2012 SEMA Scholarship Fund Charity Engine Auction Set

	Ed Pink Racing Engines' General Manager Frank Honsowetz with this year's engine block.

The SEMA Scholarship Committee has announced that it will once again be auctioning an engine on eBay in conjunction with the 2012 SEMA Show to benefit the SEMA Memorial Scholarship Fund (SMSF). Proceeds will help provide assistance to university, college and trade school students seeking careers in the automotive industry. There is also a Loan Forgiveness Program, wherein employees of SEMA-member firms can provide assistance in paying off student loans. Following in the footsteps of last year’s successful program, highly regarded Ed Pink Racing Engines (EPRE) of Van Nuys, California, will again be responsible for the build.

For 2012, the program has been significantly enhanced, as the winning bidder will have the engine custom built to their requirements from a variety of options. The program will again be spearheaded by long-time Scholarship Committee member Bill Holland of Holland Communications, who explained, “We’ll be opening the bidding for the engine during the SEMA Show and closing it in two weeks. The winning bidder will receive a packaged trip to Orlando, Florida, for the PRI Show (November 29–December 1) that includes airfare, lodging, ground transportation and full credentials. There, he or she will meet with Ed Pink and key EPRE staff to finalize the build. The engine can be set up for street or mild competition applications, depending on the compression, intake system, camshaft profile and other variables selected.”

Last year’s project saw a 347-cid small-block Ford built entirely with aftermarket parts supplied by SEMA- and Motorsports Parts Manufacturers Council (MPMC)-member firms. They included: ARP, ATI, Champion, COMP Cams, Crane Ignitions, Dart Machinery, Edelbrock, Fel-Pro, Hedman Hedders, Joe Gibbs Driven, Mahle, Manley Performance, Milodon, Moroso, Power Master, Scat, Speed Pro and Total Seal. Many of the firms that supported the project in 2011 are expected to return.

Details on the 2012 build will be forthcoming, with Dart starting things off by providing an SHP block and their new SHP aluminum cylinder heads for a small-block Chevrolet build. The sale will by conducted through Auction Cause on eBay. And, as the SMSF is a recognized 501(c)(3) charity, the winning bid can be tax deductible (check with your financial advisor).