This Jeep was built to turn heads at the SEMA Show, but it is far more than just a showpiece.
The video above comes to us from the Trail Recon YouTube channel and it features the gorgeous “Iron Man” 2013 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited. You might recognize this JKU from the 2017 SEMA Show, but unlike most SEMA builds – this Jeep is built to perform as great as it looks.
In this video, the host of the channel talks with the owner of this wicked Jeep as he details his inspiration and the details of this showstopping SUV.
Not Your Average SEMA Machine
Every year, the SEMA Show in Las Vegas is chock full of incredible builds and from year-to-year, the Jeep Wrangler is the most popular SUV on the floor of the huge convention. These vehicles are on display to help showcase the products of the company whose booth serves as their parking spot for the week and while there are plenty of awesome high performance cars – the Jeep Wranglers at SEMA are always among the most heavily built.
The problem with SEMA Show vehicles is that we seldom get many details and, in many cases, the vehicles are built to look great – not perform well. Some of the vehicles are slapped together for the show and those rigs will never see a race track or a hardcore trail, but the Iron Man Jeep Wrangler Unlimited is not your average SEMA build.
"Before I was old enough to walk, my dad was taking me to various types of racing events, from local drag racing to the Daytona 500," says Patrick Rall, a lifetime automotive expert, diehard Dodge fan, and respected auto journalist for over 10 years. "He owned a repair shop and had a variety of performance cars when I was young, but by the time I was 16, he was ready to build me my first drag car – a 1983 Dodge Mirada that ran low 12s. I spent 10 years traveling around the country, racing with my dad by my side. While we live in different areas of the country, my dad still drag races at 80 years old in the car that he built when I was 16 while I race other vehicles, including my 2017 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat and my 1972 Dodge Demon 340.
"Although I went to college for accounting, my time in my dad’s shop growing up allowed me the knowledge to spend time working as a mechanic before getting my accounting degree, at which point I worked in the office of a dealership group. While I was working in the accounting world, I continued racing and taking pictures of cars at the track. Over time, I began showing off those pictures online and that led to my writing.
"Ten years ago, I left the accounting world to become a full-time automotive writer and I am living proof that if you love what you do, you will never “work” a day in your life," adds Rall, who has clocked in time as an auto mechanic, longtime drag racer and now automotive journalist who contributes to nearly a dozen popular auto websites dedicated to fellow enthusiasts.
"I love covering the automotive industry and everything involved with the job. I was fortunate to turn my love of the automotive world into a hobby that led to an exciting career, with my past of working as a mechanic and as an accountant in the automotive world provides me with a unique perspective of the industry.
"My experience drag racing for more than 20 years coupled with a newfound interest in road racing over the past decade allows me to push performance cars to their limit, while my role as a horse stable manager gives me vast experience towing and hauling with all of the newest trucks on the market today.
