Strengthen Your Company Through Community
No matter what niche you're in—rods, restoration, racing, restyling, reps, trucks or wheels and tires—there’s a SEMA council or professional network that's right for your company. SEMA councils and networks offer members a variety of market-specific programs and activities designed to provide educational and networking opportunities while promoting their particular industry segment.
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| Visit HRIA's website |
HRIA Pinewood Builder’s Challenge Participants Introduced
The following builders and companies have committed to creating a custom pinewood car to be raced in the HRIA Builder’s Challenge taking place August 5–6 at the NSRA Nationals in Louisville, Kentucky. These pinewood cars are one-of-a-kind hot rods, and each builder and company puts their personal spin on the vehicles. After the races, the pinewoods will be on display in the HRIA booth at the SEMA Show and be auctioned off during the HRIA Reception to benefit SEMA Cares charities.
If you are attending the NSRA Nationals, don’t miss these exciting races!
Let’s meet the builders:
- Alex Benevides, Hot Company Brasil
- Jeff Kinsey, Hot Rods by JSK
- Tim Strange, Strange Motion
- Jesse Greening, Greening Auto Company
- Josh Henning, Goolsby Customs
- Ty Hauer, Reisinger Custom Rebuilding
- Michael Young, Street Rods by Michael
- Blake Meaux, Mo’ Muscle Cars
- Zach Ingram, Z Rods and Customs
- Josh Powers, Custom Image Corvettes
- Jeremy Miranda, Miranda Built
- Cale Kern, Cale Kern Hotrods
- Chris Ryan, Ryans Rod and Custom
- Keith Kaucher, Kaucher Kustoms
- Steve Tracy/Josh Mishler, Advanced Plating
- Jeff McClure, Lokar Inc.
- Craig Darpino, American Auto Wire
- John Hochgesang, Ridetech
- John McLeod, Classic Instruments Inc.
- Brent Vandervort, Fatman Fabrications
- Ed Capen, Goodguys Enterprises
- Jeff Major, Bed Wood
- DW Horton, Horton’s Welder Series
- Michael Muhlbaier, Digi-Tails
- Brady Bassner, XS Power
- Dave Lane, Fastlane Rod Shop
- Mike Goldman, Mike Goldman Customs
- Gene Winfield, Gene Winfield Rod & Custom
- PJ Davis, Chimera Customs
- Tom Farrell, Farrell Creations & Restorations
- Donnie Friese, Frame Wheel Works
- Geoffrey Gates, Alloy Motors
- Doug Poad, Doug Poad Designs
- Chris Smith, Smitty’s Custom Auto
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HRIA Education Day Sessions Schedule Released
The HRIA will host its Education Day sessions at the National Street Rod Association (NSRA) Nationals in Louisville, Kentucky. Twelve manufacturers will give hour-long presentations on their product lines and also tips and tricks for restoration projects. The Education Day will take place Thursday, August 4, with sessions beginning at 9:00 a.m. and the last session concluding at 4:15 p.m., with two simultaneous presentations per hour. The sessions will be set up classroom style with some manufacturers having panel discussions while others will be true presentation style. These valuable sessions are open to all NSRA Nationals attendees. This is a popular event and seats are limited.
Register today to reserve your spot in the sessions.
Here is a sneak peak at the manufacturers and the discussion topics for the 2016 event:
American Autowire – “Wiring Solutions”
Discussions on determining the correct product line for your project, new product overviews and technical resources the company offers.
Borgeson – “Steering Design”
Explanations of methods you can benefit from by modernizing your steering system, associated linkages and safety concerns.
Classic Instruments – “Your Instruments”
Tips for proper installation and choices you need to make when equipping your car with modern instruments.
COMP Cams/FAST – “About EFI”
How to plan your aftermarket EFI system and selecting the right system for your project, plus a list of do’s and don’ts.
Edelbrock – “Power Packages”
Open discussion on choosing the right combination of street cylinder heads, intake manifolds and carburetors.
Fat Man Fab – “Chassis Design”
Bring your questions to this Q&A session covering different chassis situations.
Flaming River – “Steering Systems and Solutions”
Coverage of products to improve the steering and electrical systems in classic vehicles.
ididit – “Steering Systems”
Learn the history of the company, its products, where they are headed and how they can be integrated into your latest project.
Lokar – “Pass the NSRA Safety 23”
Learn tips and tricks to be compliant with a variety of NSRA Safety 23 inspection items.
Painless Performance – “Electrical Basics Plus”
Get educated on best practices of installing electrical systems and dive into discussions.
RideTech – “Suspension Evaluation”
Bringing their outdoor evaluation center indoors, attendees will learn tips and tricks from RideTech staff.
Vintage Air – “Basics of Air Conditioning”
Learn the different components of an HVAC system and how they all work together to perform at an optimum level.
For questions, contact Jim Skelly at 909-978-6690 or jimsk@sema.org.
HRIA General Membership Meeting
The Hot Rod Industry Alliance (HRIA) is hosting a general membership meeting at the NSRA Nationals on August 3—one day before the event opens. General membership meetings are great opportunities to learn more about the council and the resources available exclusively to HRIA members. Attendees will hear the latest updates from the select committee and enjoy an open discussion on the hot-rod industry.
With the SEMA Show just around the corner, the select committee will announce opportunities to volunteer at the Show and other opportunities to become more involved in council activities. Come and enjoy refreshments while connecting with other hot-rod professionals.
The meeting will take place Wednesday, August 3, 3:30 p.m.–5:00 p.m., in the Saddle and Sirloin Club, Freedom Hall.
Registration is open now.
If you have questions regarding any of these events, contact SEMA Director of Councils Jim Skelly at 909-978-6690 or jimsk@sema.org.
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| Visit ARMO's website. |
ARMO Hot Products Showcase Photos Available for Viewing
Automotive Restoration Market Organization (ARMO) members sent their products to be displayed at the ARMO Hot Products Showcase event, which is held annually at the Spring Carlisle Car Swap Meet. This is a free program to ARMO members that exposes their products to the 100,000 automotive enthusiasts in attendance. The products are on display in the Hot Products Showcase tent located in the middle of the fairgrounds. New to the 2016 event, ARMO offered new product awards in multiple categories.
Besides the free product exposure, participating member companies also receive professionally photographed images to use for their own marketing purposes. These photos are displayed in a gallery on SEMA’s website and will also be seen in the ARMO booth at the SEMA Show.
View the 2016 ARMO Hot Products Showcase Gallery.
Look for announcements about the 2017 ARMO Hot Products Showcase in SEMA eNews.
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| Visit PRO's website. |
 At the recent Long-Range Planning meeting in Detroit, the PRO group, led by Chair Scott Wolin and Chair-Elect Ellen McKoy, took a closer look at where the automotive industry is heading in the next decade to better prepare for changes that may lie ahead. |
 The group toured Mcity—the world’s first full-scale simulated urban environment designed for testing autonomous and driverless vehicles in real-world situations. |
PRO Examines Autonomous Driving and Fuel-Efficiency Standards Progress at Long-Range Planning Meeting
The Professional Restylers Organization (PRO) held their Long-Range Planning meeting in Detroit, June 15–16. The group, led by Chair Scott Wolin and Chair-Elect Ellen McKoy, took a closer look at where the automotive industry is heading in the next decade to better prepare for changes that may lie ahead. The meeting, which was held at the Detroit Airport Marriott, featured special guest speaker John Waraniak, SEMA’s vice president of vehicle technology, who kicked everything off with an in-depth report on the current state of autonomous driving and fuel-efficiency standards. This presentation better prepared the group for the trip that followed to Mcity on the campus of University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, Michigan.
Mcity is the world’s first full-scale simulated urban environment designed for testing autonomous and driverless vehicles in real-world situations. James Sayer, director of University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute (UMTRI), spoke to the group about the fascinating progress and challenges for autonomous vehicles. Dr. Sayer then led the group on a tour of the testing grounds, pointing out specific obstacles regarding the car’s programming. The course houses building facades, various terrains, sidewalk clutter and different lane configurations to help compile data for a multitude of situations.
This enlightening tour sparked the group to figure out how they can better help the industry as it enters the unknown. Topics, such as consumer awareness, industry education and OE relations, were spoken about extensively. Possible solutions are being worked on to better equip the industry with tools to help with the automotive industry’s ever-changing landscape.