There is never a shortage of cool trucks and SUVs at the SEMA show, and you've hopefully been following our coverage of the show at trucktrend.com. But it seems that every year, there are some odd things that show up at SEMA, whether they are strange new products, funky vehicles, or things that would best fit in the "etc." category. Here are some of the most unusual things we spotted at SEMA.
1) Mini-Microbus
This is a 2012 Changhe-Suzuki Landy, fitted with a body kit that pays tribute to the cool Volkswagen Microbus from the 1950s and 1960s. While it's clear that this little bus is not the German original, it was interesting to see that this imaginative company gave some retro style -- and wheels with heart-shaped cutouts -- to a vehicle built purely for transport.
2) Ford Pool Table
We spotted this pool table in Central Hall, in Badger Air-Brush's booth. We don't know what it took to turn a Ford Falcon into this wonder covered in leopard-print felt, but it certainly gives you an idea of what Badger's products are capable of.
3) Rubber-Coated Jeep
We've seen vehicles completely covered in spray-on liners before, but this is the first time we've seen one -- a Jeep in this case -- covered in rubber. The Bully Liner from Pilot is a coating made from recycled tires. The coating is non-toxic and water-based, said to form a durable non-skid surface.
4) 1949 Jeep CJ-3A Rod
This Jeep started as a 1949 CJ, was put on a 1970s-era CJ-5 frame, and is powered by a highly modified 5.7-liter Hemi V-8 from a 2008 Ram. Built to be a hot rod/rat rod/roadster, it has other cool features like coilover springs, a cut down windshield, and an aluminum tub.
5) World's Smallest Monster Truck?
We haven't asked the Guinness Book people to confirm, but this is a 1/2 scale monster truck that is driven by a seven-year-old, known as Kid KJ. It's based on a 2009 Ford Super Duty, and is powered by a 200-horsepower four-cylinder engine. It was built to get kids more involved in the world of monster trucks.
6) Duck Dynasty Silverado
There were several celebrity appearances at SEMA, but this one was one of the more interesting ones. One member of the Duck Dynasty family, Willie Robertson, was scheduled to visit the Skyjacker booth. While we didn't get to meet him, we did see his Silverado named Trophy Hunter, complete with duck decoys in the bed and a cardboard cutout of him sitting in front.
7) A Dog's Life
Why was someone walking around the SEMA show in a dog suit? We're still not entirely sure, but after visiting the House of Designers website, it looks like this California-based company does things like 3-D renderings and graphics. But, hey, it's a person in a dog suit walking around SEMA. There's nothing wrong with that.
8) DTV Shredder
This product from BPG Werks is a "DTV" or dual-tracked vehicle. The company founder describes it as being modeled after "a mini-tank you can ride like a skateboard." You ride it standing up, and can go as fast as 30 mph on dirt, sand, snow, and mud. It's powered by a 196cc engine, and the website lists a 300-500-pound towing capacity.
9) Custom Bikes
RK Concepts designs motorcycles that are unlike anything we have ever seen before. These truly unique bikes, which were parked outside the convention center, drew huge crowds every day of the show. The company's bikes have names like Fighter, Chain, Backbone, and Thing, and some look like something Batman would ride.
10) Suzuki Carry
This isn't that unusual a sight in Japan, but seeing a right-hand-drive microtruck in Las Vegas, among the lifted 3/4-ton trucks and sports cars, was strange. The Carry has been around since the 1960s, and is also sold around the world in van form. We just want to know what it's like to drive this one.