BARRETT-JACKSON AT SEMA 2019: Highlights and Trends from the Aftermarket Mecca
November 20, 2019
Posted by Barrett-Jackson
Written by Eric Becker
Enter the Las Vegas Convention Center and you’ll think you’ve made a wrong turn: “I was headed to SEMA – how did I end up in Supraville?” You’ll scratch your head for a second and take another short jaunt before exclaiming, “Wait, I’m lost again. I’m now in Jeep Gladiator Township.” Around the bend and through the seemingly endless array of behemoth off-roaders, home to the legendary “Bluetooth driveshaft,” you’ll stumble across the Swarovski-crystal-coated small-block engines (truly), and know you’ve made it to SEMA, the auto emporium where anything goes.
Excess quickly cedes to the normal, and the frenzied shuffle from hall to hall becomes standard practice. SEMA celebrates the one-off and is inclusive of the absurd, the downright weird and things that are truly innovative. You’ve got to be attentive and open to possibility as the auto form is taken to its pinnacle, where attendees can feast on creativity, dopamine and octane. Manufacturers, builders, fabricators and more all come to share the “joy of the machine,” bringing 60,000 people from all walks of life under one roof. Welcome to SEMA.
Barrett-Jackson was once again delighted to share our passion for custom and classic automobiles with the SEMA attendees. The 2019 show featured three remarkable vehicles at the Barrett-Jackson display ready to roll onto the auction block come the 2020 Scottsdale Auction.
The Barrett-Jackson display at SEMA included Paul Walker’s famed 1995 BMW M3 Lightweight and an LS3-powerd ’67 Resto-Mod Corvette built by Jeff Hayes – both of which will be headed to the 2020 Scottsdale Auction in January.
In keeping with the many beautiful roadsters and hot rods at SEMA, the Barrett-Jackson booth was home to an all-steel 1934 Ford custom roadster, an icon that in 2011 was awarded the title of “America’s Most Beautiful Roadster.” The instantly recognizable black silhouette and sinister stance of the 427ci hot rod stood in stark contrast to its Munich-based Teutonic neighbor.
In the center of the Barrett-Jackson booth was Paul Walker’s famed 1995 BMW M3 Lightweight. Clad in Alpine White and sporting the venerable M-checkered motif decals, the ultimate “analog” driving machine was a clear standout at the show. Offered from the factory as a homologation special, the E36 M3 Lightweight drew a large and appreciative crowd of spectators, noting its rarity and presence. Exact production numbers were never confirmed by BMW, but it’s widely accepted that only 120 to 126 E36 Lightweights saw production. This is one of five M3 Lightweights owned by the “Fast and Furious” star and is one of 21 vehicles offered as part of The Paul Walker Collection.
In celebration of all things Corvette, Barrett-Jackson also thought it only fitting to bring a little red Corvette to the party. The bright red paint stood in glaring juxtaposition to its monochromatic stablemates, matching the style and pizzazz of the display around it. The LS3-powered ’67 Resto-Mod Corvette convertible garnered much attention with its top off and Brazilian Saddle leather interior on full display. The Jeff Hayes-built beauty will also roll out at the 2020 Scottsdale Auction in January.
Chevrolet introduced the 2020 COPO Camaro John Force Edition at the 2019 SEMA Show, which will sell for charity at the 2020 Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale Auction.
Keeping the Chevy theme, Chevrolet took the sheets off their all-new 2020 COPO Camaro at the show. Partnering with 16-time NHRA champion John Force, this special one-off will be auctioned in Scottsdale with 100 percent of the sale price going to the unique Donors Choose charity. “It’s a great charity, because we (Barrett-Jackson) are very involved with STEM, and this helps teachers and kids,” Barrett-Jackson CEO Craig Jackson said. A 2.65-liter Magnuson supercharger sits atop a 5.7-liter LSX based engine churning out 580whp. This drag-ready pony car was one of the many of the notable and collectible vehicles on display at SEMA that will also be found at the upcoming Barrett-Jackson auction.
Craig Jackson speaks to the SEMA crowd about his famed 1968 Shelby EXP500 prototype, the Green Hornet.
A highlight of the show for many Ford fans was the long-anticipated unveiling of the legendary 1968 Shelby EXP500 prototype known as the Green Hornet. Proudly introduced by Craig Jackson, the 1968 Mustang served as a test bed for the GT/Super Coupe program and was eventually developed into the well-recognized California Special Mustang. The car was then handed over to Shelby to be given the EXP500 moniker, finished in a distinctive green and once again served as a performance test bed. The original 390ci V8 was tossed, replaced by a 428ci Cobra Jet with Conelec fuel injection mated to a Shelby designed C6 automatic and featuring independent rear suspension and disc brakes all around. The unveiling took place at the Shell Pennzoil Pioneering Performance Stage and was accompanied by a trailer for an upcoming Shell-presented documentary regarding Jackson’s finding of the car, and the tale of its illustrious history and meticulous restoration.
THE ELECTRIC EFFECT AND THE PORSCHE 935X
Electric vehicles have become the talk of the industry, and with such incredibly potent power on demand it’s easy to see why. Electrification trickling its way into the aftermarket is nothing new, though for 2019 both Chevrolet and Ford showcased two all-new projects that show only a snippet of future potential. Here are a few crazy electric builds that generated all the buzz at SEMA 2019.
Ford introduced the 900hp Mustang Lithium at the SEMA Show.
Hot on the heels of Chevrolet’s eCOPO Camaro from last year, the Blue Oval answered with an electric Mustang all its own. The all-new Lithium Mustang was built as a joint effort between Ford and Webasto and boasts staggering performance numbers: 1,000 ft/lbs of torque and over 900 horsepower propel the 800-volt Mustang to what Ford execs claimed as “stunning” quarter-mile performance. Oh, and best of all, the Lithium Mustang is fitted with a 6-speed manual transmission. Powering the Mustang is a Webasto-designed “Phi-Power” dual-core electric motor and dual power inverters. Inside, the “science” continues, with a 10.4-inch touchscreen providing infotainment controls and allowing the driver to select between four different drive modes: Track, Sport, Valet and – best of all – Beast Mode.
Unveiled as the “future of hot rodding,” Chevy took a different approach to electrification. Initially starting out as a 1962 C10 pickup, a full overhaul was completed on what was cleverly renamed as the E-10 Concept, allowing for Chevy’s all new “Connect & Cruise” electric powertrain. The pickup uses two 60kWh batteries from the Chevrolet Bolt EV and a concept propulsion system from Chevrolet Performance. The eCrate motor is fitted to a SuperMatic 4L75-E automatic transmission and sends an estimated 450hp to the rear wheels. For those lamenting the lack of rumble a traditional V8 provides, the E-10 features a sound emulator – imitating the LS7 out of a Z/28 Camaro – that features three speakers, one up front mimicking induction noise and two in the rear to give off the traditional muscle-truck aura. Built in just 18 weeks, the E-10 helps showcase GM’s future performance line of “crate” EV powertrains.
Bisimoto’s Porsche 935X caused quite a stir at this year’s show.
Electric conversions for iconic machinery have become a staple of the aftermarket world, and the Porsche 935 built by Bisimoto in collaboration with EV West, the K3V, is undoubtedly striking. It sports the radical aero work dawned by the 930 Turbo’s Kremer K3 racing incarnations and is draped in a beautiful Andy Blackmore-designed livery in Metallic Graphite Fluro pink.
SEMA 2019 also offered another Porsche 935 breathed on by Bisimoto – the 935X. The incredible Porsche is chock-full of inflections from every facet of car-modifying culture and automotive history. The hand-painted body was done in-house by Race Service artist Ornamental Conifer. A myriad of subtle references to other car-modifying cultures around the world adorn the car, from the hot rod outlaw-style vented side windows to the dozens of stickers of friends paying homage to the culture of Japanese street drifting. The 935X features a fully built flat-6 by Bisimoto, whose goal “was to make it the most technically advanced 935 on the planet.” The 935X perfectly blends all styles of car culture and even looks to the future in an incredibly unique way.
OTHER HEAD-TURNERS AT SEMA
The Ringbrothers 1969 Camaro known as “Valkyrja” took top honors at the 2019 SEMA Show, winning the coveted “Battle of the Builders” award. (Photo courtesy Ringbrothers)
Some of the additional highlights from SEMA 2019 came from the well-known Ringbrothers. The Wisconsin-based shop brought a trio of impeccable creations: The Valkyrja, a 1969 Camaro that features an 890hp LS3 engine with a 2.9-liter Whipple supercharger mounted to it (which won SEMA’s coveted “Battle of the Builders” award); the UNKL, a 1969 Mach 1 Mustang that houses a 520ci John Kaase Boss V8 producing 700hp; and “MADAM V,” which started life as a 1948 Cadillac Fastback, and had the underpinnings entirely removed and replaced with an entirely new chassis and driveline from the Cadillac ATS-V, sporting a 3.6-liter twin-turbo V6 and 8-speed automatic transmission.
One of the best Resto-Mods brought all the evil and malevolence to SEMA. The reinvented 1958 Plymouth Fury “Christine” (the original, of course, sold for $198,000 at the 2015 Scottsdale Auction) glistened under the LED lights bought under the hood hid a more sinister monster than even Stephen King could conjure. The 1958 Plymouth houses Mopar’s “Hellephant” crate engine, a 426ci supercharged beast good for over 1,000hp that perfectly suits the name “Fury.”
SEMA 2019 was once again a wonderful celebration of the creativity that lives within the automotive community. Barrett-Jackson is pleased to have been a part of this spectacular show and looks forward to seeing these works of motoring art one day cross the auction block.
Enjoy the video below with highlights from this year’s SEMA Show: