21-Year-Old Builder To Give Away Custom Subaru Impreza 2.5 RS at SEMA Show

At this year’s SEMA Show, 21-year-old Dillon Houck will be giving away a custom 2001 Subaru Impreza 2.5 RS. The idea began when Prismatic Powders contacted Houck to propose a social media collaboration for 2026. In response, Houck suggested a giveaway build as a thank you to the automotive aftermarket community that has supported him at such a young age. Prismatic Powders agreed, and Houck began planning the project and contacting partners from his previous builds.

“We decided to work with Dillon because of his passion for the automotive community and the time, quality and attention to detail he puts into every video,” said Luis Alvarado from NIC Industries, parent company of Cerakote and Prismatic Powders. “Whether he’s reviewing a product, showcasing a build or highlighting a product, he always does a great job telling the story. Over the past few years, it’s been great getting to know him and working together on projects that bring people together around cars. We’re excited to partner with him again for the Subaru giveaway and can’t wait for everyone to see the finished build.”

Houck hopes that by giving away the car, he can ignite the fire in other young enthusiasts to pursue their own passions building custom vehicles. In addition, he wants to bring attention to the brands that have helped him get to where he is today.

“I have experienced such a warm welcome into the automotive world at such a young age,” Houck said. “It only felt right that I try to pay that forward. If I can take the relationships I have made and turn those connections into an opportunity for another passionate person, why would I not welcome somebody new into the ring, just as I was a few years ago?”

Where It All Began: The 1965 Ford Falcon

Houck’s first car was a 1965 Ford Falcon that he bought for $900 from his neighbor when he was just 12 years old in 2017. Dillon and his father, Chad Houck, began stripping the car in his grandmother’s garage with the plan to have the car ready for Dillon’s senior year in five years.

Two months out from the 2023 SEMA Show, OPTIMA Batteries had a last-minute feature vehicle back out, so the company offered the spot to Houck to showcase his custom ’65 Falcon, without telling him the spot was on the ramp in Central Hall. Houck immediately began reaching out to vendors to help him upfit the car beyond his original budget to get it ready for the show.

The final car featured the original inline-6, modified in ’60s style with Clifford Performance parts, split headers and true dual exhaust (suspension, transmission and rear end remained stock). The interior was fully custom, and the exterior was a two-tone Champagne over Bonneville Black Cherry. The engine bay was featured in HOT ROD’s “Hot Engine Bay Gallery From the 2023 SEMA Show.”

Back to SEMA

Houck returned to the 2024 SEMA Show with a highly customized 2015 Porsche Cayenne Overlander, this time as a featured vehicle for WARN Industries. Placed just outside the main entrance that year, the build was the result of a collaboration with over 40 brands, and Houck entered the car in the Young Guns category in the SEMA Battle of the Builders. The build was featured on the cover of the March 2025 issue of TREAD magazine.

After two successful SEMA Shows, Houck began focusing on content creation based on the partnerships he had created during his first two builds.

For last year’s show, Houck brought back the ’65 Falcon, but this time as “Project SHO-OFF” sponsored by OSH Cut, which custom-fabricated 108 parts for the car and displayed it in its booth in Central Hall. The build featured a 1991 Ford Taurus SHO 24-valve DOHC V-6 upfitted with a ProCharger supercharger and full Holley EFI controls, both of which Houck says are world-firsts for a SHO engine. Originally a transverse, front-wheel-drive powerplant, the engine was mounted longitudinally and paired with a TREMEC T-5 transmission in a rear-wheel-drive configuration.

The 2001 Subaru Impreza 2.5 RS: Building & Testing

The bulk of the Subaru Impreza build was completed in Houck’s home garage with help from Chad and Houck’s high school chemistry lab partner, Harmon Keep, now a certified mechanic. This included the original bodywork, all suspension and bushing work and base paint. Initial chassis cleanup, interior, final paint and exhaust were handled by local friends and craftsmen.

Houck entered the Subaru in autocross competitions to test the car throughout the build process. In the first event, he drove the car in its original condition, but it was completed mechanically by the fourth and final event.

“It was a night-and-day difference from where we started, and with the new Toyos (tires) on, it felt more like a go-kart—kinda playful and way better than I honestly thought it was going to turn out on Day One,” Houck said. “It’s fun to drive now.”

Build Partners, Sponsors & Specs

Here’s a full list of the partners that Houck worked with for the custom 2001 Subaru Impreza 2.5 RS, and what they contributed to the build:

• Prismatic Powders and Cerakote — extensive coatings throughout the suspension, engine and wheels; SEMA Show space, travel and the winner’s ticket to Las Vegas
• LIQUI MOLY — lubricants and oils; travel sponsor
• Dynamat — sound deadening; travel sponsor
• K&N Engineering — intake air filter
• Whiteline — suspension components, sway bars and performance bushings
• Bilstein — B16 (PSS9) coil-overs
• Overtake USA — Hi-Lift Hood Strut Kit
• KEFA KOLOR — Kandy and clearcoat paint products
• Rev-Tec — 3D-printed titanium hood hinges and camera mount
• Toyo Tires — Proxes Sport R 200-treadwear autocross tires
• Motegi Racing, a Hoonigan brand — 17-inch Traklite wheels
• R1 Concepts — rotors and pads, paired with custom-coated Subaru calipers
• Sullivan Racing Products — pedals
• L&D Solutions — re-webbed seat belts
• Keyston Bros. — yellow plaid upholstery materials used throughout
• Zealous Interiors — carpet
• Trekker — custom floor mats
• MagnaFlow — SS exhaust
• 6OC — race door cards and rear package tray
• Flock It! — flocked dash and interior components
• Gaugefaces.com — custom gauges
• Exedy — Stage 1 clutch and lightweight flywheel
• CVF Racing — billet pulleys
• DC Power — custom alternator
• StreetGlow — the original neon underglow made famous by “The Fast and the Furious”
• Kartboy — short-shifter kit, battery tie-downs and engine accessories
• OPTIMA Batteries — YellowTop battery
• Hero Covers — custom car cover

Additional help provided by:

• Seibon Carbon — carbon fiber hood, trunk, front fenders and wing
• Company23 — specialty tools
• The Eastwood Company
• Mac’s Custom Tie-Downs
• Race Ramps

Local shops and craftsmen:

• Heritage Stitch & Co. — interior
• Johnson Auto Body (Idaho) — application of KEFA KOLOR Kandy paint
• Hub Cap Annie — powder-coating and Cerakote application
• Wunderbuilt Fabrication — exhaust fabrication and TIG welding
• Sanoblast Restoration — dry ice blasting
• Harmon Keep — wiring and mechanical assistance
• Wrap Matrix — livery and decal work

“What stood out to us about Dillon from the beginning was his genuine passion for the automotive industry and the energy he brings to everything he does,” said Jolin Sampaga, social media and partnerships manager for LIQUI MOLY USA. “It’s truly impressive at his young age and early stages of his career that he has already made a meaningful impact on the enthusiast community through his creativity, professionalism and commitment to keeping that community thriving. Over the past few years, it’s been a pleasure working with someone who is always willing to bring fresh ideas to the table and find new ways to make our partnership grow. Dillon brings a lot to this industry already, and we’re excited to see what the future holds for him.”

2001 Subaru Impreza 2.5 RS Giveaway Details

To enter for a chance to win the custom Impreza, follow Houck on Instagram or YouTube. Entrants who follow both channels will receive two entries into the contest.

The winner will be selected and notified just before the SEMA Show and will be announced to the public at SEMA on Friday, Nov. 6, via a live stream on Houck’s Instagram feed starting at 9 a.m. PT. During the broadcast, Houck will peel back the Hero Covers car cover of the custom 2001 Subaru Impreza 2.5 RS for the reveal and hand the keys over to the new owner.

For more details, read the full contest rules here.

In addition to the 2001 Subaru Impreza 2.5 RS, Houck will also be bringing back the ’65 Falcon to SEMA 2026. It will be one of eight cars from content creators displayed in a new section called the SEMA Content Creator Corral in booth #90000 in North Hall.

What’s Next for Houck

For 2027, Houck says he plans to drive the Falcon in the OPTIMA Ultimate Street Car Invitational and try to earn his fifth trip to Las Vegas (and the Falcon’s fourth) differently—on the track. He also plans to continue to stay active in SEMA via SEMA Action and at DrivingForceAction.org.

When asked what his next build would be, Houck said, “There are several future builds planned, but the big question is when, because I want to spend some time behind the wheel, too. I’ve got a couple of ’60s vans to work with, my current ’95 F-350 tow rig and a ’73 C600 cabover I want to make into a car hauler, so we’ll see which one I dive into first.”