By SEMA Editors

Luke Merrill of Tinman 2 Kustoms is building a ’40 Chevy two-door sedan for the Battle of the Builders competition at the 2018 SEMA Show.

Luke Merrill of Tinman 2 Kustoms, a Top 10 Young Guns and Top 40 overall contestant in last year’s SEMA Battle of the Builders, is competing again this year with a ’40 Chevy two-door sedan he is building for his mother. The vehicle will be on display at the 2018 SEMA Show as a feature vehicle.

“For 25 years, my mom has wanted a hot rod of her own to cruise to shows with dad and the kids when we were young,” Merrill said. “This car has been sitting in our garage for the entirety of those 25 years—dad just never had the time or money to get to it with his ongoing health issues. He would do a bit here and there until money ran out or something came up.”

Leveraging his success at last year’s Show, Merrill was able to secure parts from several SEMA-member manufacturers, including: AirLift, AirSlamIt, ArcOne Welding, Auto City Classic, AutoMeter, AVS, B&M, Big Al’s Carponents, Blue Demon Welding, Cambridge Upholstery, Chevs of the 40’s, Detroit Steel Wheel, Empire Abrasives, Energy Suspension, Engineered Components Inc (ECI), Fairchild industries, FiTech, Flowmaster, Forever Sharp Steering Wheels, GC Cooling, JAZ Products, JET Chip, LizardSkin, Metro Moulded Parts, Milwaukee Tool, Monster Transmission, MSD, Nitrous Express, Oracle Lighting, POR-15, Power Acoustik, Pypes, RADAR Tires, Retro Manufacturing, Rockford Fosgate, Speedway Motors, Summit Racing, TKO Clamping Systems, VIAIR, Vintage Air, Wilwood and Yukon Gear & Axle

Follow Tinman 2 Kustoms on YouTube.

By SEMA Editors

Luke Merrill of Tinman 2 Kustoms is building a ’40 Chevy two-door sedan for the Battle of the Builders competition at the 2018 SEMA Show.

Luke Merrill of Tinman 2 Kustoms, a Top 10 Young Guns and Top 40 overall contestant in last year’s SEMA Battle of the Builders, is competing again this year with a ’40 Chevy two-door sedan he is building for his mother. The vehicle will be on display at the 2018 SEMA Show as a feature vehicle.

“For 25 years, my mom has wanted a hot rod of her own to cruise to shows with dad and the kids when we were young,” Merrill said. “This car has been sitting in our garage for the entirety of those 25 years—dad just never had the time or money to get to it with his ongoing health issues. He would do a bit here and there until money ran out or something came up.”

Leveraging his success at last year’s Show, Merrill was able to secure parts from several SEMA-member manufacturers, including: AirLift, AirSlamIt, ArcOne Welding, Auto City Classic, AutoMeter, AVS, B&M, Big Al’s Carponents, Blue Demon Welding, Cambridge Upholstery, Chevs of the 40’s, Detroit Steel Wheel, Empire Abrasives, Energy Suspension, Engineered Components Inc (ECI), Fairchild industries, FiTech, Flowmaster, Forever Sharp Steering Wheels, GC Cooling, JAZ Products, JET Chip, LizardSkin, Metro Moulded Parts, Milwaukee Tool, Monster Transmission, MSD, Nitrous Express, Oracle Lighting, POR-15, Power Acoustik, Pypes, RADAR Tires, Retro Manufacturing, Rockford Fosgate, Speedway Motors, Summit Racing, TKO Clamping Systems, VIAIR, Vintage Air, Wilwood and Yukon Gear & Axle

Follow Tinman 2 Kustoms on YouTube.

By SEMA Editors

Luke Merrill of Tinman 2 Kustoms is building a ’40 Chevy two-door sedan for the Battle of the Builders competition at the 2018 SEMA Show.

Luke Merrill of Tinman 2 Kustoms, a Top 10 Young Guns and Top 40 overall contestant in last year’s SEMA Battle of the Builders, is competing again this year with a ’40 Chevy two-door sedan he is building for his mother. The vehicle will be on display at the 2018 SEMA Show as a feature vehicle.

“For 25 years, my mom has wanted a hot rod of her own to cruise to shows with dad and the kids when we were young,” Merrill said. “This car has been sitting in our garage for the entirety of those 25 years—dad just never had the time or money to get to it with his ongoing health issues. He would do a bit here and there until money ran out or something came up.”

Leveraging his success at last year’s Show, Merrill was able to secure parts from several SEMA-member manufacturers, including: AirLift, AirSlamIt, ArcOne Welding, Auto City Classic, AutoMeter, AVS, B&M, Big Al’s Carponents, Blue Demon Welding, Cambridge Upholstery, Chevs of the 40’s, Detroit Steel Wheel, Empire Abrasives, Energy Suspension, Engineered Components Inc (ECI), Fairchild industries, FiTech, Flowmaster, Forever Sharp Steering Wheels, GC Cooling, JAZ Products, JET Chip, LizardSkin, Metro Moulded Parts, Milwaukee Tool, Monster Transmission, MSD, Nitrous Express, Oracle Lighting, POR-15, Power Acoustik, Pypes, RADAR Tires, Retro Manufacturing, Rockford Fosgate, Speedway Motors, Summit Racing, TKO Clamping Systems, VIAIR, Vintage Air, Wilwood and Yukon Gear & Axle

Follow Tinman 2 Kustoms on YouTube.

By SEMA Editors

Tomorrow is the deadline to enter the SEMA Battle of the Builders competition at www.semashow.com/botb.

August 31 is the deadline for vehicle builders with a feature or booth vehicle at the 2018 SEMA Show to register for SEMA Battle of the Builders—one of the industry’s most prestigious vehicle build competitions.

Now in its fifth year, SEMA Battle of the Builders shines a spotlight on the amazing talents and craftsmanship of builders who have already proven themselves by being a part of the exclusive, trade-only 2018 SEMA Show, held October 30–November 2, in Las Vegas. 

Participants will be highlighted at the SEMA Show and may receive additional exposure throughout the year. Several builders competing in the 2018 competition are already featured in videos posted on the SEMA YouTube channel.

Don’t miss your opportunity to bring increased media exposure to your feature vehicles and the products that make the vehicles unique. Register now.

By SEMA Editors

Tomorrow is the deadline to enter the SEMA Battle of the Builders competition at www.semashow.com/botb.

August 31 is the deadline for vehicle builders with a feature or booth vehicle at the 2018 SEMA Show to register for SEMA Battle of the Builders—one of the industry’s most prestigious vehicle build competitions.

Now in its fifth year, SEMA Battle of the Builders shines a spotlight on the amazing talents and craftsmanship of builders who have already proven themselves by being a part of the exclusive, trade-only 2018 SEMA Show, held October 30–November 2, in Las Vegas. 

Participants will be highlighted at the SEMA Show and may receive additional exposure throughout the year. Several builders competing in the 2018 competition are already featured in videos posted on the SEMA YouTube channel.

Don’t miss your opportunity to bring increased media exposure to your feature vehicles and the products that make the vehicles unique. Register now.

By SEMA Editors

Tomorrow is the deadline to enter the SEMA Battle of the Builders competition at www.semashow.com/botb.

August 31 is the deadline for vehicle builders with a feature or booth vehicle at the 2018 SEMA Show to register for SEMA Battle of the Builders—one of the industry’s most prestigious vehicle build competitions.

Now in its fifth year, SEMA Battle of the Builders shines a spotlight on the amazing talents and craftsmanship of builders who have already proven themselves by being a part of the exclusive, trade-only 2018 SEMA Show, held October 30–November 2, in Las Vegas. 

Participants will be highlighted at the SEMA Show and may receive additional exposure throughout the year. Several builders competing in the 2018 competition are already featured in videos posted on the SEMA YouTube channel.

Don’t miss your opportunity to bring increased media exposure to your feature vehicles and the products that make the vehicles unique. Register now.

According to the findings of a recent survey of U.S.-based SEMA-member manufacturers, SEMA-member companies are exporting in greater numbers than ever before and are optimistic that those sales will continue to climb in the next three years.

By SEMA Editors

Latest Jobs Added to SEMA Career Center

Are you hunting for a new job? The SEMA Career Center has a comprehensive listing of automotive-related job openings around the country. Here are some of the latest jobs posted to the website.

Vice President of Customer and Category Management: EMPI Inc. is hiring a vice president of customer and category management with at least five years of automotive sales experience at the management level. This position will be instrumental in developing and implementing both short-term and long-term company strategies in order to maximize brand exposure and revenue, monitoring sales results to ensure revenues meet budgetary goals and managing all aspects of sales.

Purchaser/Buyer: TMI Products Inc. is hiring a purchaser/buyer to develop, lead and execute purchasing strategies, create purchase orders and seek and partner with reliable vendors and suppliers effectively and professionally and negotiate pricing strategies. Qualified candidates should have strong negotiation skills, accurate data-entry skills and a high school diploma. A bachelor’s degree is preferred.

Operations Manager: Automotive Testing and Development Services Inc. is hiring an operations manager with more than 10 years of technical project management experience, preferably in the automotive industry. The candidate should also have significant customer relations capabilities, a degree in mechanical, electrical or automotive engineering and the ability to travel. Experience with expense tracking, job costing and invoicing customers against purchase orders is a must.

Editor: ProMedia is hiring an editor for Fastest Street Car magazine—the official publication of the NMRA and NMCA drag-racing series. Magazine experience is required. Candidates must be organized, demonstrate the ability to meet firm deadlines and possess leadership qualities. This position will also be responsible for assigning, tracking and securing monthly freelance editorial contributions. Applicants must be able to demonstrate proficient writing and photography skills and have working knowledge of the racing and performance industry.

Junior Draftsman: Advanced Flow Engineering Inc. is hiring a junior draftsman responsible for the preparation of, or revision to, detailed drawings to match bill of material and physical parts for automotive parts and sub-assemblies as needed and per project requirements. Intermediate to advanced knowledge of Solidworks, knowledge of materials and manufacturing processes are desired. A high school diploma is required; a two-year technical degree or equivalent experience is preferred.

By SEMA Editors

Exhibitors of the 2018 SEMA Show can expand their reach, product exposure and Show-floor presence by offering products to builders through the Products for Project-Vehicle Builders list.

Exhibitors of the 2018 SEMA Show are invited to expand their reach, product exposure and Show-floor presence by offering products to builders through the Products for Project-Vehicle Builders list. The list connects manufacturers with builders looking to create or complete a vehicle project.

The list, which will be updated each week in SEMA eNews, features product offers and contact information provided by confirmed SEMA Show exhibitors. Builders interested in obtaining a product use the information to contact exhibitors directly. With each project vehicle required to be supported by a current 2018 SEMA Show exhibitor, all product-placement decisions, negotiations and agreements are the responsibility of the exhibiting manufacturer and the builder.

The list is open to exhibitors of the 2018 SEMA Show only. To be included in the list, complete the form.

Exhibitors: Each submission will appear on a first-come, first-served basis. As participation increases, all submissions will also be archived on www.SEMAShow.com.

Note: For verification purposes, the Project-Vehicle Builders form must be used to participate in the program; email submissions will not be included in the list. Participation in the list does not guarantee product or vehicle placement at the 2018 SEMA Show.

View the Products for Project-Vehicle Builders list.

By SEMA Editors

Exhibitors of the 2018 SEMA Show can expand their reach, product exposure and Show-floor presence by offering products to builders through the Products for Project-Vehicle Builders list.

Exhibitors of the 2018 SEMA Show are invited to expand their reach, product exposure and Show-floor presence by offering products to builders through the Products for Project-Vehicle Builders list. The list connects manufacturers with builders looking to create or complete a vehicle project.

The list, which will be updated each week in SEMA eNews, features product offers and contact information provided by confirmed SEMA Show exhibitors. Builders interested in obtaining a product use the information to contact exhibitors directly. With each project vehicle required to be supported by a current 2018 SEMA Show exhibitor, all product-placement decisions, negotiations and agreements are the responsibility of the exhibiting manufacturer and the builder.

The list is open to exhibitors of the 2018 SEMA Show only. To be included in the list, complete the form.

Exhibitors: Each submission will appear on a first-come, first-served basis. As participation increases, all submissions will also be archived on www.SEMAShow.com.

Note: For verification purposes, the Project-Vehicle Builders form must be used to participate in the program; email submissions will not be included in the list. Participation in the list does not guarantee product or vehicle placement at the 2018 SEMA Show.

View the Products for Project-Vehicle Builders list.