SEMA News—November 2020
INDUSTRY NEWS
Fast Facts
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Lubrication Specialties Inc. (LSI) initially hired Todd Cawley as its vice president of global sales to head a new initiative to capture market share in the lubricant and additive market abroad. LSI has since announced the immediate promotion of Cawley to president to head a new company division: LSI Chemical. Cawley, with a strong sales and technical background in the oil, fuel and lubricant business, contributed to the decision to develop an all-new division that will operate as a standalone unit with a focus of developing products utilizing LSI’s nano technology for new markets.
Dave Furst, the television sports director from WRTV Channel 6 in Indianapolis, was named NTT IndyCar Series vice president of communications. Furst, a native of Newburgh, Indiana, was with ABC-affiliate WRTV Channel 6 since 1997 and was promoted to the position of sports director in 2002. During his tenure, the station received several awards and nearly two dozen Emmys, many for its Trackside 6 coverage from Indianapolis Motor Speedway during the month of May. Furst also works with the Pennzoil IndyCar Radio Network.
R&R Marketing Consultants Inc. (RRMCI) was chosen by Magnuson Products LLC to provide sales and marketing services for the marine aftermarket for North America. RRMCI will also represent Magnuson in 10 states, including Arkansas, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma, North Dakota and South Dakota, and for all locations of Atech Motorsports/Summit Racing.
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Edelbrock appointed David Page as its new product manager for forced-induction products. In his new position, Page will coordinate the efforts of the Edelbrock team and its resources to grow the presence of the brand in the forced-induction market. Page brings more than three decades of hands-on and professional experience in the performance automotive aftermarket component industry. He spent the last 15 years with Comp Performance Group, holding several tech and sales titles that included his last position as technical training director.
APC Automotive Technologies LLC was named “Outstanding Vendor of the Year” by the Automotive Parts Services Group (The Group). The announcement was made during The Group’s 2020 “Together Towards Tomorrow” National Member Conference & Expo last week. The award recognizes APC Automotive Technologies as the organization’s most preferred vendor and was voted on by all Pronto and Federated members. It is the highest supplier-partner award given annually by The Group, which purchases all undercar product categories from APC Automotive Technologies (both brake and emissions components), with Centric Parts being the largest overall supplier by volume.
McLeod Racing announced the launch of a new and improved website. McLeod enlisted Admark to provide a technology-driven fresh look for its online presence. Celebrating 50 years of business in 2021, www.mcleodracing.com was ready for a total overhaul to better showcase all of the products McLeod carries, including the many new lines it has added. The new site provides a make/model/year search, a dealer locator, product reviews, a wish list and more.
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BorgWarner announced that Dr. Shaun E. McAlmont was named to its board of directors. Dr. McAlmont is the president of Career Learning Solutions at K12 Inc., a provider of online education programs, skills training and talent development. Before joining K12, Dr. McAlmont served as the president and CEO of Neumont College of Computer Science and was the CEO of Lincoln Educational Services, which includes the Lincoln Tech automotive training schools.
National Auto Parts Warehouse (NPW), a family-owned automotive aftermarket parts distributor with a nationwide presence, and Icahn Automotive Group LLC, which owns and operates Auto Plus and Pep Boys automotive retail and service locations, have announced that they have completed NPW’s acquisition of substantially all Auto Plus assets in Washington state and Oregon. The transaction includes two Pep Boys Parts retail store locations in Seattle but excludes Pep Boys automotive service centers. NPW will convert and rebrand the acquired Auto Plus and Pep Boys Parts retail locations as Auto Value parts stores. Icahn Automotive will continue to own and operate all of its service centers under the Pep Boys brand in Washington and Oregon.
Specialty Products Co. of Longmont, Colorado, announced the acquisition of Peterson Fluid Systems’ assets and team in Henderson, Colorado. Peterson manufactures high-end oil pumps, tanks, filters and associated plumbing along with fittings and accessories to meet the demands of Circle Track, drag, rally and any motorsports environment requiring performance and reliability.
Universal Technical Institute Inc. announced two additions to its executive leadership team. Bart Fesperman joined the company in the newly created role of senior vice president/chief commercial officer, while Sonia Mason was named senior vice president/chief human resources officer. Both report to Jerome Grant, UTI’s CEO. In his new role, Fesperman is accountable for UTI’s marketing and student recruitment functions and leads the company’s integrated approach to student engagement, with a focus on optimizing interactions with students from lead generation through graduation. As senior vice president/chief human recourses officer, Mason will lead UTI’s human resource function supporting all aspects of the business, including talent acquisition and management, succession planning, performance management, training and development, and compensation and benefits.
Idea Ranch announced a North American agency partnership with Australia-based Redarc Electronics. Redarc has more than 40 years’ experience developing a range of electronics for on- and off-road adventures. The products include voltage converters and inverters, 12V-to-12V battery chargers, power management systems, and brake controllers. Redarc Electronics adds to Idea Ranch’s growing portfolio in the outdoor vehicle and adventure sector market, joining Toyota, Yakima and B&W, among others.
After helping to establish Mahindra Automotive North America and being instrumental in developing a multinational powersports sales and service dealer network for the launch of the Mahindra Roxor off-road vehicle, Luc De Gaspe Beaubien elected to leave his position as vice president of business development to pursue other interests. Beaubien was a part of the senior management team at Mahindra Automotive North America and held multiple senior positions over the years.
’62–’67 Chevy II/Nova Coilover Kits
The New C8 Corvette Headers From American Racing Headers!
ALLDATA Shop Manager
High-performance bearings and seals!
The new Atturo Trail Blade MT Sport is a race-inspired extension of the Trail Blade M/T featuring new sizes and an alternate design borrowing from modifications done by Atturo’s short-course off-road teams.
Badass Workbench 2BAY
The new InVision Digital Dash System allows drivers to monitor the speedometer, tachometer, fuel level, oil pressure, water temperature and volts all in one place.
Badass Workbench 2X3 Corner Unit With Keyed Locks and Pegboard
Billet Connection is developing the future of oil filtration with its patented See Through Filter Assemblies.
The E-Power 800 Jump Starter is a versatile unit that can jump-start your auto, marine, powersports and lawn tractor up to 20 times on one charge..jpg)
Billet Connection’s Priming System installs on the vehicle; no more dry start-ups!
BlueDevil Radiator Flush
Auto Shocker
BlueDevil Head Gasket Sealer
Bio-Shocker
BOP-MIT Series Clear Paint Protection Film
Callies Compstar Gen III Center Counterweight Hemi Crankshaft
Eagle is proud to introduce a complete line of crankshafts, connecting rods, and rotating assemblies for Jeep 4.0L and 4.2L straight-six engines.
DEI’s New Products Brochure gives you a first-hand look at our new innovative heat and sound-control products.
Eagle is proud to introduce forged steel crankshafts, H-Beam rods and full rotating assemblies for Ford 5.0L Coyote engines.
Boom Mat Spray-On is an aerosol spray that is an easy and quick way to reduce road noise and vibration, add a layer of thermal protection, or as an undercoating to protect against damage from rust, rocks, gravel and other debris.
Eagle is adding many new forged 4340 steel big-block cranks for 2021. A 4.625-in. stroke is now available for Ford 460 and Mopar RB engines.
Eagle is expanding its lineup of Chrysler small-block forged 4340 crankshafts.
Erson Valves
ECP Inc., one of the oldest and most trusted names in the automotive industry, features its Technician’s Choice program.
Introducing Our New Retainer Degree Gauge
Cummins 5.9L/6.7L Common Rail–Competition Series
TORNADOR Car Cleaning Tools are the fastest and easiest way to clean all automotive surfaces. The TORNADOR works with your air compressor to blast cleaning solution into crevices you can’t reach by hand. Clean carpet, plastics and upholstery inside the car.
Fuel Safe Systems delivers improved performance and safety with the FIA-FT3-certified Spare Tire Fuel Cell.
G-FORCE Racing Gear has set a new standard for helmet excellence: the SuperNova. This 100%-T800 carbon-fiber helmet is the lightest full-faced helmet we’ve ever offered.
In addition to our premium car-care products, the summer series of Griot’s Garage catalogs feature new products and showcase our Best of Show System (BOSS), which includes an innovative foaming car-wash system, a line of industry-leading orbital polishers, and proprietary pads and creams.
Heise LED Lighting by Metra Electronics is the installer’s trusted source for automotive and marine LED lighting solutions.
Chevrolet Silverado 1500 (’16–’18) Morimoto XB LED Headlights
Oil Filter Crusher OFC1
Metra’s RGB LED underglow lighting, the RGB1-UNDGLED, is designed for all terrain on powersports vehicles, boats, cars and more!
Chevrolet Corvette (’14–’19): Morimoto XB LED Headlights
Toyota 4Runner (’10–’21): Morimoto XB LED Tails
Ram 1500 (’19–’20): Morimoto XB LED Headlights
GMC Yukon (’15–’20): Morimoto XB LED Headlights
Ford F-150 (’18–’20): Morimoto XB LED Headlights
Ram 2500HD (’19–’20): Morimoto XB LED Headlights
Ford Transit Adjustable Lower Ball Joint
RAM Promaster Adjustable Lower Ball Joint
RaceQuip FIA-Rated Composite Seats
PJ1 Super Cleaner
New SpeedSmoke improves shop efficiency with the ability to perform all types of leak testing in a single machine; low pressure for EVAP and high pressure for turbo/boosted systems.
PJ1 Foam Air Filter Oil Spray
Roadster Shop adds to their popular SPEC line of chassis with the brand-new ’70–’81 F-body (Camaro and Firebird) application.
New 4.8L/5.3L (Including Late Model) Direct Injection Pistons
Clamp-On Heat Shields incorporate Thermo-Tec’s proprietary coating technology developed by Thermo-Tec, Thermal Conduction Technology. The new and improved flexible Clamp-On Heat Shield blocks more than 95% of the damaging radiant heat of the exhaust.
SCT Livewire Vision Performance Monitor
Generation II Copper Header Wrap improves heat resistance up to 30% more than current technology, by utilizing a new proprietary coating developed by Thermo-Tec; improved Thermal-Conduction-Technology (T-C-T).
Total weight only 3.5 lbs.
Track Heat Intake Manifold for Small-Block Mopar
New World Products Catalog
Trick Flow Specialties doesn’t just manufacture high performance—Trick Flow engineers design it from scratch. The parts are fully engineered, tested and dyno proven to deliver phenomenal out-of-the-box power on Chevrolet, Ford and Mopar engines.
The all-new “Vision It” Augmented Reality app lets you preview hundreds of Vision Wheels on your vehicle in a matter of seconds.
With a chop of 5 in., a notched chassis and an Air Ride suspension, this Ford stands 50 in. tall. The canted quad ’59 Ford headlights and ’56 Olds 98 taillights have been incorporated with custom fabrication to the hood, quarters and fenders.
Riding on a fully bagged chassis, this home-garage-built Chevy sports its original bodywork with new floor pans. Under the hood sits a built 350ci small-block with a built TH350 transmission behind it. In back is a fully custom raised bed made of rustic alder, with numerous doors and compartments.
This orange Chevy rides on a custom Hotchkis suspension to create a custom stance, Norrbom said. Inside, a one-off interior features six-way-adjustable seats, a Vintage Air A/C system and custom gauges. Outside, several body lines were deleted, and the bodywork was treated to custom paint.
This 11/4-ton Cummins is built for work as well as for show. The Cummins engine sports performance parts from ARP, EZ-Lynk, Glacier Diesel, FASS and Flo-Pro. A custom 21/2-in. leveling kit and adjustable track bar help to accommodate 37x13.50/22 Toyo Open Country M/Ts mounted on American Force dually wheels.
A three-year project undertaken when Susa was 15, the original truck was, he said, “pulled out of a tree line.” An S-10 frame was sourced as a foundation for the build and then chopped 5 in. to match the ’52’s wheelbase.
Riding on a 14-in. Bulletproof suspension, this Ford rolls on 28x16 RBP forged rims and 40-in. Dakar MT tires.
This GM fullsize runs a fully custom, builder-fabricated, 24-in.-lift cantilevered suspension with hydraulic ride-height control that locates Ford axles with fabricated trusses.
According to Michael, who uses this Jeep as his daily driver, “Everything is aftermarket or custom from the frame down.” Swapped-in Ford axles ride on a custom suspension.
Begun when Merriman was 14 years old, this daily-driver F1 has never spent a day in a shop, “so I built it outside with what I had,” he said. Under the sheetmetal resides an ’83 S-10 frame that came equipped with power steering, and that allowed four-wheel power disc brakes.
Darin Smith, Huntington Beach, California, ’70 AMC Javelin Trans Am Race Car
A college build project, this 300ZX 2+2 hosts an impressive array of underhood parts, starting with the swapped-in, twin-turbocharged Toyota Supra 2JZ VVTi engine with a built head, aftermarket cams, aftermarket intake and exhaust manifolds (the rear extended to accommodate the 2+2’s length), a 69mm Borg-Warner turbo, 2,000cc injectors, and a builder-tuned AEM Infinity 6 ECU.
This rare ’95 M-Edition (only 3,500 were built) is powered by a Haag Performance-built NA 13b rotary engine running a Haltech Elite 1000 EDU and harness and cooled by a Davies Craig EWP 150 water pump. An EFI Hardware ITB intake and custom headers provide upgrades to the aspiration, and the setup is said to deliver 215 hp to the rear wheels on 91 octane. A Stop Tech big-brake kit helps slow the Workmeisters S1S 15x9 front and 15x10 rear wheels. Rocket Bunny fender flares enhance exterior styling, and an AIM MXP dash logger provides an upgrade from the stock dash display inside.
This Ford features a builder-fabricated and TIG-welded one-off 1/4-in.-wall aluminum Pro-/Street-style frame, which incorporates a fabricated steel bolt-in-style independent front suspension and crossmember.
Modified by its 19-year-old builder for drag racing, this Scion has logged five bracket wins and the title of Import Face Off West Coast Point Bracket Champion in addition to making a recent appearance on “All Girls Garage.”
A Hummer rat rod? Seeing is believing. “This Hummer is a one-of-a-kind build,” Adams noted. “Defiant” will be powered by a high-performance diesel that rides in an open engine bay and on a custom-built frame and Air Ride suspension.
Penned by Bobby Alloway of Alloway’s Hot Rod Shop, this Speedstar coupe is, in its builder’s words, “a legendary and unique design.” The car was redesigned to sport the look of a World War II fighter plane.
Built to race as well as to show, this Pontiac was in rough shape when Norrbom undertook the project, so he cut out the floor, the firewall, the frame and the rear quarter-panels and replaced them with one-off fabrications.
A unique 4x4 drag racer, the “LSXcalade” was the builder’s daily driver in college for three years before he began customizing it. The stock GM 6.2L was replaced by a 2,000hp twin-turbo Dart 427 block backed by an Extreme Automatics-prepped 4L80 transmission sporting a stronger billet gear set. The engine is assisted by CP Carrillo internals and a set of Woolf Aircraft headers, and the setup is said to turn in 9.5-sec. quarter-mile times with the Hoosier racing slicks inflated to 20 psi.
Ryan Basseri, Huntington Beach, California, ’07 Honda S2000
Built to perform as an auto-crosser and a road-rally truck, this ’57 sports a custom four-wheel independent suspension along with a custom chassis.
Arthur Ross, Carbondale, Illinois, ’94 Chevrolet Camaro
Homebuilt (“Not at a shop,” its builder said), this ’66 Nova runs a supercharged LS3 and a six-speed manual transmission. Also homebuilt were the custom front inner fenders and a matching core support.
This bright-red Acura is built to show and go. It’s powered by a K20A2 engine equipped with RDX 410cc injectors, a ported RCA 70mm intake manifold, a 70mm K-Tuned throttle body and PLM headers, which provide power to the Z3 transmission.
This ’69 hosts a broad array of one-off parts, including the grille, mirrors, hood, emblems, floorpan, body panels and fenders, with extensive use of carbon fiber and CNC machining throughout.
The builder describes this truck as a learning platform that taught him TIG welding, 3-D modeling and metal forming—“Basically, how to fabricate.”
Though it sports original SS 396 badging, this ’69 Camaro is powered by a built 502 big-block with a Comp Cams cam, FAST 2.0 fuel injection, a Concept 1 pulley system, and a TIG-welded stainless Borla exhaust.
One of two Canadian entries in this year’s International Ratical Rod Build Off/Drive Off, this ’61 Econoline (once owned by NASA and stationed in the Northwest Territories) is being transformed into a “Mystery Machine.”
According to its creator, this Jeep will be completely hand-built from the ground up with a cab-over design fabricated from mirror-polished aluminum and a chassis and suspension made of two-tone polished stainless steel.
This 3-in.-chopped ’70 C10 riding on a ’91 Nissan chassis runs a KA24E SOHC engine sourced from a Nissan Hardbody. The truck is bagged with Air Ride suspension incorporated with a custom four-link and a set of 20x12 Dropstar wheels.
Riding on a custom-fabricated frame with a dropout mid-engine powertrain assembly, this ’36 is powered by an LS3 backed by an upgraded Porsche six-speed transmission. The body has been treated to a 11/2-in. angle chop with a sectioned and angled grille, raised side-window openings to match the front glass, and widened rear fenders.
In the words of its builder, this ride sports a “definitive old-school hot-rodder aesthetic blended with modern race-car and rat-rod qualities.” The longbed stepside’s chassis was shortened while the wheelbase was kept stock.
This VW rides on a custom suspension with dual airbags front and rear. The narrowed front beam and narrowed rear suspension arms and axles enable proper fitment of custom-made wheels riding under ’66 fenders.
This custom-built Wagoneer is powered by a ’08 Hemi backed by an automatic transmission.
This sharp-looking ‘Vette is powered by a 410hp 454 big-block backed by a Tremec five-speed transmission. The suspension utilizes Vette Base Products rear shock towers and high-performance front and rear camber/toe adjustment arms.
“Legion” is a ’66 Mustang that’s receiving a complete engine swap: a twin-turbocharged 3.5L EcoBoost V6 sourced from a Ford F-150. In order to fit the relatively big six-cylinder into the engine bay, the Mustang’s stock steering system was removed and replaced by a Mustang II rack-and-pinion setup.
According to the builder, “every part of my car has been restored and/or modified.” The old inline-six engine was swapped out in favor of an LS1 and a T-56 transmission, and a rear disc-brake conversion was added.
scamilla describes this project as “a simple retrofit of modern upgrades and mods packed into a classic body of the late ‘60s.”
“Maxine” is a ’65 Fastback GT that, its builder said, “pays tribute to the original design.” The car runs a 289 V8 bored .030 over with an upgraded camshaft, a medium-rise intake, a Holley carburetor and ceramic-coated shorty headers.
This car belonged to Connor Chanter’s father, and the son started restoring it at age 11 by building a 408 stroker and rebuilding the transmission. The following year, a Wilwood big-brake kit, Eibach racing springs and a Hellwig sway bar were installed, and the 9-in. axle was rebuilt and equipped with a Positraction limited-slip.
Purchased from its original owner in 2010 when Eli DeWitt was 14 years old, this LeMans underwent an eight-year frame-off restoration, culminating in 2018 when DeWitt was awarded a degree in automotive restoration and collision from Iowa Central Community College.
Built with a ’47 Dodge cab atop a ’91 4x4 12V Cummins chassis, this truck features a custom deck built from scratch. The entire drivetrain was pulled, rebuilt, repainted and reinstalled along with a custom radiator and intercooler brackets, a 5-in. exhaust and copper cooling lines.
This hot-pink pearl Bronco is a full frame-off restomod. The original grille and radiator support are the only stock parts remaining, but the original sheetmetal was repurposed into the resto’s floor panels.
This home-garage-built Falcon Sprint rides on coil-overs at all four corners. It sits on custom three-piece RSV 18-in. forged wheels, and four-wheel Wilwood disc brakes stop it safely.
This ’53 Chevy five-window truck was a full frame-off restoration. It’s powered by an LS3 engine and a 6L90E automatic transmission.
This Plymouth was, Vahra said, “a full rotisserie restoration,” starting with the Air Ride suspension with tubular A-arms and a four-link rear.
This restomodded Trans Am with unique deep-burgundy custom paint and a matte finish was purchased by Redford two years ago. A daily driver at first, it soon turned into “an obsession to restore the car to all its past glory, as fast as possible!”
“Color matching” are the magic words for this sharp-looking Ram. Among the components that have been custom matched are the Alpharex USA headlights, the Spyder LED taillights with flush-mounted Rigid Ignite pods, the Recon third brake light, the front and rear bumpers, the mesh grille, the mirrors, and even the rear axle.
A rare example of a Euro-spec Accord in the United States, this unique Honda was imported from Japan in 2017 and has received plenty of modifications stateside.
Claimed by Marten to be the world’s first custom AWD-converted with a 2JZ-GTE Supra engine swap, this build incorporates a host of custom underhood work, including JE pistons and shotpeened rods for the engine, a custom front diff, a handmade oil pan, a custom trans adapter and axles, custom motor mounts, and a raised transmission tunnel.
This eye-catching Buick features a custom three-stage candy paint job with custom graphics.
A six-year labor of love, this ’13 Camaro SS sports a Vortech V7 supercharger atop the 6.2 V8, which was equipped with a Texas Speed cam and an auxiliary fuel system with larger injectors and fuel pump. Carbon-fiber body panels are found on the hood, trunk, fenders, lips, diffuser and side skirts.
This A4 started as a stock 2.0T Audi A4. It has since been repainted and equipped with DTM-option S4 bumpers, widened quarter-panel arches and numerous carbon-fiber accents.
This WRX sports an impressive number of exterior modifications, including a custom mix of sunset candy gold paint and a custom hood scoop to accommodate the rotated Garrett GTX turbocharger in a .63A/R stainless housing that rests in the shaved and tucked engine bay.
This custom-painted ’04 showcases Nardo gray paint with white crystal and teal pearl accents. The custom carbon-fiber wing, mid-wing and mirror covers enhance exterior appeal and improve aerodynamics.
The list of performance parts awaiting this Chevelle are impressive and include an LS9 powertrain package with a Griffin BeCool radiator, RideTech front and rear air suspension with custom ’20 Fortiago rims, a Speedtech Performance chassis reinforcement kit, and a Moser Engineering Fab 9-in. rearend.
