Top 10 Trucks of the 2014 SEMA Show
In the world of custom pickup trucks, the golden question always looms: raise it or lower it? Well we found tons of fantastic examples of both at this year’s 2014 SEMA Show, but we have whittled them down to just our 10 favorites.
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Read on to see some of the best custom rigs, from rat rods to highway tractors, to grace the halls of the Las Vegas convention center in 2014.
Kicking things off at number 10 is this Tundra SR5 Double Cab Monster Truck. A Supercharged 5.7-liter V8 cranks out 580 car crushing horsepower, propelling this rolling tribute to America’s veterans over lesser vehicles.
This rig was put together by Steve Zion and mechanics from Toyota of Wallingford. Clearly a modified frame was needed while nitrogen shock absorbers and custom SWR wheels with massive tires allow this truck to catch some air. The truck is a rolling a display for “Hiring our Heroes,” an organization that helps veterans get jobs.
The Ram 2500 Outdoorsman Concept with its rugged wilderness agenda hits the ninth spot. Built for hunters and anglers, the outdoorsman gets a “Swamp Thing Green” paint job to help it blend into the wild, while a 6.4-liter HEMI and Bilstein shocks make sure you can get anywhere your prey can.
SEE ALSO: Ram 2500 Outdoorsman Concept is Wilderness Ready
Considering the 1500 Outdoorsman is currently on sale, it isn’t too much of a stretch to imagine Ram bringing this truck to production.
What would a truck list be without a great Rat Rod. At number 8, this Model A Ford has been fully transformed into a sweet low riding rig thanks to an airbag suspension setup fitted in the bed. While we didn’t get details on what powers this cool low rider, a set of chrome lady’s legs up front and a skull head long shifter were enough to secure this sweet ride a spot on the list.
You would never expect this beater, which comes in at number 7, to obliterate the drag strip, but thanks to a big block V8 engine that cranks out 1200 horse before the nitrous kicks in, you’re looking at the ultimate sleeper pickup truck. Capable of 10-second quarter miles, this 1970 Chevy C10 is easily the fastest truck on our list this year.
This International Lonestar that checks in at number 6 may just be the toughest looking big rig rolling down the road thanks to its blacked out style. Unfortunately its not real carbon fiber, but a full body wrap makes the truck look like it is built of the lightweight material.
The best part is, this truck is a real workhorse, hitting more than 300 stops every year at convention centers all around the states for a multitude of different shows and functions. Keep your eyes peeled, as you may just see it coming up on you in your rearview sometime soon.
The matte red style found on this beautifully restored Ford F1 is easily our favorite paint job on any truck at the SEMA show. A 547-cubic inch engine cranks out over 800 hp in this vintage beauty, making it gorgeous and fast. Add on an air ride suspension and one-off wheels, and you have a clean truck that has tons of character.
At this year’s Baja 1000, this Toyota Tundra TRD Pro will race across the desert in the Stock Full class, which means it is nearly factory stock. What’s more, one of the drivers is Toyota’s own Mike Sweers, the chief engineer of the Tundra. While it is still in good shape now, a week in Baja will surely take its toll.
Australian muscle is lusted after in the US, which is why this Holden Maloo is so damn cool sitting on American asphalt. This particular Maloo was brought to America as just a shell, where a Pontiac G8 GXP was used as a donor car for harvesting the 415-hp V8 engine and six-speed manual transmission.
There are plenty of crazier F-150’s in Ford’s booth this year, but this one is easily the cleanest, and in our eyes, the sexiest Ford pickup at the show. A whipple supercharger takes the 5.0-liter V8 up to 700 hp, while 24-inch MHT wheels wrapped in Pirelli Scorpion Zero tires add the grip.
SEE ALSO: Ford F-150s Take Center Stage at SEMA
To get it nice and low, a 2-inch drop coil front setup and a 4-inch rear flip kit with performance rear shocks is installed. Add on the simple black and white paint scheme, and we can’t stop from drooling.
The number one spot is reserved for something unique: the Jeep Forward Control 170 complete with tracks all the way around. Plenty of custom work was done on this truck to get it to the amazing state we found it in at the SEMA Show, and it looks like it would be a blast to take out to the sand dunes or into the snow.
To top it all off, this Jeep celebrates its Mopar heritage with a 5.7-liter HEMI V8 providing all the grunt you’ll ever need.
Stephen covers all of the day-to-day events of the industry as the News Editor at AutoGuide, along with being the AG truck expert. His truck knowledge comes from working long days on the woodlot with pickups and driving straight trucks professionally. When not at his desk, Steve can be found playing his bass or riding his snowmobile or Sea-Doo. Find Stephen on <A title="@Selmer07 on Twitter" href="http://www.twitter.com/selmer07">Twitter</A> and <A title="Stephen on Google+" href="http://plus.google.com/117833131531784822251?rel=author">Google+</A>
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Where the heck is the next generation Titan already!!!!!!!????? Come on Nissan.....get your act together before I forget you are in the truck business.
All those trucks were nice, but none of them stand a chance with a titan, exspecally the new 2015 titan w/ cummens. Although they would have done better with a dura max engine. Ill stick with the titan.