Andy Leach Wins 2023 SEMA Battle of the Builders With X-60 Buick Invicta
Andy Leach won the 10th anniversary SEMA Battle of the Builders competition with a 1960 Buick Invicta Custom “X-60” at the 2023 SEMA Show, show organizers announced.
It took nine years to build the Invicta out of his Cal Automotive Creations shop in Bennington, Nebraska, Leach said, as he worked to maintain the car’s original intentions, including details originally lost to budget constraints.
“I’m very honored to be the 2023 Battle of the Builders winner. It’s a dream come true. I’ve been chasing this award for nearly a decade,” said Leach. “The Buick was a labor of love, and I’m glad all our hard work and effort has been recognized, especially against all the stiff competition we faced. The Buick Invicta Custom ‘X-60’ embodies every inch of its potential and evokes emotions in the spirit of what this car stood for in 1960.”
Inspired by the Jet Age B-52 (or Boeing B-52 Stratofortress), the X60 Invicta features sleek lines perfected after countless hours of reengineering, Leach said, and its lines and bodywork are highlighted to give the illusion of driving fast and forward. Wedged sections are present only in the front of the car, giving it the look of running downhill. Its brass trim is CAD designed and precision machined, and its one-piece, precision-machined rear bumper delivers a refined and polished flow.
In designing the interior of the car, the goal was to keep the look and feel of the 1960 Buick, while elevating and polishing the visual experience, the builder said. The interior is built around the Invicta hardback bucket seats and center console, featuring custom logos and pockets. Custom-made pearlized leather and woven aircraft carpeting finish the interior.
The X60 Invicta is outfitted with the same factory-correct 401 Nailhead engine block found in the 1960 Buick. It features a crank-driven supercharger with custom-made bracketry for the blower, as well as power-steering, A/C and an alternator with a custom-made front drive.
Leach’s winning build will be featured in the SEMA: Battle of the Builders TV special that will air in January 2024 on the History Channel.
