Every year Micky, our Editor, and Adam, our Associate Editor, sit down and pick their top 5 cars of SEMA! Love it or hate it, bow down to greatness!
5. The Baller Hauler
Where do I even start with the Baller Hauler and its AE86 cargo? Do I even need to explain? Just look at this duo! I've been stoked about this project since we saw the first pieces of custom work being done when it went viral online. When our friend Phil Blottie told us that Miles Shinneman was bringing the finished product to SEMA, I made it my personal mission to find this thing and pour over every detail. With a drift-ready AE86 on mismatched (yet still matching) wheels atop the 1993 Isuzu NPR hauler, this rig and its cargo were an absolute show-stopping duo at the show.
4. Fortune Auto S15
I've always had a thing for period correct JDM sports cars, especially those of the late 1990s and early 2000s variety, so it should surprise nobody that the S15 seen at the Fortune Auto booth is on my Top 5 list. The Vertex body kit, the Volk CE28SL wheels, the yellow Recaro seats and the absolutely stunning deep purple paint are just the beginning. Pop the hood, and you're met with a beautifully-equipped RB26, complete with super rare ARC goodies, carbon fiber, and some of the most beautiful fabrication work on the show floor. Making it even better, the trunk features a full Sony audio system, installed beautifully in a way that keeps the trunk useable for everyday life. This is a perfect street car!
3. Dionne Mascunana's Cayman
Part of the reason I like Dione Mascunana's Cayman so much is the fact that I wasn't a huge fan of its first iteration. Some of you may remember a gray Pandem Cayman from SEMA 2016, one of the world's first applications of the kit. While the kit was impressive, and a Porsche Cayman is always cool, it just didn't quite do it for me. This year, however, Mascunana has turned the Pandem Cayman up to 11. With a bunch of custom aero pieces that he made himself and Spyder lighting accenting the exterior, Tarett suspension throughout, and plans to install a custom twin turbo setup after SEMA, this fighter jet Cayman became an instant favorite for me.
2. Slang500's Twin Porsches
As much as I loved Mascunana's Cayman, there's something to be said for stock-bodied Porsches that have been crafted so finely that they don't need big wings or exposed rivets to stand out, even among the cream of the crop at SEMA. Slang500's matching Porsches are exactly that. With impeccable craftsmanship inside and out, including multiple custom engraved components in and out of the engine bay, Slang500's steampunk-inspired Porsche 912 and Porsche 356 are the closest things to fine art I have seen in the car world in a long time. The matching 52 Outlaw wheels from Fifteen52 are the perfect finishing touches to bring these incredible builds together.
1. Dominic Le's SR20-Powered Datsun 240Z
Anyone who knows me knows I'm a sucker for a Datsun 240Z, so thanks to my personal bias, this Datsun takes the #1 spot for me. As one of my dream cars, the 240Z has a special place in my heart, and Dominic Le's take on the platform is one of my all-time favorites. Combining two of my favorite things, Le was one of two SEMA exhibitors to stick an SR20DET into a Datsun Z. What makes Le's project all the more impressive to me is that most work was done in the garage. The custom drive-by-wire SR20 is surrounded by titanium bits - even the bolts holding everything together are titanium, which makes the details a pleasure to pour over. The suspension is made up of billet components, and the interior is full of homemade carbon fiber parts. Perhaps one of the car's coolest details is the red reflective carbon fiber front bumper and splitter, which Le also made himself at home. All that time running Chasing Js has certainly paid off in skillsets. Adding the perfect finishing touch to blend old school cool with new age design is a set of Work Equip 40s in a gold finish that works well with the Datsun's red exterior. Hell yeah, Dominic.
