There are basics to manufacturing that change little over time. To create marketable parts, manufacturers must mold, mill, drill, cut, weld and otherwise fabricate raw materials into something consumers find useful. The tools used to do these things are another matter altogether. It’s no secret that machine technologies are changing rapidly.

Every year, more than 1,500 vehicles are displayed at the SEMA Show. Many of them are customized in the months leading up to the Show, and each represents a collaboration between manufacturers that provide parts and support and the owner/design team that brings the vehicle to the Show. The question is, what goes into a successful project build, and how is it possible to generate a tangible payoff for each participant?

From tire-pressure monitoring and powertrains to navigation and smartphone integration, nearly every facet of today’s automobile is controlled, managed or affected by some type of mobile electronics. As the field has expanded, an increasing number of products are introduced each year in the SEMA Show’s New Products Showcase, and an ever-growing throng of buyers seeks information about the most innovative systems and components.

Since the earliest performance parts began to emerge from the dust on dry-lakes proving grounds in Southern California following World War II, hot rods have been a mainstay of the automotive specialty-equipment industry. They spark the imaginations of builders in every car and truck niche, and they continue to enthrall the motoring public at show venues and on roads across the country.

The product listings on the following pages run the gamut from powertrain and drivetrain hard parts to interior and exterior accessories, but their common bond is that they were all featured in the hot rod category of the New Products Showcase at the 2011 SEMA Show. We’ve also interspersed observations about current trends from officers at leading companies involved in the hot rod industry, as well as from young executives who are closely connected to their enthusiast segments.

Top Three Reasons To Join WTC

Top Three Reasons To Join WTC

admin Tue, 05/01/2012 - 13:51
May 1, 2012

New Products introduced by Eddie Motorsports, Backbone Industries, UnderCover, Spectre Performance, Edge Products and other SEMA member manufacturers.

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