SEMA News—September 2012

HERITAGE
By Drew Hardin
Photo Courtesy of the Petersen Archives

Going 90

When we titled this piece “Going 90,” we weren’t talking miles per hour. Alex Xydias and his radically chopped SO-CAL Speed Shop Double Threat Coupe were good for far more than that: a class record of 172.749 mph at Bonneville in 1953; a little more than 170 mph (with an ailing engine) in 1954 when this photo was taken of Xydias in the coupe; and a record 132.79 mph at the Pomona drags later in 1954, when he had the engine sorted out and tipped the nitro can just a bit.

No, the 90 we’re referring to is Xydias’ age, a milestone he celebrated recently with some 400 friends at a festive party held at California’s Pomona Fairplex, just a stone’s throw away from the historic dragstrip where the coupe made its record run nearly six decades ago.

Alex Xydias is among a select group of true hot-rodding pioneers and founders of the performance industry. He built several hot rods and raced on the Southern California dry lakes before World War II, then opened one of the very first automotive performance retail stores in the country—the original SO-CAL Speed Shop—on the day he mustered out of the Army Air Corps in 1946.

“We carried chrome carb stacks, steel wheels, acorn carb nuts…we couldn’t afford much,” he said at the party about his early inventory. But he also established relationships with other rodding pioneers, men like Vic Edelbrock, Barney Navarro and Eddie Meyer, and SO-CAL’s stock began to fill with real speed parts.

To promote the business, Xydias built and raced a string of successful cars: belly tankers, streamliners, the coupe shown here. At the very first speed trials at Bonneville in 1949, his SO-CAL streamliner, with Dean Batchelor at the wheel, ran an astonishing 193 mph, some 30 mph faster than the record set on the lakes just a month before. Xydias and his SO-CAL cars were so successful, and so photogenic, that they made several appearances on the cover of Hot Rod magazine.

Yet Xydias abruptly quit racing shortly after an accident in the Double Threat Coupe took the life of another SO-CAL team member. He began filming races and other car events, eventually closed the speed shop and then went to work for Petersen Publishing Company in 1963. While there, he was instrumental in putting on the High Performance & Custom Equipment Trade Show at Dodger Stadium in January 1967, an event that evolved into the SEMA Show.

Another milestone in Xydias’s life took place in 1997, when he and rod builder Pete Chapouris struck a deal to revive the SO-CAL Speed Shop name. They opened the shop in Pomona, building high-quality hot rods and custom cars and retailing everything from turn-key Deuce roadsters to T-shirts. Now there are eight SO-CAL Speed Shops around the country, plus one in Canada.

“It’s worked out really well,” Xydias said of the reborn SO-CAL. “I’ve had a great time.”

Silent and live auctions were held during Xydias’ birthday party to raise funds for the Alex Xydias Center for Automotive Arts—a vocational school located on the Pomona Fairplex grounds. Among the treasures offered were some of his original racing trophies, including the one his team won at that first Bonneville meet in 1949.

It commanded the highest bid of the evening, at $15,000. “We didn’t spend that much on the whole car that won the award,” Xydias said.

What’s next for Alex Xydias? He shows no signs of slowing down. Look for him at this year’s SEMA Show. He hasn’t missed one since 1967.

 

SEMA News—September 2012

HERITAGE
By Drew Hardin
Photo Courtesy of the Petersen Archives

Going 90

When we titled this piece “Going 90,” we weren’t talking miles per hour. Alex Xydias and his radically chopped SO-CAL Speed Shop Double Threat Coupe were good for far more than that: a class record of 172.749 mph at Bonneville in 1953; a little more than 170 mph (with an ailing engine) in 1954 when this photo was taken of Xydias in the coupe; and a record 132.79 mph at the Pomona drags later in 1954, when he had the engine sorted out and tipped the nitro can just a bit.

No, the 90 we’re referring to is Xydias’ age, a milestone he celebrated recently with some 400 friends at a festive party held at California’s Pomona Fairplex, just a stone’s throw away from the historic dragstrip where the coupe made its record run nearly six decades ago.

Alex Xydias is among a select group of true hot-rodding pioneers and founders of the performance industry. He built several hot rods and raced on the Southern California dry lakes before World War II, then opened one of the very first automotive performance retail stores in the country—the original SO-CAL Speed Shop—on the day he mustered out of the Army Air Corps in 1946.

“We carried chrome carb stacks, steel wheels, acorn carb nuts…we couldn’t afford much,” he said at the party about his early inventory. But he also established relationships with other rodding pioneers, men like Vic Edelbrock, Barney Navarro and Eddie Meyer, and SO-CAL’s stock began to fill with real speed parts.

To promote the business, Xydias built and raced a string of successful cars: belly tankers, streamliners, the coupe shown here. At the very first speed trials at Bonneville in 1949, his SO-CAL streamliner, with Dean Batchelor at the wheel, ran an astonishing 193 mph, some 30 mph faster than the record set on the lakes just a month before. Xydias and his SO-CAL cars were so successful, and so photogenic, that they made several appearances on the cover of Hot Rod magazine.

Yet Xydias abruptly quit racing shortly after an accident in the Double Threat Coupe took the life of another SO-CAL team member. He began filming races and other car events, eventually closed the speed shop and then went to work for Petersen Publishing Company in 1963. While there, he was instrumental in putting on the High Performance & Custom Equipment Trade Show at Dodger Stadium in January 1967, an event that evolved into the SEMA Show.

Another milestone in Xydias’s life took place in 1997, when he and rod builder Pete Chapouris struck a deal to revive the SO-CAL Speed Shop name. They opened the shop in Pomona, building high-quality hot rods and custom cars and retailing everything from turn-key Deuce roadsters to T-shirts. Now there are eight SO-CAL Speed Shops around the country, plus one in Canada.

“It’s worked out really well,” Xydias said of the reborn SO-CAL. “I’ve had a great time.”

Silent and live auctions were held during Xydias’ birthday party to raise funds for the Alex Xydias Center for Automotive Arts—a vocational school located on the Pomona Fairplex grounds. Among the treasures offered were some of his original racing trophies, including the one his team won at that first Bonneville meet in 1949.

It commanded the highest bid of the evening, at $15,000. “We didn’t spend that much on the whole car that won the award,” Xydias said.

What’s next for Alex Xydias? He shows no signs of slowing down. Look for him at this year’s SEMA Show. He hasn’t missed one since 1967.

 

SEMA News—September 2012

HERITAGE
By Drew Hardin
Photo Courtesy of the Petersen Archives

Going 90

When we titled this piece “Going 90,” we weren’t talking miles per hour. Alex Xydias and his radically chopped SO-CAL Speed Shop Double Threat Coupe were good for far more than that: a class record of 172.749 mph at Bonneville in 1953; a little more than 170 mph (with an ailing engine) in 1954 when this photo was taken of Xydias in the coupe; and a record 132.79 mph at the Pomona drags later in 1954, when he had the engine sorted out and tipped the nitro can just a bit.

No, the 90 we’re referring to is Xydias’ age, a milestone he celebrated recently with some 400 friends at a festive party held at California’s Pomona Fairplex, just a stone’s throw away from the historic dragstrip where the coupe made its record run nearly six decades ago.

Alex Xydias is among a select group of true hot-rodding pioneers and founders of the performance industry. He built several hot rods and raced on the Southern California dry lakes before World War II, then opened one of the very first automotive performance retail stores in the country—the original SO-CAL Speed Shop—on the day he mustered out of the Army Air Corps in 1946.

“We carried chrome carb stacks, steel wheels, acorn carb nuts…we couldn’t afford much,” he said at the party about his early inventory. But he also established relationships with other rodding pioneers, men like Vic Edelbrock, Barney Navarro and Eddie Meyer, and SO-CAL’s stock began to fill with real speed parts.

To promote the business, Xydias built and raced a string of successful cars: belly tankers, streamliners, the coupe shown here. At the very first speed trials at Bonneville in 1949, his SO-CAL streamliner, with Dean Batchelor at the wheel, ran an astonishing 193 mph, some 30 mph faster than the record set on the lakes just a month before. Xydias and his SO-CAL cars were so successful, and so photogenic, that they made several appearances on the cover of Hot Rod magazine.

Yet Xydias abruptly quit racing shortly after an accident in the Double Threat Coupe took the life of another SO-CAL team member. He began filming races and other car events, eventually closed the speed shop and then went to work for Petersen Publishing Company in 1963. While there, he was instrumental in putting on the High Performance & Custom Equipment Trade Show at Dodger Stadium in January 1967, an event that evolved into the SEMA Show.

Another milestone in Xydias’s life took place in 1997, when he and rod builder Pete Chapouris struck a deal to revive the SO-CAL Speed Shop name. They opened the shop in Pomona, building high-quality hot rods and custom cars and retailing everything from turn-key Deuce roadsters to T-shirts. Now there are eight SO-CAL Speed Shops around the country, plus one in Canada.

“It’s worked out really well,” Xydias said of the reborn SO-CAL. “I’ve had a great time.”

Silent and live auctions were held during Xydias’ birthday party to raise funds for the Alex Xydias Center for Automotive Arts—a vocational school located on the Pomona Fairplex grounds. Among the treasures offered were some of his original racing trophies, including the one his team won at that first Bonneville meet in 1949.

It commanded the highest bid of the evening, at $15,000. “We didn’t spend that much on the whole car that won the award,” Xydias said.

What’s next for Alex Xydias? He shows no signs of slowing down. Look for him at this year’s SEMA Show. He hasn’t missed one since 1967.

 

SEMA News—September 2012

HERITAGE
By Drew Hardin
Photo Courtesy of the Petersen Archives

Going 90

When we titled this piece “Going 90,” we weren’t talking miles per hour. Alex Xydias and his radically chopped SO-CAL Speed Shop Double Threat Coupe were good for far more than that: a class record of 172.749 mph at Bonneville in 1953; a little more than 170 mph (with an ailing engine) in 1954 when this photo was taken of Xydias in the coupe; and a record 132.79 mph at the Pomona drags later in 1954, when he had the engine sorted out and tipped the nitro can just a bit.

No, the 90 we’re referring to is Xydias’ age, a milestone he celebrated recently with some 400 friends at a festive party held at California’s Pomona Fairplex, just a stone’s throw away from the historic dragstrip where the coupe made its record run nearly six decades ago.

Alex Xydias is among a select group of true hot-rodding pioneers and founders of the performance industry. He built several hot rods and raced on the Southern California dry lakes before World War II, then opened one of the very first automotive performance retail stores in the country—the original SO-CAL Speed Shop—on the day he mustered out of the Army Air Corps in 1946.

“We carried chrome carb stacks, steel wheels, acorn carb nuts…we couldn’t afford much,” he said at the party about his early inventory. But he also established relationships with other rodding pioneers, men like Vic Edelbrock, Barney Navarro and Eddie Meyer, and SO-CAL’s stock began to fill with real speed parts.

To promote the business, Xydias built and raced a string of successful cars: belly tankers, streamliners, the coupe shown here. At the very first speed trials at Bonneville in 1949, his SO-CAL streamliner, with Dean Batchelor at the wheel, ran an astonishing 193 mph, some 30 mph faster than the record set on the lakes just a month before. Xydias and his SO-CAL cars were so successful, and so photogenic, that they made several appearances on the cover of Hot Rod magazine.

Yet Xydias abruptly quit racing shortly after an accident in the Double Threat Coupe took the life of another SO-CAL team member. He began filming races and other car events, eventually closed the speed shop and then went to work for Petersen Publishing Company in 1963. While there, he was instrumental in putting on the High Performance & Custom Equipment Trade Show at Dodger Stadium in January 1967, an event that evolved into the SEMA Show.

Another milestone in Xydias’s life took place in 1997, when he and rod builder Pete Chapouris struck a deal to revive the SO-CAL Speed Shop name. They opened the shop in Pomona, building high-quality hot rods and custom cars and retailing everything from turn-key Deuce roadsters to T-shirts. Now there are eight SO-CAL Speed Shops around the country, plus one in Canada.

“It’s worked out really well,” Xydias said of the reborn SO-CAL. “I’ve had a great time.”

Silent and live auctions were held during Xydias’ birthday party to raise funds for the Alex Xydias Center for Automotive Arts—a vocational school located on the Pomona Fairplex grounds. Among the treasures offered were some of his original racing trophies, including the one his team won at that first Bonneville meet in 1949.

It commanded the highest bid of the evening, at $15,000. “We didn’t spend that much on the whole car that won the award,” Xydias said.

What’s next for Alex Xydias? He shows no signs of slowing down. Look for him at this year’s SEMA Show. He hasn’t missed one since 1967.

 

SEMA News—September 2012

INDUSTRY NEWS 

Now Underway: SEMA Mustang Build Powered by Women 

	SBN volunteer Theresa Contreres removed underhood components so that the area could be painted black to conform to the project paint scheme.

For this year’s SEMA Show, Ford Motor Co. and SEMA have teamed up on a unique project: the SEMA Mustang Build Powered by Women. Under the direction of the SEMA Businesswomen’s Network (SBN) and built entirely by SBN members, the project is designed to shine the light on women working in the automotive aftermarket and encourage more women to pursue careers in the industry.

Donated by Ford, the vehicle will be auctioned on eBay, with proceeds benefitting the SEMA Memorial Scholarship Fund, thereby helping to foster the industry’s next generation of leaders. The satin-black luxury Mustang concept, designed by Jennifer Seely of Ford and known as High Gear, was adopted after an intense period of Internet voting and an ambitious build schedule was developed.

The first to get their hands on the donated ’13 Mustang GT were SBN members Theresa Contreras and Sara Morosan of L&G Enterprises in San Dimas, California. L&G is an award-winning, family-owned, full-service paint and body shop that has developed a national reputation for custom paint and design. L&G’s work has appeared on over a dozen magazine covers and at many custom car shows, and its team regularly builds customs that end up at the SEMA Show.

Contreras is an experienced car builder and custom painter, and Morosan is L&G’s sales manager. Both grew up working in the L&G body shop and clearly relished the job at hand.

The High Gear Mustang GT came in white from the factory but is slated to receive a custom black-satin exterior finish. The paint is scheduled to be the last job in the build sequence, but because the plan includes adding underhood performance mods, the engine compartment needed to be painted first. That meant that all of the engine accessories bolted to the fenderwells, firewall and framerails had to be removed, along with the entire front clip, before the engine compartment could be painted black.

Contreras and Morosan, working as a team, took on the tedious job of removing everything that might hinder a perfect underhood paint job, which included removing components such as the battery and battery box, air intake and air filter, brake line plumbing, hood release mechanism, CPU, wipers and washer fluid reservoir, driving lights and fog lights and the hood and entire front bumper, plus all of the assorted pieces of insulation and heat shielding, among other things. The hardware was meticulously labeled and stored in plastic bags, and all of the connectors and fasteners were taped off and labeled.

After a few hours of work, the white engine compartment walls and framerails were completely exposed. Factory stickers and labels were removed, then the engine and remaining lines and wiring harness pieces were masked off and all of the white underhood surfaces were sanded and wiped down with tack cloth prior to painting.

At the spray booth, Contreras carefully sprayed the underhood area, paying attention to all the little nooks and crannies that might show up if any white remained visible. When she was satisfied, the paint was allowed to dry, and all of the pieces that had been removed for painting were carefully re-installed, including the factory labels. The end result was an all-black underhood area that looked exactly as if it had come that way from the factory.

Next stop for the High Gear Mustang will be the shop at Source Interlink Media headquarters, where other teams of SBN-member volunteers will add more custom touches, such as quilted suede seats and Rosegold chrome accents throughout the exterior and interior. They will also make modifications to the engine, undercarriage, drivetrain and sound system.

The SBN vehicle build task force is comprised of Task Force Chair Rose Kawasaki (Exports International), Project Vehicle Coordinator Sherry Kollien (Ford Motor Co.), Assembly Coordinator Kellie Colf (Colf Creative Resources), PR/Media Coordinator Camee Edelbrock (Schiefer Media Inc.) and Product Coordinator Susan Carpenter (JR Products). Advisors include Mike Spagnola (Street Scene Equipment), Joel Ayres (Bedslide/Tākit) and Marla Moore (Hypertech).

To learn more about the SEMA Mustang Build, e-mail SEMA Project Manager Bryan Harrison at bryanh@SEMA.org.

SEMA News—September 2012

INDUSTRY NEWS 

Now Underway: SEMA Mustang Build Powered by Women 

	SBN volunteer Theresa Contreres removed underhood components so that the area could be painted black to conform to the project paint scheme.

For this year’s SEMA Show, Ford Motor Co. and SEMA have teamed up on a unique project: the SEMA Mustang Build Powered by Women. Under the direction of the SEMA Businesswomen’s Network (SBN) and built entirely by SBN members, the project is designed to shine the light on women working in the automotive aftermarket and encourage more women to pursue careers in the industry.

Donated by Ford, the vehicle will be auctioned on eBay, with proceeds benefitting the SEMA Memorial Scholarship Fund, thereby helping to foster the industry’s next generation of leaders. The satin-black luxury Mustang concept, designed by Jennifer Seely of Ford and known as High Gear, was adopted after an intense period of Internet voting and an ambitious build schedule was developed.

The first to get their hands on the donated ’13 Mustang GT were SBN members Theresa Contreras and Sara Morosan of L&G Enterprises in San Dimas, California. L&G is an award-winning, family-owned, full-service paint and body shop that has developed a national reputation for custom paint and design. L&G’s work has appeared on over a dozen magazine covers and at many custom car shows, and its team regularly builds customs that end up at the SEMA Show.

Contreras is an experienced car builder and custom painter, and Morosan is L&G’s sales manager. Both grew up working in the L&G body shop and clearly relished the job at hand.

The High Gear Mustang GT came in white from the factory but is slated to receive a custom black-satin exterior finish. The paint is scheduled to be the last job in the build sequence, but because the plan includes adding underhood performance mods, the engine compartment needed to be painted first. That meant that all of the engine accessories bolted to the fenderwells, firewall and framerails had to be removed, along with the entire front clip, before the engine compartment could be painted black.

Contreras and Morosan, working as a team, took on the tedious job of removing everything that might hinder a perfect underhood paint job, which included removing components such as the battery and battery box, air intake and air filter, brake line plumbing, hood release mechanism, CPU, wipers and washer fluid reservoir, driving lights and fog lights and the hood and entire front bumper, plus all of the assorted pieces of insulation and heat shielding, among other things. The hardware was meticulously labeled and stored in plastic bags, and all of the connectors and fasteners were taped off and labeled.

After a few hours of work, the white engine compartment walls and framerails were completely exposed. Factory stickers and labels were removed, then the engine and remaining lines and wiring harness pieces were masked off and all of the white underhood surfaces were sanded and wiped down with tack cloth prior to painting.

At the spray booth, Contreras carefully sprayed the underhood area, paying attention to all the little nooks and crannies that might show up if any white remained visible. When she was satisfied, the paint was allowed to dry, and all of the pieces that had been removed for painting were carefully re-installed, including the factory labels. The end result was an all-black underhood area that looked exactly as if it had come that way from the factory.

Next stop for the High Gear Mustang will be the shop at Source Interlink Media headquarters, where other teams of SBN-member volunteers will add more custom touches, such as quilted suede seats and Rosegold chrome accents throughout the exterior and interior. They will also make modifications to the engine, undercarriage, drivetrain and sound system.

The SBN vehicle build task force is comprised of Task Force Chair Rose Kawasaki (Exports International), Project Vehicle Coordinator Sherry Kollien (Ford Motor Co.), Assembly Coordinator Kellie Colf (Colf Creative Resources), PR/Media Coordinator Camee Edelbrock (Schiefer Media Inc.) and Product Coordinator Susan Carpenter (JR Products). Advisors include Mike Spagnola (Street Scene Equipment), Joel Ayres (Bedslide/Tākit) and Marla Moore (Hypertech).

To learn more about the SEMA Mustang Build, e-mail SEMA Project Manager Bryan Harrison at bryanh@SEMA.org.

SEMA News—September 2012

INDUSTRY NEWS 

Now Underway: SEMA Mustang Build Powered by Women 

	SBN volunteer Theresa Contreres removed underhood components so that the area could be painted black to conform to the project paint scheme.

For this year’s SEMA Show, Ford Motor Co. and SEMA have teamed up on a unique project: the SEMA Mustang Build Powered by Women. Under the direction of the SEMA Businesswomen’s Network (SBN) and built entirely by SBN members, the project is designed to shine the light on women working in the automotive aftermarket and encourage more women to pursue careers in the industry.

Donated by Ford, the vehicle will be auctioned on eBay, with proceeds benefitting the SEMA Memorial Scholarship Fund, thereby helping to foster the industry’s next generation of leaders. The satin-black luxury Mustang concept, designed by Jennifer Seely of Ford and known as High Gear, was adopted after an intense period of Internet voting and an ambitious build schedule was developed.

The first to get their hands on the donated ’13 Mustang GT were SBN members Theresa Contreras and Sara Morosan of L&G Enterprises in San Dimas, California. L&G is an award-winning, family-owned, full-service paint and body shop that has developed a national reputation for custom paint and design. L&G’s work has appeared on over a dozen magazine covers and at many custom car shows, and its team regularly builds customs that end up at the SEMA Show.

Contreras is an experienced car builder and custom painter, and Morosan is L&G’s sales manager. Both grew up working in the L&G body shop and clearly relished the job at hand.

The High Gear Mustang GT came in white from the factory but is slated to receive a custom black-satin exterior finish. The paint is scheduled to be the last job in the build sequence, but because the plan includes adding underhood performance mods, the engine compartment needed to be painted first. That meant that all of the engine accessories bolted to the fenderwells, firewall and framerails had to be removed, along with the entire front clip, before the engine compartment could be painted black.

Contreras and Morosan, working as a team, took on the tedious job of removing everything that might hinder a perfect underhood paint job, which included removing components such as the battery and battery box, air intake and air filter, brake line plumbing, hood release mechanism, CPU, wipers and washer fluid reservoir, driving lights and fog lights and the hood and entire front bumper, plus all of the assorted pieces of insulation and heat shielding, among other things. The hardware was meticulously labeled and stored in plastic bags, and all of the connectors and fasteners were taped off and labeled.

After a few hours of work, the white engine compartment walls and framerails were completely exposed. Factory stickers and labels were removed, then the engine and remaining lines and wiring harness pieces were masked off and all of the white underhood surfaces were sanded and wiped down with tack cloth prior to painting.

At the spray booth, Contreras carefully sprayed the underhood area, paying attention to all the little nooks and crannies that might show up if any white remained visible. When she was satisfied, the paint was allowed to dry, and all of the pieces that had been removed for painting were carefully re-installed, including the factory labels. The end result was an all-black underhood area that looked exactly as if it had come that way from the factory.

Next stop for the High Gear Mustang will be the shop at Source Interlink Media headquarters, where other teams of SBN-member volunteers will add more custom touches, such as quilted suede seats and Rosegold chrome accents throughout the exterior and interior. They will also make modifications to the engine, undercarriage, drivetrain and sound system.

The SBN vehicle build task force is comprised of Task Force Chair Rose Kawasaki (Exports International), Project Vehicle Coordinator Sherry Kollien (Ford Motor Co.), Assembly Coordinator Kellie Colf (Colf Creative Resources), PR/Media Coordinator Camee Edelbrock (Schiefer Media Inc.) and Product Coordinator Susan Carpenter (JR Products). Advisors include Mike Spagnola (Street Scene Equipment), Joel Ayres (Bedslide/Tākit) and Marla Moore (Hypertech).

To learn more about the SEMA Mustang Build, e-mail SEMA Project Manager Bryan Harrison at bryanh@SEMA.org.

SEMA News—September 2012

INDUSTRY NEWS 

Now Underway: SEMA Mustang Build Powered by Women 

	SBN volunteer Theresa Contreres removed underhood components so that the area could be painted black to conform to the project paint scheme.

For this year’s SEMA Show, Ford Motor Co. and SEMA have teamed up on a unique project: the SEMA Mustang Build Powered by Women. Under the direction of the SEMA Businesswomen’s Network (SBN) and built entirely by SBN members, the project is designed to shine the light on women working in the automotive aftermarket and encourage more women to pursue careers in the industry.

Donated by Ford, the vehicle will be auctioned on eBay, with proceeds benefitting the SEMA Memorial Scholarship Fund, thereby helping to foster the industry’s next generation of leaders. The satin-black luxury Mustang concept, designed by Jennifer Seely of Ford and known as High Gear, was adopted after an intense period of Internet voting and an ambitious build schedule was developed.

The first to get their hands on the donated ’13 Mustang GT were SBN members Theresa Contreras and Sara Morosan of L&G Enterprises in San Dimas, California. L&G is an award-winning, family-owned, full-service paint and body shop that has developed a national reputation for custom paint and design. L&G’s work has appeared on over a dozen magazine covers and at many custom car shows, and its team regularly builds customs that end up at the SEMA Show.

Contreras is an experienced car builder and custom painter, and Morosan is L&G’s sales manager. Both grew up working in the L&G body shop and clearly relished the job at hand.

The High Gear Mustang GT came in white from the factory but is slated to receive a custom black-satin exterior finish. The paint is scheduled to be the last job in the build sequence, but because the plan includes adding underhood performance mods, the engine compartment needed to be painted first. That meant that all of the engine accessories bolted to the fenderwells, firewall and framerails had to be removed, along with the entire front clip, before the engine compartment could be painted black.

Contreras and Morosan, working as a team, took on the tedious job of removing everything that might hinder a perfect underhood paint job, which included removing components such as the battery and battery box, air intake and air filter, brake line plumbing, hood release mechanism, CPU, wipers and washer fluid reservoir, driving lights and fog lights and the hood and entire front bumper, plus all of the assorted pieces of insulation and heat shielding, among other things. The hardware was meticulously labeled and stored in plastic bags, and all of the connectors and fasteners were taped off and labeled.

After a few hours of work, the white engine compartment walls and framerails were completely exposed. Factory stickers and labels were removed, then the engine and remaining lines and wiring harness pieces were masked off and all of the white underhood surfaces were sanded and wiped down with tack cloth prior to painting.

At the spray booth, Contreras carefully sprayed the underhood area, paying attention to all the little nooks and crannies that might show up if any white remained visible. When she was satisfied, the paint was allowed to dry, and all of the pieces that had been removed for painting were carefully re-installed, including the factory labels. The end result was an all-black underhood area that looked exactly as if it had come that way from the factory.

Next stop for the High Gear Mustang will be the shop at Source Interlink Media headquarters, where other teams of SBN-member volunteers will add more custom touches, such as quilted suede seats and Rosegold chrome accents throughout the exterior and interior. They will also make modifications to the engine, undercarriage, drivetrain and sound system.

The SBN vehicle build task force is comprised of Task Force Chair Rose Kawasaki (Exports International), Project Vehicle Coordinator Sherry Kollien (Ford Motor Co.), Assembly Coordinator Kellie Colf (Colf Creative Resources), PR/Media Coordinator Camee Edelbrock (Schiefer Media Inc.) and Product Coordinator Susan Carpenter (JR Products). Advisors include Mike Spagnola (Street Scene Equipment), Joel Ayres (Bedslide/Tākit) and Marla Moore (Hypertech).

To learn more about the SEMA Mustang Build, e-mail SEMA Project Manager Bryan Harrison at bryanh@SEMA.org.

SEMA News—September 2012

INDUSTRY NEWS 

Now Underway: SEMA Mustang Build Powered by Women 

	SBN volunteer Theresa Contreres removed underhood components so that the area could be painted black to conform to the project paint scheme.

For this year’s SEMA Show, Ford Motor Co. and SEMA have teamed up on a unique project: the SEMA Mustang Build Powered by Women. Under the direction of the SEMA Businesswomen’s Network (SBN) and built entirely by SBN members, the project is designed to shine the light on women working in the automotive aftermarket and encourage more women to pursue careers in the industry.

Donated by Ford, the vehicle will be auctioned on eBay, with proceeds benefitting the SEMA Memorial Scholarship Fund, thereby helping to foster the industry’s next generation of leaders. The satin-black luxury Mustang concept, designed by Jennifer Seely of Ford and known as High Gear, was adopted after an intense period of Internet voting and an ambitious build schedule was developed.

The first to get their hands on the donated ’13 Mustang GT were SBN members Theresa Contreras and Sara Morosan of L&G Enterprises in San Dimas, California. L&G is an award-winning, family-owned, full-service paint and body shop that has developed a national reputation for custom paint and design. L&G’s work has appeared on over a dozen magazine covers and at many custom car shows, and its team regularly builds customs that end up at the SEMA Show.

Contreras is an experienced car builder and custom painter, and Morosan is L&G’s sales manager. Both grew up working in the L&G body shop and clearly relished the job at hand.

The High Gear Mustang GT came in white from the factory but is slated to receive a custom black-satin exterior finish. The paint is scheduled to be the last job in the build sequence, but because the plan includes adding underhood performance mods, the engine compartment needed to be painted first. That meant that all of the engine accessories bolted to the fenderwells, firewall and framerails had to be removed, along with the entire front clip, before the engine compartment could be painted black.

Contreras and Morosan, working as a team, took on the tedious job of removing everything that might hinder a perfect underhood paint job, which included removing components such as the battery and battery box, air intake and air filter, brake line plumbing, hood release mechanism, CPU, wipers and washer fluid reservoir, driving lights and fog lights and the hood and entire front bumper, plus all of the assorted pieces of insulation and heat shielding, among other things. The hardware was meticulously labeled and stored in plastic bags, and all of the connectors and fasteners were taped off and labeled.

After a few hours of work, the white engine compartment walls and framerails were completely exposed. Factory stickers and labels were removed, then the engine and remaining lines and wiring harness pieces were masked off and all of the white underhood surfaces were sanded and wiped down with tack cloth prior to painting.

At the spray booth, Contreras carefully sprayed the underhood area, paying attention to all the little nooks and crannies that might show up if any white remained visible. When she was satisfied, the paint was allowed to dry, and all of the pieces that had been removed for painting were carefully re-installed, including the factory labels. The end result was an all-black underhood area that looked exactly as if it had come that way from the factory.

Next stop for the High Gear Mustang will be the shop at Source Interlink Media headquarters, where other teams of SBN-member volunteers will add more custom touches, such as quilted suede seats and Rosegold chrome accents throughout the exterior and interior. They will also make modifications to the engine, undercarriage, drivetrain and sound system.

The SBN vehicle build task force is comprised of Task Force Chair Rose Kawasaki (Exports International), Project Vehicle Coordinator Sherry Kollien (Ford Motor Co.), Assembly Coordinator Kellie Colf (Colf Creative Resources), PR/Media Coordinator Camee Edelbrock (Schiefer Media Inc.) and Product Coordinator Susan Carpenter (JR Products). Advisors include Mike Spagnola (Street Scene Equipment), Joel Ayres (Bedslide/Tākit) and Marla Moore (Hypertech).

To learn more about the SEMA Mustang Build, e-mail SEMA Project Manager Bryan Harrison at bryanh@SEMA.org.

SEMA News—September 2012

INDUSTRY NEWS 

Now Underway: SEMA Mustang Build Powered by Women 

	SBN volunteer Theresa Contreres removed underhood components so that the area could be painted black to conform to the project paint scheme.

For this year’s SEMA Show, Ford Motor Co. and SEMA have teamed up on a unique project: the SEMA Mustang Build Powered by Women. Under the direction of the SEMA Businesswomen’s Network (SBN) and built entirely by SBN members, the project is designed to shine the light on women working in the automotive aftermarket and encourage more women to pursue careers in the industry.

Donated by Ford, the vehicle will be auctioned on eBay, with proceeds benefitting the SEMA Memorial Scholarship Fund, thereby helping to foster the industry’s next generation of leaders. The satin-black luxury Mustang concept, designed by Jennifer Seely of Ford and known as High Gear, was adopted after an intense period of Internet voting and an ambitious build schedule was developed.

The first to get their hands on the donated ’13 Mustang GT were SBN members Theresa Contreras and Sara Morosan of L&G Enterprises in San Dimas, California. L&G is an award-winning, family-owned, full-service paint and body shop that has developed a national reputation for custom paint and design. L&G’s work has appeared on over a dozen magazine covers and at many custom car shows, and its team regularly builds customs that end up at the SEMA Show.

Contreras is an experienced car builder and custom painter, and Morosan is L&G’s sales manager. Both grew up working in the L&G body shop and clearly relished the job at hand.

The High Gear Mustang GT came in white from the factory but is slated to receive a custom black-satin exterior finish. The paint is scheduled to be the last job in the build sequence, but because the plan includes adding underhood performance mods, the engine compartment needed to be painted first. That meant that all of the engine accessories bolted to the fenderwells, firewall and framerails had to be removed, along with the entire front clip, before the engine compartment could be painted black.

Contreras and Morosan, working as a team, took on the tedious job of removing everything that might hinder a perfect underhood paint job, which included removing components such as the battery and battery box, air intake and air filter, brake line plumbing, hood release mechanism, CPU, wipers and washer fluid reservoir, driving lights and fog lights and the hood and entire front bumper, plus all of the assorted pieces of insulation and heat shielding, among other things. The hardware was meticulously labeled and stored in plastic bags, and all of the connectors and fasteners were taped off and labeled.

After a few hours of work, the white engine compartment walls and framerails were completely exposed. Factory stickers and labels were removed, then the engine and remaining lines and wiring harness pieces were masked off and all of the white underhood surfaces were sanded and wiped down with tack cloth prior to painting.

At the spray booth, Contreras carefully sprayed the underhood area, paying attention to all the little nooks and crannies that might show up if any white remained visible. When she was satisfied, the paint was allowed to dry, and all of the pieces that had been removed for painting were carefully re-installed, including the factory labels. The end result was an all-black underhood area that looked exactly as if it had come that way from the factory.

Next stop for the High Gear Mustang will be the shop at Source Interlink Media headquarters, where other teams of SBN-member volunteers will add more custom touches, such as quilted suede seats and Rosegold chrome accents throughout the exterior and interior. They will also make modifications to the engine, undercarriage, drivetrain and sound system.

The SBN vehicle build task force is comprised of Task Force Chair Rose Kawasaki (Exports International), Project Vehicle Coordinator Sherry Kollien (Ford Motor Co.), Assembly Coordinator Kellie Colf (Colf Creative Resources), PR/Media Coordinator Camee Edelbrock (Schiefer Media Inc.) and Product Coordinator Susan Carpenter (JR Products). Advisors include Mike Spagnola (Street Scene Equipment), Joel Ayres (Bedslide/Tākit) and Marla Moore (Hypertech).

To learn more about the SEMA Mustang Build, e-mail SEMA Project Manager Bryan Harrison at bryanh@SEMA.org.