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Getting noticed at a supershow like SEMA with more than 100,000 attendees can seem like mission impossible. In order to get noticed, many companies design eye-popping show vehicles to help them stand out. Creating buzz through a show vehicle is something that has become expected from northern Illinois-based RealWheels Accessories. "Every year people ask us how we will possibly top our previous show vehicles," says RealWheels vice president Jhan R. Dolphin. The magical vehicle it is currently working on promises to create quite a buzz when it is unveiled on Halloween at SEMA.
BIG YEAR FOR MAGIC
Jhan Dolphin has always been a magic buff. When he saw that the first day of SEMA was going to fall on Halloween this year, he knew he wanted to come up with a magic-themed show vehicle. Halloween is a big day in the magic community, as it marks the death of Harry Houdini, undoubtedly the world's most famous magician. This year marks the 80th anniversary of Houdini's death. "I've always been a big fan of magic," shares Dolphin. "This year's SEMA show opening on Halloween presented us with the perfect opportunity to create something very unusual."
MINDFREAK
When planning this year's SEMA vehicle, RealWheels approached illusionist Criss Angel to do a Criss Angel magic-themed custom vehicle for the show. Angel seemed like the logical choice for a magic-themed show vehicle. Magician Criss Angel is the star of A&E's popular television series Mindfreak. MTV says of Angel, "Criss Angel is the post-modern Houdini and the man in whose hands the future of magic lies." The New York Post says "Criss Angel. Part Cirque du Soleil freak, part magician, part street performance artist, part musician, part dancer — has taken magic and illusion from the realm of cheesola to the realm of art." Angel agreed to the Mindfreak H2 project, and the wheels were set in motion for this year's RealWheels SEMA vehicle.
As this issue of Light Truck and SUV go to press, the Mindfreak H2 is in the final stages of customization. The vehicle involved more than 20 project sponsors. RealWheels and its partners have been working all summer on the Mindfreak H2 with input from Criss Angel. The RealWheels team tells us it will be a vehicle you won't want to miss. They share that the vehicle will be dark, extremely loud, unusual, completely customized, and a little bizarre.
"The more you look at this vehicle, the more interesting and unusual things you'll find," adds Dolphin, "Even original artifacts from Houdini's era have been discretely added into design features of the Mindfreak Hummer from the famous Magic Castle in Hollywood, and from the Martinka Magic Shop in New York, once owned by Houdini himself. Our greatest enjoyment from building a project of this scale is the reaction from people that see it, point at it, and photograph it to share with others," says Dolphin. "We plan to make it available at events all over the country during the next 18-24 months."
Angel will be present at the vehicle's unveiling. If you are in Vegas on Halloween for SEMA, be sure to stop by RealWheels booth 31109 in the upper south hall of the LVCC to see the Mindfreak H2 for yourself. If you want to be present for the official unveiling of the vehicle, it will be at 2:10 at the RealWheels booth. If you don't get a chance to see the vehicle, don't worry — you can read all about the project in the next issue of Light Truck and SUV.
author: By Joe Escobar