2012 SEMA show: Most outrageous rides

This 2005 Chevrolet Silverado is described as a tribute to all past, present and future American heroes, including military personnel, firefighters, police officers, nurses and other citizens who have shown courage and self-sacrifice in the face of adversity. The truck's paint displays American heroism personified throughout history, via murals by Mickey Harris of Cosby, Tenn. Powered by a 540-cubic-inch General Motors powerplant with an 871 DBS blower, the truck can be hydraulically separated from its chromed stainless-steel chassis. Weld wheels with Super Swamper tires put power to the ground.

View Pictures:  Sexy Models at the SEMA Show

One of the most notorious — and loved — monster trucks, Grave Digger is right at home at the 2012 SEMA show, where it would almost blend in if not for its imposing height. The first Grave Digger was built in 1981 from a 1957 Chevrolet Panel Wagon and has evolved into the tube-frame chassis, fiberglass-body version seen at SEMA in its 30th-anniversary livery. Grave Digger is so popular that six different versions currently compete in the Monster Jam series.

View Slideshow:  The 10 Scariest Monster Trucks

In this "resto-mod," where an older car is upgraded with a modern drivetrain and the latest technology, an original 1969 Mustang Mach 1 has been reimagined with a midengine powertrain from the Ford GT supercar. Fitted with a Whipple supercharger and a drive-by-wire throttle, the Mustang Mach 40 can be dialed in to produce between 600 and 850 horsepower. Oregon-based Eckert's Rod and Custom retained the Mach 1's original look as much as possible — including the stock windshield, grille and headlights — but when you see the engine where the rear seats used to be, you know this is one wild Mustang.

View Pictures:  Photo Highlights from SEMA 2012

Unveiled at the San Diego Comic-Con in July, the Hyundai Elantra Coupe Zombie Survival Machine is the ultimate car for fans of "The Walking Dead" TV series. Modifications include a spiked zombie plow, armored window coverings, a roof hatch to defend against attacking zombies, wheels fitted with truncheons, and a trunk full of weapons. The car was designed by "The Walking Dead" creator-writer Robert Kirkman and built by Design Craft Fabrication of Westminster, Calif.

View Pictures:  Hyundai at SEMA 2012

Custom paint is everywhere at the SEMA show, and this Fleetwood is a great example of what can be done with bright candy paint and lots of airbrush detailing. The paint and patterns even continue beyond the windshield onto the dashboard. One look at this Caddy and it's easy to see why since the mid-'60s House of Kolor has been the go-to paint for vehicle customization.

View Slideshow:  Hottest Makeovers at SEMA 2012

The Ford F-150 SVT Raptor is a high-performance off-road truck, capable of tackling the roughest terrain at high speeds, making it the perfect choice as a support vehicle for the "Storm Chasers" TV documentary series. To protect against harsh elements in extreme weather conditions, this SVT Raptor has been covered bumper-to-bumper with Line-X Premium protective coating — the same material typically applied as a spray-on bedliner or rocker-panel protectant. The resulting finish gives this SVT Raptor a sinister, matte-finish look.

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Jeep's Wrangler is already a formidable off-road vehicle, capable of tackling the most extreme terrain. Wild Boar Products has outfitted this Jeep for treks hundreds of miles beyond the nearest paved road or gas station. The JK6 Wheeler Long Ranger is capable of traveling up to 1,000 miles without refueling and is set up for soft terrain such as sand and mud. The third axle increases the length, distributes the weight and increases the payload. You can even use the roof as your campsite.

View Pictures:  Mopar Alley

Stretched luxury sedans and top-line SUVs are common, but it's not every day you see an exotic sports car such as this Dodge Viper carrying 12 people. The creation of Unique Movie Cars, a company based in Las Vegas that has been building vehicles for movie chase scenes and car crashes for decades, this one-off Viper was used to chauffeur the grand marshal at the 2012 Sam's Town 300 NASCAR race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

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Every square centimeter of this 1963 Impala SS — frame, body and mechanical components included — is covered in bright metallic paint, chrome, murals and etching. Owner Albert DeAlba did the paint work with help from his son Albert Jr. Sal Elias added the murals and "Grille Greg" DeAlba created the custom grilles. The El Ray Impala SS depicts the most exacting attention to detail and the utmost level of personalization.

Read Blog:  Chevy Goes Small for SEMA

Jonn Farr's latest creation is a Western-themed truck designed to capture the essence of an Old West ghost town. The truck's body is the canvas for a detailed mural that carries over to the long-wheelbase custom bicycle mounted on the truck bed's hardwood tonneau cover. The gearshift lever is a 6-shooter pistol. Project 6 Shooter is based on the same truck as Farr's Project 6 Pack, which he created for the 2010 SEMA show.

Read Blog:  Mopar Muscles Up for SEMA

The LP1500-4 designation of this 2011 Lamborghini Gallardo reflects the addition of twin turbochargers by Underground Racing to boost the power output from the original 570 horsepower to as much as 1,550 horsepower, still delivered to the ground through all four wheels. Owner Mark Capener's Lamborghini was the fastest car at the Mohave Mile in September 2012 with a certified speed of 230.4 mph.

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There are many extreme trucks at SEMA, but the Rock Hard Ram is a super-stock diesel, 4x4 pulling truck powered by a 2,500-horsepower Haisley Machine Super B Cummins engine with triple turbos. The truck looks like a 1997 Dodge Ram but has a custom fiberglass body over a tube-frame chassis that houses the massive Cummins turbodiesel engine. The Rock Hard Ram puts its extreme power to the ground in sled-pulling competitions.

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A 1967 Mustang Shelby GT 500 owned by Gord Phillips and built by JF Launier of JF Kustoms, the Kardiac 500 was a finalist for the Don Ridler Memorial Award at the 2012 Detroit Autorama. The warm gray paint has a hint of green, which is accentuated by the tan leather interior. Special elements include a custom steering wheel, 5-spoke wheels that incorporate the interior color and a custom billet grille. According to JF Kustoms, this car was pulled from a wrecking yard in the 1980s.

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Based on a 1950 Ford F-1 pickup, the original frame was boxed and stepped; the F-Rod now rides on a Mustang II front suspension and a 4-bar rear suspension with Ride Tech airbags all around. The F-Rod is powered by a Ford GT40 crate engine delivering power through a Ford 4-speed automatic transmission. Flames and multicolor graphics highlight the metallic orange paint.

View Pictures:  Ford at the 2012 SEMA Show

The latest supercar from the iconic Italian manufacturer, the Lamborghini Aventador doesn't really need to be modified to be wild enough to make it onto this list of SEMA beauties. Sporting a 6.5-liter 700-horsepower V12 engine, the Aventador will accelerate from zero to 60 mph in 2.9 seconds and achieve a top speed of 217 mph. This lime-green version rolls on black and green Forgiato wheels to give it that "just right" custom look.

View Pictures:  Lamborghini Aventador