If you go to SEMA and miss the Toyo Tires Treadpass, you’ve made a serious mistake. It’s not just a walkway; it’s a curated gallery, representing a blend of artistic creativity and innovation. This platform is where the world’s most talented builders get to showcase their work, and this year’s 28 premieres were exceptional. One of the most impressive was Sean Ramage’s 1969 Chevy Nova, a car that perfectly embodies the Treadpass spirit.
A Masterclass in Restraint
The “Sinister Nova” is the work of Sean Ramage of Empire Fabrication, who has a history at elite shops like Nelson Racing Engines. His specialty is creating cars that look deceptively stock but are packed with custom metal fabrication. The Nova is his masterwork. The bumpers are tucked, shortened, and closed. The cowl hood is fully shaved. The gaps are tight, and it uses modern touches like a BMW soft-close trunk latch and Cadillac Escalade soft-close door latches.
The Brutal Heart
The one part of the build that isn’t subtle is the engine. Under the custom hood is a 427-cubic-inch Dart LS V8 built by Nelson Racing Engines, topped with a 2.9-liter Whipple supercharger. This combination delivers a staggering 1,200 horsepower on the dyno, translating to a brutal 900 horsepower at the rear wheels. It’s a power plant that commands respect, flowing through a 4L80 four-speed to a Strange differential.
The Toyo Tires Treadpass Standard
This Nova is a prime example of the builds chosen for the Toyo Tires Treadpass. The quality runs deep. The entire car sits on a Detroit Speed hydroformed subframe and a DSE QUADRALink rear clip. Massive Baer calipers are at all four corners. And, of course, it’s grounded by the event’s namesake: a set of Toyo Proxes R888R tires, sized 225/40ZR18 up front and a massive 335/30ZR18 in the rear, all wrapped around sleek Forgeline GA3 wheels.
A Fully Custom Cockpit
The interior matches the exterior’s surgical precision. A hand-fabricated dash frames a full Holley instrumentation setup. Leather and Alcantara buckets are fitted with BRAUM five-point harnesses, flanking a hand-fabricated console. Even the A/C vents and switches are one-off items, designed in CAD and intricately machined just for this car. This blend of artistry, engineering, and fearless creativity is what makes a build worthy of the Toyo Tires Treadpass.
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