fans, and a stainless exhaust with Borla mufflers. The powertrain is rounded out with a Strange Engineering 9-inch rear end, Dutchman axles, and an Eaton limited-slip differential.

There are 12-inch Wilwood disc brakes at all four corners providing safe stopping power. The truck has Avant Garde SR10 wheels measuring 20 x 8.5 up front and 20 x 11 in the rear, wrapped in Nitto NT555 G2 rubber.

The truck is nicknamed “Slammedelette” and even has custom fender emblems, which I thought was a clever touch.

The interior was given a full treatment by MST Upholstery in Brea, California. The factory bench seat was wrapped in fresh vinyl, and new custom carpet on the floor. An Ididit steering column, MOMO steering wheel and Dakota Digital gauges add all of the necessary comforts to the interior. And of course, the Restomod Air HVAC system provides efficient and reliable heating and cooling for the cab.

Hidden in the truck is a full custom audio system by Define Concepts in Orange, CA. It features Rockford Fosgate amps driving Hertz 6.5-inch speakers and JL Audio subwoofers.
The natural finish pine wood slats in the bed look nice with the faded blue paint.

When people come to SEMA, they expect to see crazy, full custom builds, and this truck checks all the boxes. A scratch made frame is a serious undertaking, and to do that with a Travelette is a truly unique project, and one that I am happy to feature on this site. Great work to Old Anvil and all of the shops and people that worked on this amazing truck.

SEMA 2023: 1987 Merkur XR4Ti by Jordan Henke

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Captive Imports

A “captive import” is an automobile that is produced in a foreign country and imported and sold in another country under a different name or brand.

In the 1980s, Ford Motor Company Vice President Bob Lutz felt that the Ford brand should have a small, luxury-sports car to compete with European rivals like BMW. Rather than develop a new car in-house, they leaned on Ford’s European division instead.

A Sierra By Another Name

The Ford Sierra was sourced from Europe and brought to America, with an increase in power thanks to a turbocharger. Engine output was 145 hp with the automatic transmission and 175 with the manual transmission (this was the 1980s after all).

The cars were sold in North America as the Merkur XR4Ti from 1985-1989, during which time 42,464 units were built. The car failed to meet Ford’s sales goals and was retired after only four years on the market. More than 30 years later, I am always surprised at how many people within the car community have not heard of the Merkur XR4Ti.

1987 Merkur XR4Ti Custom

I’ve been a fan of the bodystyle for years, as well as pretty much anything with a turbo from the 80s. When I saw this XR4Ti in the Battle of the Builders area at SEMA 2023, I was immediately drawn to it.
The first thing I noticed was the color – Ford’s “Area51” Blue with highlighter orange accents. They coordinate well together and provide a unique look to the car. It rides on a set of American Racing VF529 wheels finished in black, though personally I feel that silver would have stood out better. A set of Toyo Proxes tires provides the necessary grip when cornering.

The next thing I noticed was the wide flares over the wheel arches. The XR4Ti was never available in a widebody version – this one was completely custom made by Jordan Henke and his team at JH Restorations in Windsor, Ontario. They 3D scanned the car and made their own widebody kit and carbon fiber hood – technology that is commonplace today but would have been unimaginable in the late ’80s.

Every inch of this car has been upgraded with modern components and technology. The original engine was replaced with a Ford 2.3L Ecoboost turbo engine coupled to a Tremec TKX five-speed transmission and an 8.8 rear differential from a 2018 Mustang. I like that the 2.3L Turbo engine remains true to the original spirit of the car.

The suspension was also completely re-engineered and is based on Corvette C6 hubs with QA1 coilovers. Integrated into that are 14-inch disc brakes from Wilwood, front and rear.

The interior is a comfortable place to be. The retro-style Recaro racing seats are wrapped in leather with Recaro fabric seat inserts. A set of custom Dakota Digital gauges provides the driver with all of the necessary information.

Jordan Henke made it to the Top 10 Finalists at the 2023 Battle of the Builders at SEMA – an impressive achievement!

For more information, check out JH Restorations: https://www.facebook.com/jhrestorations

SEMA 2023: Lincoln Continental Twin Turbo

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The fourth generation Lincoln Continental was in production from 1961 through 1969. Just over 334,000 units were produced during the eight year production run. The Continental is an elegant car with beautiful body lines that look fresh and modern even today.

Wicked Welds Custom Shop in Fort Collins, Colorado has taken the American luxury sedan to the extreme with their build that was on display at the 2023 SEMA Show in Las Vegas.

The family sedan has been completely transformed into a powerful drag racer, owned by @Masters824.
Under the hood is a twin-turbo Chevrolet LS engine producing upwards of 1,000 horsepower and fed by a pair of Turbosmart turbos with a Holley EFI system. The intake and piping are all polished to a mirror finish. The turbos are mounted in the front fenders just behind the headlights, which gives the car a really menacing look.

It’s backed by a 4L80E automatic transmission with an FTI Performance billet torque converter. The driveline includes a narrowed Ford 9″ rear end with Moser axles.
For a drag car, the interior is quite a comfortable place to be. The interior was done by 5280 Upholstery in Denver with diamond tufted seat inserts and matching door panels in bright red – which is certainly an eye-catching look! A Restomod Air A/C system ensures passenger comfort in any weather.

The car is slammed to the ground thanks to the air ride kit from Devious Customs in Riverside, CA. The custom exhaust exits through the front fenders through a unique teardrop shaped outlet. Wilwood disc brakes, a roll cage, and a drag chute on the rear bumper round out this fully customized Continental.

Admiring the car in person, I noted how every single body panel had been modified in some way. This is a full custom build that must have cost at least six figures in parts and labor. I have always appreciated the Lincoln Continental’s styling, and it was cool to see one of these land yachts reimagined as a drag racer. Excellent work by Wicked Welds and all of the different shops and specialists who contributed to this amazing build!

1975 Bricklin SV-1 Supercharged Pro-Street

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American entrepreneur and businessman Malcolm Bricklin saw an opportunity in the US auto industry in the early 1970s. He had a goal of building a small, affordable sports car with a focus on safety, which was a novel approach for the time.

The Bricklin SV-1 was quite advanced for its day, with a lightweight fiberglass body instead of conventional steel or aluminum. 1974 models were equipped with a 5.9L AMC V8 making 220 hp and a 3-speed auto or 4-speed manual option. 1975 models had a 5.8L Ford V8 engine with a 3-speed automatic.

Despite the car’s innovative safety features and construction, the cars suffered quality control problems and were generally regarded as underpowered. The Bricklin company faced bankruptcy very quickly, ending production with only 2,906 total units built from 1974-1976. According to Wikipedia, approximately 1,700 vehicles were still around as of 2012.

This SV-1 is in better shape than most. I caught up with it at the Hot Wheels Legends car show in Gilbert, Arizona on 10 September 2022.

Finished in Safety Orange with black accents and chrome wheels, this Bricklin SV-1 is a head-turner. Stuffed in the engine bay is a 496 cubic inch big block Chevy V8 engine with a supercharger, making a reported 835 horsepower. It’s hard to ignore the massive Blower Shop Billet 871 blower and air cleaner sticking up out of a hole in the hood.

A 2014 Autoweek feature on the car saw it for sale on eBay for $45,000.

A 2019 article on The Drive shows the car for sale in Colorado with wheelie bars installed. The car was advertised for sale on craigslist for $45,000.

I caught up with the car wearing Arizona plates in September 2022. I believe I heard the owner say that the car was a former drag racer in Michigan.

The car looks like a real life Hot Wheels car, and it was very appropriate to be at this show!