Intent Built, Not Convention Bound

When SEMA 2020 was postponed due to the global pandemic, Speedmaster's build team didn't pause. The work that had been underway for more than 12 months continued - not for a show deadline, but because the project demanded completion on its own terms.

The result is Obsidian: a one-off 1969 Chevrolet C10, engineered and hand-built to challenge how a truck of this era can be reimagined.

A Deliberate Choice

Speedmaster has earned 14 SEMA Awards over 10 years - a record unmatched in the show's 57-year history. Each build begins with a vehicle selection that resists the obvious.

The C10 was intentional. It carries less default appeal than a 1963 split-window Corvette or a 1969 Camaro, which is precisely the point.

"We engaged with a car that isn't as traditionally attractive as a split-window Vette or a '69 Camaro. But the C10 is a serious truck, and we needed to build something that matched that character." - Chris Hayes, Leader of the Car Build Department

Design as Engineering Input

Speedmaster partnered with Aidan Donald of Aidan's Design & Illustration to develop the Obsidian concept. The collaboration wasn't decorative - it was structural. Detailed illustration work allowed the team to explore forms that sit outside traditional sheet-metal fabrication.

"Getting someone as talented as Aidan on board allowed us to design beyond what's immediately possible with conventional methods. It pushes the build team to find new ways of executing hand-built bodywork." - Jason Kencevski, CEO

Forward: Applied Manufacturing

Obsidian marks an early step in Speedmaster's integration of additive manufacturing into vehicle builds. 3D printing already enables geometries that conventional fabrication cannot produce - from titanium components to complex articulated structures requiring no assembly joints.

"Being able to apply this technology to our industry opens a measured path forward - not just for Speedmaster, but for what's possible in automotive fabrication." - Jason Kencevski, CEO

The Obsidian project continues. When it surfaces publicly, it will represent not a moment of spectacle, but years of intentional, engineered work.

About Speedmaster

Founded in 1979, Speedmaster is a vertically integrated performance company delivering complete, engineered performance systems across engines, drivetrain, and forced induction. With more than 500 employees across three continents and over 25,000 parts designed, engineered, and manufactured in-house, Speedmaster operates as a unified brand built on engineering precision, long-term thinking, and measurable results. Learn more at speedmaster79.com.