Boy Paid $900 For A 1965 Ford Falcon At Age 12, And Now At 21 He Is Giving Away A Custom Subaru Impreza At The SEMA Show

When Dillon Houck was 12, he paid a neighbor $900 for a 1965 Ford Falcon. Now he is 21, and he plans to give away a custom 2001 Subaru Impreza 2.5 RS at the SEMA Show in Las Vegas.

Blue Subaru Impreza sedan driving along a tree-lined road

The reveal happens on Friday, November 6, 2026, with a live stream on his Instagram starting at 9 a.m. Pacific.

Report: THE SHOP

A $900 Falcon In His Grandmother’s Garage

Houck bought the Falcon from a neighbor in 2017. He and his father, Chad Houck, began stripping it in his grandmother’s garage, aiming to finish it for his senior year in five years.

That first car became the heart of his career in the custom car world.

A Last Minute Invitation To SEMA In 2023

In 2023, OPTIMA Batteries offered Houck a feature spot just two months before the show. The Falcon sat on the ramp in Central Hall with a modified original inline-six, split headers and true dual exhaust.

The suspension, transmission and rear end stayed stock. The paint was two-tone Champagne over Bonneville Black Cherry.

A Porsche Cayenne Overlander In 2024

In 2024, Houck showed a highly customized 2015 Porsche Cayenne Overlander for WARN Industries. The build involved more than 40 brands, and it was entered in the Young Guns category of the SEMA Battle of the Builders.

It also appeared on the cover of TREAD magazine’s March 2025 issue.

A Taurus SHO Engine In A Falcon

In 2025, the Falcon came back as Project SHO-OFF. It housed a 1991 Ford Taurus SHO 24-valve DOHC V-6 with a ProCharger supercharger and full Holley EFI controls.

The engine was mounted longitudinally with a TREMEC T-5 transmission for rear-wheel drive. A shop called OSH Cut fabricated 108 custom parts for the car, and Houck says the setup is a world first for a SHO engine.

Now He Is Giving Away An Impreza

Prismatic Powders proposed a 2026 social media collaboration, and Houck suggested a giveaway build to thank the aftermarket community that supported him.

The Subaru was built mainly in his home garage with help from his father and Harmon Keep, a certified mechanic and former high school chemistry lab partner.

Houck tested the car in four autocross events. It ran in original condition at the first event and was fully mechanically completed by the fourth. He sums it up this way: “It’s fun to drive now.”

How To Enter The Giveaway

To enter, follow Houck on Instagram or YouTube. Following both earns two entries.

The winner will be selected and notified shortly before the show. At the reveal, Houck will remove the car cover and hand over the keys.

What Comes Next

The ’65 Falcon will be one of eight content creator vehicles in the new SEMA Content Creator Corral, in booth 90000 in North Hall.

In 2027, Houck plans to drive the Falcon in the OPTIMA Ultimate Street Car Invitational. Future projects include two ’60s vans, his ’95 F-350 tow rig and a ’73 C600 cabover he wants to convert into a car hauler.

What Is On The Subaru

The Impreza rides on 17-inch Motegi Traklite wheels wrapped in Toyo Proxes Sport R tires, a 200-treadwear autocross tire. Bilstein coilovers, Whiteline sway bars and bushings handle the suspension.

Carbon-fiber pieces from Seibon cover the hood, trunk, front fenders and wing. A MagnaFlow stainless exhaust, an Exedy clutch with a lightweight flywheel and a short-shifter kit round out the mechanical upgrades.

The interior gets yellow plaid upholstery, a flocked dash, custom gauges and even neon underglow. It is a loud, playful build with a serious setup underneath.

Why A Build Like This Has A Giveaway

Houck says the giveaway is a way to thank the aftermarket community that supported him when he was a young builder. Many of the parts on the car came from companies that backed him over the years.

The idea of giving a finished car to a fan is a big step. Most builders keep their cars, but a giveaway puts the car in the hands of someone who will enjoy it.

What Is Autocross, And Why Does It Matter?

Autocross is a timed driving event on a course marked out with cones in a parking lot or open space. Drivers run one at a time and try for the fastest lap.

Speeds are low, and cars are lightly stressed, so it is one of the safest and cheapest ways to learn how a car handles. Anyone with a street car, a helmet and an entry fee can try it.

It also works as a test bench for builders. Houck ran his Impreza in four events, improving it between each one.

What Young Builders Can Learn From His Path

Start small. A $900 car is not glamorous, but it teaches basic skills like wrenching, welding and wiring that you carry for life.

Work with family and friends. Houck credits his father and a friend for help, and a shared garage is a great classroom.

Document your work. Photos, notes and videos build a record that helps you share your ideas and find supporters.

Ask for help. Many builders are glad to mentor a young person who shows effort and curiosity.

Stay safe. Use jack stands, eye protection, gloves and a fire extinguisher, and learn the right way to weld and cut before you try big jobs.

Keep your budget realistic. Parts add up quickly, and a plan prevents a project from stalling halfway.

The story shows that big dreams can start with a small purchase and a lot of stubborn effort.

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