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SEMA 2016 is revving up with muscle cars so powerful they make sportscars squeak worldwide. This year’s show highlights 1000hp vintage Mustangs and artificially aged Dodge Challengers, merging old-school looks with cutting-edge performance. It’s a muscle car lover’s paradise, where America’s favorite marques steal the spotlight. Whether it’s the classic Pontiac GTO, the track-ready Camaro 1LE, or the display of classic muscle in South Otago, these beasts are a nostalgic nod to power and style.
Las Vegas is not just one of the best cities for classic car enthusiasts by reputation – it is backed up by real numbers, hosting the SEMA Show’s roughly 160,000 attendees and 2,200 exhibitors every year since 1977. Combined with St. Louis, Sacramento, and Miami’s own car cultures, this list reveals what really makes a city a haven for enthusiasts: infrastructure, climate, and a packed events calendar.
Get ready to rev your engines and your imagination as we dive into the world of TV’s top custom car guru. From a mind-blowing carbon-fiber ’Cuda that’s as sleek as it is speedy, to the all-wheel-drive 2017 Dodge Challenger GT perfect for those who like their muscle cars with a touch of practicality. Oh, and let’s not forget the outrageous 800-hp Challenger SRT Hellcat X—turbocharged, supercharged, and sure to make your grandma spill her tea. Buckle up for these wild rides!
A stroked LS3 and a 10-mile traffic jam outside the California/Nevada line are what it took to strand Project Orange Krate, a 1971 Camaro with a project-car pedigree that traces back to the long-defunct Camaro Performers magazine. It’s second in magazine-build longevity only to the legendary Project X. Running out of gas mid-desert on I-15 turned a good weekend at Holley LS Fest West into a lesson every pro-touring builder eventually learns the hard way: horsepower changes your fuel math more than your gauge admits.
Mike and Jim Ring started painting car bodies as ten-year-olds on the back roads of Spring Green, Wisconsin, long before their small-town gas station business became one of the most respected custom shops in the country. Ringbrothers still handles everyday collision repair alongside the one or two headline-grabbing builds they unveil at SEMA each year. Along the way they’ve collected Chevrolet Best in Show awards, Goodguys honors, and a SEMA Battle of the Builders win.