SEMA Show

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Custom 1968 Mercury Cougar

Some collectors insist on a factory original, un-restored car so they can admire the patina it gathered over the decades and enjoy their car ‘as is’, while others have their pride and job go through a painstakingly expensive restoration to make their classic car look exactly how it left the factory doors over half a century ago … and then you get to the Restomod crowd.

Restomods are intended for a special breed of car owners, people that love their classic cars, but don’t want to forfeit on modern commodities like big horsepower and a big disc brake setup … and Ringbrothers, the world-renowned custom car builders and parts manufacturer, caters to those exact customers with their latest latest creation.

Their new 1968 Mercury Cougar was first taken through a full ‘frame-off’ restoration, where she received a completely new floor pan and transmission tunnel. The car itself had to be in perfect shape for what Ringbrothers had in mind … installing a massive Ford Coyote 5.0-Liter, V8 engine delivering 460 hp coupled to a Ford F-150 Raptor sourced, 10-speed automatic transmission, complete with paddle-shifters.

To keep all this extra power safe, Ringbrothers added a DSE suspension, performance brakes and a stunning set of HRE Series C1 C103 Forged 3-Piece wheels wearing top of the line Michelin tires, the thunder is brought to the outside world through a a custom Flowmaster exhaust.

“We put our heart into each car we build, and this Cougar is no exception,” said Ringbrothers co-owner Jim Ring. “The finished product is mild and classy, yet any enthusiast instantly knows it’s not stock. I imagine this is what Mercury designers would have come up with if they were building the Cougar today.”

A classic 1968 Mercury Cougar usually needs new or redone bright-work, Ringbrothers installed a new bumper, new grille (remember these flip up to unveil the headlights, and this mechanism usually needs a lot of work during restoration) … and to really make that dark green BASF paint come out perfectly, all badges are new too.

This was the first time Ringbrothers took on the project of a Cougar, and while they would have loved to showcase their work at the SEMA Show, this unfortunately couldn’t happen at this point in time, but Mike Ring, co-owner of Ringbrothers, hopes they can have their latest masterpiece on display to the public soon.

February 26, 2021 / Comments Off

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2019 SEMA Show Mega Photo Gallery | Wild West show

LAS VEGAS — Car shows across the planet are struggling, as automakers look for fresh ways to reach the buying public. But out in Las Vegas at the SEMA show (SEMA stands for Specialty Equipment Market Association, in case you didn’t know), things have seemingly never been better. This year’s show has 2,400 exhibiting companies with 3,000 products on display, filling five halls. Off-road, performance, racing, hot-rods, coolness, weirdness — there’s something different around every corner.

The show ends Friday, so unless you’re about to hop a plane, you might just miss it. But here, from the comfort of your own home or cubicle, are the highlights — 45 cars that caught our eye. So sit back, crack a Zima and SEMA it up:

2020 Acura RDX with Concept A-Spec Accessories – Acura shows off RDX accessories and 2020 NSX at SEMA

B is for Build Twin-Turbo V8 Huracan Widebody – 2015 Lamborghini Huracan is getting twin-turbo Chevy power for SEMA

Button Built Ferrari BB355TT – Toyo Tires will bring another wild catalog of rides to SEMA

2020 Chevrolet COPO Camaro John Force Edition – The Force is with you in this one-off Chevy COPO Camaro

2021 Chevrolet Colorado ZR2 Dusk Edition – 2018 Chevy Colorado ZR2 Midnight and Dusk Editions to debut at SEMA

Chevrolet Performance E-10 Concept – Chevy truck transformed from farm work to 450-horsepower electric hot rod

2021 Chevrolet Silverado HD Carhartt Special Edition – You’ll know the 2021 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 HD Carhartt Special Edition when you see it

2020 Dodge Challenger Drag Pak – 2020 Dodge Challenger Drag Pak comes solely with supercharged power

Factory Five Romulan V12 Supercar – Factory Five developing new supercar with 755-hp LS V12

Foose Jaguar E-Type – Chip Foose cooks up a custom 1974 Jaguar E-Type for SEMA

Jay Leno’s GT500-powered 1968 Ford Bronco – This classic Ford Bronco has a modern GT500 engine and a manual

Ford F-Series Customs – Ford previews custom F-150s and Mustangs for SEMA

Ford F-Series Super Duty Customs – Check out the Ford Super Duty lineup rolling into SEMA 2019

Ford Mustang Customs – Ford previews custom F-150s and Mustangs for SEMA

Ford Mustang Lithium – Lithium Mustang EV from Ford and Webasto is lightning in an bottle for SEMA

Ford Ranger Customs – 2019 Ford SEMA builds feature off-road-ready Rangers and wild Transit Vans

2020 Ford Ranger RTR – 2019 Ford SEMA builds feature off-road-ready Rangers and wild Transit Vans

Ford SUV Customs – Ford will bring more than 50 tricked-out vehicles to SEMA: Here’s a preview

Hennessey Jeep Gladiator Maximus – Hennessey Maximus turns 2020 Jeep Gladiator into a 1,000-horsepower monster

Honda Civic Si Formula Drift Car – Honda to show custom 1968 S800 Coupe, three Civic Si builds at SEMA

Honda CR-V Customs – Honda CR-V, Passport and Ridgeline highlighted at SEMA

Honda Rally Passport – Honda CR-V, Passport and Ridgeline highlighted at SEMA

Honda Ridgeline HFP Concept – Honda CR-V, Passport and Ridgeline highlighted at SEMA

Honda Vintage Vehicles – Honda to show custom 1968 S800 Coupe, three Civic Si builds at SEMA

Hyundai Kona Ultimate Concept – Hyundai Veloster N ‘Type R Killer’ and lifted Kona on their way to SEMA

Hyundai Veloster N Performance Concept – 2020 Hyundai Veloster N Performance Concept gets an aftermarket makeover

Hyundai VelosterRaptor N Concept – Hyundai Veloster N ‘Type R Killer’ and lifted Kona on their way to SEMA

Jack Roush Edition Mustang – Jack Roush Edition Mustang brings 775 horses to Ford’s pony car

Mopar Lowliner Concept – 1968 Dodge D200 ‘Lowliner’ adds low-down diesel torque to a lowrider

Moparized Jeep Wrangler Rubicon – Ram 1500 diesel overlander, off-road Jeep Wrangler show present and future of Mopar

Nissan Global Time Attack TT 370Z Project – Nissan Frontier 600-hp desert-runner, 370Z with 750 hp lead assault on SEMA

Nissan Frontier Desert Runner Project – Nissan Frontier 600-hp desert-runner, 370Z with 750 hp lead assault on SEMA

Nissan Kicks Street Sport Project – Nissan Frontier 600-hp desert-runner, 370Z with 750 hp lead assault on SEMA

2020 Nissan Titan with Genuine Nissan Accessories – Nissan Frontier 600-hp desert-runner, 370Z with 750 hp lead assault on SEMA

Nissan Titan XD Dually Project

1958 Plymouth Fury ‘Christine’ Tribute – 1958 Plymouth Fury ‘Christine’ tribute has a 1,000-hp Hemi crate engine

Quintin Brothers Dodge Challenger – This Dodge Challenger was stolen, used in police chases and recovered all in the week before its SEMA debut

Ram 1500 Rebel OTG – Ram 1500 diesel overlander, off-road Jeep Wrangler show present and future of Mopar

Ring Brothers 1969 Chevrolet Camaro Valkyrja – Ringbrothers 1969 Chevy Camaro ‘Valkyrja’ ready to take SEMA to Belgium

Ruffian Ford Mustang – Toyo Tires will bring another wild catalog of rides to SEMA

Russell Built Porsche 911 Baja – Toyo Tires will bring another wild catalog of rides to SEMA

Shelby GT500 Dragon Snake – Shelby brings Dragon Snake GT500, Super Snake F-150 truck to SEMA

Speedkore AWD Twin-Turbo Dodge Charger Widebody – Speedkore AWD twin-turbo Carbon Charger, best birthday gift ever

Toyota Avalon TRD Pro Concept – Toyota floods SEMA with a slew of Supra concepts

Toyota GR Supra Customs – Toyota floods SEMA with a slew of Supra concepts

November 7, 2019 / Comments Off

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Acura shows off RDX accessories and 2020 NSX at SEMA

Following its successful season on the track, Acura speeds to SEMA to showcase a range of performance and race vehicles as well as a new line of concept A-Spec and Acura-branded accessories. Also on the luxury division’s stand will be the Type S Concept sedan and the 2020 NSX, both unveiled in Monterey Car Week in August, the latter wearing the classic Indy Yellow Pearl exterior paint.

Acura will show off its accessories on a 2020 RDX. Carbon fiber is the name of the game for its concept A-Spec treatment, used on the grille surround and on the lower front fascia, lower side sill, rear diffuser, lower doors and side mirror caps. There’s also a dark chrome theme on the rear Acura badge and A-Spec emblems. A-Spec is offered as a sport appearance trim on the RDX and is supposed to be part of all core Acura models in the future, so we’ll see whether this “concept” A-Spec packages eventually makes it way, whole or in part, to future variants.

The Acura Genuine Accessories to be shown on the same RDX, by contrast, are available IRL and include roof rails and crossbars, replete with a fork-mount bike attachment, 20-inch wheels with a custom dark tint finish, black lug nuts, black chrome emblems, a carbon-wrapped tailgate accent, illuminated A-Spec trim on the door sills and A-Spec carpet floor mats. It’s topped with a Thule cargo box.

The 2020 NSX will wear the Indy Yellow Pearl color in homage to the old Spa Yellow, one of two yellow paints offered with the first-generation version of the supercar and a favorite among collectors. It joins two generations of championship-winning NSX cars: the 1990 pre-production model driven by Hall of Famer Peter Cunningham to 14 wins and 26 podium finishes between 1991 and 2002, and the NSX GT3 Evo that has won multiple IMSA and SRO races. The carbon fiber-bodied supercar with custom-designed livery is offered for sale globally for around $525,000, Acura says.

November 5, 2019 / Comments Off

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Factory Five developing new supercar with 755-hp LS V12

Factory Five has produced its mid-engined GTM supercar for more than 10 years, that car using C5 Chevrolet Corvette internals wrapped in a steel tube frame chassis and original composite bodywork. The Massachusetts-based company is working on a replacement now, coming to SEMA next month as an engine and chassis, due for debut in February 2020. Called Project Romulan, the chassis is a stretched and widened version of the Gen 3 Type 65 Coupe, otherwise known as the Shelby Daytona Coupe kit car the company sells. Yet whereas the kit car normally uses a Ford-sourced V8, Project Romulan gets a General Motors LS3-based 9.5-liter V12 with LS7 type heads made by Australian company Race Cast. The output: a turnkey 755 hp and 694 lb-ft on pump gas.

And those numbers aren’t the wildest part. Hot Cars reports Project Romulan comes with a “Star Trek” backstory by way of Gaydon, England. Seems Factory Five benchmarked its supercar specs against the Aston Martin Vulcan. The Vulcan, remember, was a track-only car limited to 24 units, each powered by a 7.0-liter V12 with 820 hp and 575 lb-ft, although a few were converted to road-legal status. In “Star Trek” lore, when most of the once-violent and emotional Vulcans gave up their warfare for logic, as per Spock, a Vulcan faction quit the planet and settled planets Romulus and Remus. One coin, two sides.

The 580-cubic-inch LS V12 will rev past 6,000 rpm, and Factory Five turned up the engine it calls “our mini Merlin” just a touch for a couple of Facebook videos. It’s mean. And even with an extra 4.5 inches across the chassis and nine more inches of chassis length, the fit is snug. Race Cast also provides the ECM and harness for the motor, Factory Five worked up custom bits like the oil pan and coil mounts. The tuner says the engine “will be available as one part number for anyone building this kit once it’s released.” Compared to a Coyote V8, the LS V12 will put about 140 more pounds on the front — 444 pounds for the Ford V8 vs 584 pounds for the Race Cast iron block V12 — but double-adjustable Koni shocks will do their best to make the weight worth it, and a serious set of Wilwood brakes will manage stopping.

Factory Five says the super coupe will get a finished carbon fiber body with a new, modern design that needs no additional work. Assuming all goes well, after the February debut, production will begin later in 2020.

October 28, 2019 / Comments Off

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