PPG-painted Camaro Takes Top Prize at SEMA

Cam Miller, working out of his shop HS Customs in Logan, Utah, took the big prize at the recent SEMA Show in Las Vegas, claiming the prestigious 2016 Battle of the Builders award with a PPG-painted brilliant white 1969 Camaro. The award is a major part of the annual SEMA event and was announced Nov. 4 at the Las Vegas Convention Center. The Camaro, owned by Alex Short of Bluffdale, Utah, and dubbed “Under Pressure,” was painted exclusively with PPG automotive refinish products.

HS Customs painter Cort Sessions gave the car its gleaming finish using DELTRON DBC2000 Basecoat, GLOBAL REFINISH SYSTEM D8188 Glamor LV Clearcoat and custom mixes along with other Deltron, VIBRANCE COLLECTION and ENVIROBASE High Performance products.

“Winning the Battle of the Builders is obviously a huge honor,” Miller said. “I am humbled, relieved and excited that all our hard work has paid off. And I am grateful for all the wonderful technical support and guidance we received from PPG. Their team of experts made a huge difference.”

Cristina Fronzaglia-Murray, PPG manager, marketing communications responded, “We’re as excited as Cam about this win. We’re constantly impressed with what our customers can do using our products. Supporting Cam and seeing his imagination unleashed is its own reward. Under Pressure is an awesome car.”

The SEMA Show is the world’s premier automotive specialty products trade event. The Battle of the Builders competition is open only to vehicles on exhibit at the SEMA Show and attracts the best builders in the country who come to SEMA to display their talent and creativity. This year’s competition started with 250 vehicles entered by elite car and truck customizers. Industry notables David Freiburger, executive producer, TEN: The Enthusiast Network; Fred Williams, editor-at-large, Petersen’s 4-Wheel & Off Road; and RJ de Vera, customer engagement leader, Meguiar’s, Inc., served as the judges. The Camaro’s lustrous paint and style caught their eyes as they winnowed the field to 10 finalists. The finalists then judged each other’s work and voted to determine the winner of the 2016 SEMA Battle of the Builders.

The Camaro is no stranger to tough competition. Miller unveiled the car at the Detroit Autorama. It went on to win Utah’s Finest at the Salt Lake City Autorama, finish in the top five for Street Machine of the Year at the PPG-Goodguys event in Columbus, Ohio, and take the Builders Choice award at the Goodguys event in Loveland, Colorado. It also was a finalist in the Hot August Nights Cup contest in Reno this summer.