Scott Mccale’s 1952 Chevy COE sits on the SEMA 2026 show floor like something a fever dream and a machine shop produced together, and it was enough to stop The Laughing Lion dead in his tracks. At a show famous for spectacle, the builds that actually land a punch are the ones that make experienced enthusiasts snort and mutter ‘what the heck is this.’ That reaction drove the hunt for the ten weirdest builds across Day 1 of SEMA 2026 in Las Vegas, a countdown that started strange and kept accelerating.
From a Clown Car to a Cyberpunk roadster
The countdown opened at number ten with a pair of ratty builds from Steve Darnell Welderup parked side by side, each competing for the slot. The list then moved to number nine, where Pot of Gold Customs stole serious attention with their 1962 F250 ice cream truck. Builders Tyler and Damian did 98 percent of the work themselves. Damian hand-stitched the seats from scratch using Apex’s new Alcantara leather line, while Tyler handled all the wiring and harness work alone. Under the hood sits a Blueprint GMLS-compatible 376 cubic inch engine dressed to look like a classic Ford Y-block, complete with fake valve covers, a fake distributor, and plug wires routed through the firewall to sell the illusion. Three deep-freeze coolers on sliding tracks in the back make it a fully functional ice cream truck, capable of reaching nearly zero degrees. Tyler put the ambition plainly: ‘full functioning ice cream truck.’
Number eight was a Cyberpunk Roadster built on a 2023 Tesla Model S Plaid by TSK Collision Repair Center, putting out 1,000 horsepower and hitting 0 to 100 km/h in under two seconds. Original body panels were stripped and replaced with bullet-resistant stainless steel and carbon fiber, with only the front subframe and part of the front suspension carried over from the donor vehicle. Number seven brought a go-kart called the Spark from a Phoenix-based company, an all-electric kids’ version priced at $6,000 with a battery range of 60 to 90 minutes under hard riding, available at go-kartgod.com.
Snow tracks, tiny wheels, and eight 15-inch subwoofers
Toyota showed up with number six, a Tundra Snow Hunter Concept running white powder-coated snow tracks, Snow Hunter camo exterior, rigid light bars, and a full Trail Lift Pro Concept rack system. The Land Cruiser and 4Runner versions followed right alongside it. Number five came in on tiny front wheels, a United Service Companies build with a 200 lb payload rating, finished in all polyurethane with no wrap.
Number four was a BMW i8 converted away from its original electric drivetrain and fitted with a BMW 340i Gen1 B58 inline-6 engine, complete with a custom-made fuel cell. Number three was the DS18 booth’s brand new Nissan truck, built specifically for the show, running eight 15-inch subwoofers in a turbo box, eight 12-inch mid-bass drivers, 10-inch door speakers, and a DS18 DSP processor with 12 channels handling the signal. Diego from DS18 kept it simple: ‘you guys like it loud.’ Number two was a yellow chopper with oil pressure gauges positioned near the rider’s feet and hand-modified controls with a changed reservoir.
The build that took 1,800 hours
Scott Mccale’s 1952 Chevy COE claimed the number one spot, and it earned it. The hand-fabricated chassis and frame support a 454 mid-engine EFI setup with a 4L80 transmission, hydraulic tilt white maple bed, Accu Air suspension, and an integrated WHA tool storage system built directly into the bodywork compartments. The AM radio inside the cabin is period-correct. The whole build took 1,800 hours.
Back outside near the entrance, a go-kart from the Spark unveiling sat at an angle with a flat front tire, proof that even a brand new SEMA debut is not immune to the first day.
The 1952 Chevy COE that opened the conversation is still parked exactly where Mccale left it, 1,800 hours of fabrication sitting quietly under the Las Vegas convention center lights, waiting for the next person to walk past and do a double take.
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