Every year we go to the SEMA show in Las Vegas, Nevada, hoping to see the next big thing. That rarely happens and we usually end up disappointed. So, this year we decided to just go and enjoy the show and all the cool products for what it was. In short, we left our expectations at home and had a much better time than we've had in years past.
The SEMA show is a lot like a candy store. That is, if your favorite candy store sold cool trinkets and had trick Jeeps all over the place. We wandered around like the proverbial kids. Between all the oohing and aahing we managed to wipe the drool off the camera long enough to snap some pictures. Here are the coolest of the cool Jeeps of the 2010 SEMA show.
Lime Rod
River Raider calls this green two-door The Rockster It was built to mimic the lines of Jeep's Lower 40 concept Wrangler from a few years ago, but be easier to reproduce. The windshield isn't chopped, it is just laid back thanks to custom mounts. The soft top is custom-fitted to the rolled-tube roll bar and a River Raider-built tailgate mimics CJ tailgates of yore.
Underneath is a front Dana 60 and rear Corporate 14-bolt shod with 40x15.50R20 Nitto Mud Grapplers. A Chevy L94 all-aluminum 6.2L V-8 and 6L80E automatic transmission provides the locomotion and a full complement of River Raider armor compliments the custom 1/8-inch-thick aluminum half doors.
Breaking In
We walked by this Jeep a couple of times before we stopped to check it out. Falken tire is getting into our market in a big way starting off with its WildPeak AT tires. Speaking of tires this Jeep has them in a 37x13.50R17 flavor wrapped around a set of Spyderlock wheels.
Underneath the quiet, unassuming exterior is a plethora of cool stuff. A pair of Currie Enterprises Rock Jock axles is located with an Off Road Evolution long-arm lift and Evo-Lever rear shock conversion. An AEV heat reduction hood and Poison Spyder drop-down tire carrier are seamlessly blended into the paint scheme. Inside, a Tuffy dash-mounted box provides protection for the head unit while a Tuffy security shelf sits behind the seat and protects the cargo. A Rock Hard 4x4 cage protects the occupants.
Hatari! 2010
This camo'd four-door JK was setup with front and rear hunting platforms. With the seats out front we couldn't help but compare it to Hazel's Hatari! project. The platforms are covered in Xtreme liner while the camo color comes from a Mossy Oak Brush vinyl wrap that hides the factory black paint. The gun racks and cases are Kolpin units.
The factory V-6 is still coupled to the six-speed and stock axles. It puts power to the ground through a set of 33x12.50R18 Toyo Open Country tires on Mickey Thomson Classic II rims. A Kenwood CDX 899 in-dash navigation unit looks stock. A Painless dual-battery system ensures there is enough power to fire the Jeep up no matter what, and Rugged Ridge floor mats collect all the mud picked up from those long treks.
Under the Radar
The four-door JK that Rampage Products brought along this year was looking really cool all stealthed-out. It also showcased a bunch of cool new products that Rampage is bringing to the market. The front and rear bumpers we saw last year, but the tire carrier and taillight guards were new to us.
Another unique thing is the tire cover with a window. One thing we were thrilled to see was aluminum locking hood latches that actually work well. The company tells us they will be available for all model Jeeps soon. The lift for this Jeep came from Rubicon Express and it was enough to clear a set of 33x12.50R17 Cooper Discoverer ST tires on Black Rhino rims.
Not-Whack
Bushwacker got a hold of an '11 JK in time to build for the show. The factory leather seats and dashboard do make a big difference in the appearance of the interior. The exterior, however, was all hopped-up in Bushwacker regalia. Fender flares, corners, bra, and rocker guards are but some of the plastic protection Bushwacker offers.
The rocker guards protect the rockers obviously but wrap up and protect the door sills as well. A Burnsville 5.7L Hemi swap provides power and punishes the front and rear Dynatrac axles. At the other end of the axles are a set of Trail Ready beadlock wheels wrapped with 37x13.50R17 Super Swamper SS M16 tires and elevation is handled by TeraFlex.