Creativity abounds as builders try to push the envelope when it comes to engine bay design.
When our classics were first built, the engine bay was a very utilitarian part of the car. Yeah, the engines got a coat of corporate paint and maybe a couple of chrome bits, but it was all very basic. Well, hot-rodders understand the importance of the engine. After all, without an engine our cars are just expensive pieces of static art.
From Kevin Hart’s Grand National to the winning entry from the Ringbrothers, builders worked overtime to come up with new and inventive ways to dress-up the engine bays of their builds. Blowers seemed very popular this year, with many of them getting high-tech coatings and custom-fabricated covers.
We’re glad that the somewhat lazy trend of just building a massive cover for the whole engine is on the decline. Engines shouldn’t be hidden; they should be the stars of the show.
On the naturally aspirated engines, exotic induction systems were everywhere and though a few did still run a single carburetor, they were few and far between. For whatever reason, SEMA has become one of the biggest car shows in the country, and the quality of cars on display there is proof that it’s the place to show off custom high-end builds. Gone are the days when a simple LS swap would get you noticed. We walked the whole show and put together a gallery of some of the smokin’-hot engine bays, from wild to mild, on display at the 2022 SEMA show. So take a look and maybe pick up some ideas for your own hot rod project.
DON’T YOU RECOGNIZE THEM ALL