Why I hate SEMA

**BRIAN** · 11-04-2005

The bar has been raised way too high to compete at my dollar level.

I wasn't there this year

I can't get any parts this week because everybody is there!!

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**F70t/a** · 11-04-2005

Sorry you feel that way man.

**BRIAN** · 11-04-2005

I am obviously joking around before somebody takes this seriously.

**DarkBuddha** · 11-04-2005

The aftermarket guys do good by us for the most part, but I have to agree that all the really great stuff is pretty pricey. This will keep us regular folks (i.e. those with family incomes under $100k) from buying those parts. That's fine by me... this always causes good innovative grassroots type development, which inevitably becomes trendy and popular because of it's obvious advantages (usually like being practical, functional, cheaper). This is what happened to the rod guys and along came rat rods (not meant derogatorily here). Now I'm sure you've started seeing more "rat muscle" running around too, which is cool. These are my kinda folks... influenced by grassroots stuff like shine runners, "modifieds", used race parts, etc. It's already gaining some recognition, so it's bound to become popular soon too.

My point, do your thang your way and don't sweat the big coin, billet this-n-that, too-much-work-to-keep-polished crap. I say build it with earnestness and passion, and it'll be cool anyway!

**moparguy** · 11-04-2005

I agree with Buddha. Everything that is cool and innovative always starts with the small grass roots type of guy and not the big dollar,big pants gents ... stuffed shirts, the no gettem dirty hands type.

**ProStreet R/T** · 11-04-2005

Eventually that big $$$ stuff becomes common place and everyone can have it, so all is not lost.

And i'd venture to say the cars @ sema are generally well over the $100k figure for the custom builds which puts them WAY out of reach for people with a 100k family income.

Pretty cool to see a cuda that cost just as much, if not more than all the high $$$ lambos and F-cars. And looks just as good.

**vanzuuk1** · 11-05-2005

Its strange , I say that I am sick of all the big budget show cars, but I always have to see every picture of them. That orange cuda was sweet.

**kmcanally** · 11-05-2005

I appreciate the fact that some people have the vision and the $ to pull off something like that Cuda....If not then we would not be able to enjoy looking at such a feat of design, engineering and construction. Though it is hard to imagine what could move the bar higher than this.

Curious to see if they really run it in the Z2Z...

**Rick Dorion** · 11-05-2005

I love looking at the high-end cars, too. Then I can go duplicate, maybe, the exhaust hanger

**Doug Harden** · 11-05-2005

That's the point with SEMA cars....they're rolling billboards for all the pieces and parts the rest of us want to see and buy.......they're obviously not daily drivers....... ;)

**vintageracer** · 11-06-2005

I sometimes wonder if the "SEMA" cars really are a rolling billboard for the parts the rest of us want? To me there has always been a big difference between something I "like" and something I "want". There are lot's of things at SEMA that I "like" however there was very little that I "want". The difference in a "like" and a "want" is very simple. A "want" is an item I make a effort to buy or acquire. I know this is semantics however it has put a lot of definition in my life to look at items/things upon which I spend my wife's money!

Most folks on this website building cars are doing so for their own personal enjoyment and a definitely on a budget. Do you want the new air ride Technologies air bar rear setup for your Camaro. By the time you are done with the matching front system to complement the rear air bar system, you have spent $5,000! Not an expenditure for MOST of us building cars for enjoyment can afford. Many of the SEMA cars are ALL about donations. A lot of the parts get donated to the high dollar builds. That's great as this is how we get to see the parts on a car. The problem "I" have that's all we get to do is "see" the parts. Anyone out there besides Frank and Bill actually drove a SEMA display car?

As nice as ALL the cars displayed at SEMA are, they are ALL driver's in my mind. If you can't drive it, who wants it! A lot of SEMA cars run and drive but are not driveable for many reasons. I still believe that far to many people build cars to please everyone but themselves. The person that is MOST excited about your car should be you. If many other people also like your creation, all the better!

**ProdigyCustoms** · 11-06-2005

Almost none of the cars ran. Both Cuda's were pushed out. The Motion car did not have any controls hooked up. The only cars that ran in and out were new hoped up Mustangs, Evos, and 300Cs, if it was a Hot Rod, it was a pusher.

**KrisHorton** · 11-06-2005

Frank's got it just about right. I was one of the hopped up Mustangs and got sideways leaving the convention center Friday evening.

Wish I coulda done it with the Chevelle though...

Kris

**TitoJones** · 11-06-2005

Frank-
Your car ran, Bill's ran, and ours ran. I can understand why you may have pushed Prodigy out, since it made me jump about 3 feet to my left the first time you fired it up.
Tyler

**Hydratech®** · 11-06-2005

Almost none of the cars ran. Both Cuda's were pushed out. The Motion car did not have any controls hooked up. The only cars that ran in and out were new hoped up Mustangs, Evos, and 300Cs, if it was a Hot Rod, it was a pusher.

Ok, maybe true for the most part, but...

Frank - remember the lady that your wife was yapping with comparing notes about their cookie jar collections (!?) That was Judy McCoy of McCoy Racing - any chance you happened to make it over to their booth to check out the wicked 66 Nova that Dave McCoy built for this year's show? He told me earlier on that if I was at the booth at closing on friday, that I could hitch a ride out of the show with him in that absolute monster. YOU BET YOUR AZZ I WAS THERE AT 1/4 TO 4! I have of course had the pleasure of piloting some really stellar builds over the years, though this thing had me just enchanted for reasons I still can't quite nail down. Long story short, I have to hand it to Dave McCoy, as this thing lit right up with the twist of a key, and piloted right out of the building, joining the parade of cars leaving the grounds. You would think that with the build only having 3 miles on it that Dave might have been hesitant to jump on it - HECK NO!!! He proceeded to repave as much of Vegas streets as he could on the way back to Circus Circus where the trailer was! Those 335's were just absolutely useless up against that WICKED Gale Banks TT - pinned me back HARD in the passenger seat, and I'm talkin' HARD fellas! Soooo - while most of them didn't actually drive in / out of the grounds, this 200K monster most definitely IS the REAL McCOY !!!

Here are some pics, along with some further links for you guys to enjoy

**MrQuick** · 11-06-2005

I think most of you guys are missing the point of show cars at SEMA, or is it I that is missing something? This is about pushing product.
The cars are there to attract a member to the booth in an attempt to sell a product to an industry connections. This isn't a car show to advertise the car its about selling parts. Most of which aren't even being used on the cars that are being displayed at the booth. How many of us saw a car then looked over your shoulder and said "hey theres a cool part". The sad thing is there was alot of booths where the car was the center of attention and sales men were taking naps.
Now if a car was being pushed into a Goodguys car show THEN I would probably be with you in the critisism. But I can say it doesn't bother me abit. It was a great time.

**BRIAN** · 11-06-2005

I agree with the above statement as the cars are advertisement tools. Cheaper to sponsor a car than actually build one themselves.

Would you be pulled into a booth with a boring car? No, the wilder the better. SEMA isn't a car show guys it is for a business to sell their product. That is why I am little lost why there is such a big deal about having a car there?

I have a question, Do the sponsors pay you guys to be there? Do they pay your travel costs? I am just curious.

More important business goes back to normal tomorrow and I can get my parts.

Great show and some great cars to look at. I was impressed with just the pics.

**vanzuuk1** · 11-06-2005

You can still get ideas from the mega dollar cars. You could duplicate some of the colors and textures of that orange cuda with a scotch brite pad, beadblast and bronze duplicolor. You may never build a car that sick but you can get inspired from it. I love that car, did I mention that?

**Travis B** · 11-07-2005

We had a car there the Red 55 Nomad....no sponsors usually do not pay your way ours helped out with fuel but that was about it! Getting a car into SEMA is not easy to do and there are only a few things better than showing a car at SEMA and we can't really talk about them on here lol....

**Travis B** · 11-07-2005

Originally Posted by TitoJones

Frank-
Your car ran, Bill's ran, and ours ran. Tyler

ours ran to...

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Why I hate SEMA

The Real McCoy didn't need to be pushed!