SEMA News—July 2015

HERITAGE

Motorama Milk Truck

By Drew Hardin
Photo Courtesy Petersen Archive

Not content with launching just a publishing empire, Robert E. Petersen put on a series of car shows in the early ’50s that he called Motorama. The first one was held in 1950 at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles, but later shows were staged at the art deco palace that was the Pan Pacific Auditorium. Hot rods, Bonneville race cars, drag racers and custom cars straight from the pages of Petersen’s magazines made up a big portion of these Motorama shows, but they also included new cars, antiques, motorcycles and classics from the ’30s and ’40s. In 1954, the show’s name changed to the International Motor Review and Motorama so that the Petersen shows wouldn’t be confused with the Motorama traveling car shows GM was holding at the time. The final Petersen show of the ’50s was held in 1955.

The Petersen Motorama made a one-year comeback in 1966, staged in conjunction with the NHRA’s Winternationals drag race. Like the previous shows, it took place at the Pan Pacific, and it featured a mix of hot rods, race cars, antiques and classics. But new on the scene were some of the wild custom cars being produced by the likes of George Barris, Dean Jeffries and a relative newcomer to the custom car world, Dan Woods.

A year before, the teenaged Woods had debuted his wild Milk Truck at the Tridents Car Show in Los Angeles and won the Grand Sweepstakes award, upstaging other entries from more established builders. Woods crafted the Milk Truck using junkyard, surplus and other cast-off or dirt-cheap pieces that were formed into this award-winning custom, thanks to his fabrication skills and keen design sense. The frame was scrounged from a Model A Ford, the single front coil spring was off a Corvair, the engine came out of a ’57 Pontiac and the truck’s original pearl-white paint was shot by Woods himself.

After the Tridents show win, Rod & Custom magazine put the Milk Truck on its August 1965 cover, and Woods’ talents earned him a job with Ed “Big Daddy” Roth.

By the time the Milk Truck was displayed at the 1966 Motorama, Woods had traded it to hot-rodder Bob Reisner in exchange for a T-bucket roadster. Now called the Milk Wagon, it looked different, too, wearing Cragar wheels and a custom paint job by Larry Watson.

This photo of the Milk Truck, “with Sandy Layne at the throttle,” ran in the May 1966 issue of Hot Rod magazine in a story about the Motorama written by Dick Wells. At the time, Wells was a feature editor at the magazine, but he would soon be instrumental in staging the first High Performance & Custom Trade Show at Dodger Stadium—considered the very first SEMA Show.

SEMA News—July 2015

HERITAGE

Motorama Milk Truck

By Drew Hardin
Photo Courtesy Petersen Archive

Not content with launching just a publishing empire, Robert E. Petersen put on a series of car shows in the early ’50s that he called Motorama. The first one was held in 1950 at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles, but later shows were staged at the art deco palace that was the Pan Pacific Auditorium. Hot rods, Bonneville race cars, drag racers and custom cars straight from the pages of Petersen’s magazines made up a big portion of these Motorama shows, but they also included new cars, antiques, motorcycles and classics from the ’30s and ’40s. In 1954, the show’s name changed to the International Motor Review and Motorama so that the Petersen shows wouldn’t be confused with the Motorama traveling car shows GM was holding at the time. The final Petersen show of the ’50s was held in 1955.

The Petersen Motorama made a one-year comeback in 1966, staged in conjunction with the NHRA’s Winternationals drag race. Like the previous shows, it took place at the Pan Pacific, and it featured a mix of hot rods, race cars, antiques and classics. But new on the scene were some of the wild custom cars being produced by the likes of George Barris, Dean Jeffries and a relative newcomer to the custom car world, Dan Woods.

A year before, the teenaged Woods had debuted his wild Milk Truck at the Tridents Car Show in Los Angeles and won the Grand Sweepstakes award, upstaging other entries from more established builders. Woods crafted the Milk Truck using junkyard, surplus and other cast-off or dirt-cheap pieces that were formed into this award-winning custom, thanks to his fabrication skills and keen design sense. The frame was scrounged from a Model A Ford, the single front coil spring was off a Corvair, the engine came out of a ’57 Pontiac and the truck’s original pearl-white paint was shot by Woods himself.

After the Tridents show win, Rod & Custom magazine put the Milk Truck on its August 1965 cover, and Woods’ talents earned him a job with Ed “Big Daddy” Roth.

By the time the Milk Truck was displayed at the 1966 Motorama, Woods had traded it to hot-rodder Bob Reisner in exchange for a T-bucket roadster. Now called the Milk Wagon, it looked different, too, wearing Cragar wheels and a custom paint job by Larry Watson.

This photo of the Milk Truck, “with Sandy Layne at the throttle,” ran in the May 1966 issue of Hot Rod magazine in a story about the Motorama written by Dick Wells. At the time, Wells was a feature editor at the magazine, but he would soon be instrumental in staging the first High Performance & Custom Trade Show at Dodger Stadium—considered the very first SEMA Show.

SEMA News—July 2015

HERITAGE

Motorama Milk Truck

By Drew Hardin
Photo Courtesy Petersen Archive

Not content with launching just a publishing empire, Robert E. Petersen put on a series of car shows in the early ’50s that he called Motorama. The first one was held in 1950 at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles, but later shows were staged at the art deco palace that was the Pan Pacific Auditorium. Hot rods, Bonneville race cars, drag racers and custom cars straight from the pages of Petersen’s magazines made up a big portion of these Motorama shows, but they also included new cars, antiques, motorcycles and classics from the ’30s and ’40s. In 1954, the show’s name changed to the International Motor Review and Motorama so that the Petersen shows wouldn’t be confused with the Motorama traveling car shows GM was holding at the time. The final Petersen show of the ’50s was held in 1955.

The Petersen Motorama made a one-year comeback in 1966, staged in conjunction with the NHRA’s Winternationals drag race. Like the previous shows, it took place at the Pan Pacific, and it featured a mix of hot rods, race cars, antiques and classics. But new on the scene were some of the wild custom cars being produced by the likes of George Barris, Dean Jeffries and a relative newcomer to the custom car world, Dan Woods.

A year before, the teenaged Woods had debuted his wild Milk Truck at the Tridents Car Show in Los Angeles and won the Grand Sweepstakes award, upstaging other entries from more established builders. Woods crafted the Milk Truck using junkyard, surplus and other cast-off or dirt-cheap pieces that were formed into this award-winning custom, thanks to his fabrication skills and keen design sense. The frame was scrounged from a Model A Ford, the single front coil spring was off a Corvair, the engine came out of a ’57 Pontiac and the truck’s original pearl-white paint was shot by Woods himself.

After the Tridents show win, Rod & Custom magazine put the Milk Truck on its August 1965 cover, and Woods’ talents earned him a job with Ed “Big Daddy” Roth.

By the time the Milk Truck was displayed at the 1966 Motorama, Woods had traded it to hot-rodder Bob Reisner in exchange for a T-bucket roadster. Now called the Milk Wagon, it looked different, too, wearing Cragar wheels and a custom paint job by Larry Watson.

This photo of the Milk Truck, “with Sandy Layne at the throttle,” ran in the May 1966 issue of Hot Rod magazine in a story about the Motorama written by Dick Wells. At the time, Wells was a feature editor at the magazine, but he would soon be instrumental in staging the first High Performance & Custom Trade Show at Dodger Stadium—considered the very first SEMA Show.

SEMA News—July 2015

HERITAGE

Motorama Milk Truck

By Drew Hardin
Photo Courtesy Petersen Archive

Not content with launching just a publishing empire, Robert E. Petersen put on a series of car shows in the early ’50s that he called Motorama. The first one was held in 1950 at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles, but later shows were staged at the art deco palace that was the Pan Pacific Auditorium. Hot rods, Bonneville race cars, drag racers and custom cars straight from the pages of Petersen’s magazines made up a big portion of these Motorama shows, but they also included new cars, antiques, motorcycles and classics from the ’30s and ’40s. In 1954, the show’s name changed to the International Motor Review and Motorama so that the Petersen shows wouldn’t be confused with the Motorama traveling car shows GM was holding at the time. The final Petersen show of the ’50s was held in 1955.

The Petersen Motorama made a one-year comeback in 1966, staged in conjunction with the NHRA’s Winternationals drag race. Like the previous shows, it took place at the Pan Pacific, and it featured a mix of hot rods, race cars, antiques and classics. But new on the scene were some of the wild custom cars being produced by the likes of George Barris, Dean Jeffries and a relative newcomer to the custom car world, Dan Woods.

A year before, the teenaged Woods had debuted his wild Milk Truck at the Tridents Car Show in Los Angeles and won the Grand Sweepstakes award, upstaging other entries from more established builders. Woods crafted the Milk Truck using junkyard, surplus and other cast-off or dirt-cheap pieces that were formed into this award-winning custom, thanks to his fabrication skills and keen design sense. The frame was scrounged from a Model A Ford, the single front coil spring was off a Corvair, the engine came out of a ’57 Pontiac and the truck’s original pearl-white paint was shot by Woods himself.

After the Tridents show win, Rod & Custom magazine put the Milk Truck on its August 1965 cover, and Woods’ talents earned him a job with Ed “Big Daddy” Roth.

By the time the Milk Truck was displayed at the 1966 Motorama, Woods had traded it to hot-rodder Bob Reisner in exchange for a T-bucket roadster. Now called the Milk Wagon, it looked different, too, wearing Cragar wheels and a custom paint job by Larry Watson.

This photo of the Milk Truck, “with Sandy Layne at the throttle,” ran in the May 1966 issue of Hot Rod magazine in a story about the Motorama written by Dick Wells. At the time, Wells was a feature editor at the magazine, but he would soon be instrumental in staging the first High Performance & Custom Trade Show at Dodger Stadium—considered the very first SEMA Show.

SEMA News—July 2015

HERITAGE

Motorama Milk Truck

By Drew Hardin
Photo Courtesy Petersen Archive

Not content with launching just a publishing empire, Robert E. Petersen put on a series of car shows in the early ’50s that he called Motorama. The first one was held in 1950 at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles, but later shows were staged at the art deco palace that was the Pan Pacific Auditorium. Hot rods, Bonneville race cars, drag racers and custom cars straight from the pages of Petersen’s magazines made up a big portion of these Motorama shows, but they also included new cars, antiques, motorcycles and classics from the ’30s and ’40s. In 1954, the show’s name changed to the International Motor Review and Motorama so that the Petersen shows wouldn’t be confused with the Motorama traveling car shows GM was holding at the time. The final Petersen show of the ’50s was held in 1955.

The Petersen Motorama made a one-year comeback in 1966, staged in conjunction with the NHRA’s Winternationals drag race. Like the previous shows, it took place at the Pan Pacific, and it featured a mix of hot rods, race cars, antiques and classics. But new on the scene were some of the wild custom cars being produced by the likes of George Barris, Dean Jeffries and a relative newcomer to the custom car world, Dan Woods.

A year before, the teenaged Woods had debuted his wild Milk Truck at the Tridents Car Show in Los Angeles and won the Grand Sweepstakes award, upstaging other entries from more established builders. Woods crafted the Milk Truck using junkyard, surplus and other cast-off or dirt-cheap pieces that were formed into this award-winning custom, thanks to his fabrication skills and keen design sense. The frame was scrounged from a Model A Ford, the single front coil spring was off a Corvair, the engine came out of a ’57 Pontiac and the truck’s original pearl-white paint was shot by Woods himself.

After the Tridents show win, Rod & Custom magazine put the Milk Truck on its August 1965 cover, and Woods’ talents earned him a job with Ed “Big Daddy” Roth.

By the time the Milk Truck was displayed at the 1966 Motorama, Woods had traded it to hot-rodder Bob Reisner in exchange for a T-bucket roadster. Now called the Milk Wagon, it looked different, too, wearing Cragar wheels and a custom paint job by Larry Watson.

This photo of the Milk Truck, “with Sandy Layne at the throttle,” ran in the May 1966 issue of Hot Rod magazine in a story about the Motorama written by Dick Wells. At the time, Wells was a feature editor at the magazine, but he would soon be instrumental in staging the first High Performance & Custom Trade Show at Dodger Stadium—considered the very first SEMA Show.

SEMA Member News—July/August 2015

Hot Rod Council Extends Reach Under New Leadership

	John McLeod of Classic Instruments became the HRIA chair in January.

In January, the Hot Rod Industry Alliance (HRIA) transitioned to new leadership, with John McLeod leading the charge as chair. McLeod is the owner of Classic Instruments in Boyne City, Michigan, a manufacturer and seller of custom instrumentation for automobiles and boats. Before entering the automotive industry, McLeod was a police officer for 16 years.

“I had a perfectly good career in law enforcement. I loved being a police officer. I still miss it to this day. But I really, really have a passion for cars and I had an opportunity come up so I just jumped in and things worked out very, very well for me because of a lot of dedication and hard work,” he said.

McLeod’s right hand for the next two years will be Tammy Holland, who was recently appointed chair-elect. Holland has been with the COMP Performance Group for 17 years and is currently in sales communications for the company. She also has several years of council and network experience with SEMA, having served previously as chair of the SEMA Businesswomen’s Network.

When reflecting on what first drew her to the automotive industry, several experiences come to Holland’s mind.

Tammy Holland of COMP Performance Group was appointed HRIA’s new chair-elect.

“I grew up a little bit of all over as a Navy brat,” she said. “One of the things that we used to do is go mudding. My dad always worked on cars. Probably one of the bigger influences was a date who took me to a drag race. That was the first real drag race I’d ever been to.”

McLeod and Holland both believe that it’s important to make the group open and inviting toward newcomers, be they recent graduates or someone getting a later start in the automotive industry. McLeod described this outreach as an information bridge.

“We call it Futures in Hot Rodding, because it’s not just the youth,” he said. “It’s anybody who is interested in our industry and wants to be part of it. We still need people on the floor, but we also need owners, accountants, sales staff, janitors, assemblers, etc. It really is big, and if anybody has an interest in vehicles, we’re interested in you.”

Holland echoed that sentiment.

“We both want to get rid of the stereotype that you have to be over a certain age to be a part of the HRIA,” she said. “Hot rodding is for every age group.”

Education Day and Builders Panel in Detroit a Success

Education Day is one of the council’s longest-standing events, consisting of 24 sessions led by hot-rod parts manufacturers. These experts, from some of the biggest names in industry, teach attendees about product features, benefits and installation guidelines in a casual, small-group setting. The 2015 event took place Friday, March 6, at the Detroit Autorama. This year, the council also added a room where additional questions and conversations could continue between manufacturers and retailers, even after the presentations concluded.

Education Day will continue to be a priority for the group, and McLeod hopes that the event will continue to grow—in attendance and in the digital space. HRIA plans to explore mediums for online access to the seminars in future. In this way, members will be able to access the information regardless of their physical locations. Though the look and feel of the event may change over time, HRIA remains committed to providing access and information that will contribute to the growth of the segment.

HRIA also hosted a builders panel at Autorama this year for individuals interested in joining the industry. Attendees heard straight talk and stories from hot rodding veterans Bobby Alloway, Jesse Greening, Dave Lane, J.F. Launier, Andy Leach and
Troy Trepanier.

“They were very candid and very open about the different ways each one have found to be successful. Some worked 9:00–5:00, not on weekends. Some work around the clock, seven days a week, 12 hours a day. Some have one employee. Some have 20 employees. What people got to learn is it’s hard work. It takes dedication and some sacrifice,” said McLeod.

While each of the presenting builders shared a different perspective, two common themes were the importance of excellent work and prioritizing relationships. The conversations continued long after the panel’s scheduled end time.

McLeod reflected on the successful event and what it means for the industry.

“I know that there’s someone out there who is thinking about joining the industry,” he said. “If we just spark that interest, he or she could be the next president of SEMA. That’s what we’re trying to do—just create opportunity.”

SEMA Member News—July/August 2015

Hot Rod Council Extends Reach Under New Leadership

	John McLeod of Classic Instruments became the HRIA chair in January.

In January, the Hot Rod Industry Alliance (HRIA) transitioned to new leadership, with John McLeod leading the charge as chair. McLeod is the owner of Classic Instruments in Boyne City, Michigan, a manufacturer and seller of custom instrumentation for automobiles and boats. Before entering the automotive industry, McLeod was a police officer for 16 years.

“I had a perfectly good career in law enforcement. I loved being a police officer. I still miss it to this day. But I really, really have a passion for cars and I had an opportunity come up so I just jumped in and things worked out very, very well for me because of a lot of dedication and hard work,” he said.

McLeod’s right hand for the next two years will be Tammy Holland, who was recently appointed chair-elect. Holland has been with the COMP Performance Group for 17 years and is currently in sales communications for the company. She also has several years of council and network experience with SEMA, having served previously as chair of the SEMA Businesswomen’s Network.

When reflecting on what first drew her to the automotive industry, several experiences come to Holland’s mind.

Tammy Holland of COMP Performance Group was appointed HRIA’s new chair-elect.

“I grew up a little bit of all over as a Navy brat,” she said. “One of the things that we used to do is go mudding. My dad always worked on cars. Probably one of the bigger influences was a date who took me to a drag race. That was the first real drag race I’d ever been to.”

McLeod and Holland both believe that it’s important to make the group open and inviting toward newcomers, be they recent graduates or someone getting a later start in the automotive industry. McLeod described this outreach as an information bridge.

“We call it Futures in Hot Rodding, because it’s not just the youth,” he said. “It’s anybody who is interested in our industry and wants to be part of it. We still need people on the floor, but we also need owners, accountants, sales staff, janitors, assemblers, etc. It really is big, and if anybody has an interest in vehicles, we’re interested in you.”

Holland echoed that sentiment.

“We both want to get rid of the stereotype that you have to be over a certain age to be a part of the HRIA,” she said. “Hot rodding is for every age group.”

Education Day and Builders Panel in Detroit a Success

Education Day is one of the council’s longest-standing events, consisting of 24 sessions led by hot-rod parts manufacturers. These experts, from some of the biggest names in industry, teach attendees about product features, benefits and installation guidelines in a casual, small-group setting. The 2015 event took place Friday, March 6, at the Detroit Autorama. This year, the council also added a room where additional questions and conversations could continue between manufacturers and retailers, even after the presentations concluded.

Education Day will continue to be a priority for the group, and McLeod hopes that the event will continue to grow—in attendance and in the digital space. HRIA plans to explore mediums for online access to the seminars in future. In this way, members will be able to access the information regardless of their physical locations. Though the look and feel of the event may change over time, HRIA remains committed to providing access and information that will contribute to the growth of the segment.

HRIA also hosted a builders panel at Autorama this year for individuals interested in joining the industry. Attendees heard straight talk and stories from hot rodding veterans Bobby Alloway, Jesse Greening, Dave Lane, J.F. Launier, Andy Leach and
Troy Trepanier.

“They were very candid and very open about the different ways each one have found to be successful. Some worked 9:00–5:00, not on weekends. Some work around the clock, seven days a week, 12 hours a day. Some have one employee. Some have 20 employees. What people got to learn is it’s hard work. It takes dedication and some sacrifice,” said McLeod.

While each of the presenting builders shared a different perspective, two common themes were the importance of excellent work and prioritizing relationships. The conversations continued long after the panel’s scheduled end time.

McLeod reflected on the successful event and what it means for the industry.

“I know that there’s someone out there who is thinking about joining the industry,” he said. “If we just spark that interest, he or she could be the next president of SEMA. That’s what we’re trying to do—just create opportunity.”

SEMA Member News—July/August 2015

Hot Rod Council Extends Reach Under New Leadership

	John McLeod of Classic Instruments became the HRIA chair in January.

In January, the Hot Rod Industry Alliance (HRIA) transitioned to new leadership, with John McLeod leading the charge as chair. McLeod is the owner of Classic Instruments in Boyne City, Michigan, a manufacturer and seller of custom instrumentation for automobiles and boats. Before entering the automotive industry, McLeod was a police officer for 16 years.

“I had a perfectly good career in law enforcement. I loved being a police officer. I still miss it to this day. But I really, really have a passion for cars and I had an opportunity come up so I just jumped in and things worked out very, very well for me because of a lot of dedication and hard work,” he said.

McLeod’s right hand for the next two years will be Tammy Holland, who was recently appointed chair-elect. Holland has been with the COMP Performance Group for 17 years and is currently in sales communications for the company. She also has several years of council and network experience with SEMA, having served previously as chair of the SEMA Businesswomen’s Network.

When reflecting on what first drew her to the automotive industry, several experiences come to Holland’s mind.

Tammy Holland of COMP Performance Group was appointed HRIA’s new chair-elect.

“I grew up a little bit of all over as a Navy brat,” she said. “One of the things that we used to do is go mudding. My dad always worked on cars. Probably one of the bigger influences was a date who took me to a drag race. That was the first real drag race I’d ever been to.”

McLeod and Holland both believe that it’s important to make the group open and inviting toward newcomers, be they recent graduates or someone getting a later start in the automotive industry. McLeod described this outreach as an information bridge.

“We call it Futures in Hot Rodding, because it’s not just the youth,” he said. “It’s anybody who is interested in our industry and wants to be part of it. We still need people on the floor, but we also need owners, accountants, sales staff, janitors, assemblers, etc. It really is big, and if anybody has an interest in vehicles, we’re interested in you.”

Holland echoed that sentiment.

“We both want to get rid of the stereotype that you have to be over a certain age to be a part of the HRIA,” she said. “Hot rodding is for every age group.”

Education Day and Builders Panel in Detroit a Success

Education Day is one of the council’s longest-standing events, consisting of 24 sessions led by hot-rod parts manufacturers. These experts, from some of the biggest names in industry, teach attendees about product features, benefits and installation guidelines in a casual, small-group setting. The 2015 event took place Friday, March 6, at the Detroit Autorama. This year, the council also added a room where additional questions and conversations could continue between manufacturers and retailers, even after the presentations concluded.

Education Day will continue to be a priority for the group, and McLeod hopes that the event will continue to grow—in attendance and in the digital space. HRIA plans to explore mediums for online access to the seminars in future. In this way, members will be able to access the information regardless of their physical locations. Though the look and feel of the event may change over time, HRIA remains committed to providing access and information that will contribute to the growth of the segment.

HRIA also hosted a builders panel at Autorama this year for individuals interested in joining the industry. Attendees heard straight talk and stories from hot rodding veterans Bobby Alloway, Jesse Greening, Dave Lane, J.F. Launier, Andy Leach and
Troy Trepanier.

“They were very candid and very open about the different ways each one have found to be successful. Some worked 9:00–5:00, not on weekends. Some work around the clock, seven days a week, 12 hours a day. Some have one employee. Some have 20 employees. What people got to learn is it’s hard work. It takes dedication and some sacrifice,” said McLeod.

While each of the presenting builders shared a different perspective, two common themes were the importance of excellent work and prioritizing relationships. The conversations continued long after the panel’s scheduled end time.

McLeod reflected on the successful event and what it means for the industry.

“I know that there’s someone out there who is thinking about joining the industry,” he said. “If we just spark that interest, he or she could be the next president of SEMA. That’s what we’re trying to do—just create opportunity.”

SEMA Member News—July/August 2015

Let’s Talk Data: An ARMO Task Force Update

	ARMO’s data task force is exploring opportunities to supply restoration product data to members.

For more than a year, the select committee of the Automotive Restoration Market Organization (ARMO) has been discussing how to best address council members’ need for data access and organization. Quite a bit of vehicle data from the ’80s and ’90s is unavailable—information that manufacturers could use for product research.

“A lot of the information seems to have disappeared in the transition from print to digital media,” Chair Dennis Roberts explained.

In the beginning stages of the conversation about this issue, the select committee considered developing a data repository to make it easy for members to find the information. As the project developed, a new plan took shape.

“The one thing we realized was that the information is likely still available through some channels that the OEMs use, so instead of us building a repository, maybe our focus should be on the ability to access that information through licensing or other means,” Roberts said.

A data task force was formed to guide the evolving project, and Brian Rowland was appointed in December to lead the initiative. Rowland is the vice president of merchandising at U.S. Auto Parts, where he oversees data, pricing, merchandising and assortment selection. For the past three years, he has also been responsible for profit and loss for the performance and accessories line of business. He has also been a member of the Auto Care Association’s National Catalog Manager’s Association board of directors for four years, working with members to adopt data standards. With his extensive data-management experience and in-depth understanding of the Aftermarket Catalog Enhanced Standard (ACES) and the Product Information Exchange Standard (PIES), Rowland was a natural fit for the position. He has already brought more definition to the project and is beginning to chart the course for the next few years.

Long term, Rowland said that the group would still love to create a data repository for members. For now, the task force is focused on exploring options and a few in-between steps.

“By the end of this year, we hope to have identified two or three data sources that we feel are going to be the best ones out there for the marketplace, and ideally, we’ve negotiated free access for the membership,” he said. “I don’t know if we’re going to get it free or not, but at least we hope to negotiate some sort of very economical access to that information for everyone.”

Along with this research, there are quite a few opportunities for council collaboration with the SEMA Data Co-op in organizing vehicle and product data according to aftermarket industry standards. While Rowland acknowledged that using the SDC takes a big commitment up front in the way of time and energy, he has seen it pay off in the end. Ultimately, manufacturers benefit because they have to maintain data in only one place and can control which retailers access it. Roberts said that this control is a very important feature for manufacturers.

“Retailers often miss the best selling features, or the data somehow or another gets disorganized,” he said. “The manufacturers, if they’re entering and controlling their own data, have the ability to make sure that the most important features are included.”

Rowland hopes ARMO can become a resource for member companies that need to organize or access data, but he recognizes a unique set of challenges for the restoration market.

ACES, Rowland explained, is information about fitment—which products can be used with which models. One challenge is that some of the vehicle configuration data prior to 1985 can become problematic. While this presents one area for the task force to begin working, Rowland and Roberts hope that members will reach out with their own perspectives and ideas.

“We don’t want to presume anything,” Rowland said. “We want to understand what’s keeping our membership up at night and how we can make their day-to-day lives and jobs easier. I want to rely on canvassing the population a little bit more to really make sure that we’re focused on the right areas. We don’t have a whole lot of direct answers right now. We have a whole lot of ideas, but we want to make sure this is providing the most value to the membership.”

He encouraged council members to participate.

“Don’t suffer in silence; don’t be shy,” he said. “Let us know what challenges you are facing, because that’s really what we want to focus on.”

Members can reach out to ARMO Council Director Jim Skelly with questions or feedback. He can be reached via e-mail at jimsk@sema.org or by phone at 909-978-6690.
 

SEMA Member News—July/August 2015

Let’s Talk Data: An ARMO Task Force Update

	ARMO’s data task force is exploring opportunities to supply restoration product data to members.

For more than a year, the select committee of the Automotive Restoration Market Organization (ARMO) has been discussing how to best address council members’ need for data access and organization. Quite a bit of vehicle data from the ’80s and ’90s is unavailable—information that manufacturers could use for product research.

“A lot of the information seems to have disappeared in the transition from print to digital media,” Chair Dennis Roberts explained.

In the beginning stages of the conversation about this issue, the select committee considered developing a data repository to make it easy for members to find the information. As the project developed, a new plan took shape.

“The one thing we realized was that the information is likely still available through some channels that the OEMs use, so instead of us building a repository, maybe our focus should be on the ability to access that information through licensing or other means,” Roberts said.

A data task force was formed to guide the evolving project, and Brian Rowland was appointed in December to lead the initiative. Rowland is the vice president of merchandising at U.S. Auto Parts, where he oversees data, pricing, merchandising and assortment selection. For the past three years, he has also been responsible for profit and loss for the performance and accessories line of business. He has also been a member of the Auto Care Association’s National Catalog Manager’s Association board of directors for four years, working with members to adopt data standards. With his extensive data-management experience and in-depth understanding of the Aftermarket Catalog Enhanced Standard (ACES) and the Product Information Exchange Standard (PIES), Rowland was a natural fit for the position. He has already brought more definition to the project and is beginning to chart the course for the next few years.

Long term, Rowland said that the group would still love to create a data repository for members. For now, the task force is focused on exploring options and a few in-between steps.

“By the end of this year, we hope to have identified two or three data sources that we feel are going to be the best ones out there for the marketplace, and ideally, we’ve negotiated free access for the membership,” he said. “I don’t know if we’re going to get it free or not, but at least we hope to negotiate some sort of very economical access to that information for everyone.”

Along with this research, there are quite a few opportunities for council collaboration with the SEMA Data Co-op in organizing vehicle and product data according to aftermarket industry standards. While Rowland acknowledged that using the SDC takes a big commitment up front in the way of time and energy, he has seen it pay off in the end. Ultimately, manufacturers benefit because they have to maintain data in only one place and can control which retailers access it. Roberts said that this control is a very important feature for manufacturers.

“Retailers often miss the best selling features, or the data somehow or another gets disorganized,” he said. “The manufacturers, if they’re entering and controlling their own data, have the ability to make sure that the most important features are included.”

Rowland hopes ARMO can become a resource for member companies that need to organize or access data, but he recognizes a unique set of challenges for the restoration market.

ACES, Rowland explained, is information about fitment—which products can be used with which models. One challenge is that some of the vehicle configuration data prior to 1985 can become problematic. While this presents one area for the task force to begin working, Rowland and Roberts hope that members will reach out with their own perspectives and ideas.

“We don’t want to presume anything,” Rowland said. “We want to understand what’s keeping our membership up at night and how we can make their day-to-day lives and jobs easier. I want to rely on canvassing the population a little bit more to really make sure that we’re focused on the right areas. We don’t have a whole lot of direct answers right now. We have a whole lot of ideas, but we want to make sure this is providing the most value to the membership.”

He encouraged council members to participate.

“Don’t suffer in silence; don’t be shy,” he said. “Let us know what challenges you are facing, because that’s really what we want to focus on.”

Members can reach out to ARMO Council Director Jim Skelly with questions or feedback. He can be reached via e-mail at jimsk@sema.org or by phone at 909-978-6690.