Necessity is the mother of invention. This old proverb-ish statement also applies to business start-ups. Trent Van Arsdalen of Baltimore, Ohio was an automotive enthusiast and in 1989 when he took his Chevrolet S-10 into an upholstery shop, he got a cold shoulder. He was turned away because the shop “only did street rods.” Van Arsdalen didn’t let that stop him from continuing on with his project. He decided to give it a go himself.

Van Arsdalen ended up turning this unfortunate event into an opportunity to shine. Soon, Trent’s Trick Upholstery was born. In 1996, Van Arsdalen’s company joined the Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) and then in 2001 they debuted their very first SEMA Show Vehicle.

Since that fateful day, Trent’s Trick Upholstery has built many SEMA vehicles and modified and/or replaced countless interiors. The company has even designed and installed interiors for General Motors and other SEMA members.

The 2014 SEMA Show was a huge milestone for them. Trent’s Trick Upholstery signed on with A.R.E. Accessories to build a 2015 Ford F-150 specifically for the biggest automotive show of the year. The Extreme Sport Project Truck was awarded the top 10 Mothers Choice Award. This award is given to only the best of the best. Since the inaugural year of the award, the winners have been considered the most outstanding SEMA vehicles.

The project truck had many other sponsors and collaborators involved with it to create the final piece. Van Arsdalen’s work was a large part in bringing the entire ensemble together.