SEMA News—April 2016

EVENTS

By SEMA News Staff

Battle of the Builders:

The Top 10

The 2015 SEMA Battle of the Builders Top 10 admire Ryan Basseri’s entry. From left: Eric Kozeluh, Marc Kozeluh, Mike Ring, Phil Gerber, Jeremy Gerber, Alan Johnson, Jim Ring, Kyle Tucker, Ryan Basseri, Andy Leach, Bobby Alloway and Chip Foose.

In addition to hot products and leading manufacturers, the annual SEMA Show attracts top vehicle builders who debut their one-of-a-kind creations in front of more than 140,000 industry professionals at the world’s premier automotive trade gathering. For many of these builders, the SEMA Battle of the Builders is their chance to prove that they are among the elite. Hundreds enter; only one can win.

Working during the 2015 SEMA Show, an esteemed panel of judges narrowed the field, and then the builders of the top 10 contenders—those shown on these pages—voted among themselves to decide who should be the winner. The competition culminated Friday night at the SEMA Ignited event, where consumers joined in the action and watched as the winner was named during the filming of a nationwide broadcast special, “SEMA: Battle of the Builders,” on the Velocity Network.

The TV special premiered February 1, with re-airings scheduled in 2016. Visit www.SEMAignited.com or check your local cable/satellite provider for dates and times.

Vehicle: ’33 Ford Roadster

Show Display Location: PPG Booth 24601

Build Notes: The ’33 full-fendered steel Ford roadster owned by Larry and Carol Olson was the 2015 America’s Most Beautiful Roadster winner. Features include an Alloway custom chassis, one-off Billet Spec wheels, custom Classic Instruments gauges and PPG black paint with candy flames, buried in clear and sanded smooth. The engine is a 241ci Red Ram Hemi with six Stromberg carbs acting as butterflies for a hidden electronic fuel-injection system. It is backed by a Legends five-speed transmission.

Builder: Bobby Alloway is the owner of Alloway’s Hot Rod Shop in Louisville, Tennessee, established in 1991 as a full-build facility. Alloway has won Street Rod of the Year three times, Street Machine of the Year, America’s Most Beautiful Roadster two times, The Ridler Award, and many other honors. He personally contributes in every build, whether it be wiring, fabricating or painting and final assembly.

Website: www.allowaysrodshop.com

Bobby Alloway '33 Ford Roadster

Vehicle: Honda Integra Type R

Show Display Location: CSF Cooling Booth 21555

Build Notes: The imported Honda Integra Type-R was fully customized in every way. Every system on the car was rebuilt and redesigned to meet the high standards of race readiness and signature show-car style. It was touted as “the most anticipated import build of the year.”

Builder: Ryan Basseri is owner of Rywire Motorsport Electronics in Garden Grove, California. “We specialize in motorsport looms and race-car wiring,” he said. “We have built looms for the fastest cars in the world and have built cars that appear in some of the world’s most prestigious places.” In addition to the Battle of the Builders Top 10, this Integra was named a Mothers Polish Shine Award winner at the 2015 SEMA Show. Rywire’s other accolades include numerous magazine features and other high-visibility builds for movies and overseas clients.

Website: www.rywire.com

Ryan Basseri, Honda Integra Type R

Vehicle: ’65 Impala

Show Display Location: Pirelli Booth 41013

Build Notes: The ’65 Impala body was mated to a ’08 C6 Corvette chassis, designed to pursue the idea of what kind of musclecar Chevrolet’s Corvette studio might have made. It initially appears to be a visually accurate ’65 Impala, but shrunk in the wash. To make it all fit, the C6 Corvette platform was stretched more than 7 in., the body was shortened 14 in., and the top was dropped 1½ in., requiring thousands of modifications. The rear wheelwells were lifted 2 in. and pulled forward 7 in. All of the trim pieces, grille and bumpers were hand made, and the custom steel quarter-panel extensions were welded in place to eliminate the original pot-metal pieces. Sponsors and contributors included BASF, Pirelli, MagnaFlow, MHT Wheels, Mac Tools, Lincoln Electric and Katzkin Leather.

Builder: Chip Foose owns Foose Design in Huntington Beach, California. Achievements include winning the Detroit Autorama Ridler Award in 2002, 2003, 2005 and 2015. Foose is the star of the “Overhaulin’” TV show on Velocity. He has been inducted into the Hot Rod Hall of Fame, won the Amber Award and is an eight-time winner of the Goodguys Street Rod of the Year award.

Website: www.chipfoose.com

Chip Foose ’65 Chevrolet Impala “Imposter”

Vehicle: ’15 Chevy Colorado

Show Display Location: Go Pro Booth 20327

Build Notes: The ’15 Chevy Colorado custom pre-runner features a complete Roadster Shop chassis with 27 in. of travel. It is powered by an 800hp LS engine, and the body includes one-off carbon-fiber fenders and bed sides.

Builder: Phil and Jeremy Gerber of Mundelein, Illinois, are the owners of The Roadster Shop, a chassis/suspension manufacturer and custom hot-rod/musclecar builder for more than 25 years. The shop won GM Design awards in 2009, 2011, 2013 and 2014 and is a multiple-time finalist for the Mothers Shine Award. The Roadster Shop is located within a 30,000-sq.-ft. dedicated facility that houses full chassis production, metal fabrication, vehicle construction and a paint-and-body department with a downdraft spray booth.

Website: www.roadstershop.com

The Roadster Shop ’15 Chevrolet Colorado

Vehicle: ’73 Chevy Camaro

Show Display Location: Penske Racing Booth 25043

Build Notes: The one-off wide-body Camaro pro-touring race car featured custom carbon front fenders, hood, nose, front and rear flares and rockers, front and rear splitter and diffuser. It was powered by a 750hp LS engine with a Jericho five-speed transmission.

Builder: Jeremy Gerber of Mundelein, Illinois, is the co-owner of The Roadster Shop, a chassis/suspension manufacturer and custom hot-rod/musclecar builder. Roadster Shop creations have appeared on more than 25 magazine covers and in more than 50 articles. The shop won GM Design awards in 2009, 2011, 2013, and 2014 and is a multiple-time finalist for the Mother’s Shine Award. The Roadster Shop is the only shop to have two vehicles named in the Battle of the Builders Top 10 at the 2015 SEMA Show.

Website: www.roadstershop.com

The Roadster Shop ’73 Camaro

Vehicle: ’53 Studebaker

Show Display Location: ARP Inc. Booth 23613

Build Notes: Each piece of the Studebaker’s sheetmetal was fabricated or massaged to fit. All of the trim pieces were fabricated or machined to flow properly, including the handmade front and rear bumpers, the lower valances, the custom-machined taillights, the headlight bezels, the door handles, the grille and the trim moldings. The roof has a subtle wedge chop, and the windshield is laid back a considerable amount. The rear wheelwell openings were raised and recontoured, and the front wheelwells were lowered and recontoured. The custom chassis uses a C6 Corvette front suspension and a trailing-arm rear suspension with triple-adjustable Ride Tech coil-overs and Wilwood 14-in. disc brakes, and the wheels are one-off Halibrand Champ look-alikes. Keith Dorton supplied the 700 horsepower big-block engine with Hilborn stack injection converted to FAST electronic fuel injection. It is fed by an Aeromotive fuel pump with Earl’s ultra-flex plumbing, and the engine is backed by a Bowler 4L80E trans and a Currie 9-in. rear.

Builder: Alan Johnson of Johnson’s Hot Rod Shop, Gadsden, Alabama. In addition to numerous magazine covers and features, Johnson’s accolades include a Goodguys Rod & Custom Trend Setter Award presented at the SEMA Show, and he is an SCTA Record Holder on the salt. He has also been honored with an Industry Leader award, a Mothers Shine Award, a Don Ridler Award, a Ford Design Award, a Chrysler Design Award, a Stroker McGurk Award, a Judy Murray Memorial Award, a Triple Gun Award for Excellence, Goodguys Street Rod and Street Machine of the Year awards and multiple People’s Choice awards.

Website: www.johnsonshotrodshop.com

Alan Johnson ’53 Studebaker

Vehicle: ’95 Toyota Supra

Show Display Location: Outside Grand Lobby

Build Notes: Battle of the Builders judges recognized this ultra-high-performance ’95 Toyota Supra because it is detailed to the level normally found on domestic show cars. The engine bay is smoothed, and no wires are visible. The intercooler and the radiator are laid out in a V-mount configuration. The intercooler features hand-hammered end tanks, and there is full ducting to all of the coolers. The Supra’s underside is as detailed as the top side, with every nut and bolt hand finished and cad plated. Even the suspension arms are hand detailed. The car was voted best MK4 Supra, best exterior and best engine bay at the peer-reviewed Supra in Vegas event in 2014, and it was featured on the August 2015 cover of Super Street magazine.

Builder: Eric Kozeluh, Signal Hill, California. Twins Turbo Motorsports has participated in numerous SEMA Show build projects, including the Mustang RTR-X that was debuted in the Ford booth at SEMA 2010.

Website: www.twinsturbo.com

Eric and Marc Kozeluh ’95 Toyota Supra

Vehicle: ’62 Chevy Bubble Top

Show Display Location: SEMA Hot Rod Industry Alliance/Automotive Restoration Market Organization Booth 23395

Build Notes: The Chevy features an LS-9 supercharged engine, a Bowler six-speed transmission, an Art Morrison chassis, machined side trim, door handles, taillights interior handles and gauge bezels, a Recovery Room Hot Rod interior and Charlie Hutton body and paint.

Builder: Andy Leach of Bennington, Nebraska. Cal Automotive Creations was launched in 2008 and has already garnered considerable industry recognition, including the 2013 Ridler Award, the 2013 Street Rod D’Elegance, the 2013 Street Rod of the Year, the 2013 Ford Best of Show, the 2014 SEMA Show Trendsetter of the Year, a 2014 Legend Cup and a 2015 Barrett Jackson Cup. The shop’s primary focus is hot rods. If the shop’s technicians buy a store-bought part, they usually cut it up and create something of their own, and there isn’t a single bolt-on part on this latest creation. All of the shop’s cars feature unique, modern twists to vintage classics.

Website: www.calautocreations.com

Andy Leach ’62 Chevrolet “Bubble Top”

Vehicle: Mustang Fastback

Show Display Location: BASF Booth 21437

Build Notes: Ringbrothers initially brought its all-carbon Mustang Fastback body to the 2013 SEMA Show and this year unveiled the completed vehicle. For the finished carbon-fiber Mustang “Espionage,” Mike and Jim Ring widened the iconic shape of a ’65 Mustang 2 in. and then laid the entire body up in lightweight, super-strong carbon fiber. Wegner Motorsports built the 416ci, 959hp V8. Inside, the car is outfitted with Recaro seats, a Race Pak IQ3 and no stereo system, because who needs one when you can listen to a Whipple Supercharged engine roar through a custom Flowmaster exhaust? The car is coated in custom BASF Glasurit Spy Green.

Builders: Jim and Mike Ring of Spring Green, Wisconsin, are the co-founders of Ringbrothers and were born with fuel running through their veins and a passion for building innovative cars. At the age of 10 and 11, Jim and Mike were doing body work and painting cars anywhere they could, including their parents’ basement and a friend’s chicken coop. The Ringbrothers shop pulls double duty, serving as a collision-and-repair shop to the community in addition to delivering one to two custom-built cars a year. In addition to collision repair and custom builds, Ringbrothers also produces a line of high-quality billet accessories as well as custom fiberglass and carbon-fiber pieces. The Ringbrothers line of fiberglass and carbon-fiber body pieces gives fans the opportunity to incorporate the Ringbrothers signature style into their own builds. Ringbrothers has won numerous design awards, including the General Motors award for Best Chevrolet of Show at the 2014 SEMA Show, back-to-back Goodguys Street Machine of the Year awards, multiple Mothers Shine Awards, numerous magazine covers and several builds commissioned by OEMs.

Website: www.ringbrothers.com

Ring Brothers ’65 Ford Mustang

Vehicle: ’70 Chevy Chevelle

Show Display Location: Grand Lobby

Build Notes: The Chevelle is designed to illustrate where technology meets classic American musclecar styling. Under the hood is a MAST LSX 427 supercharged 4.0L Whipple engine that is detailed in old-school livery using Chevrolet orange and black colors with a custom accessory drive and custom-machined pulleys. The transmission is a GM Bowler 4L80E with a classic horseshoe Chevrolet shifter and redundant paddle shifters. The DSE frame utilizes DSE front and rear suspension geometry and coil-over shocks and springs. A Bosch M4 Motorsport ABS package works in conjunction with Davis Technologies traction control. The Chevrolet Corvette C6 ZR1 Brembo six-piston calipers and 15-in. carbon ceramic rotors are connected to GM C6 hubs front and rear. The exterior includes a motorized cowl-induction hood flap that is synced to actual throttle position. The front and rear bumpers have been narrowed, sectioned and modified to accept custom-machined aluminum turn-signals bezels. The front grille surround is a one-piece, custom-machined aluminum trim part, plated to match the brushed nickel used throughout the car. Other exterior features include a vented rear bumper, electrically operated recessed door handles, underhood closeouts and catch cans and handmade inner front fenders. The engine is set back 6 in. into a recessed, smooth firewall. Classic Chevelle black with white-stripe paint goes over smoothed, flattened and fitted GM sheetmetal. A full rollcage bolts to the frame but allows the body to be removed with the rollcage. The interior has six-way adjustable power seats, an HVAC climate-control system, power windows, door locks, a navigation system with front and rear cameras and a Dakota Digital gauge cluster in a stock-appearing Chevelle dash pad.

Builder: Kyle Tucker, Mooresville, North Carolina. Kyle and Stacy Tucker of Detroit Speed Inc. have been building cars for more than 20 years. The car-build side of DSE has created numerous award-winning cars, including the winner of the inaugural Battle of the Builders at the 2014 SEMA Ignited. They have also built award-winning cars for stars such as Dale Earnhardt Jr., Kyle Busch and others. Detroit Speed also designs and manufactures chassis and suspension products for the automotive aftermarket and is a leading manufacturer in the industry.

Website: www.detroitspeed.com

Kyle Tucker ’70 Chevrolet Chevelle SS

SEMA News—April 2016

RETAIL SPOTLIGHT

By Chad Simon

The Dale’s Super Store Formula

Having the Right People, Process and Product

In the early days, Derek Dobson, owner and managing partner of Dale’s Super Store in Bradenton, Florida, would travel to swap meets along the East Coast, set up a display and sell product directly to consumers.

Before opening a brick-and-mortar retail location in 2014, Derek Dobson, owner and managing partner of Dale’s Super Store, traveled to swap meets up and down the East Coast and into the Midwest to sell aftermarket performance truck parts and accessories. Now operating out of a 2,200-sq.-ft. facility in Bradenton, Florida, Dobson has four fulltime employees, including himself, and one part-time employee, and he is in the process of expanding into a new 7,000-sq.-ft. building in Bradenton.

SEMA News caught up with Dobson to learn more about the business philosophy that has led to his success.

SEMA News: Why did you decide to target this particular market?

Derek Dobson: I’ve always liked trucks; it’s part of being an enthusiast. A lot of my friends were into imports, some were into Jeeps, but I always liked 1500 and 2500 Chevys. In the early ’00s, I started playing around with turbodiesels for fun. It turned out that when I would bring on a part from my truck, I would bring on a brand to start selling.

SN: Who are your customers and what draws them to you?

The company manufactures its own LED-conversion headlight product line called Outlaw Lights.

DD: Our customers typically range from truck owners who are looking for basic floor mats or visors to the guy who’s broken down on the side of the road and needs advice. When someone calls, we pick up the phone and try to take care of them the best we can. Our primary customer is the guy who’s ready to put wheels, tires and lift kits on his truck, usually off warranty.

SN: How did you start your business?

DD: I initially started the business in 2010, but it didn’t begin with a brick-and-mortar location. In those days, we went to swap meets and classic-car shows, including some of the Carlisle shows and the off-road and 4x4 events. We would go up and down the East Coast and into the Midwest, attend a three- or four-day swap meet, set up a display and talk to people face to face. It started with billet grilles out of a boxed truck. Now we have a 40-ft. trailer with an enclosed canopy system. We sell everything from LED taillights, projector headlights and performance exhaust systems to train horns, LED kits, HID kits and cold-air kits. We went from having one product to sell to a customer to having 100 products to sell to that same customer.

SN: How were you able to expand your product line?

DD: It started by people asking me, “Do you have this?” So I would find and source whatever product my customers needed. Sourcing various parts helped me to cultivate relationships with different brands. Additionally, when one of my diesel trucks would break down, I had to figure out how to fix it, and that brought on a whole different direction from just accessories to diesel performance parts. Sometimes when things break, it’s a good thing.

SN: How has your business grown since opening the retail location, and what percentage of your business comes from online sales?

Dale’s Super Store keeps about 30% of its product in stock.

DD: Since opening the actual store, we’ve experienced extreme growth by being able to find hot segments, expand our online presence and, more importantly, forge relationships with brands to do exclusive sales on Amazon versus them selling direct to Amazon so that we’re able to protect the brand. Eighty percent of our business is online. We’ve been very aggressive in our online growth.

SN: How do you market your company?

DD: We utilize everything from print to online advertising. We try to cultivate a community through social media, but we also market ourselves by attending the actual events. When you go to the events, whether it’s a Carlisle, a Family Event or a Friday-night event at your local track, you build a community. Over time, it’s fun to see people with their Dale’s stickers and hats. It’s also fun to build that relationship between the buyer and seller, especially when they see that we’re out there with them.

SN: What single-most-important factor can you attribute your success to?

Dale’s Super Store offers more than 100 different product lines, including LED taillights, projector headlines, performance exhaust systems, train horns, LED kits, HID kits and cold-air kits.

DD: Timing in our ability to take care of customers. We’ve been lucky with timing in the industry and trends and the suppliers we deal with. It’s all about being patient, not being impulsive, and looking at the long-term view versus the short-term view.

SN: What do you believe differentiates you from competitors?

DD: I’ll pick up the phone on a Sunday or after hours. We treat people the right way, and people respond to that. They have positive things to say when they talk to their friends, and we end up getting more business because of that.

SN: What is your customer-service philosophy, and what do you do specifically to meet that philosophy?

DD: It’s important to me that the customer is treated fairly and that we as a company are treated fairly. We don’t let customer issues linger to become larger issues. We have a system in place of managing customer-support issues; if it’s a tech issue or gets to the point of a return or an exchange, we make the process very smooth and streamlined. We’re not perfect, but we try to be. We try to exceed the customer’s expectations when they deal with us.

SN: What’s the biggest challenge you’ve faced so far?

DD: It’s trying to find the trends and the best way to sell products to the consumer and understanding the different platforms to do that. It’s also having the right people working for you—enthusiasts who will turn a wrench on their own cars and provide excellent customer service. I have a punch list of issues we need to address one at a time. The biggest hurdle is that things are constantly changing—there’s always competition entering the marketplace, there are new vehicles being produced by the manufacturers, and the taste of the consumer is constantly changing. Trying to understand that and put together a plan where you can be successful is a difficult thing, but we’ve been lucky to be able to continue to meet those demands.

SN: What has been your most rewarding success?

DD: The year 2015 presented a bunch of challenges with employees, both new and old. It was a year of growth and a year of change in my life. To complete 2015 and be as successful as we were, that was really rewarding. It was also rewarding that our peers recognized us among the top sellers in our category. There was a lot of struggle in 2015, but getting through that and being successful at the same time helped me to take a much longer view of things.

SN: How do you train your staff to best serve the business?

DD: When we work together, we work as a team. There’s not a job that’s too big or too small for any one of us. Part of it is the culture. We have the right type of employees. They all have positive attitudes and the belief that we’re in this together and working together to accomplish much bigger things. We don’t have a huge company, but we have a very close company.

SN: What strategies do you implement to support repeat customers?

DD: We’ve been very lucky to garner return business. It starts with the first interaction and continues with the follow up, whether it’s answering questions or responding to e-mails, but it’s about staying in contact. We try to attract a social-media following and communicate with our customer base twice per month by e-mail announcements and let them know what events we’re going to attend.

SN: What percentage of product do you keep in stock?

DD: We stock about 30% of the items we sell. We’ve been private labeling items over the past year. We’ve been growing that inventory inside of the business. Otherwise, we partner with excellent distributors.

SN: Do you take advantage of SEMA-provided services, such as the SEMA Data Co-op, and how have they benefitted your business?

DD: We have used SEMA Data Co-op. Data management is a hurdle for any business. We’re constantly working on the processes on our platforms, and in that way it helps us. We also attend Truck and Off-Road Alliance events.

SN: Where do you see your business headed, and what are your goals for the future?

DD: We are looking at the expansion into our new location. We are looking at growing into more performance-based projects and opening up new market segments. We talk about growing our brands, and there are a whole bunch of different avenues if we look into lifestyle-based products or complementary products to just the truck community. We are heavily involved in growing our Jeep offerings and continuing to grow our diesel performance products. We have our own Outlaw Lights product line, which are LED conversion headlights. We launched that brand almost two years ago, but we’re starting to put more effort into it, and we’ve seen a lot of growth in the past six months. We’re also going to be doing more performance installations as part of the next phase of our growth.

SN: What advice would you offer to retailers who are looking to hone their business practices?

DD: I’m a big fan of “The Profit” [TV program], Marcus Lemonis. He talks about people, process and product. It’s that simple. It starts with hiring the right people, treating them right, instilling simplified processes for how you handle your daily operation and having tangible goals that you need to meet. Offer the right product that works for your consumer base, and understand your customers. Understand the nature of the market you’re in and work within it.

SEMA News—April 2016

RETAIL SPOTLIGHT

By Chad Simon

The Dale’s Super Store Formula

Having the Right People, Process and Product

In the early days, Derek Dobson, owner and managing partner of Dale’s Super Store in Bradenton, Florida, would travel to swap meets along the East Coast, set up a display and sell product directly to consumers.

Before opening a brick-and-mortar retail location in 2014, Derek Dobson, owner and managing partner of Dale’s Super Store, traveled to swap meets up and down the East Coast and into the Midwest to sell aftermarket performance truck parts and accessories. Now operating out of a 2,200-sq.-ft. facility in Bradenton, Florida, Dobson has four fulltime employees, including himself, and one part-time employee, and he is in the process of expanding into a new 7,000-sq.-ft. building in Bradenton.

SEMA News caught up with Dobson to learn more about the business philosophy that has led to his success.

SEMA News: Why did you decide to target this particular market?

Derek Dobson: I’ve always liked trucks; it’s part of being an enthusiast. A lot of my friends were into imports, some were into Jeeps, but I always liked 1500 and 2500 Chevys. In the early ’00s, I started playing around with turbodiesels for fun. It turned out that when I would bring on a part from my truck, I would bring on a brand to start selling.

SN: Who are your customers and what draws them to you?

The company manufactures its own LED-conversion headlight product line called Outlaw Lights.

DD: Our customers typically range from truck owners who are looking for basic floor mats or visors to the guy who’s broken down on the side of the road and needs advice. When someone calls, we pick up the phone and try to take care of them the best we can. Our primary customer is the guy who’s ready to put wheels, tires and lift kits on his truck, usually off warranty.

SN: How did you start your business?

DD: I initially started the business in 2010, but it didn’t begin with a brick-and-mortar location. In those days, we went to swap meets and classic-car shows, including some of the Carlisle shows and the off-road and 4x4 events. We would go up and down the East Coast and into the Midwest, attend a three- or four-day swap meet, set up a display and talk to people face to face. It started with billet grilles out of a boxed truck. Now we have a 40-ft. trailer with an enclosed canopy system. We sell everything from LED taillights, projector headlights and performance exhaust systems to train horns, LED kits, HID kits and cold-air kits. We went from having one product to sell to a customer to having 100 products to sell to that same customer.

SN: How were you able to expand your product line?

DD: It started by people asking me, “Do you have this?” So I would find and source whatever product my customers needed. Sourcing various parts helped me to cultivate relationships with different brands. Additionally, when one of my diesel trucks would break down, I had to figure out how to fix it, and that brought on a whole different direction from just accessories to diesel performance parts. Sometimes when things break, it’s a good thing.

SN: How has your business grown since opening the retail location, and what percentage of your business comes from online sales?

Dale’s Super Store keeps about 30% of its product in stock.

DD: Since opening the actual store, we’ve experienced extreme growth by being able to find hot segments, expand our online presence and, more importantly, forge relationships with brands to do exclusive sales on Amazon versus them selling direct to Amazon so that we’re able to protect the brand. Eighty percent of our business is online. We’ve been very aggressive in our online growth.

SN: How do you market your company?

DD: We utilize everything from print to online advertising. We try to cultivate a community through social media, but we also market ourselves by attending the actual events. When you go to the events, whether it’s a Carlisle, a Family Event or a Friday-night event at your local track, you build a community. Over time, it’s fun to see people with their Dale’s stickers and hats. It’s also fun to build that relationship between the buyer and seller, especially when they see that we’re out there with them.

SN: What single-most-important factor can you attribute your success to?

Dale’s Super Store offers more than 100 different product lines, including LED taillights, projector headlines, performance exhaust systems, train horns, LED kits, HID kits and cold-air kits.

DD: Timing in our ability to take care of customers. We’ve been lucky with timing in the industry and trends and the suppliers we deal with. It’s all about being patient, not being impulsive, and looking at the long-term view versus the short-term view.

SN: What do you believe differentiates you from competitors?

DD: I’ll pick up the phone on a Sunday or after hours. We treat people the right way, and people respond to that. They have positive things to say when they talk to their friends, and we end up getting more business because of that.

SN: What is your customer-service philosophy, and what do you do specifically to meet that philosophy?

DD: It’s important to me that the customer is treated fairly and that we as a company are treated fairly. We don’t let customer issues linger to become larger issues. We have a system in place of managing customer-support issues; if it’s a tech issue or gets to the point of a return or an exchange, we make the process very smooth and streamlined. We’re not perfect, but we try to be. We try to exceed the customer’s expectations when they deal with us.

SN: What’s the biggest challenge you’ve faced so far?

DD: It’s trying to find the trends and the best way to sell products to the consumer and understanding the different platforms to do that. It’s also having the right people working for you—enthusiasts who will turn a wrench on their own cars and provide excellent customer service. I have a punch list of issues we need to address one at a time. The biggest hurdle is that things are constantly changing—there’s always competition entering the marketplace, there are new vehicles being produced by the manufacturers, and the taste of the consumer is constantly changing. Trying to understand that and put together a plan where you can be successful is a difficult thing, but we’ve been lucky to be able to continue to meet those demands.

SN: What has been your most rewarding success?

DD: The year 2015 presented a bunch of challenges with employees, both new and old. It was a year of growth and a year of change in my life. To complete 2015 and be as successful as we were, that was really rewarding. It was also rewarding that our peers recognized us among the top sellers in our category. There was a lot of struggle in 2015, but getting through that and being successful at the same time helped me to take a much longer view of things.

SN: How do you train your staff to best serve the business?

DD: When we work together, we work as a team. There’s not a job that’s too big or too small for any one of us. Part of it is the culture. We have the right type of employees. They all have positive attitudes and the belief that we’re in this together and working together to accomplish much bigger things. We don’t have a huge company, but we have a very close company.

SN: What strategies do you implement to support repeat customers?

DD: We’ve been very lucky to garner return business. It starts with the first interaction and continues with the follow up, whether it’s answering questions or responding to e-mails, but it’s about staying in contact. We try to attract a social-media following and communicate with our customer base twice per month by e-mail announcements and let them know what events we’re going to attend.

SN: What percentage of product do you keep in stock?

DD: We stock about 30% of the items we sell. We’ve been private labeling items over the past year. We’ve been growing that inventory inside of the business. Otherwise, we partner with excellent distributors.

SN: Do you take advantage of SEMA-provided services, such as the SEMA Data Co-op, and how have they benefitted your business?

DD: We have used SEMA Data Co-op. Data management is a hurdle for any business. We’re constantly working on the processes on our platforms, and in that way it helps us. We also attend Truck and Off-Road Alliance events.

SN: Where do you see your business headed, and what are your goals for the future?

DD: We are looking at the expansion into our new location. We are looking at growing into more performance-based projects and opening up new market segments. We talk about growing our brands, and there are a whole bunch of different avenues if we look into lifestyle-based products or complementary products to just the truck community. We are heavily involved in growing our Jeep offerings and continuing to grow our diesel performance products. We have our own Outlaw Lights product line, which are LED conversion headlights. We launched that brand almost two years ago, but we’re starting to put more effort into it, and we’ve seen a lot of growth in the past six months. We’re also going to be doing more performance installations as part of the next phase of our growth.

SN: What advice would you offer to retailers who are looking to hone their business practices?

DD: I’m a big fan of “The Profit” [TV program], Marcus Lemonis. He talks about people, process and product. It’s that simple. It starts with hiring the right people, treating them right, instilling simplified processes for how you handle your daily operation and having tangible goals that you need to meet. Offer the right product that works for your consumer base, and understand your customers. Understand the nature of the market you’re in and work within it.

SEMA News—April 2016

EVENTS

By John Stewart and Mike Imlay

Second Annual SEMA Ignited

The Official SEMA Show After-Party Lights Up Friday Night

SEMA Ignited, conceived as a way for SEMA Show exhibitors to extend their brands to a consumer audience, kicked off Friday night after the weeklong, trade-only SEMA Show ended. The Ignited event, situated just a short walk from the Las Vegas Convention Center, gave thousands of car enthusiasts a magical opportunity to view singular automotive creations on display at the world-famous SEMA Show.

In just its second year, SEMA Ignited has become a broad-based celebration of American car culture. More than 27,000 registered for the event, up 20% from the previous year, but the cars, music and celebrities contributed to a surge of social-media postings that pulsed through the enthusiast community and beyond.

SEMA News photographers were on hand to capture the moment. The accompanying photos provide a taste of the excitement from the second annual SEMA Ignited.

Opening Act: The SEMA Cruise

Even as exhibitors in the trade-only 2015 SEMA Show wrapped up their last transactions, hundreds of custom vehicles roared to life and poured out the doors of the Las Vegas Convention Center to join the eagerly anticipated SEMA Cruise. Outside, approximately 3,000 delighted enthusiasts waited, lining the streets to witness a steady stream of custom musclecars, perfectly restored classics, high-performance pro-tourers, outrageous off-road machines, exquisite hot rods, stylish lead sleds, sleek sports cars, fabulous lowriders, imported exotics and all manner of one-of-a-kind, built-from-the-ground-up creations. As daylight faded into night, the crowd took a short walk across the street to the vast Gold Lot, where attendees discovered that the party had just begun.

Nothing Else Like It

When the gates opened, SEMA Ignited ticket holders poured into a setting of live music on three stages, a lively retail midway, good food and refreshments and a continuous drifting exhibition. Every few steps, another inspiring automotive creation was there to be experienced. For car guys and their friends, it was paradise—a rare chance to view extraordinary SEMA Show vehicles up close, study their equipment combinations and take note of unique design features. The broad gathering of custom vehicles—representing every tradition of automotive culture in one place—is not likely to occur again anywhere else on the planet…until next year. Consider this your invitation to join in!

The Buzz

SEMA Cruise and SEMA Ignited provide a content bonanza for mainstream print and digital media, much of which will continue to appear in the coming months. But it also seemed that every spectator had a camera, immediately creating and sharing his or her own photos and video memories. Analytics confirm that thousands of attendees took the opportunity to collect and share images from the Ignited event, generating social-media coverage using tweets, Vines, Instagrams and Facebook postings of cackling dragsters, drifting action, celebrity sightings and all manner of selfies with good friends and dream cars.

In the Presence of Royalty

The charismatic actor Sung Kang, perhaps best known for his work as the character Han in The Fast and the Furious film series, was widely recognized by enthusiasts who lined up to get autographs on their shirts and hats, and cell-phone photographs as souvenirs. Elsewhere, dozens of high-profile builders were in attendance, including celebrated designer Chip Foose and other broadcast personalities, providing an opportunity for Ignited attendees to rub elbows with their heroes.

Lights, Action!

Highly skilled drivers from Formula Drift riveted an audience of thousands, masterfully executing full-lock, full-power slides and snap turns in perfect tandem formation. Crowds were drawn to the spectacle of high-performance technology in action and the stirring sounds of high-revving engines. In the nearby pit/staging area, curious fans had a chance to meet and talk with the professional drivers for whom driving is an art form, and to find out about their race cars.

Builders Battle

Attracted by the celebrities and major-league builders, fans gathered to watch as hosts Adrienne Janic and Chris Jacobs got ready to announce which of the three builder finalists—Chip Foose, Alan Johnson and Bobby Alloway—won the top prize. For the second year, SEMA Ignited served as the backdrop for taping of the “SEMA: Battle of the Builders” one-hour television special in which top customizers go head-to-head in a contest only one can win. (To learn more about the top 10 builders and their cars, read "Battle of the Builders.") The television special is scheduled for multiple airings throughout the year on the Velocity Channel, leading up to the 2016 SEMA Show. Visit www.velocity.com/schedule to find times in your area.

SEMA News—April 2016

EVENTS

By John Stewart and Mike Imlay

Second Annual SEMA Ignited

The Official SEMA Show After-Party Lights Up Friday Night

SEMA Ignited, conceived as a way for SEMA Show exhibitors to extend their brands to a consumer audience, kicked off Friday night after the weeklong, trade-only SEMA Show ended. The Ignited event, situated just a short walk from the Las Vegas Convention Center, gave thousands of car enthusiasts a magical opportunity to view singular automotive creations on display at the world-famous SEMA Show.

In just its second year, SEMA Ignited has become a broad-based celebration of American car culture. More than 27,000 registered for the event, up 20% from the previous year, but the cars, music and celebrities contributed to a surge of social-media postings that pulsed through the enthusiast community and beyond.

SEMA News photographers were on hand to capture the moment. The accompanying photos provide a taste of the excitement from the second annual SEMA Ignited.

Opening Act: The SEMA Cruise

Even as exhibitors in the trade-only 2015 SEMA Show wrapped up their last transactions, hundreds of custom vehicles roared to life and poured out the doors of the Las Vegas Convention Center to join the eagerly anticipated SEMA Cruise. Outside, approximately 3,000 delighted enthusiasts waited, lining the streets to witness a steady stream of custom musclecars, perfectly restored classics, high-performance pro-tourers, outrageous off-road machines, exquisite hot rods, stylish lead sleds, sleek sports cars, fabulous lowriders, imported exotics and all manner of one-of-a-kind, built-from-the-ground-up creations. As daylight faded into night, the crowd took a short walk across the street to the vast Gold Lot, where attendees discovered that the party had just begun.

Nothing Else Like It

When the gates opened, SEMA Ignited ticket holders poured into a setting of live music on three stages, a lively retail midway, good food and refreshments and a continuous drifting exhibition. Every few steps, another inspiring automotive creation was there to be experienced. For car guys and their friends, it was paradise—a rare chance to view extraordinary SEMA Show vehicles up close, study their equipment combinations and take note of unique design features. The broad gathering of custom vehicles—representing every tradition of automotive culture in one place—is not likely to occur again anywhere else on the planet…until next year. Consider this your invitation to join in!

The Buzz

SEMA Cruise and SEMA Ignited provide a content bonanza for mainstream print and digital media, much of which will continue to appear in the coming months. But it also seemed that every spectator had a camera, immediately creating and sharing his or her own photos and video memories. Analytics confirm that thousands of attendees took the opportunity to collect and share images from the Ignited event, generating social-media coverage using tweets, Vines, Instagrams and Facebook postings of cackling dragsters, drifting action, celebrity sightings and all manner of selfies with good friends and dream cars.

In the Presence of Royalty

The charismatic actor Sung Kang, perhaps best known for his work as the character Han in The Fast and the Furious film series, was widely recognized by enthusiasts who lined up to get autographs on their shirts and hats, and cell-phone photographs as souvenirs. Elsewhere, dozens of high-profile builders were in attendance, including celebrated designer Chip Foose and other broadcast personalities, providing an opportunity for Ignited attendees to rub elbows with their heroes.

Lights, Action!

Highly skilled drivers from Formula Drift riveted an audience of thousands, masterfully executing full-lock, full-power slides and snap turns in perfect tandem formation. Crowds were drawn to the spectacle of high-performance technology in action and the stirring sounds of high-revving engines. In the nearby pit/staging area, curious fans had a chance to meet and talk with the professional drivers for whom driving is an art form, and to find out about their race cars.

Builders Battle

Attracted by the celebrities and major-league builders, fans gathered to watch as hosts Adrienne Janic and Chris Jacobs got ready to announce which of the three builder finalists—Chip Foose, Alan Johnson and Bobby Alloway—won the top prize. For the second year, SEMA Ignited served as the backdrop for taping of the “SEMA: Battle of the Builders” one-hour television special in which top customizers go head-to-head in a contest only one can win. (To learn more about the top 10 builders and their cars, read "Battle of the Builders.") The television special is scheduled for multiple airings throughout the year on the Velocity Channel, leading up to the 2016 SEMA Show. Visit www.velocity.com/schedule to find times in your area.

SEMA News—April 2016

EVENTS

By John Stewart and Mike Imlay

Second Annual SEMA Ignited

The Official SEMA Show After-Party Lights Up Friday Night

SEMA Ignited, conceived as a way for SEMA Show exhibitors to extend their brands to a consumer audience, kicked off Friday night after the weeklong, trade-only SEMA Show ended. The Ignited event, situated just a short walk from the Las Vegas Convention Center, gave thousands of car enthusiasts a magical opportunity to view singular automotive creations on display at the world-famous SEMA Show.

In just its second year, SEMA Ignited has become a broad-based celebration of American car culture. More than 27,000 registered for the event, up 20% from the previous year, but the cars, music and celebrities contributed to a surge of social-media postings that pulsed through the enthusiast community and beyond.

SEMA News photographers were on hand to capture the moment. The accompanying photos provide a taste of the excitement from the second annual SEMA Ignited.

Opening Act: The SEMA Cruise

Even as exhibitors in the trade-only 2015 SEMA Show wrapped up their last transactions, hundreds of custom vehicles roared to life and poured out the doors of the Las Vegas Convention Center to join the eagerly anticipated SEMA Cruise. Outside, approximately 3,000 delighted enthusiasts waited, lining the streets to witness a steady stream of custom musclecars, perfectly restored classics, high-performance pro-tourers, outrageous off-road machines, exquisite hot rods, stylish lead sleds, sleek sports cars, fabulous lowriders, imported exotics and all manner of one-of-a-kind, built-from-the-ground-up creations. As daylight faded into night, the crowd took a short walk across the street to the vast Gold Lot, where attendees discovered that the party had just begun.

Nothing Else Like It

When the gates opened, SEMA Ignited ticket holders poured into a setting of live music on three stages, a lively retail midway, good food and refreshments and a continuous drifting exhibition. Every few steps, another inspiring automotive creation was there to be experienced. For car guys and their friends, it was paradise—a rare chance to view extraordinary SEMA Show vehicles up close, study their equipment combinations and take note of unique design features. The broad gathering of custom vehicles—representing every tradition of automotive culture in one place—is not likely to occur again anywhere else on the planet…until next year. Consider this your invitation to join in!

The Buzz

SEMA Cruise and SEMA Ignited provide a content bonanza for mainstream print and digital media, much of which will continue to appear in the coming months. But it also seemed that every spectator had a camera, immediately creating and sharing his or her own photos and video memories. Analytics confirm that thousands of attendees took the opportunity to collect and share images from the Ignited event, generating social-media coverage using tweets, Vines, Instagrams and Facebook postings of cackling dragsters, drifting action, celebrity sightings and all manner of selfies with good friends and dream cars.

In the Presence of Royalty

The charismatic actor Sung Kang, perhaps best known for his work as the character Han in The Fast and the Furious film series, was widely recognized by enthusiasts who lined up to get autographs on their shirts and hats, and cell-phone photographs as souvenirs. Elsewhere, dozens of high-profile builders were in attendance, including celebrated designer Chip Foose and other broadcast personalities, providing an opportunity for Ignited attendees to rub elbows with their heroes.

Lights, Action!

Highly skilled drivers from Formula Drift riveted an audience of thousands, masterfully executing full-lock, full-power slides and snap turns in perfect tandem formation. Crowds were drawn to the spectacle of high-performance technology in action and the stirring sounds of high-revving engines. In the nearby pit/staging area, curious fans had a chance to meet and talk with the professional drivers for whom driving is an art form, and to find out about their race cars.

Builders Battle

Attracted by the celebrities and major-league builders, fans gathered to watch as hosts Adrienne Janic and Chris Jacobs got ready to announce which of the three builder finalists—Chip Foose, Alan Johnson and Bobby Alloway—won the top prize. For the second year, SEMA Ignited served as the backdrop for taping of the “SEMA: Battle of the Builders” one-hour television special in which top customizers go head-to-head in a contest only one can win. (To learn more about the top 10 builders and their cars, read "Battle of the Builders.") The television special is scheduled for multiple airings throughout the year on the Velocity Channel, leading up to the 2016 SEMA Show. Visit www.velocity.com/schedule to find times in your area.

SEMA News—April 2016

EVENTS

By John Stewart and Mike Imlay

Second Annual SEMA Ignited

The Official SEMA Show After-Party Lights Up Friday Night

SEMA Ignited, conceived as a way for SEMA Show exhibitors to extend their brands to a consumer audience, kicked off Friday night after the weeklong, trade-only SEMA Show ended. The Ignited event, situated just a short walk from the Las Vegas Convention Center, gave thousands of car enthusiasts a magical opportunity to view singular automotive creations on display at the world-famous SEMA Show.

In just its second year, SEMA Ignited has become a broad-based celebration of American car culture. More than 27,000 registered for the event, up 20% from the previous year, but the cars, music and celebrities contributed to a surge of social-media postings that pulsed through the enthusiast community and beyond.

SEMA News photographers were on hand to capture the moment. The accompanying photos provide a taste of the excitement from the second annual SEMA Ignited.

Opening Act: The SEMA Cruise

Even as exhibitors in the trade-only 2015 SEMA Show wrapped up their last transactions, hundreds of custom vehicles roared to life and poured out the doors of the Las Vegas Convention Center to join the eagerly anticipated SEMA Cruise. Outside, approximately 3,000 delighted enthusiasts waited, lining the streets to witness a steady stream of custom musclecars, perfectly restored classics, high-performance pro-tourers, outrageous off-road machines, exquisite hot rods, stylish lead sleds, sleek sports cars, fabulous lowriders, imported exotics and all manner of one-of-a-kind, built-from-the-ground-up creations. As daylight faded into night, the crowd took a short walk across the street to the vast Gold Lot, where attendees discovered that the party had just begun.

Nothing Else Like It

When the gates opened, SEMA Ignited ticket holders poured into a setting of live music on three stages, a lively retail midway, good food and refreshments and a continuous drifting exhibition. Every few steps, another inspiring automotive creation was there to be experienced. For car guys and their friends, it was paradise—a rare chance to view extraordinary SEMA Show vehicles up close, study their equipment combinations and take note of unique design features. The broad gathering of custom vehicles—representing every tradition of automotive culture in one place—is not likely to occur again anywhere else on the planet…until next year. Consider this your invitation to join in!

The Buzz

SEMA Cruise and SEMA Ignited provide a content bonanza for mainstream print and digital media, much of which will continue to appear in the coming months. But it also seemed that every spectator had a camera, immediately creating and sharing his or her own photos and video memories. Analytics confirm that thousands of attendees took the opportunity to collect and share images from the Ignited event, generating social-media coverage using tweets, Vines, Instagrams and Facebook postings of cackling dragsters, drifting action, celebrity sightings and all manner of selfies with good friends and dream cars.

In the Presence of Royalty

The charismatic actor Sung Kang, perhaps best known for his work as the character Han in The Fast and the Furious film series, was widely recognized by enthusiasts who lined up to get autographs on their shirts and hats, and cell-phone photographs as souvenirs. Elsewhere, dozens of high-profile builders were in attendance, including celebrated designer Chip Foose and other broadcast personalities, providing an opportunity for Ignited attendees to rub elbows with their heroes.

Lights, Action!

Highly skilled drivers from Formula Drift riveted an audience of thousands, masterfully executing full-lock, full-power slides and snap turns in perfect tandem formation. Crowds were drawn to the spectacle of high-performance technology in action and the stirring sounds of high-revving engines. In the nearby pit/staging area, curious fans had a chance to meet and talk with the professional drivers for whom driving is an art form, and to find out about their race cars.

Builders Battle

Attracted by the celebrities and major-league builders, fans gathered to watch as hosts Adrienne Janic and Chris Jacobs got ready to announce which of the three builder finalists—Chip Foose, Alan Johnson and Bobby Alloway—won the top prize. For the second year, SEMA Ignited served as the backdrop for taping of the “SEMA: Battle of the Builders” one-hour television special in which top customizers go head-to-head in a contest only one can win. (To learn more about the top 10 builders and their cars, read "Battle of the Builders.") The television special is scheduled for multiple airings throughout the year on the Velocity Channel, leading up to the 2016 SEMA Show. Visit www.velocity.com/schedule to find times in your area.

SEMA News—April 2016

FROM THE HILL

By Christian Robinson

Time Circuits On: The Future Is Now

DeLorean Motor Company Hosts U.S. Representative Gene Green

U.S. Rep. Gene Green (D-TX) championed the SEMA-supported Low Volume Motor Vehicle Manufacturers Act in Congress.

“The way I see it, if you’re going to build a time machine into a car, why not do it with some style?” explained Dr. Emmett Brown in the blockbuster film “Back to the Future.” As any movie buff will tell you, the car Doc Brown spoke of was the DeLorean DMC-12. Unfortunately for movie lovers and gearheads alike, the DeLorean hasn’t been in production since 1983. However, thanks to a new SEMA-supported law, that’s about to change.

The story of the original DeLorean is well known. Formed in 1975 by former General Motors executive John DeLorean, the manufacturer of the stainless-steel car with gullwing doors was forced to declare bankruptcy and close its doors in the early ’80s. Today, approximately 6,500 of the 9,000 vehicles produced are still on the road.

DeLorean Motor Company CEO Stephen Wynne (left) gave U.S. Rep. Gene Green (D-TX) a sneak peek at the company’s upcoming production plans.

Stephen Wynne resurrected the DeLorean Motor Company in 1997, purchasing all of the parts and molds from the original production run. Based in the Houston suburb of Humble, Texas, Wynne’s company is able to service and repair the vehicles still in existence today. The company even has enough inventory to assemble about 300 more DMC-12s.

DeLorean’s rebirth is possible thanks to the SEMA-supported Low Volume Motor Vehicle Manufacturers Act, which was signed into law by President Obama as part of a larger transportation bill late last year. Under the new law, small-volume automakers such as DeLorean are allowed to make up to 325 turn-key vehicles per year that resemble classic cars originally produced at least 25 years ago. The new law exempts the cars from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s vehicle-based standards but requires that they come equipped with a current-model-year engine package certified by the Environmental Protection Agency or the California Air Resources Board.

“It’s incredible,” DeLorean CEO Wynne said. “This legislation is a game changer for us. As a result of this law, a whole new generation will be able to enjoy these unique cars.”

DeLorean Motor Company is able to service and repair the 6,500 DMC-12s still in existence today.

DeLorean’s second life would not have been possible without another Houston product—U.S. Representative Gene Green (D-TX). Rep. Green, along with Rep. Markwayne Mullin (R-OK), championed SEMA’s replica-vehicle legislation in Congress. Before being elected to Congress in 1992, Rep. Green served the people of Houston for more than 20 years in the Texas state legislature. In Washington, Rep. Green serves on the prestigious House Committee on Energy and Commerce, which has primary jurisdiction over the auto industry. Rep. Green is also a member of the SEMA-supported Congressional Automotive Performance and Motorsports Caucus.

After months of hard work in helping enact the bill into law, Rep. Green was able to see firsthand its impact as he visited the facility where existing DeLoreans are serviced and restored to like-new condition. During the tour, he also got a sneak peek at the company’s upcoming production plans. The new DeLoreans will incorporate parts from the future. While the classic design of the car will remain the same, the updated DMC-12 will feature larger wheels and tires, modern brakes and state-of-the-art amenities, such as GPS navigation. In order to meet production needs, DeLorean plans to hire an additional 40 workers at its Texas headquarters.

“This bill ensures that companies like DeLorean are not hindered from selling their cars,” Rep. Green said. “I’m proud to see an iconic Houston brand like DeLorean going back into production, thanks to our bill, and I look forward to exciting times ahead as we go back to the future.”

For more information on planning your own Congressional District Site Visit, please contact Christian Robinson in the SEMA Government Affairs office at christianr@sema.org.

SEMA PAC President’s Club Spotlight: Kyle Fickler

Kyle Fickler (right) of Aeromotive is introduced to U.S. Rep. Doug LaMalfa (R-CA, left) by Nate Shelton.

Kyle Fickler is the director of business development at Aeromotive, which is headquartered in Lenexa, Kansas. Fickler currently serves on SEMA’s Board of Directors and is a three-year member of the SEMA PAC President’s Club.

“The long-term viability of our industry depends upon having the right to modify our vehicles and places to enjoy them,” Fickler said. “Federal legislation and regulations can have a huge impact on both. For more than 50 years, SEMA has fought on behalf of all of us to maintain these rights, but the battle never ends. If you are a stakeholder in this industry, your participation in SEMA PAC ensures that our voice will be heard in the nation’s capital.”

For SEMA PAC information, contact Christian Robinson at 202-783-6007 x20 or christianr@sema.org.

SEMA News—April 2016

FROM THE HILL

By Christian Robinson

Time Circuits On: The Future Is Now

DeLorean Motor Company Hosts U.S. Representative Gene Green

U.S. Rep. Gene Green (D-TX) championed the SEMA-supported Low Volume Motor Vehicle Manufacturers Act in Congress.

“The way I see it, if you’re going to build a time machine into a car, why not do it with some style?” explained Dr. Emmett Brown in the blockbuster film “Back to the Future.” As any movie buff will tell you, the car Doc Brown spoke of was the DeLorean DMC-12. Unfortunately for movie lovers and gearheads alike, the DeLorean hasn’t been in production since 1983. However, thanks to a new SEMA-supported law, that’s about to change.

The story of the original DeLorean is well known. Formed in 1975 by former General Motors executive John DeLorean, the manufacturer of the stainless-steel car with gullwing doors was forced to declare bankruptcy and close its doors in the early ’80s. Today, approximately 6,500 of the 9,000 vehicles produced are still on the road.

DeLorean Motor Company CEO Stephen Wynne (left) gave U.S. Rep. Gene Green (D-TX) a sneak peek at the company’s upcoming production plans.

Stephen Wynne resurrected the DeLorean Motor Company in 1997, purchasing all of the parts and molds from the original production run. Based in the Houston suburb of Humble, Texas, Wynne’s company is able to service and repair the vehicles still in existence today. The company even has enough inventory to assemble about 300 more DMC-12s.

DeLorean’s rebirth is possible thanks to the SEMA-supported Low Volume Motor Vehicle Manufacturers Act, which was signed into law by President Obama as part of a larger transportation bill late last year. Under the new law, small-volume automakers such as DeLorean are allowed to make up to 325 turn-key vehicles per year that resemble classic cars originally produced at least 25 years ago. The new law exempts the cars from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s vehicle-based standards but requires that they come equipped with a current-model-year engine package certified by the Environmental Protection Agency or the California Air Resources Board.

“It’s incredible,” DeLorean CEO Wynne said. “This legislation is a game changer for us. As a result of this law, a whole new generation will be able to enjoy these unique cars.”

DeLorean Motor Company is able to service and repair the 6,500 DMC-12s still in existence today.

DeLorean’s second life would not have been possible without another Houston product—U.S. Representative Gene Green (D-TX). Rep. Green, along with Rep. Markwayne Mullin (R-OK), championed SEMA’s replica-vehicle legislation in Congress. Before being elected to Congress in 1992, Rep. Green served the people of Houston for more than 20 years in the Texas state legislature. In Washington, Rep. Green serves on the prestigious House Committee on Energy and Commerce, which has primary jurisdiction over the auto industry. Rep. Green is also a member of the SEMA-supported Congressional Automotive Performance and Motorsports Caucus.

After months of hard work in helping enact the bill into law, Rep. Green was able to see firsthand its impact as he visited the facility where existing DeLoreans are serviced and restored to like-new condition. During the tour, he also got a sneak peek at the company’s upcoming production plans. The new DeLoreans will incorporate parts from the future. While the classic design of the car will remain the same, the updated DMC-12 will feature larger wheels and tires, modern brakes and state-of-the-art amenities, such as GPS navigation. In order to meet production needs, DeLorean plans to hire an additional 40 workers at its Texas headquarters.

“This bill ensures that companies like DeLorean are not hindered from selling their cars,” Rep. Green said. “I’m proud to see an iconic Houston brand like DeLorean going back into production, thanks to our bill, and I look forward to exciting times ahead as we go back to the future.”

For more information on planning your own Congressional District Site Visit, please contact Christian Robinson in the SEMA Government Affairs office at christianr@sema.org.

SEMA PAC President’s Club Spotlight: Kyle Fickler

Kyle Fickler (right) of Aeromotive is introduced to U.S. Rep. Doug LaMalfa (R-CA, left) by Nate Shelton.

Kyle Fickler is the director of business development at Aeromotive, which is headquartered in Lenexa, Kansas. Fickler currently serves on SEMA’s Board of Directors and is a three-year member of the SEMA PAC President’s Club.

“The long-term viability of our industry depends upon having the right to modify our vehicles and places to enjoy them,” Fickler said. “Federal legislation and regulations can have a huge impact on both. For more than 50 years, SEMA has fought on behalf of all of us to maintain these rights, but the battle never ends. If you are a stakeholder in this industry, your participation in SEMA PAC ensures that our voice will be heard in the nation’s capital.”

For SEMA PAC information, contact Christian Robinson at 202-783-6007 x20 or christianr@sema.org.

SEMA News—April 2016

FROM THE HILL

By Christian Robinson

Time Circuits On: The Future Is Now

DeLorean Motor Company Hosts U.S. Representative Gene Green

U.S. Rep. Gene Green (D-TX) championed the SEMA-supported Low Volume Motor Vehicle Manufacturers Act in Congress.

“The way I see it, if you’re going to build a time machine into a car, why not do it with some style?” explained Dr. Emmett Brown in the blockbuster film “Back to the Future.” As any movie buff will tell you, the car Doc Brown spoke of was the DeLorean DMC-12. Unfortunately for movie lovers and gearheads alike, the DeLorean hasn’t been in production since 1983. However, thanks to a new SEMA-supported law, that’s about to change.

The story of the original DeLorean is well known. Formed in 1975 by former General Motors executive John DeLorean, the manufacturer of the stainless-steel car with gullwing doors was forced to declare bankruptcy and close its doors in the early ’80s. Today, approximately 6,500 of the 9,000 vehicles produced are still on the road.

DeLorean Motor Company CEO Stephen Wynne (left) gave U.S. Rep. Gene Green (D-TX) a sneak peek at the company’s upcoming production plans.

Stephen Wynne resurrected the DeLorean Motor Company in 1997, purchasing all of the parts and molds from the original production run. Based in the Houston suburb of Humble, Texas, Wynne’s company is able to service and repair the vehicles still in existence today. The company even has enough inventory to assemble about 300 more DMC-12s.

DeLorean’s rebirth is possible thanks to the SEMA-supported Low Volume Motor Vehicle Manufacturers Act, which was signed into law by President Obama as part of a larger transportation bill late last year. Under the new law, small-volume automakers such as DeLorean are allowed to make up to 325 turn-key vehicles per year that resemble classic cars originally produced at least 25 years ago. The new law exempts the cars from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s vehicle-based standards but requires that they come equipped with a current-model-year engine package certified by the Environmental Protection Agency or the California Air Resources Board.

“It’s incredible,” DeLorean CEO Wynne said. “This legislation is a game changer for us. As a result of this law, a whole new generation will be able to enjoy these unique cars.”

DeLorean Motor Company is able to service and repair the 6,500 DMC-12s still in existence today.

DeLorean’s second life would not have been possible without another Houston product—U.S. Representative Gene Green (D-TX). Rep. Green, along with Rep. Markwayne Mullin (R-OK), championed SEMA’s replica-vehicle legislation in Congress. Before being elected to Congress in 1992, Rep. Green served the people of Houston for more than 20 years in the Texas state legislature. In Washington, Rep. Green serves on the prestigious House Committee on Energy and Commerce, which has primary jurisdiction over the auto industry. Rep. Green is also a member of the SEMA-supported Congressional Automotive Performance and Motorsports Caucus.

After months of hard work in helping enact the bill into law, Rep. Green was able to see firsthand its impact as he visited the facility where existing DeLoreans are serviced and restored to like-new condition. During the tour, he also got a sneak peek at the company’s upcoming production plans. The new DeLoreans will incorporate parts from the future. While the classic design of the car will remain the same, the updated DMC-12 will feature larger wheels and tires, modern brakes and state-of-the-art amenities, such as GPS navigation. In order to meet production needs, DeLorean plans to hire an additional 40 workers at its Texas headquarters.

“This bill ensures that companies like DeLorean are not hindered from selling their cars,” Rep. Green said. “I’m proud to see an iconic Houston brand like DeLorean going back into production, thanks to our bill, and I look forward to exciting times ahead as we go back to the future.”

For more information on planning your own Congressional District Site Visit, please contact Christian Robinson in the SEMA Government Affairs office at christianr@sema.org.

SEMA PAC President’s Club Spotlight: Kyle Fickler

Kyle Fickler (right) of Aeromotive is introduced to U.S. Rep. Doug LaMalfa (R-CA, left) by Nate Shelton.

Kyle Fickler is the director of business development at Aeromotive, which is headquartered in Lenexa, Kansas. Fickler currently serves on SEMA’s Board of Directors and is a three-year member of the SEMA PAC President’s Club.

“The long-term viability of our industry depends upon having the right to modify our vehicles and places to enjoy them,” Fickler said. “Federal legislation and regulations can have a huge impact on both. For more than 50 years, SEMA has fought on behalf of all of us to maintain these rights, but the battle never ends. If you are a stakeholder in this industry, your participation in SEMA PAC ensures that our voice will be heard in the nation’s capital.”

For SEMA PAC information, contact Christian Robinson at 202-783-6007 x20 or christianr@sema.org.