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| Ford Trucks at SEMA 2000 | Short Cuts | ||||
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By: Randy Burleson - 11/2000
4x4Wire covers Ford Trucks at SEMA 2000
Each November, Vegas fills to overflowing with the SEMA Automotive Aftermarket Products Expo. Take Vegas' bright lights, wild reputation, and 24x7 lifestyle, then mix in thousands and thousands of vendors, journalists, and buyers... the resulting trade show is massive, almost impossible to see in only four days. 4x4Wire toured the show, snapping pictures of the latest products and the hoopla that surrounded them.
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| This is just one room of one convention center that SEMA filled in Vegas. Vehicles and vendors overflowed into tents and parking lots -- this is the second largest convention in Las Vegas! Randy Burleson |
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4x4Wire toured the show, snapping pictures of the latest products and the hoopla that surrounded them. Ford trucks were by far the most popular trucks at SEMA this year. In fact, it was hard to shoot anything else without getting a Ford in the background.
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| The LAG Excursion had a killer paint job but an even better set of accessories. Randy Burleson |
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| Western's Mud-Runner Recovery truck sported a stout integrated roll-cage/recovery frame... and the plate says MUDRESQ. Randy Burleson |
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The rig that drew the most comments outside was the big, long Ford pickup/limousine. With the longest driveshaft I've ever seen, and a massive winch hook to match, this truck screams SIZE! The pivot-out steps (like those on a small plane) were impressive, making ingress and egress easy despite the nosebleed height. All of this rode on severely arched springs and over-the-road truck Alcoa rims. This rig was impressive, but U-turns at a stop light might require rear-steer and a pivot in the middle. Did I mention this rig was l-o-n-g?
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| This truck can transport the whole team and a bed full of toys at the same time. Randy Burleson |
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It took a big splash of color, chrome, and engineering to draw gaping crowds away from the pickup/limo, but a few Ford SUVs were up to the task. Stripping off all the suspension and grinding it down to the frame, then building it up from scratch with a final monochrome coat of orange or green, these trucks resembled each other, other than the hue. Its hard to think of anything this huge and this green as a Mini-Me, but take a look at the orange truck and tell me they weren't drawn from the same breeding stock...
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| This blindingly orange Expedition dripped chrome... but the gusseting and geometry looked stout, even looking past the color- and clear-coated gas tank! Randy Burleson |
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| This tall Expedition sported leaf springs all around and enough chrome shocks to blind us. Randy Burleson |
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After that commanding show of Ford trucks outside the show, we expected to see more than a few Ford trucks inside. We were not disappointed. We saw big Ford haulers...
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| This Ford 550 hauler sported beautiful etchings in many of its polished plates. A Highwayman custom utility/tow box makes this the perfect puller. Randy Burleson |
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...we saw big Ford trucks, vans, and SUVs...
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...and we saw smaller Fords, as well, including Sport Trac after Sport Trac...
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| Everywhere we turned, we saw tricked-out Ford Explorer Sport Tracs. Randy Burleson |
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Aftermarket parts were nearly everywhere...
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| Would you believe a bolt-on independent rear suspension for Ford and Chevy trucks? Randy Burleson |
Full Traction continues its growing support of late-model trucks with this tall Super Duty lift. Randy Burleson |
Click here for more SEMA 2000 Coverage and hundreds of other SEMA pictures.
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