Remembered as the force behind the founding of SEMA in 1963, then known as the Speed Equipment Manufacturers Association, Ed devoted much of his time to the association and its organizational start-up. He was a partner in Elliott-McMullen Advertising, an agency serving the fledgling performance market, representing high-performance clients. It has long been said that the concept of SEMA was first discussed in the Elliott-McMullen offices.
Roy owned and operated one of the first speed shops in Southern California. Roy’s innovative character inspired him to expand into manufacturing. He formed Cragar Wheels, one of the most popular aluminum alloy wheels to be sold in America from the 1960s on. Bell Helmets produced state-of-the-art head protection; Bell made its first helmet in 1954, known as the 500, and it was quickly accepted by the racing community. The original Bell 500 helmet and Cragar S/S Competition wheel are two products for which he’s best known.
Acknowledged as the “Father of the Corvette,” Zora was a longtime employee of Chevrolet. He became popular as the designer of performance equipment for the ubiquitous small-block Chevy V8, including parts that carried his name, such as the Duntov high-lift camshaft. He also is credited with helping to introduce fuel injection to the Corvette in 1957. Showcasing the Corvette, Zora drove Pikes Peak in 1956 in a pre-production prototype Chevy, setting a stock car hill climb record.
Former auto mechanic Roy Leslie partnered in business and racing with longtime friend Bill Kenz—the Kenz & Leslie parts business in Denver, as well as a streamliner of the same name that set records on the Bonneville Salt Flats. In fact, he had set a new world’s land speed record, and had the quickest speed on record for an American driver in an American car. Roy imparted the integrity and virtue of an honorable businessman.
Winfield carburetors were commonly found on race cars of the 1940s through 1970s, as were cams for Indy Novi engines, all uniquely designed for all-out competition by Ed Winfield. Ed’s innovative design earned him the title “Carburetor Wizard.” He’s considered by many to be a performance pioneer; the Winfield Carburetor Company began in 1924, and its carburetors were an Indianapolis 500 staple. Ed also dabbled in fuel systems and is credited with designing the first harmonic balancer. He was also at the forefront of the high-performance camshaft grinder.
“Honest Charley’s” was one of the first speed shops to distribute a “wish book,” an accessories catalog. “Honest Charley” Card was an innovative marketer and celebrity of the speed and custom equipment trade. Charley, a life-long car guy, grew his local speed shop into a successful coast-to-coast mail-order business. As a pioneer of the retail business, he was one of the first to publish a parts catalog—back in 1948. He also was among the earliest adopters of computers, proud of the IBM 360 his company used to track inventory and orders.
A speed equipment industry pioneer, Paul developed the earliest flywheels and clutches for all-out racing and high performance. He owned and operated Schiefer Manufacturing Company; it became the largest manufacturer of specialty drivetrain components in the world. Paul was also instrumental in the formation of SEMA and some of its earliest initiatives. He was the recipient of the first SEMA Hall of Fame Award in 1969.
Profiles of SEMA Hall of Fame inductees are not typically love stories. But you cannot tell the journey of Jim Bingham without it being one: Love of father. Love of wife. Love of aftermarket.
It began in Indiana. Bingham grew up on a farm in Enos, which was small-town life to the fullest.
“I went to a two-room schoolhouse for the first eight grades, and there were only two of us in my class,” Bingham said.
Joel Ayres has a reputation. A shrewd businessman and salesman, he has had a successful aftermarket career for more than 40 years. But his reputation is not hard-as-nails or barbarous. Joel Ayres is known for being one of the nicest guys in the industry.