SEMA 2024: A Deep Dive Into the Best Trucks, Off-Road Vehicles, and Over-the-Top Builds

A Major Bucket-List Item Checked Off—Finally!

Attending SEMA has been on my bucket list for as long as I can remember. For years, I would have lengthy conversations with my buddies about who was at the show, which projects were unveiled to the world for the first time, or what company just dropped a new part that could improve one of our projects! However, these discussions always ended the same way: our talks about attending SEMA were just a distant dream, with the conversations being the closest we would ever get to the actual experience.

That was until this year when I was given the chance to fly out to Las Vegas and cover the show for TREAD. Now, enough about me. This year’s SEMA was nothing less than spectacular! Thousands of unique, high-end custom builds were displayed inside one of the four colossal convention center buildings or in one of the three massive parking lots.

I got into Vegas around midday Tuesday, and after a short ride from the airport to my hotel, I dropped my bags off, grabbed my camera, and took off running to the convention center! Now, I don’t know exactly what I was expecting to see when I got there, but it definitely wasn’t what I had in mind.

After using the Tesla loop, which is arguably the best way to navigate the convention center, I arrived at the Central Hall to pick up my media badge. While there, I ran into Jonathan Daniels and Tucker Harris, who were busy capturing fantastic shots of anything and everything related to diesels.

I briefly talked with them about where to start and entered the South Hall. As I walked in, I was greeted by Devans Ence’s TREAD Edition Tacoma, proudly showcased at the front! This 2024 Toyota was built to be a fantastic daily driver during the workweek while also being capable of hitting the trails and going off-grid on the weekends. It features a custom bed topper, a Tuff Stuff Overland rooftop tent, and a highly versatile Icon Vehicle Dynamics suspension. Devan truly designed it for versatility and adventure.

The South Hall showcased a diverse range of builds designed for various applications. Companies displayed their latest and greatest vehicles, from side-by-sides to fully customized crawlers capable of tackling the most challenging obstacles. Along with the vehicles on display, there was an impressive selection of the latest and greatest wheels and tires set to hit the market in the coming year.

I completed my first day at SEMA by exploring the remaining exhibits in the South Hall. Afterward, I met up with Devan and some friends at the Westgate Hotel to enjoy cold drinks and catch up with each other.

The following day, I eagerly made my way to the convention center, energized by the excitement that lay ahead! I had one goal this week: to cover every square inch of the property before the week’s end. With that in mind, I dove right into the heart of the action.

I kicked off my first full day in town by exploring the expansive Central Hall and the giant Silver Lot. Just as I had experienced in the South Hall, I was greeted by thousands of incredible and unique creations—each one a testament to the ingenuity and craftsmanship that each builder brings to the table!

The first truck I encountered was a 1949 Willys Pickup built by RJ Fab. Rob Lindsay, the owner of RJ Fabrication, and his team started this project by cutting off the back of the standard Willys pickup cab. They then grafted a rear section from a Willys wagon, extending the cab by 16 inches. This modification increased the interior legroom while preserving the factory appearance on the outside.

Rob and his team not only designed a custom cab for the truck, but they also built a completely custom chromoly tube chassis to complement it. This innovative chassis supports a suspension system that handles everything from 3-foot-high sand dunes at high speeds to significant articulation when navigating tight and challenging obstacles.

When it comes to a super modified truck like this, Rob had no doubts about the ideal powertrain for it. The Willys is equipped with a Moruzzi-built, 3.0L Whipple supercharged 422 ci LS3. It is paired with a built 4L80E from Maximum Transmissions and features Evan Weller 9-inch differentials front and rear holding 10-inch 5.43 ring gears. With this setup, the Willys easily gets its 40-inch BFG Baja T/A KR3s up to speed without any issues!

Just a short distance from Rob’s killer Willys, Morgan Clark was showcasing his latest project at the Baja Designs booth. Inspired by the demanding challenges of the Dakar Rally, Morgan is converting a Range Rover Velar into an impressive Dakar prototype—a design that Range Rover has never officially produced.

This ambitious project involves significant modifications to improve the vehicle’s durability and performance in extreme off-road conditions. By utilizing high-strength materials and advanced welding techniques, Morgan has developed a robust tubular chassis that will enable the Velar to withstand anything and ensure the safety of both the driver and passengers at all times. He is also upgrading the suspension system to King shocks all the way around for a smoother ride over rough terrain. However, throughout all of these modifications, Morgan has also kept the vehicle very practical so that it could be daily driven if one chose to.

Morgan also realized that the powertrain would require a significant upgrade with all the modifications made to the drivetrain. Therefore, he sourced an Underground Racing Lamborghini V10 and installed it in the rear of the SUV. By placing the engine in this position, Morgan ensured that the weight remained evenly distributed across the entire chassis, which is crucial for maintaining stability and handling during high-speed maneuvers. This strategic decision would ultimately enhance the modified SUV’s overall driving experience and performance.

Moving on from Morgan and Rob’s wild and highly complex builds, I found Kyle Delfel’s unique 2024 Roush supercharged chromatic F-150! Kyle initially started an XL F-150 equipped with a 5.0L Coyote engine, but it wouldn’t stay that way long!

Once Kyle got his hands on the vehicle, he installed a Roush supercharger and made all the necessary modifications to support its performance. He also threw on a Fox DSC 3.5-inch lift with Fittipalidi forged beadlocks and custom full-float-inspired center caps.

Following the installation of the power and drivetrain modifications, Kyle moved on to cosmetic upgrades. He removed the entire XL interior and replaced it with a brand-new Tremor interior. In addition, he upgraded the standard XL front end to the more visually appealing Tremor clip. Along with this front-end swap, he replaced the front and rear bumpers with tubular off-road bumpers.

Kyle dove even deeper into the details by installing an Air Design tailgate panel and a roof wing, which included a space for a Rigid Industries chase bar. He replaced the XL taillights with OEM LED taillights, color-matched all the plastic parts, and finished the look by applying iconic Ford chromatic stripes to the exterior.

After checking out Kyle’s truck, I headed over to the Toyota booth to check out the prototypes they had on display this year, and they certainly did not disappoint! From the #84 Tacoma TRD ProRunner Race concept, designed to tackle the rugged terrain of Baja, to a fully restored, all-original 1988 FJ62, Toyota showcased an impressive lineup.

Among all the unique and exciting builds that Toyota had to offer, one in particular has captured my interest more than the others. This year, Toyota decided to return to its roots by introducing the brand-new 4Runner TRD Surf, which takes inspiration from the stylings of the first-generation 4Runner!

The TRD Surf features many similarities, including the conversion from a four-door to a two-door, a removable rear top, and a factory-installed roll bar. These design changes and additions perfectly align with the beloved original aesthetics of the first-generation 4Runner.

After exploring the rest of Central Hall and then visiting North Hall for a few minutes, it was time to wrap things up for the day. I snapped a few more photos outside Central Hall before heading back to my hotel room to prepare for another long day ahead

I was up and out of my room by 5:30 a.m. Thursday morning. From Tuesday until now, I had seen and photographed approximately 75% of the entire show. The only area left to explore was the West Hall. Once I crossed that off my list, I could hang out and just enjoy the show for the first time all week!

West Hall focused mainly on trucks, SUVs, and everything related to off-roading this year, so it was no surprise when I stumbled across my buddy Solomon Lunger’s truck, “Snickers,” in the Skyjacker booth!

Snickers is a 1978 F150 that Solomon found in a large collection in Soddy Daisy, Tennessee, a few years ago. Packing a 7.3L Whipple supercharged Godzilla built by MAST Motorsports, this truck looks like an ‘80s show truck on the outside but has the power and reliability of a brand-new truck!

To enhance the original ‘80s-style paint job, Solo collaborated with Skyjacker Suspension to elevate Snickers by installing a 4-inch lift kit. In addition to the new lift kit, Solomon designed several billet aluminum components for the truck. This includes all the cowl badging, a custom drip rail-mounted light bar, 17×12 turbine-style rims, a ‘78/’79-style grille, headlight bezels, brush guard, gas and brake pedal, and more.

After appreciating everything Solomon had done to Snickers, I explored the rest of the hall to see what other builds were being displayed. It didn’t take long to discover the next impressive build, showcased at the Warn Industries booth.

Warn, and several other companies presented a massive 2023/2024 single-cab Super Duty equipped with 43-inch tall super single Continental tires, creating the ultimate recovery rig. This truck was loaded to the roof with a variety of recovery gear. From multiple winches, Kinetic ropes, and a fully custom ramp bed to haul broken vehicles out of the trails,this truck was prepared for any obstacle thrown in its way.

Overall, SEMA 2024 was spectacular! I felt so privileged to experience the show and understand what people mean by having their minds blown when they walk into one of the halls for the first time! The 2024 show demonstrated why SEMA is the ultimate destination for car lovers, builders, and dreamers. From the incredible new technology to the astonishing creations, I am already looking forward to returning in 2025 to experience it all again!