Like any trade show, the SEMA show has plenty of companies hawking products which they claim will be the “next big thing.” However, buried amongst the rows of vinyl wraps and import cars lies something truly amazing. Here is a car that was not just modified, but was fabricated based on a truly original idea.
The car you are looking at began life as a 1969 Mustang Mach 1, until it fell into the hands of David Eckert. For more than 25 years, he has run Eckert’s Rod and Custom shop in the little town of Molalla, Oregon. Eckert had the vision to create a one-of-a-kind Mustang like the world has never seen before.
The SEMA Show is the world’s showcase for automotive aftermarket parts and custom fabrication. While there were lots of amazing cars to look at, I found myself circling around this car from Mitch Henderson Designs at the JET Performance booth.
This 1969 Camaro “TEC 9” can best be described as aircraft gray with a clear coat, which is a welcome departure from the usual candy-colored, metallic, or two-tone paint jobs you’ll see at SEMA. The flat yellow stripes are a cool touch that I’ve never seen before.
While I was walking the floor at SEMA 2012, I happened upon this insane 1969 Chevrolet Camaro SS at the Auto Metal Direct booth. This resto-modded ride has undergone more cosmetic surgery than your favorite movie star, and unlike the movie star, actually looks better for it.
From the deep crimson paint job to the polished 5-spoke wheels and big brake upgrades, this car is a real head-turner! Everything about it has been shaved and smoothed which gives the car a very streamlined, clean look.
When it comes to British car manufacturers, most people think of Jaguar, Aston Martin, Land Rover, and Rolls Royce. However, the Sunbeam Motorcar Company was a British car maker that gave the world some pretty notable cars in its heyday.
Sunbeam was founded in 1901 but had been in business before that as a bicycle maker. Like many troubled car companies, Sunbeam changed ownership a number of times throughout its history. In 1919 the company merged with Talbot and Darracq to become Sunbeam-Talbot-Darracq, or STD Motors (seriously).
It’s not often that you hear the words “Citroen” and “high performance” in the same sentence. The DS pictured above is most famously known for its unique styling and many technological advancements which were ahead of its time. However, there’s something special about the DS pictured above. I’ll see if you can guess what it is.
The Citroen DS was originally a front-wheel drive car, but this particular model has been converted to rear-wheel drive and its four-cylinder engine has been replaced with a Chevrolet LS1 V8 engine.
This particular car is the only known V8, rear-drive DS in existence. It was built in 2006 by Hot Rod builder Kevin Bradley’s Kreations Auto Body in Northern California. Besides the engine, the car also features an Art Morrison G-Max chassis, Wilwood brakes, and Billet Specialties wheels. The car crossed the auction block at Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale in 2011 for just $49,500.
According to the Barrett-Jackson website, the car was displayed at the 2006 SEMA show and has also been featured in the March 2007 issue of Hot Rod magazine. I ran across this blue beauty at Cars and Coffee in Scottsdale, Arizona in February 2012.
In essence, this car combines French design with American muscle in a unique combination that has both “show” and “go.” You can visit the Kreations Auto Body website for a slide show of build photos.
UPDATE: Well as it turns out, this car was built for rock legend Alice Cooper. It was listed on eBay in September 2013 with a reserve price of $115,000. The eBay listing provided a wealth of additional information, including the build cost for this one-of-a-kind car: over $300,000! The car also features:
400HP LS1 crate motor
Automatic transmission
Full custom roll cage
Rear wheel drive
Fully adjustable upgraded independent suspension
Interior features custom grey leather interior, dash gauges, LED lighting, stereo plus more
Art Morrison chassis
Performance Wilwood disc brakes
Power steering
Exterior custom paint is Volvo 457 Flash Green with white pearl accents
Mustang II geometry front suspension and four link rear suspension
Alden shocks
Custom Billet Specialties chrome wheels
New AC and heat
Also included in the auction were an autographed guitar and tour photo, 2 tickets to Alice Cooper’s holiday Christmas Pudding show, and the opportunity to play a round of golf with him. The auction ended at $83,400 and the reserve price was not met.
Like any trade show, the SEMA show has plenty of companies hawking products which they claim will be the “next big thing.” However, buried amongst the rows of vinyl wraps and import cars lies something truly amazing. Here is a car that was not just modified, but was fabricated based on a truly original idea.
