What a year it’s been. I don’t say that negatively, but with pure admiration for the innovation that all industries have displayed. “The show must go on” is like this year’s official slogan. I don’t need to cite all of the unfavorable complications, but there have been many. The cancellation of public events and gatherings has been one of the most substantial changes, which hit our automotive industry hard.

One of the notable events missing in November this year was the SEMA Show. With no annual showcase scheduled to display our industry’s newest project vehicles or products, and no central meeting location for critical business partners, the automotive aftermarket was left to fend for itself.

Last week, we published GReddy’s GPP Live event on our website — its Facebook Live replacement for the void that the SEMA Show created. This week we have Toyo Tires’ revolutionary solution to that same dilemma. We present the Toyo Tires Treadpass 3D.

Allow us to spend a moment dissecting that name. You see, for anyone familiar with Toyo’s Treadpass segment of the SEMA Show, you’re already hip to this year’s festivities. For everyone else, the Treadpass has become a crucial aspect of the outdoor SEMA Show setup. It connects two of the massive Las Vegas Convention Center’s halls with a carpeted pathway that features a lineup of some of the industry’s finest new builds from some of its biggest names. With each stunning example — equipped with Toyo Tires — raising the bar for the next, the Treadpass has become a staple for any attending media.

Moving onto the 3D addition to the event’s name, which is new for this year as Toyo hosted the event in a private location. Instead of SEMA attendees having the opportunity to soak up the details in person in Las Vegas, Nevada, fans of the brand need only report to Toyo’s new interactive website for their tour around the vehicles. Front Street contributor, and automotive culture extraordinaire, Drew Manley, was invited to the private occasion to give us on-site access to the wild yet clean featured builds. Follow along as we walk you through a few of our favorites, with a full gallery of his excellent photography located below. We hope you enjoy it!

5150 Lux’s 1993 Toyota 4Runner

This is not your typical 4Runner build. You won’t find any raised suspension or rooftop Overlanding tent. No supply containers, winches, or running boards, either. However, one thing that this 4Runner shares with its more common off-road brethren is big tires — except these Proxes TQ tires are wide, not tall. You see, 5150 Lux created this wild SUV with drag racing on the brain. That becomes more apparent when you notice the impressive 2JZ engine swap in the engine bay, followed closely by the one-off tube frame chassis connecting throughout the vehicle. It’s a refreshing take on a dated chassis. Even though it’s not quite finished yet, with its custom widened Volk Racing Group C wheels hunkered inside tubbed wheel wells, it’s sure to be even more of a standout once it’s completed.

CSF Performance’s 2010 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X

Ravi Dolwani from CSF Performance isn’t new to building high-speed cars. Loyal readers will remember his Porsche 991 Turbo half-mile car we featured right here on Front Street. Back for a second go-round, this Evo X from our good friends at CSF Performance is ready to go for a tear — again. Not to be confused with its first iteration showcased two years ago at the SEMA Show, this new build of the same chassis started all over from the ground up. We liked seeing products from Turbosmart in the engine bay, and the Rotiform wheels with wide 275/35/R18 Proxes RS1 rubber were a nice touch, too. As pretty as it is sitting under the lights, the car is meant for track time. In fact, just a day or so after this event, Michael Essa piloted this Ferrari red-painted, big-aero-having, powerhouse around the Buttonwillow Raceway Park course in the Global Time Attack Finals — more on that another time, though.

Bisimoto’s 1975 Porsche 935 M16

Back to his old tricks, Bisimoto has reinvigorated yet another dated Porsche chassis from the confines of his facility. This time, he utilized a twin-turbocharged 996 water-cooled powerplant, with AEM Performance Electronics Infinity engine management and Turbosmart boost control goods; this vintage chassis is likely a rocket ship! Covered in a Porsche-specific Mexico Blue color, the 935 front end and rear-mount turbochargers leave it all out on the table. There’s no hiding that this car needs to see racing environments to be appreciated in full, which is why it makes sense to see its wheels wrapped in Toyo RR slick racing tires.

Rather than walk you through every car that made its appearance at this private event, we want you to pore over the details in our gallery below. The remainder of the information can be found by using the Google Maps-esque interactive Treadpass 3D website. If this is any hint at the future of car shows, we’re wholly on board for a shock to the system.

Photography by Drew Manley

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