SEMA 2009: Pictures, updates and discussion

[SOAZ]

And on the silly side of SEMA:
Hoverounds of SEMA:

http://jalopnik.com/5398101/the-hoverounds-of-sema

AND

Did you know one of Subaru's first offering in the US was a van? This van. The 1969 Subaru 360 Van was a sub-1000-lb Kei-car import and Subaru Performance Tuning has turned this one into a parts-runner.

http://jalopnik.com/5398070/the-coolest-slowest-vehicle-at-sema

 

[SOAZ]

I'll be getting one of these if I ever get a car. The 4runner is now too heavy and slow to necessitate it. For off highway use of course.

"TricPlate is a $550 electrochromic license frame designed to obfuscate license plates for "car show use" and "off-road applications." Definitely not designed for on-road applications like avoiding ticketing by speed camera. No way. Available for show motorcycles and show cars."

http://jalopnik.com/5397918/tricplate-definitely-not-for-defeating-speed-cameras

Is it even needed in AZ for long though? ---> http://jalopnik.com/5137605/victory-arizona-county-ditches-speed-camera-program
"Success was had on Wednesday in the fight against robotic roadway policing, the harbinger of Skynet, when a small Arizona county struck down their failing speed camera van program.

Officials in Pinal County, Arizona have recently terminated their contract with Redflex, the company currently providing speed camera coverage for the rural area. Reasons for the termination include negligible income from the program and a doubling of accident-related deaths on the applicable roadways.

The two camera vans shuttered 11,416 times during the period between September 2007 and last month. Of those snaps, 7,290 resulted in tickets, but only 3,711 were paid. Those paid tickets resulted in $134,199.43 of gross profit, but the county only saw a net profit of $12,391.58. After running the numbers through a very complex series of algorithms, we arrive at the total cost of the speed camera program, which is a whopping $121,807.85.

Instead of the failed camera program, county officials hope to reinstall actual police officers to do the ticketing, thereby upholding the motorist's constitutional rights to face their accusers."

 

[SOAZ]

Still trying to figure out whats with the tap on the huge pot? Shouldn't the tap be at the bottom?

here's another look at it: http://blogs.insideline.com/straightline/tundrabbq-bed-1600.jpg

Maybe it houses a keg?

It should house a keg, but it looks a bit odd. As if its for letting water out that has boiled over? Any chefs in this forum..?

 

[SOAZ]

Anyone look at these more? (Edit: The tire, I'm talking about the tire. The black and green thing.. The other thing. On the left!!)

Sometime around 1998 Michelin showed a similar product and I thought it was only time until air filled tires were done. I still think that's correct, but the amount of time appears to be quite a few more years at least.

http://jalopnik.com/5397187/resilient-technologies-non+pneumatic-tires-planned-for-2011

 

[Wonderland]

Still trying to figure out whats with the tap on the huge pot? Shouldn't the tap be at the bottom?

here's another look at it: http://blogs.insideline.com/straightline/tundrabbq-bed-1600.jpg

Maybe it houses a keg?

Judging by the plastic cups on the left, I would assume it is a beer tap, disguised as a cooking pot. Maybe the "pot" is deeper than it appears, looks to be at least 7-8" deeper into the tailgate.

 

[SOAZ]

More favorites:
Looks like a murderers semi.

Smokey and the bandit firechicken:

 

[cruiseroutfit]

Judging by the plastic cups on the left, I would assume it is a beer tap, disguised as a cooking pot. Maybe the "pot" is deeper than it appears, looks to be at least 7-8" deeper into the tailgate.

It is a keg tank

I've got some closer pics but alas no camera cord.

 

[ginericLC]

I wonder if this Tundra will come with a belt buckle?

http://jalopnik.com/5396091/toyotas-brooks-and-dunn-pickup-has-belt-buckle-door-handles

I like it. It is a unique approach to a show vehicle. And yes I have one of those belt buckles so maybe my tastes are flawed. http://montanasilversmiths.com/ What I think is sort of ironic about it is the the tooling and silver is definitely western. And although the Tundra might be assembled in Texas, its roots are not. That part of it I don't like, as it is sort of like the pretend cowboys I see all the time. I think in a way it is sort of disrespectful to pretend to be something you aren't.

 

[SOAZ]

I like it. It is a unique approach to a show vehicle. And yes I have one of those belt buckles so maybe my tastes are flawed. http://montanasilversmiths.com/ What I think is sort of ironic about it is the the tooling and silver is definitely western. And although the Tundra might be assembled in Texas, its roots are not. That part of it I don't like, as it is sort of like the pretend cowboys I see all the time. I think in a way it is sort of disrespectful to pretend to be something you aren't.

I think your tastes are just fine! My opinion is that as a show vehicle it's okay. Like many of them there practicality or usability is not really what they're all about. In real life I think the tooling would be hokey day to day. I'm a fan of belt buckles though. I wear a custom brass one carved with images of my home town most days.

As far as claiming to be something one is not. I don't agree when it comes to inanimate objects, but respect what your saying. I think trucks are trucks. Any company making a truck will hire anyone from any country if they can do the best job. That makes the truck not really "from" anywhere. (In my car nerd ways I like researching different vehicles to find out what they actually are. As in who actually designed them. Its amazing how many Japanese and American cars are actually European designs that have been bought and then had a new body thrown on them.)

I agree when it comes to people. If you define cowboy as someone who brands and wrangles cattle? Then I'd say 99.999% of folks in love with the look are fakes.

Great thread folks, Thanks!

and SOAZ, you're a riot. You had me at the body doubles photo but it just got better. :coffeedrink:

I drank coffee and applied to untold numbers of jobs today... and looked at thousands of SEMA photos.

 

[nwoods]

Yes. The truck is capable of running on anything from dino diesel to 100% biodiesel and waste vegetable oil. We're driving the vehicle to the SEMA show and back on a blend of synthetically made diesel (SynDiesel) and biodiesel.

Nathan, it was great meeting you the other day, sorry I missed your BEAUTIFUL 110. You did not begin to describe it adequately. Wow what a knockout!

 

[SafariPacific]

Hey now. At least take a photo of my better side

 

[nwoods]

So, how do you do SEMA in 2 hours? I have no clue, but we tried our best. Of the three LARGE buildings, we made it 3/4 of the way through one building, and didn't get to see the exterior stuff at all, other than the babes in the DUB's display by the taxi que

Here are some things that stood out for me:

Lance's cool inflatable sand tracks. JC Brandon gave me a good explaination of how Disabled Explorer's uses them to assist in changing a heavy tire like the SportMobil's rig. Not an inconsequential task if you are in a wheel chair!

Body Armor has this nice sturdy looking side rails for the TJ/LJ (and JK I'm sure). I don't personally care for the steel corner protectors that all the rock crawler guys use, but these look pretty useful, just the right amount of meat.

Just a few examples of about 20 different 3 wheel electric vehicles on display. They were all very cool, and I was surprised how many there were!

I don't know quite what this is, but it looks like an absolute BLAST to drive:

Wild Boar had a blingie JK, but it had a very cool looking roof top tent. I did not get to see the display in their booth, but I was intrigued by the compact, lightweight design of this tent.

 

[nwoods]

Some more bits:

Everyone in snow country needs one of these modified Side-by-Sides

Some nice looking LED rock lights from VisionX. No info on pricing available

SmittyBuilt (what an ironic name, because they don't actually build anything, do they?) has a new CO2 tank system from the Land of Cheap Plastic Parts, but it actually looks half decent, and, it's half the price of a PowerTank. $285 anticipate list price, once they get the mounting bracket system sorted out. Adjustable regulator from 0-140 PSI, and they say it will not freeze up, even under prolonged use. They ran some sort of pneumatic winch for about 4 continous minutes and it was frosty, but not frozen.

One of the stupidist Jeeps ever, but still kinda cool in a perverted way. It has some great little features, and was obviously a lot of effort and work put into it, but essentially useless:

 

[nwoods]

Some more:

This looks like a pretty smart system, but....

I thought this was pretty smart. DayStar came out with a line of resilient bump stops that are sorta like air-bumps, but $900 cheaper:

I LOVED this Lower40 JK with the 400hp HEMI and Dana 60 rear, and a true trail gate! My wife Marni digged it too:

Marni found the OJ-JK to be 100% ready for her personally use. Scott, can we make some sort of Rent to Own deal? LOL

Okay, I should know this, but I don't. What awning is this?

Super clean XJ bumper. Not sure who makes it, but it was sweet

From the future....

I absolutely fell in love with this Ferrari. Hey, it's family friendly!

Folks, this is a big tire. I myself am VERY large, and this tire dwarfs me. I estimate this tire to be well over 8 feet tall!

 

[SafariPacific]