By SEMA Washington, D.C., Staff

The Louisiana Senate Judiciary Committee approved legislation to annually designate the Friday, Saturday and Sunday of the second weekend in July as "Louisiana Collector Car Appreciation" weekend.

Legislation to annually designate the Friday, Saturday and Sunday of the second weekend in July as "Louisiana Collector Car Appreciation" weekend was approved by the Louisiana Senate Judiciary Committee and now moves to the floor of the Senate for a vote by all members. The bill has already been approved by the full House of Representatives.

Earlier this year, the SEMA Action Network (SAN) announced these dates to mark the fifth commemoration in what has become an annual event to raise awareness of the vital role automotive restoration and collection plays in American society. SAN is again working to secure a U.S. Congressional resolution to recognize the day’s significance.

For more information, visit the SEMA Action Network (SAN) website. For details, contact Steve McDonald at stevem@sema.org.

By SEMA Washington, D.C., Staff

Kentucky legislation to change the valuation procedure on vehicles for purposes of the property tax died when the legislature adjourned for the year.

Kentucky legislation to change the valuation procedure on vehicles for purposes of the property tax died when the legislature adjourned for the year. The bill would have put a new valuation procedure in place for older vehicles. Vehicles 20 years old or older would no longer have been presumed to be in "original factory" or "classic" condition. The measure instead provided three options for assessing the value of these vehicles. The bill preserved the tax assessor's ability to deviate from this valuation formula if information is available to warrant such a deviation from standard value. Newer vehicles would have been valued at the “average trade-in” value rather than the higher "clean trade-in" value.

For details, contact Steve McDonald at stevem@sema.org.

By SEMA Washington, D.C., Staff

Kentucky legislation to change the valuation procedure on vehicles for purposes of the property tax died when the legislature adjourned for the year.

Kentucky legislation to change the valuation procedure on vehicles for purposes of the property tax died when the legislature adjourned for the year. The bill would have put a new valuation procedure in place for older vehicles. Vehicles 20 years old or older would no longer have been presumed to be in "original factory" or "classic" condition. The measure instead provided three options for assessing the value of these vehicles. The bill preserved the tax assessor's ability to deviate from this valuation formula if information is available to warrant such a deviation from standard value. Newer vehicles would have been valued at the “average trade-in” value rather than the higher "clean trade-in" value.

For details, contact Steve McDonald at stevem@sema.org.

By SEMA Washington, D.C., Staff

Kentucky legislation to change the valuation procedure on vehicles for purposes of the property tax died when the legislature adjourned for the year.

Kentucky legislation to change the valuation procedure on vehicles for purposes of the property tax died when the legislature adjourned for the year. The bill would have put a new valuation procedure in place for older vehicles. Vehicles 20 years old or older would no longer have been presumed to be in "original factory" or "classic" condition. The measure instead provided three options for assessing the value of these vehicles. The bill preserved the tax assessor's ability to deviate from this valuation formula if information is available to warrant such a deviation from standard value. Newer vehicles would have been valued at the “average trade-in” value rather than the higher "clean trade-in" value.

For details, contact Steve McDonald at stevem@sema.org.

By SEMA Washington, D.C., Staff

Legislation to create a rolling emissions inspection exemption for vehicles that are 40 years old or older was not considered in committee before the mandatory deadline.

Legislation to create a rolling emissions inspection exemption for vehicles that are 40 years old or older was not considered in committee before the mandatory deadline. The bill is dead for the year.

Arizona already has a 2011 law on the books to exempt all vehicles manufactured in model-year ’74 and earlier from the state’s mandatory biennial emissions inspection program. However, it has yet to take effect. Arizona regulators must first update the state’s air-quality plan and demonstrate that the exemption will not impact Arizona’s compliance with clean-air requirements. The updated plan must then be approved by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) has indicated that it intends to submit a revised air-quality plan to the EPA by early 2015. The EPA will then have another 18 months to approve or reject the changes.

In the meantime, the current exemptions for pre-’67 vehicles and “collectibles” remain in effect. To qualify for the “collectible” exemption, a vehicle must be maintained primarily for use in club activities, exhibitions, parades or other functions of public interest and have a collectible vehicle or classic automobile insurance policy restricting use. The collectible exemption also requires the owner own a secondary vehicle for general transportation.

For details, contact Steve McDonald at stevem@sema.org.

By SEMA Washington, D.C., Staff

Legislation to create a rolling emissions inspection exemption for vehicles that are 40 years old or older was not considered in committee before the mandatory deadline.

Legislation to create a rolling emissions inspection exemption for vehicles that are 40 years old or older was not considered in committee before the mandatory deadline. The bill is dead for the year.

Arizona already has a 2011 law on the books to exempt all vehicles manufactured in model-year ’74 and earlier from the state’s mandatory biennial emissions inspection program. However, it has yet to take effect. Arizona regulators must first update the state’s air-quality plan and demonstrate that the exemption will not impact Arizona’s compliance with clean-air requirements. The updated plan must then be approved by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) has indicated that it intends to submit a revised air-quality plan to the EPA by early 2015. The EPA will then have another 18 months to approve or reject the changes.

In the meantime, the current exemptions for pre-’67 vehicles and “collectibles” remain in effect. To qualify for the “collectible” exemption, a vehicle must be maintained primarily for use in club activities, exhibitions, parades or other functions of public interest and have a collectible vehicle or classic automobile insurance policy restricting use. The collectible exemption also requires the owner own a secondary vehicle for general transportation.

For details, contact Steve McDonald at stevem@sema.org.

By SEMA Washington, D.C., Staff

Legislation to create a rolling emissions inspection exemption for vehicles that are 40 years old or older was not considered in committee before the mandatory deadline.

Legislation to create a rolling emissions inspection exemption for vehicles that are 40 years old or older was not considered in committee before the mandatory deadline. The bill is dead for the year.

Arizona already has a 2011 law on the books to exempt all vehicles manufactured in model-year ’74 and earlier from the state’s mandatory biennial emissions inspection program. However, it has yet to take effect. Arizona regulators must first update the state’s air-quality plan and demonstrate that the exemption will not impact Arizona’s compliance with clean-air requirements. The updated plan must then be approved by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) has indicated that it intends to submit a revised air-quality plan to the EPA by early 2015. The EPA will then have another 18 months to approve or reject the changes.

In the meantime, the current exemptions for pre-’67 vehicles and “collectibles” remain in effect. To qualify for the “collectible” exemption, a vehicle must be maintained primarily for use in club activities, exhibitions, parades or other functions of public interest and have a collectible vehicle or classic automobile insurance policy restricting use. The collectible exemption also requires the owner own a secondary vehicle for general transportation.

For details, contact Steve McDonald at stevem@sema.org.

The SEMA Garage – Industry Innovations Center welcomed its first customers last week in the newly completed photography cove. Pete Chapouris and Jimmy Shine of world-famous So-Cal Speed Shop brought a celebrated project car they are building for legendary car collector and rock guitarist Billy Gibbons, who came along to tour the facility and see how the SEMA Garage will help So-Cal fabricate a custom trim piece.

The car, based on a ’33 Ford three-window coupe, is chopped and loaded with custom features, including a headlight that retracts into the hood and a jagged line that runs from front to back. The jagged accent line had been executed in paint, but the plan is to make a 3D piece. To do that, the car was scanned using the SEMA Garage Faro arm laser tool, producing a CAD file. By scanning the curvature of the car surface and the exact shape of the trim design, a new 3D trim piece can be quickly fabricated.

Billy Gibbons (right) with Pete Chapouris of So-Cal.

“The SEMA Garage has come a long way in the last few months, and one of the things they now have is a Faro arm, so we can scan the car and do the trim for it,” Chapouris said. “Trim has always been an issue because we usually make it out of brass, it’s hand made, it takes months. It’s very, very expensive. This completely solves the problem,” Chapouris said. He estimated that the Faro scanning process would cut the time involved by about two thirds.

When finished, the car will appear at the 2014 SEMA Show, taking place November 4–7 in Las Vegas.

“We usually think of laser scanning as a tool for creating a prototype part in preparation for manufacturing,” said Mike Spagnola, SEMA vice president of product development. “And usually, we scan new cars. But our scanning tool also offers the perfect solution to rapidly create a one-off piece for a custom vehicle.”

The SEMA Garage is located next to the association's headquarters in Diamond Bar, California. The photo studio was designed with the lighting, space and equipment needed to provide members with a purpose-built location to produce visually spectacular images of their products and vehicles for promotion and marketing.

With the completion of the cove, the garage is now comprised of four cells: one is a complete emissions-certification lab and chassis dyno (via SEMA's partnership with the Automobile Club of Southern California; cell two is a the garage that includes a lift and a full array of tools; cell three is the media cove; and cell four is a large training room and welcome center.

For more information about the facility, including upcoming events and to schedule time in the Media Cove, contact Mike Spagnola at mikes@sema.org.

Rock guitarist Billy Gibbons (middle) with So Cal's Pete Chapouris and Jimmy Shine (left), and SEMA's Mike Spagnola (right).		In addition to the newly opened Media Cove, the SEMA Garage is equipped with an array of state-of-the-art tools for product development.
When finished, Gibbons' hot rod will appear at the 2014 SEMA Show, taking place November 4–7 in Las Vegas.		Based on a ’33 Ford three-window coupe, the car is chopped and loaded with custom features, including a retractable "hoodlight."

The SEMA Garage – Industry Innovations Center welcomed its first customers last week in the newly completed photography cove. Pete Chapouris and Jimmy Shine of world-famous So-Cal Speed Shop brought a celebrated project car they are building for legendary car collector and rock guitarist Billy Gibbons, who came along to tour the facility and see how the SEMA Garage will help So-Cal fabricate a custom trim piece.

The car, based on a ’33 Ford three-window coupe, is chopped and loaded with custom features, including a headlight that retracts into the hood and a jagged line that runs from front to back. The jagged accent line had been executed in paint, but the plan is to make a 3D piece. To do that, the car was scanned using the SEMA Garage Faro arm laser tool, producing a CAD file. By scanning the curvature of the car surface and the exact shape of the trim design, a new 3D trim piece can be quickly fabricated.

Billy Gibbons (right) with Pete Chapouris of So-Cal.

“The SEMA Garage has come a long way in the last few months, and one of the things they now have is a Faro arm, so we can scan the car and do the trim for it,” Chapouris said. “Trim has always been an issue because we usually make it out of brass, it’s hand made, it takes months. It’s very, very expensive. This completely solves the problem,” Chapouris said. He estimated that the Faro scanning process would cut the time involved by about two thirds.

When finished, the car will appear at the 2014 SEMA Show, taking place November 4–7 in Las Vegas.

“We usually think of laser scanning as a tool for creating a prototype part in preparation for manufacturing,” said Mike Spagnola, SEMA vice president of product development. “And usually, we scan new cars. But our scanning tool also offers the perfect solution to rapidly create a one-off piece for a custom vehicle.”

The SEMA Garage is located next to the association's headquarters in Diamond Bar, California. The photo studio was designed with the lighting, space and equipment needed to provide members with a purpose-built location to produce visually spectacular images of their products and vehicles for promotion and marketing.

With the completion of the cove, the garage is now comprised of four cells: one is a complete emissions-certification lab and chassis dyno (via SEMA's partnership with the Automobile Club of Southern California; cell two is a the garage that includes a lift and a full array of tools; cell three is the media cove; and cell four is a large training room and welcome center.

For more information about the facility, including upcoming events and to schedule time in the Media Cove, contact Mike Spagnola at mikes@sema.org.

Rock guitarist Billy Gibbons (middle) with So Cal's Pete Chapouris and Jimmy Shine (left), and SEMA's Mike Spagnola (right).		In addition to the newly opened Media Cove, the SEMA Garage is equipped with an array of state-of-the-art tools for product development.
When finished, Gibbons' hot rod will appear at the 2014 SEMA Show, taking place November 4–7 in Las Vegas.		Based on a ’33 Ford three-window coupe, the car is chopped and loaded with custom features, including a retractable "hoodlight."

Compiled by SEMA Editors

NHRA News

VANDERGRIFF AIMS FOR HOUSTON DOUBLE: Bob Vandergriff Jr. described his victory a year ago at Royal Purple Raceway as having a touch of Hollywood. It’s not often that sequels are held in higher regard than the original in the movie industry, but the Top Fuel standout hopes the 27th annual O’Reilly Auto Parts NHRA SpringNationals presented by Super Start Batteries, April 25–27, at Royal Purple Raceway provides the rare exception. With the event being the closest race for Vandergriff’s sponsor, the victory became that much more special. After winning a year ago, Vandergriff jogged back up his lane to greet his teammates, a customary move whenever the driver of the C&J Energy Services dragster wins a race.

“Those are great memories, Hollywood movie-type stuff,” Vandergriff said. “Winning at your sponsor’s home track with their employees and customers rooting you on was incredible. If it had been a movie people would have said, ‘Yeah right, it would never ever happen like that,’ so it was pretty exciting.”

For more on the story visit www.NHRA.com.

NHRA ANNOUNCES MARKETING PARTNERSHIP WITH PILOT FLYING J: NHRA has signed a marketing partnership with Pilot Flying J, an operator of travel plazas and travel centers in North America. As part of the partnership with Pilot Flying J, professional transport drivers for NHRA race teams will compete in the Flying J Truck Driver Challenge at NHRA Mello Yello Drag racing Series events in Houston, Bristol, Tennessee; Chicago; and Charlotte, North Carolina. The most talented transport drivers in the NHRA will compete in chicanes, which mirror the real-life obstacles of the highway and based on safe driving and the drivers’ knowledge of Department of Transportation regulations. For more on the story visit www.NHRA.com.

GIRL POWER ON DISPLAY IN HOUSTON: With many exciting storylines ongoing in the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series, one of the most prominent has been the girl-power theme as the NHRA heads to the Lone Star State. NHRA's female racers also are chasing a milestone 100th win in national event competition. The mark currently stands at 98. Long regarded as being the most diverse series in all of motorsports, the NHRA Mello Yello Series circuit has once again seen a female charge in each of its pro classes in 2014. Alexis DeJoria, Courtney Force and Erica Enders-Stevens have all made headlines in the early part of the season, and drivers Brittany Force and Leah Pritchett are very close to making some noise of their own in the nitro ranks. More on this story can be found on www.NHRA.com.

He Said, She Said

"I absolutely feel like we have a lot of momentum going, and I've felt it building for a couple of races now. In Charlotte, I felt pretty good going in, and basically the car did everything it was supposed to do until we hopped it up for the final round. We felt we had to roll the dice and run our best number of the weekend. Instead, we were the ones who messed up. Other than that, we have a good car, and the team is clicking."

—Funny Car racer Tim Wilkerson on racing in Houston. Wilkerson has 17 career Funny Car wins in his career but hasn't won since the 2011 event in Seattle.

Inside the Numbers

257: Number of consecutive events that Greg Anderson has qualified for in which he has entered during his Pro Stock career. Anderson, a four-time Pro Stock world champion, will return to action for the first time this season after sitting out the first five races as he recovered from open-heart surgery.

"In the beginning, I thought the surgery and recovery would be a simple deal, a piece of cake, that I would bounce right back. Turns out it was a huge deal and a new chapter for me,” Anderson said. “They fixed me up, but there was still a challenge ahead and a lot of pain to go through. You realize you aren't invincible when you go through something like that. You have to learn to be patient, take your time, go slow and follow the doctor's orders, and that's a whole new game for a guy like me. I couldn't be more excited to get back behind the wheel of my Summit Racing Chevrolet Camaro."

Did You Know

J. FORCE SURPRISES RACERS AT CARIBBEAN DRAGWAY: Even on a family vacation, 16-time NHRA Funny Car world champion John Force is on the lookout for a drag strip. While spending time with his family, he met Gary Thomas, president of the St. Croix Motorsport Complex, which includes the Caribbean Dragway where he spent time at the track meeting the racers and watching the Easter weekend event.

"I had the best time at the greatest little race track in the middle of the ocean. I was invited by Gary Thomas to come watch the races at Caribbean Dragway, and Laurie and I had the best time,” said Force. “It took me back 30 years as soon as I saw all the racers there. It was a nice facility and everybody was great. They watch us on ESPN and they love the NHRA. There were so many families out there, it was a great afternoon and I could see the international future of drag racing.”

View the 2014 Mello Yello Drag Racing Series schedule.