GM Takes Over the 2020 Battle of the Builders at SEMA360

It is down to the top 12 and there is a GM lockout in the ‘Young Guns’ category as their dominance in the battle continues.

In the 2020 Battle of the Builders at SEMA360 we are down to just the top 12 finalists. Five of the remaining twelve are Chevys. A Pontiac is also thrown in for good measure. So, we have a GM domination going on with half the cars remaining in the competition being GM brands. Most impressive is the fact that in the “Young Gun” category for builders under 27 years of age, there is nothing, but GM cars left.

The Battle of the Builders may be a 100 percent virtual event this year, but the competition is no less fierce. Nearly 300 cars entered for the chance to be the best and here we are down to the final dozen. There is a good chance that one of GM’s finest is going to take home the top prize. That should not really be a surprise to anyone. Each of the last two years a 1969 Camaro has taken home the crown. There are no ’69 Camaros left in the competition this year. However, there are two ’68 Camaros in the running so a Camaro three-peat is a distinct possibility.

‘Young Guns’

Let’s take a closer look at the finalists in this field. The first of the two ’68 Camaros belongs to Austin Phipps. It is a Rally Sport that he purchased for $3,000 over a decade ago. We are not sure what the current value is, but we suspect it is quite a bit more.

The second ’68 Camaro was built by Cody Medeisis. He stripped the car to nothing last year and built it up fresh. Every nut and bolt are brand new. Not hard to believe when you look at it. Motivation comes from a 388 cubic inch LS motor.

Rounding out the category is a car we already profiled. It is the stunning 1967 Pontiac Lemans owned by Eli DeWitt. This LeMans is packing a 400 cubic-inch Pontiac V8 that’s been bored out to 408 cubic-inches. The interior is mostly original save for the carpet and headliner. It is a beautiful car and deserves its spot in the top 12.

‘GM Takes Over the 2020 Battle of the Builders at SEMA360’ continued…

Joe Kucinski

Joe has been obsessed with cars since he got his very first Matchbox toy in the 1970s. In 2003, he found a new obsession in track days that led to obtaining his SCCA competition license in 2015. In 2019, he became a certified driving instructor for the National Auto Sport Association. His love for all things four wheels has never wavered, whether it's driving some of the best cars in the world on the racetrack, tackling 2,000-mile road trips in 2-seat sports cars or being winched off the side of a mountaintop in a Jeep. Writing for the suite of Internet Brands Auto Communities sites, including Rennlist.com, Ford Truck Enthusiasts, 6 Speed and more allows him to share that knowledge and passion with others.