The Mothers® Polish 2005 Shine Award winner.


Left to Right: Jim Holloway of Mothers® Polish; Builder Troy Trepanier of Rad Rides by Troy; Dennis Holloway of Mothers® Polish.

Sin City was swarmed by hundreds of thousands of frenzied auto industry professionals from around the world the first week of November for the 2005 SEMA Show. And for the fifth straight year, Mothers® prestigious Shine Award was heralded as the show’s top honor. This year it was a spectacular '37 Ford owned by Craig and Kathy Sommerfeld of Kelley, Iowa taking home the sculpted bronze Shine Award trophy.

After almost two years on the project, Manteno, Illinois-based builder Troy Trepanier of Rad Rides by Troy was honored by the recognition. “It was our highlight of the show to be chosen for the most sought after award given at SEMA to Craig and Kathy’s 1937 Ford convertible,” said Trepanier. “Part of our success is the fact that Rad Rides has used Mothers® car care products for the last six years.”

This year’s Shine Award winner was the result of two full days of judging by a panel of seasoned professionals from across the industry. The team of experts carefully examined more than 2,000 cars, paying close attention to paint quality, fit and finish, craftsmanship and artistic vision.

The winning vehicle, a stunning testament to creativity in automotive design, is powered by a supercharged LS1 Corvette engine paired with an 4L8E transmission and 9-inch rear end by Eaton. The custom suspension incorporates Kugal front control arms and a 4-link Air Ride suspension in the rear. Delivering the stopping power, 14-inch front and 15-inch rear rotors are gripped by a quartet of massive 6-piston calipers custom-made by Baer Brakes and labeled with the Rad Rides logo. And connecting this awesome machine to the ground is a set of 18-inch front and 20-inch rear Billet Specialties one-off wheels. This well-crafted chassis is saddled with a beautifully sculpted two-tone body with custom copper and brownish-orange paint by Glasurit Paint. Interior seating and trim employed custom woven leather by Tracy Weaver Interior with premium sound provided by Rockford Fosgate.

The Mothers® Polish 2005 Shine Award and Mothers® Choice Award winners.

A full background on the Mothers® Shine Award is available online at http://shineaward.mothersarchive.com.