Metal, Muscle & Mastery: Inside SEMA’s Battle of the Builders 2025
November 12, 2025
THE AUTO BUILDER
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Smooth Trails Ahead: Installing Skyjacker’s Slip Yoke Eliminator Kit for Your Jeep Wrangler TJ
Upgrading your Jeep for better off-road adventures sounds awesome, but sometimes it can cause unexpected problems. For example, when you install a Skyjacker Rock Ready-Double Flex Suspension Kit, you might notice your Jeep vibrating more than usual. That’s because the lift can mess with how the transfer case and rear axle line up. Luckily, Skyjacker has a solution called the Slip Yoke Eliminator (SYE) kit. It not only stops the vibrations but also makes your Jeep’s drive shaft stronger. In this guide, we’ll walk you through installing the NP 231 Short Shaft “Fixed Yoke” Kit. We’ll cover everything from the tools you need to important things to think about before you start. So, if you’re eager to boost your Jeep’s performance, keep reading to learn how Skyjacker can help.
Dress Up Your 496
There’s no denying that the MerCruiser 496 has been a success. But no one is claiming that it’s a sexy beast. The plastic engine cover has been referred to as a George Foreman Grill or a turtle back. Vortech Engineering thought it could help out in the visual area, and the company’s new dress-up kit is a big improvement.
Included in the kit is a Vortech flame arrestor as well as a new polished billet engine cover that transforms the look of the 496. Maveric Marine had a 25-foot Cole in the shop that was darn good-looking, but the owner hated the black plastic engine cover. As soon as Maveric owner Eric Bortman heard about the new Vortech kit, he made plans to install one.
New Love for the Step Child
Ford fans will always have a soft spot in their blue-oval hearts for the Windsor, the Cleveland and the big 460 FE engines—and deservedly so. If you’ve ever crawled a junkyard for one of these engines, you’ve likely passed over more than a few 351M and 400 engines to find what you are looking for. Poor factory numbers and bad word-of-mouth have made these cousins to the mighty Cleveland about as wanted as poison ivy at a nudist colony, but there is power to be found in those engines—and cheap, too.
Spotlighter
Detroit Foxbody Crew Brings the Heat to the 2025 Autorama
From restorations to high-horsepower beasts, this Foxbody squad proves the legacy is alive and kicking.
The Detroit Autorama—America’s Greatest Hot Rod Show—once again delivered the goods, and this year, the Detroit Foxbody Car Club rolled in strong. If you were there, you know. If you weren’t, well, you missed one hell of a display from a crew that knows how to build, drive, and talk Fox Bodies like nobody else.
Author
The Auto Builder Staff
Photography by Julie & John Aschenberg
The Foxbody Takeover
For those not in the know, the Fox Body Mustang (1979-1993) is one of the most beloved platforms in the muscle car world. It’s light, it’s fast, and it takes mods like a champ. The Detroit Foxbody Car Club came to Autorama ready to prove exactly that, filling their display with everything from factory-correct restorations to wild, high-horsepower builds. Every car had a story, and every owner had grease under their nails to back it up.
More Than Just a Club
Car clubs come and go, but the Detroit Foxbody Car Club is the real deal. They aren’t just weekend warriors showing up for a few parking lot meets; they’re wrenching on cars together, helping each other track down impossible-to-find parts, and hitting the streets every chance they get. That’s what makes this group special—it’s not just about owning a Fox Body, it’s about living the lifestyle.
What’s Next?
Autorama might be in the rearview mirror, but the Detroit Foxbody Car Club isn’t slowing down. More meets, more cruises, more shows—you name it, they’re in. If you’ve got a Fox and want to roll with a crew that gets it, find them on Facebook. They’re always welcoming new members who share the same love for these cars.
The 2025 Detroit Autorama was a killer show, and the Detroit Foxbody Car Club left a serious mark. If you didn’t catch them this time, don’t worry—you’ll hear them coming at the next big event. The Fox Body legacy is alive and well, and this crew is making sure it stays that way.
ARTICLE SOURCES
Detroit Foxbodys
Detroit Foxbody's ia a private Facebook Group for locals to share advice, buy/trade parts, help one another with builds. Their aim is to put together the largest and baddest foxbody group in Detroit and the metro area.
