It's that time of year again. Just when the weather cools off and I'm ready to take the Jeep to the desert, I have to work. Most people think of going to Las Vegas as a vacation. For me it entails slipping into at least halfway-fancy, somewhat grease-stain-free duds and walking many, many miles up and down endless rows of aftermarket products at the SEMA show. I know what you're thinking: "Quit whining Cappa, that sounds like fun!", and the truth is that I do like it-for the most part. I guess what I enjoy is that it's almost never the same from year to year. Generally there is a different OE vehicle that draws interest and attention from the aftermarket manufacturers. This year, SEMA decided to recognize these standouts by giving awards to the most popular booth vehicles of the show. There were three categories: car, truck, and SUV-4x4. Of course since Jeep has built probably the most commonly modified vehicle ever manufactured, the SUV-4x4 category was pretty much wrapped up. The Chevrolet Camaro and the Ford F-150 took home the honors in the other segments.
Years ago SEMA Jeeps were typically hideous creations, often put together by people with very little off-road experience. The gaudy Liberace Jeeps that look like giant colorful sparkly fishing lures have mostly become extinct. For a while there, it was pretty scary to think that these guys thought they had their finger on the pulse of the Jeep community. Don't get me wrong, you'll still see a few "standouts" every year, but let's just say SEMA Jeeps and the people who put them together have for the most part moved forward.
Anyway, each year the show has a different feel. Walking through the aisles you kind of get an idea of what the manufacturers will be pushing the next year. In the past, there have been SEMA shows with an abundance of diesel truck parts, hot rods, and even years where Jeeps and parts for Jeeps filled an unusual number of booths. Unfortunately, the 2010 SEMA show was not a Jeep-dominated event, nor even a truck and 4x4 event for that matter. It seemed to go back to the old standby of hot rods and modern muscle cars. There were tons of Chevy Camaro, Dodge Challenger, and Ford Mustang products. The truck and SUV section was smaller than I can ever remember it. The good news is that I always snoop around the performance section looking for products that can be applied to older Jeeps or even some newer models. Honestly, I walk nearly every aisle and glance or stroll through practically every booth. For me, half the fun is trying to think up a way to apply a new product other than for its intended purpose. Of course I often get the deer-in-the-headlight stare from the guys working the booth, especially when I mention I'd like to see how some race part will perform off-road on a Jeep. But opening their eyes to our market often results in a win-win situation.
One of my favorite 4x4s at the 2010 show was Dennis Anderson's King Sling mud truck. It was really popular with the passersby. That green chrome on the body is actually paint from Spectra Chrome (sprayonchrome.com). A multitude of different colors is available. I've seen short online videos of this rig tossing soil like a giant nitro-powered blender let loose in a field. And anyone who is familiar with the Grave Digger monster truck can attest to the fact that the driver, Dennis Anderson, isn't afraid of horsepower or the gratuitous overuse of it. King Sling's 540 cubic-inch engine sports an 8-71 Littlefield blower and cranks out 1,500 hp on a "mild" tune.
So now that my busy month is just about over, I can hang up the collared shirt for another year and get back to bungee-cording my Jeeps together. It's desert season. See you on the trails.
-John Cappa