SEMA News—August 2014
Restoration Products and Trends
New Introductions and Featured Parts From the 2013 SEMA Show
By Steve Campbell
The restoration marketplace includes not only matching-number renovations of classic cars and trucks but also original-appearing vehicles that have been updated with modern running gear and comfort features. The restomod projects encompass a large portion of the vehicles that many shops now build, but there is also an abundance of nostalgia and traditional projects that call for period- and OE-correct components. On the following pages, we’ve assembled a listing of the restoration parts that were featured in the New Products Showcase at the 2013 SEMA Show. Also included are comments about restoration market trends by professionals who manufacture, distribute or use many of the products found on these pages.
| VIEW ALL OF THE RESTORATION PRODUCTS AND PROFESSIONAL COMMENTS FROM THE 2013 SEMA SHOW ON PDF |
A stick-on numerical pad designed to be installed on the interior side of a glass windshield for use in locking or unlocking door-lock systems or operating other accessories by touching a proprietary code on the numerical pad from the exterior side of the windshield/vehicle. |
Del City says that Marinco’s spotlights are the most versatile and durable spotlights on the market. They are designed for harsh environments and are tested for moisture, salt, shock and vibration. The lights have micro-touch pointing accuracy with a 370-degree sweep rotation. | |
Woven, self-wrap wire loom is a flexible braided sleeving that provides superior protection against abrasion of wires, cable and cords. The overlap ensures complete protection of sensitive wiring systems. |
Metri-Pack tangless terminal and seal kits provide all the essential MetriPack 280 male and female terminals, seals and cavity plugs. | |
Del City’s Fusion battery terminals and lugs are the next generation of their kind. The premium line is said to offer strength that is twice that of typical crimp or compression connectors. They provide efficient power connections for applications in automotive, heavy trucking, construction, marine and agriculture. |
Two new complete wiring systems made specifically for ’60–’65 Falcons and Comets. Headlight/dimmer/ignition switches are included. New ATO-style fuse panel is | |
This is a beautiful reproduction of the ’79 Corvette gas-lid emblem. Manufactured in the correct zinc die-cast material, beautifully chrome plated and painted with the correct colors, it fits the original gas lid with the correct mounting studs. |
American Autowire’s most powerful and versatile wiring system in a modular panel system. Designed to handle power demands of upgrades such as electric fans, A/C, most gauge combinations, aftermarket steering columns, updated powertrain combos, etc. Headlight/dimmer/ignition switches are included along with a gauge-disconnect system and 175-amp megafuse protection. | |
Complete replacement carpet kit with snaps, All factory cut-outs. Installs in minutes. No seat removal required. No tools required. Full pad kit available. Accessory storage-box lid cover available. Custom-cut floor mats available. |
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It’s a lot easier to restore a ’75 Camaro than it is to restore a ’75 Bricklin, for instance. Internet searches mean you no longer have to go to Carlisle, Pennsylvania, to get every component or flip through massive print publications looking for tiny classified advertisements and hoping that a part is still available. The Internet has also been a huge boon for restoration companies. Retailers such as LMC Truck, Ecklers and Auto Metal Direct can have their entire catalogs online now. The biggest challenge—and SEMA addresses it very well—is educating politicians about the industry. They don’t see any harm in introducing higher percentages of ethanol into our gasoline, which can damage the engines of classic vehicles. It’s a case of getting politicians to not stick their fingers into areas that they don’t know and getting them to understand that not every car on the road rolled out of the factory in the last five years. Some of us want to preserve, drive and enjoy the classics. —Dan Woods |
As far as trends, most people modify their cars on some scale, whether it’s a full-tilt build or just putting on wheels and tires and better brakes. For instance, current trends include Pro-Touring cars with modern wheel sizes—17, 18 and 20 in.—in vintage designs such as Magnums, MOPAR Rallyes and Chevy Rallys. The real challenge is the economy that has put a crunch on the automotive aftermarket. I don’t look for it to come back in force until other things change, such as housing and the banking industry. We’re seeing some positive signs here and there, but by and large, the racing industry—the true racer—is way down. That’s ancillary income given away, so there is a big hole there. —David Gravley | |
Impostor-series wheel skins are said to be the quickest, easiest and most economical way to chrome OEM wheels. Impostor-series wheel skins are specific to each application and wheel and install directly over the face of the wheel. |
CRC component Corvette. Custom body panels made from carbon fiber to replicate ’58–’67 Corvettes. The body panels are installed on a customer’s newer Corvette (’98–’13). | |
LKQ Corp.
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Custom ’58 Corvette hubcap wheel with whitewall. Available in 18, 19 and 20 in. Fits C5 and C6 Corvettes. | |
Add character to a Dana 44 axle with this aggressive, patent-pending tread-design |
2K Rat Rod matte-black aerosol allows the user to paint with the durability and precision of a two-component coating without a paint gun. Formulated with Eastwood’s proprietary nano ceramic technology to provide a long-lasting and durable finish. Sprays like a gun with a broader pattern than conventional aerosols and no mess to clean up. | |
Dupli-Color carbon-fiber kit is a two-can |
Fabricating compound curves in metal work pieces is easier when done on Eastwood’s bench-top English wheel. For metal fabrication of auto panels and general metal-shaping, the bench-top English wheel helps the user easily and efficiently shrink, stretch and custom-form shapes in up to 16-gauge steel. Features a 20-in. throat and an 18-in. internal height. | |
It’s sad to see street rods bringing more money than a quality restoration, but to each his own. I just prefer drivable, dependable cars and no trailer queens, and I hate to see a good original getting cut up. I like ’60s and ’70s classic musclecars. One of the most significant hurdles for the restoration segment is the cost of painting a car and finding somewhere to do it. It’s hard to move to a new place without costing a fortune, and local governments don’t want painting facilities around. I would like to see more businesses start using U.S. companies to make quality products. It takes just as much time to make a bad piece as it does to make a quality one. Quality restorers will pay a premium for U.S.-made parts because they see the value in them. —Donald Hess Jr. |
Still, my biggest concern is about the next generation getting into the restoration market. How do we attract young people? A lot of them want it now, and many of these older applications take a lot of work and a lot of patience to restore. When I talk with other businesses in the industry, we find that many younger people who are 16, 17 or 18 don’t even have a driver’s license yet. That puzzles me, but it may be that these kids have other ways to communicate, so is there no need for a car? —Marshall Giorgi | |
Legendary Auto Interiors Ltd.
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Lloyd Mats offers classic Ford trademarks on its wide range of custom-fit carpet floor-mat products. Five carpet materials offer a choice for every need and budget. Restored and | |
Legendary Auto Interiors Ltd.
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Del City says that Marinco’s spotlights are the most versatile and durable spotlights on the market. They are designed for harsh environments and are tested for moisture, salt, shock and vibration. The lights have micro-touch pointing accuracy with a 370-degree sweep rotation. | |
Morris Classic Concepts LLC
| Newark Auto Products
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Reproduction dash gauges for ’69–’71 Corvette models. The set includes the speedometer (PN 6492696) with a push-on-type cable end (without speed warning), 6,500 redline tachometer (PN 6468712A) and clock (PN 6262640A) as well as fuel (PN 6431617A), oil (PN 6462928A), temp (PN 6490857A) and ammeter (PN 6473859A) gauges. Pre-calibrated and ready to install. |
Reproduction complete grille assembly for ’71–’72 Duster 340 models. Set includes grille, upper and lower grille moldings, molding retaining clips, parking-lamp lenses, pigtails and gaskets. Headlamp bezels sold separately. | |
Custom die-cast air-cleaner emblem kit features engine size, horsepower rating and correctly painted crossed flags with a superb, chrome-plated finish. As shown, this set includes 396 flag emblem (PN 3874908) and Turbo Jet 375 emblem (PN 3874912). Other choices available include engine sizes 427, 454 and 502 and horsepower 400, 425 and 450. |
Reproduction dash gauges for ’68 Chevelle models. This set includes speedometer (without speed warning, PN 6492545) and instrument cluster (PN 6481543), which includes a clock with fuel, oil, temp and battery gauges. | |
Dual electric fan and shroud assembly featuring SPAL 13-in., 1,770-cfm fans and brushed-aluminum shroud with high-speed, ram-air bypass flaps. Designed to fit ’68–’72 GM A-body cars such as Chevelles, GTOs, Lemans, Tempests, Skylarks, 442s, Cutlasses and other vehicles with cross-flow radiator core size of 203/4 in wide by 17 in. tall. |
The display is shaped to simulate a miniature hot-rod dash with single and dual aluminum framed louvers installed. Unique design has the larger dual louver mounted in center of dash, with the side louvers mounted both horizontally and vertically so customers can visually imagine how the louvers would look when installed in their vehicles. | |
Parts Unlimited Inc. (PUI)
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AcoustiHood underhood cover and insulation shield kits protect and dress up the underside of the hood of popular Ford, General Motors and MOPAR cars and trucks. Specific to year, make and model and ready to install. Smooth covers for restoration and 3D molded graphics for custom vehicles. Officially licensed products through Ford, GM and MOPAR. | |
At PUI, that’s driving the need for soft goods—seat covers, door panels and headliners. At TrimParts, it’s driving items such as emblems and weather stripping. But even though later models are becoming more popular, the amount of product that we’re selling for the typical classic car remains strong. That’s an indication to me that people are still finding older cars or they’re buying someone else’s project and redoing it. We’re expanding our product range and our model range in manufacturing, and we’re getting more heavily involved in Mopar products. We recently acquired the assets of First Place Auto Products, which specialized in Mopar and Ford products, so we’re expanding in those two markets. As technology has grown in the manufacturing side, producing tooling and patterns has benefited us with increased quality as well as time to market. It has sped up our timeframe. —Jim Pennekamp |
The biggest hurdle that concerns me is the onslaught of lesser-quality parts being introduced by competitors for the sake of a quick buck, with no concern for the near-future happiness and satisfaction of the customer. If we could all realize that there is plenty of profit and growth available for everyone if we give customers what they expect and deserve, the entire industry would realize growth beyond most people’s expectations. This industry offers the opportunity for true entrepreneurs to start and build their own businesses doing something that they love and have a passion for. People will always restore American classic cars, and the cars will always make money or hold their value. —Steve Brown |
AutoTrickz
Del City
Del City
Del City
Del City
American Autowire
TrimParts Inc.
American Autowire
Auto Custom Carpets Inc.
Newer cars are becoming more attractive in the restoration market. One of the things that makes those vehicles more popular is accessibility of parts. 
Technology has changed the world. The Internet allows consumers to shop at levels they’ve never been able to before, and data manipulation is much larger scaled now so that you can add product much quicker. However, there are also a lot of small Internet retailers now selling product at unprofitable prices. As a two- and three-step distribution retailer dealing with these Internet companies operating on tiny margins, we have to make ourselves manufacturers in as many instances as possible in order to gain the margins that we need.
LKQ Corp.
Classic Reflection Coachworks
CCI grille overlays instantly upgrade and transform OEM grilles. Each CCI grille overlay literally snaps into place over the OEM grille, making installation quick and easy.
Classic Reflection Coachworks
Drake Automotive Group
Eastwood Co.
Dupli-Color/VHT
Station wagons and deliveries are trending up because they are less expensive to start with, and rat rods are also becoming popular, though I personally don’t like them because they can be very unsafe and I have a weird thing about bad art (LOL). 
This electronic heater valve is infinitely adjustable to control heater temperature by adjusting coolant flow through the heater core. When the valve is closed, coolant bypasses the heater core to reduce excess heat inside the vehicle. Kit includes bypass heater valve with electronic servo motor, wiring harness and rotary switch.
Available in factory-correct grains and colors, these upper door pads feature original stamped metal cores with industry-first roll-formed ends to provide proper fit and durability. Complete sets include OEM window sweeps, door-lock ferrules and licensed Charger medallions. Upholstery and lower door panels also available.
Lloyd Mats
Available in factory-correct grains and colors, these panels feature stamped metal upper rails with industry-first roll-formed ends to provide proper fit and durability. OEM window sweeps and door-lock ferrules combined with correct cutouts and contours to deliver the quality expected from Legendary. Matching upholstery also available.
Australia-compliant three-point retractable seatbelts for ’66–’73 musclecars, including GM, Mustang and MOPAR. Front belts mount in the stock factory mounting locations. Tags have the E4, AS2596 coding, and the buckles have the red press. There are 30 color choices to choose from. Australia-compliant lap belts and rear three-point belts are also available.
Molded rubber replacement mat custom made for ’76–’79 CJ5/CJ7. Also available for other makes and models. Minimum order of 10 units required for some applications.
Classic Industries/OER
Classic Industries/OER
Classic Industries/OER
Classic Industries/OER
Old Air Products
Old Air Products
New, original-style replacement door-pull straps for ’85–’87 Buick GN/Regal/T-Type models. Dielectrically sealed, color-matched vinyl with spring-steel reinforcement.
Quiet Ride Solutions
Later-model cars are starting to gain in popularity. Typical classic cars are getting more expensive and harder to find. That’s driving enthusiasts to more affordable and more readily available vehicles. On the General Motors side, that would be the ’78–’88 G-body cars that are easily modified. Performance and suspension components for them are also becoming more available. 
Though there is still a very respectable amount of original restorations being done, the trend is definitely strongly leaning to resto rods with tons of modern safety and comfort upgrades, and modern manufacturing technologies have opened opportunities to improve manufacturing speed, quality, cost and capabilities. For Danchuk, the entire marketplace seems to have grown, thanks in large part to the popularity of the Tri-Five Chevys and the addition of quality parts such as made-in-the-U.S.A. stainless trim and sheetmetal replacement panels that have enabled many swamp find wrecks to be completely restored rather than being destroyed or used for a few original parts.
