With SEMA days away, the Speedmaster Daytona Coupe moved from concept to near-completion - a build driven by Speedmaster General Manager Jay Verduzco and Lead Technician Gerald Lair, working against a fixed deadline to deliver the car to Las Vegas.

The Build at a Glance

The chassis was close to final, with brakes and fuel system complete. What remained: wiring harness routing, engine system finishing, and body fitment. The body had been sprayed with guide coat - a step that ensures straight surfaces before primer and colour are applied.

Hood fitment fell to the team at First Street Collision Center in Rialto, California, who had a ten-day window to fit and finish the body to show standard.

Every Component, One Source

The 347 c.i. Ford small block at the centre of this build was assembled entirely from Speedmaster components - engine, drivetrain, and accessories. The Daytona Coupe served as a working demonstration of what a vertically integrated product line makes possible when applied to a single platform.

A New Direction: Turnkey Vehicles

The build originated with Speedmaster owner Jason Kencevski, who saw the Daytona Coupe as more than a show car. It was a proof of concept for a new product category - complete, turnkey vehicles assembled with Speedmaster engine, drivetrain, and accessory systems.

"While the Daytona Coupe is a great platform to show the diversity of our products, we have customers who would love to have complete cars assembled with our engine, drivetrain and accessory products. On the heels of this build, we are planning to offer other vehicles including GT40's and '33 Fords. To that end we have dedicated another section of our warehouse exclusively for the construction of vehicles built to individual customer requirements." - Jay Verduzco, General Manager

SEMA 2017

The completed Daytona Coupe was on display at the Speedmaster booth, Central Hall #20735, at the SEMA Show in Las Vegas from October 31 through November 3, 2017.

Credits: Power and Performance News. Words and Photos: Cam Benty.