First Time at SEMA

Surviving the Chaos and Soaking It All In!

Alright, buckle up, buttercups, because this ain’t your grandma’s knitting circle podcast! We’re diving headfirst into the glorious mayhem that was our first-ever SEMA Show experience. And yeah, it was every bit as action-packed as the intro promised.

Can you believe it? Episode 12 marks a full year of us dropping one glorious episode a month. Now, we know, we know, the volume isn’t exactly setting any records. But hey, pat ourselves on the back – we’ve officially outlasted 90% of podcasts out there! Apparently, most folks throw in the towel around episode three, or maybe ten. Either way, we’ve been chilling in the top 10% for a while now. Rogan, you’ve been warned! 😉

But enough about our slow-burn podcast domination. Let’s talk about the real reason we’re here: SEMA! Just the name conjures up images of insane builds, groundbreaking products, and enough automotive eye candy to send you into a gearhead coma. And let me tell you, the reality was even more intense.

From Field Find to Vegas Strip: Our Trusty (Questionable) Ride

You might have caught the video, but our journey to Vegas started with a bold (some might say foolish) decision: taking our 1977 Ford Ranchero, affectionally nicknamed the “Freechero.” This beauty had been chilling in a farmer’s field for a decade before we resurrected it. With a mere 50 miles on the clock since its revival (40 of those were just getting it home!), it was a completely unvetted, pure gamble.

The weeks leading up to departure were a comedy of errors. Distributor, carburetor, brake lines – you name it, we probably replaced it. Fuel delivery issues plagued us, culminating in a dramatic fuel pump failure three miles from work. The fix? Rigging up a DeWalt battery to power a fuel pump drawing from a gas can in the bed, with the fuel line MacGyvered over the cab and under the hood. It was… choice.

But against all odds, the Freechero, after a proper fuel pump replacement the night before we left, hauled its glorious self 930 of the 950 miles to Vegas with surprising (and frankly, shocking) reliability. We did go through about four fuel filters on the way down thanks to a less-than-pristine fuel tank, but hey, minor details!

Of course, no epic road trip in a vintage vehicle is complete without a little drama. Around mile marker 930, a friendly shimmy in the steering wheel announced the arrival of a wheel bearing issue. Did we pull over? Nope! Vegas was calling, and at 2 AM on a five-lane highway, we were single-mindedly focused on reaching our beds.

The journey was punctuated by frequent gas stops (thanks to a solid 10 miles per gallon and a non-functional gas gauge – math and Google Maps were our co-pilots) and a detour in Boise where someone may have acquired a more sensible, albeit less cool, mode of transportation.

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Finally, we limped the Freechero into the hotel parking lot, unloaded our arsenal of tools and gear, and crashed around 3 AM, only to face a 7 AM kickoff breakfast. Adrenaline is a powerful thing, because despite the lack of sleep, we were buzzing with excitement!

SEMA First Impressions: Overwhelming and Awesome

The kickoff breakfast was a blast, featuring the hilarious Jay Leno and the real Tarvish. Hearing about Leno’s insane car collection only amplified the anticipation for the show floor.

Then came Liam from Jeep Sheep TV, who truly took us under his wing. His guidance and introductions to cool people were invaluable, offering tips and tricks for navigating and filming the overwhelming expanse of SEMA. Having a mentor in this wild industry is a game-changer.

The first day was pure sensory overload. The sheer volume of incredible builds, innovative businesses, and cutting-edge products was mind-blowing. You could spend a week there and still not see everything. Walking through the halls, you’re constantly surrounded by automotive artistry – builds with countless hours poured into every detail.

It was actually comforting to see Instagram posts revealing that even the top-tier builds often come together in a last-minute thrash. Seeing multi-million dollar rigs completely torn apart just days before the show? It made our own last-minute wrenching on the Freechero feel a little less… chaotic. Apparently, the pressure of the SEMA deadline affects everyone!

Networking Nirvana and Unexpected Invitations

Beyond the incredible vehicles, the networking aspect of SEMA blew us away. We had dinner with some genuinely awesome people and connected with individuals who we hope will lead to exciting opportunities down the road. Everyone we met was down-to-earth and passionate about the automotive world.

One of the highlights of the first day was meeting the legendary Greg Henderson from Unofficial Use Only. Liam introduced us, and it turned out Greg and us shared a similar penchant for slightly (okay, maybe wildly) insane automotive adventures, stemming from our Coleman minibike escapade and his moped journey from Detroit to Vegas for SEMA Cares! His offer: “If you want to do something stupid with cars, get a hold of me,” felt like a blank check to our petrolhead souls. Greg, you might regret saying that! 😉

That evening took an unexpected turn. Thinking we were heading back for some much-needed sleep after the TORA Off-Road reception (a fantastic charity event where our WD-40-lubricated Pinewood Derby car sadly didn’t make it past the first round!), Greg and Liam intercepted us. Next thing we knew, we were in our t-shirts and backpacks, riding the elevator to the 66th floor of the Conrad for a launch party filled with industry titans. We definitely felt like we were punching above our weight class, but the experience was incredible. Greg, thank you for the unforgettable night!

It was at that party that someone even recognized us from social media (we’re still debating if that was genuine or just a polite observation of our media badges!). We also met a Dakar racer who now participates in the Rebelle Rally – an amazing all-women’s off-road navigation challenge.

For those not in the know, the Rebelle Rally isn’t your average Sunday drive. It’s the first all-women’s off-road navigation rally raid in the United States. Think hardcore off-roading meets old-school navigation – no GPS allowed! Just paper maps, compasses, and serious driving skills. These women are absolute badasses, pushing themselves and their vehicles to the limit across some seriously challenging terrain.

Meeting someone who participates in such a demanding and unique event was definitely a highlight of our SEMA experience. It underscored the incredible diversity within the automotive world and the inspiring achievements of women in motorsports. It’s a far cry from the polished show floors of Vegas, representing a raw and adventurous side of off-roading that we have massive respect for.

Anyway, the party at the Conrad was awesome but the hors d’oeuvre situation was definitely operating on a “bite-sized for tiny industry insiders” scale, leaving us big guys feeling a tad… undernourished.

Thankfully, Vegas knows how to do food, and we stumbled upon a truly fantastic taco stand. Seriously, that El Pastor? Forget about it! Absolutely divine. We fueled up properly on some real Mexican goodness, which was a welcome change from the minuscule quiches and questionable cheese cubes we’d encountered earlier.

The next day was a whirlwind of pre-arranged interviews, and we had some absolute gems lined up. We had a great chat with Hollie Fowler from Mischief Maker TV about her solid axle swapped Jeep Liberty. This thing had a ton of sweet parts showcasing a custom linked suspension with coilovers. She actually has plans to use it to prerun the King of the Hammers which I think is pretty awesome.

Then there was Rick from Custom F N Customs, showcasing his incredible Cummins-swapped Delica with a Hellcat transmission. That thing was seriously cool!

It’s funny, walking past it, you might just think, “Oh, look, a minivan.” But the Mitsubishi Delica, especially one modded like Rick’s, is truly one of the most awesome production minivans ever conceived. And the crazy part? As Rick told us, they’re still making that same basic Gen 4 body style since way back in ’93! You could literally order a brand-new door for one of those things right now. Of course, they’re primarily sold overseas in markets like Taiwan and Brazil. Rick’s shop does some incredible custom work for these vans, from lift kits to trailing arms – all built in-house. Definitely keep an eye out for that interview; you won’t want to miss the details on that build.

Then we had a serendipitous encounter with Rob Bennett. Turns out, Rob’s a buddy of mine from back home in Asotin. He used to be the welding gas supplier at the mill for ages and recently landed a gig with Miller. We were wandering the SEMA halls when Alex heard this unmistakable laugh – definitely Rob’s. We rounded a corner, and there he was at the Miller booth!

And get this – he let Alex weld with their brand-spankin’-new, top-of-the-line machine. Now, let’s be clear, Alex is no welding virtuoso. He can stick things together, build a derby car cage that’ll probably hold, but his welds usually aren’t winning any beauty contests. This Miller welder, though? The bead he laid down was beautiful. Absolutely gorgeous. If you’re after a weld that’s both aesthetically pleasing and rock-solid, this thing was a game-changer.

It had some other seriously cool features too, like a laser clean-off that would strip rust away in a snap. Material prep is definitely not my strong suit, so having that built-in was amazing. No need to hunt for a grinder – just zap the metal clean and weld. I even whipped up a little stainless Miller logo deal, and the weld looked fantastic. It even did this cool spot weld thing before laying the full bead. Miller, if you’re listening, we’d be happy to give that machine some more in-depth testing… just putting that out there! 😉

Beyond the interviews, we kept soaking in the sheer spectacle of SEMA, the endless rows of incredible vehicles and innovative products. And speaking of local connections, we also had a great chat with Spring Tools. It’s always cool to connect with a company from right here in the Spokane Valley. I’ve been using their nail sets since I started in construction; some old-timer swore by them, and he was right. What I didn’t realize is they make a whole range of other tools, including marker sets for tagging your gear. We’re definitely looking forward to working with them in the future.

Remember how we developed that shimmy? Well We can’t forget the incredible generosity of the folks at Napa.

While at SEMA, Liam, ever the helpful friend, suggested we swing by the Napa booth and see if they might be willing to lend a hand. We figured, what’s the harm in asking? So, we moseyed over and gave them our spiel – the tale of the Freechero making the pilgrimage to SEMA, the slightly concerning wobble, and our hopes of making it back home in one piece.

And man, they were absolutely fantastic! No hesitation, just an immediate “Yeah, that sounds like fun, let’s do it!” Evus, one of the guys there, was all in. He said, “Dude, that sounds awesome. We’ll get you the bearings, fix the problem, and you can do a burnout in that rig!” Now, we had to gently pump the brakes on the burnout part. As much as we appreciate the enthusiasm, the Ranchero’s engine is more of a gentle sigh than a tire-shredding roar. A burnout just wasn’t in the cards for the old girl.

It’s true, the Ranchero has long legs and could cruise at 85… eventually. It just took her a good mile and a half of straight, flat road to get there, and passing anyone was a strategic maneuver involving a lot of planning and open space. Those small-town speed limit changes were almost comical – you’d floor it in the 25 mph zone and maybe, just maybe, be hitting 70 right as you passed the 70 mph sign.

But back to Napa – a massive thank you to them! They hooked us up with some great bearings, and we actually swapped them out right there in the parking lot of the Mardi Gras Hotel, using nothing more than our trusty toolkit, a hammer, and a big crescent wrench. We even used a 3/8″ ratchet extension to tap the new bearings in. Gotta make do with what you’ve got on the road!

So, with the new wheel bearings installed, Friday rolled around, and it was finally time to head north. The drive home was… mostly uneventful. I say mostly because the adventure started almost immediately upon leaving the Mardi Gras parking lot. Now, Friday at SEMA is public day, which means the traffic around the convention center goes from “busy” to “absolute gridlock.”

Trying to nose the Ranchero out of the parking lot was an exercise in patience and a bit of aggressive maneuvering. We had to make what felt like three lane changes in about 150 feet just to make a left turn. And that’s when it happened. The car in front of us hit their brakes – maybe “tapped” is a more accurate description, but with the Ranchero’s less-than-stellar visibility and Alex’s focus (or lack of) on navigating the chaotic traffic, we ever-so-gently kissed their rear bumper.

Now, the Ranchero sits low, thanks to its well-worn suspension, which isn’t exactly kind to the lower back. And at that exact moment, Alex’s focus was definitely not solely on what was directly in front of him. So, yeah… we rear-ended a Tesla.

The dude driving the Tesla was surprisingly cool about it. We pulled over in the next hotel parking lot, and when his passenger got out, my heart sank a little. I thought for sure we were about to deal with someone claiming a phantom back injury. But nope, the passenger was just someone he was dropping off for the show. The driver got out, took a look at his bumper, rubbed it a bit, and said, “Oh man, I don’t think there’s any damage. Looks like we’re good.” we still felt terrible, so we offered him $50 to get it buffed out if needed, and he was totally chill with that.

Honestly, my biggest concern wasn’t the insurance or the money; it was the thought of the whole process – the police report, the hours of waiting. When the Tesla driver offered a fist bump and said, “Let’s roll,” I was incredibly relieved.

After that minor excitement, the rest of the drive to Boise was smooth sailing. My aunt and uncle in Boise are absolute legends and greeted us with late-night breakfast burritos at 10:30 PM – they were amazing! We refueled on coffee, hopped into the much more comfortable Suburban (heated massage seats and a working entertainment system were a major upgrade after the Ranchero), and grabbed some cookies for the road. Someone cough cough immediately claimed the heated massage seat and wasn’t too keen on sharing the driving duties, despite my slightly feverish state and protesting lower back.

But even in the comfort of the Suburban, the drive had one more moment that definitely snapped us out of our road-trip haze. About 15 miles south of Riggins, we came across a car that had clearly lost control on some black ice, gone into a four-wheel slide, and rolled several times. What was particularly sobering was that just moments before, I had been pushing the speed a bit, probably doing around 65-70 on those winding river roads. Both vehicles were just on regular street tires, and the rolled car was a small all-wheel-drive Honda CR-V, I believe.

We were the first ones on the scene after a semi-truck just kept on going. There were four people in the car. Thankfully, three of them seemed relatively okay, but one young woman had a suspected lower back injury. We made sure she stayed still and comfortable until emergency services arrived. It was actually the first time I’d ever used the SOS feature on my phone. Connecting to a satellite to text emergency services and having them pinpoint our location was pretty impressive. New technology can be pretty cool in situations like that.

We got them taken care of, and then the drive home was mostly uneventful until we hit Lapwai. That’s where Alex managed to get pulled over for speeding – something I genuinely didn’t think was possible in the Ranchero! The speed limit changed from 45 to 55 to 65, and apparently, he was doing 67 in a 55 zone. To make matters slightly more comical, the Ranchero’s dash lights are non-existent, and his phone was dead, so he was using a flashlight to try and see the speedometer. Plus, with the collector plates, the registration was buried somewhere deep in his bag. It was a cold roadside search! The cop was pretty decent about it, though, and ended up letting him go with a warning. He did give the Ranchero a good once-over and seemed a little skeptical when he mentioned we were coming back from SEMA. Alex assured him the Ranchero wasn’t in the show; it was just our trusty (and slightly unreliable) transportation.

After that, the rest of the drive home was indeed uneventful. Alex was basically home by then but I, on the other hand, battled the “Bobbin Nod” all the way to Spokane.

If you are a gearhead, you gotta check out SEMA, it will absolutely blow you away. I can’t wait to go back, that’s for sure!

Wheel it, Wreck it, Wrench it, repeat!

-Josh