SEMA 2025: The SS Monte Mino Stole The Show

There is a lot to see at SEMA. The events, the new products, the seminars, the world-class builds… There is literally a story on every corner. That said, even the most experienced car enthusiasts will sometimes find themselves just stopping to stare. That’s exactly what happened when we walked up on the corner of the HornBlasters display and first laid eyes on this car: the SS Monte Mino. 

A Vision Three Cars And Three Years In The Making

The result of what happens when an exceptionally talented fabricator and avid Chevy collector wants to combine an El Camino, a Monte Carlo, and a Corvette, the SS Monte Mino was easily one of the most stunning debuts at SEMA 2025. To be exact, the car fuses a 1979 El Camino with a G-body Monte Carlo SS and a sixth-generation Corvette. As you can probably tell, that amalgamation of bowties has also been enhanced by years of customization. 

The sixth-generation Corvette provides an excellent foundation for almost any build, and it was wisely chosen to donate its chassis, drivetrain, and electrical components to the SS Monte Mino. But it wasn’t a straight swap, as builder Matt Mcentegart did tweak a few key aspects of the C6. In addition to extending the car’s torque tube by a foot, he extended its swing arms by a foot, moved its rear K-member back by a foot, and relocated its shocks to make room for a full air ride system. 

Next up, the ‘79 El Camino. While Matt didn’t have to cut the bed floor to make the car lay roker, he did cut the inner fenders and slice a substantial bit of quarter metal to fit 24×14-inch Amani Forged wheels. Those are custom to this build, by the way. The main purpose for building a ‘79 El Camino as opposed to a 1980s El Camino was to preserve that graceful A-Body roofline–a detail that we agree really adds visual appeal to SS Monte Mino’s world-class profile.

The Monte Carlo SS donated doors and front fenders, which bolted right up. When it came time to mock up the SS Monte Mino’s front-clip, Matt decided to go completely custom. In his words: “love the Monte Carlo bodylines but can’t stand the long front end. So, I’ll make my own nose.” The car’s shortened ‘shark nose’, an obvious nod to some of the best Chevys of all time, is, with the exception of its grille, forged carbon fiber. The same goes for the front spoiler and widebody fender extensions, which ultimately equip the SS Monte Mino with an 8-foot-wide track.

Out back, a custom forged carbon fiber tailgate, tilted forward two inches, hangs between a custom forged carbon fiber diffuser, Monte Carlo SS taillights, and a custom forged carbon fiber wing. The playfully named yacht vents on the quarters are, you guessed it, forged carbon fiber. Oh, and those quarters were artfully stretched with sections from a second pair of Monte Carlo SS doors. The uncut bed features custom toolbox fenderwells, and while Matt originally sprayed the car Matte Black, he thought better of it and resprayed everything in traditional Monte Carlo SS Maroon. We’d venture a guess that this version of that paint has a lot more flake. But the SS Monte Mino’s pigment, Maroon-candied carbon fiber, and custom, retro-chic decals certainly take us right back to the glory of the 1980s.

Style And Substance

Pop the hood and you’ll find a Cherry Red LS3 that bucks the annoying trend of 1,200 hp forced induction cars that seems to be dominating both the internet and SEMA as of late. That hood is a fully custom forged carbon piece that features a 4-inch reversed cowl. The LS3 wears 7-inch stacks on top of a Redux Racing Individual Throttle Body (ITB) intake.

Between the doors, a custom, leather-wrapped dash, its base donated from the Corvette, manifests as an exaggerated version of the dash found in the G-body Monte Carlo SS. 1985 Toyota Supra seats wear supple Moore & Giles leather under a stylish plaid headliner and tasteful plaid inserts. Naturally, the SS Monte Mino’s Cherry Red bed matches its Cherry Red chassis and engine. 

Matt jokes that he originally wanted to build the car to win the Hot Wheels Legends Tour. We think SEMA was an even better venue, as the car was turning heads and stopping traffic every time we passed by it.

Built entirely in his own shop, right down to the line, Matt Mcentegart’s SS Monte Mino isn’t just another custom; it’s a handcrafted masterpiece that defies categories. Equal parts El Camino utility, Monte Carlo attitude, and Corvette performance, this fusion of Chevy legends proves that imagination and skill still rule the garage. From its extensive carbon work and custom interior to its Cherry Red LS3, every inch reflects precision, passion, and personality. Matt even carried the last few components onto the plane with him to make sure the build debuted exactly as intended. In a sea of incredible SEMA creations, the SS Monte Mino didn’t just stand out. It stole the show!