Official SEMA pic thread

[Bill Howell]

I spent about an hour talking with Mike Ring about the mustang. Honestly, the first trip I made by the car, on Tuesday, I had a take it or leave it opinion about it. Maybe the same impression you and others got from just looking at the pictures. But to talk with the builder and get some insight of were they got their inspiration and how they made everything fit was just amazing. The intake cover with the ducts (and airboxes you can not even see) was just one of the small things that while the pictures do not show, just took so many hours to pull off. All the inserts in the hood and on the quarters are one off Billet (not polished bling, but one piece nevertheless) pieces. The reactor emblems everyone is so down on are very small, very suttle pieces, on the brake pedel, and wheel centers. just a nice touch not hidious standout pieces like the pictures might seem. The dash is similar to the air box as I remember. It follows the same theme anyway. The roll bars, while useless in an accident, are reminecent (sp?) of the early shelby bars.
This car reminds me alot of the Cuda last year. So many hidden things that you absolutely do not see them all in one sitting. There were things about the Cuda I did not like last year, but it is streaching the boundarys like Alan did on it that make the hobby grow every year. You better believe that all the builders were paying attention last year and it shows in the fresh cars this year. The same builders were all over this car this year. Every time I went over there, someone that is a who's who in the business was all over it.If they built just what you liked, or just what I liked, we would never have these new ideas for future projects. I will never be able to afford an Alan Johnson hot rod, nor probably a Ring Brothers car, but I did take away things about both I will use on the next project (when I can afford it).
On the interior comment, again, I was talking about your comment about the look. We all post on several boards, so if it was not here, sorry. The look was very nice and functionable. The seats were custom made to fit, yet give support when the car is put thru its paces. They were going for a stock look, yet function incorporated.
I just don't see how they could have done it better?
The girl comment I made is this. Sure, there were girls there that needed more clothes, but I guess at my age (48) I seem to overlook them. Several booths had well dressed, classy females pimping their wares. Either way the arguement can be made that they are unneeded but surely not unwanted.
True, surely you know I am not mainstream in my thinking about what is cool and what isn't. One of the coolest cars there to me was the W2W Nova sleeper, discussed at length here in another thread. There is absolutely no bling there, yet probably got as much attention as anything else in the parking lot. Reread my post, I was asking what your taste was, not slamming you over if you car was finished or not. I have a car that was at SEMA LAST year that is in the shop yet again trying to finish it, so no problem there.

SW's car is in no way blingy, just nice wheels and some chrome under the hood is all the bling I can think of. Look for that car on the track very soon, getting the crap beat out of it.

BTW, I am a Southern Rock guy, but don't mind "She loves me,yeah, yeah" or "Suspicious Minds". Most of the members here have no idea what I just said.lol
Craig Jackson has enough money to have super models at the show, yet he choose T-tops and jeans. Not alot of skin showing, yet very easy on the eyes, even for an old fart like me. Most of the people buying cars at his auction can afford their own poster girls anyway. They were not centerstage in his booth just nice eyecandy.

My last post was this, you don't have to like everything or everyone, but don't bash people's taste just cause it does not match yours. You can dissagree without being disagreeable. You are much more educated and certainly more eloquent with words than I, yet your posts sometimes read like hate mail.
I think I fit in pretty good around here and I don't even own a camaro, lol. I have never let that be a factor in either loving the site or on the other hand, influencing my taste.
Outside the box is great, just understand outside the box doesn't require hostility!

[Damn True]

Lots of stuff about the ring car...

More stuff about the ring car....

Ugh, why do you guys keep trying to explain to me WHY I should like the car? My wife keeps trying to talk me into liking Uni (Sea Urchin Roe) but it makes me barf, no amount of talking on her behalf will convince me not to puke. I know a lot of people dig the car. But a lot of people liked Brokeback Mountain and it won an Oscar....I didn't like the movie. and I don't like the interior of the Ring car, you do. That's cool.

Reread my post, I was asking what your taste was, not slamming you over if you car was finished or not. I have a car that was at SEMA LAST year that is in the shop yet again trying to finish it, so no problem there.

I see. Well my taste is function first and as far as muscle cars are concerned I'm all for modification of the existing design and structure provided you can still tell what it was to begin with. Race cars being an exception to that. IMO one of the neat things about street rods is that there is an open pallette for design and modification. You can cut up anything. I don't like seeing that ethic applied to musclecars. Just my opinion. I don't like the design they applied in the ring car. Are they superb craftsmen, you bet. But I don't like that particular design.

BTW, I am a Southern Rock guy, but don't mind "She loves me,yeah, yeah" or "Suspicious Minds". Most of the members here have no idea what I just said.lol

Craig Jackson has enough money to have super models at the show, yet he choose T-tops and jeans. Not alot of skin showing, yet very easy on the eyes, even for an old fart like me. Most of the people buying cars at his auction can afford their own poster girls anyway. They were not centerstage in his booth just nice eyecandy.

Dude, I know. That was my point in bringing up the BJ girls (woops, that sounds bad huh?) They were classy. I appreciate that far more than the alternative. Says something about the "charachter" of the Barrett Jackson brand. Which was the point of my original comment, "Why would one want to present themselves as anything but classy?"

My last post was this, you don't have to like everything or everyone, but don't bash people's taste just cause it does not match yours. You can dissagree without being disagreeable. You are much more educated and certainly more eloquent with words than I, yet your posts sometimes read like hate mail.
I think I fit in pretty good around here and I don't even own a camaro, lol. I have never let that be a factor in either loving the site or on the other hand, influencing my taste.
Outside the box is great, just understand outside the box doesn't require hostility!

I didn't bash anyone elses taste. I merely defended my right to have a different, if unpopular, opinion.