SEMA 2025: Samson Design’s Hauntingly Beautiful ’49 Pontiac

Few cars at the 2025 SEMA Show captured the essence of craftsmanship and creativity quite like the ’49 Pontiac “Nightmare.” Unveiled in the Meguiar’s booth, the car is the brainchild of Derek Samson, owner of Samson Design. Known for his seamless metalwork and design-forward builds, Samson created the Chieftain as a tribute to Pontiac’s legacy while pushing the boundaries of what a custom build can achieve.

The inspiration for “Nightmare” started with the roofline, which mimics the shape of the feathers found on the classic Pontiac Indian head emblem. That theme of motion and flow became the foundation for the car’s design language, weaving its way through every surface of the vehicle.

“We tried to use that Pontiac Indian head through the whole car,” Samson explained. “We wanted it sleek and clean, so we did it in black and polished it with Meguiar’s.”

A Showcase of Detail and Power

Under the hood, the ’49 Pontiac carries a fully polished and detailed 700-horsepower LSA supercharged engine paired with a 4L80 transmission and a custom handmade aluminum driveshaft. The setup feeds into a fully fabricated Currie rearend, completing a drivetrain that is as capable as it is beautiful.

To achieve its show-stopping finish, Samson Design went through a meticulous paint process, blocking the car three separate times and layering on 12 coats of clear. The car was then polished all the way to 5000 grit using Meguiar’s products, producing a mirror-like surface that reflects every bit of the detail work underneath.

Design in Harmony

What sets “Nightmare” apart is the cohesion between its body and interior. Every visible panel inside the car is finished in metal, painted, and polished just like the exterior. The interior continues the Indian head theme, featuring butterscotch and black leather with feather-like stitching patterns that flow seamlessly into the door panels. The hood ornament has been reimagined with an illuminated amber LED, tying together heritage and modern innovation.

Even the steering wheel and one-off Schott Wheels carry custom Pontiac Indian head designs, ensuring no element feels out of place. “We want the car to look like the whole thing was designed by one designer,” Samson said. That dedication to unified design and flawless execution defines the 1949 Pontiac “Nightmare,” a hauntingly beautiful vision of Pontiac perfection.