Two years ago, Tray Smith assumed the role of chair of the Automotive Restoration Market Organization (ARMO) after having served two years as chair-elect. At the same time, Ben Tucker was chosen by his peers on the select committee to serve in the chair-elect slot.

Every year since 1977, collector-car enthusiasts and auto restoration suppliers have flocked in droves to the annual classic- and collector-car swap meet, car corral and auction known as Spring Carlisle. Held on the massive fairgrounds in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, Spring Carlisle last year featured 3,000 vendors and drew more than 100,000 gearheads intent on celebrating all things automotive.

The Automotive Restoration Market Organization (ARMO) and the industry it represents were front and center throughout the 2019 SEMA Show, from the Restoration Marketplace and the ARMO vintage-vehicle display in Central Hall—the latter jointly shared with the Hot Rod Industry Alliance—to the council’s annual awards reception, membership meeting and Restoration Builder’s Panel.

In the summer of 1993, three SEMA committees became the first niche-market councils: the Hot Rod Industry Alliance (HRIA, known then as the Street Rod Market Alliance), the Professional Restylers Organization, and the Automotive Restoration Market Alliance (ARMO). In the decades since, ARMO has earned a reputation for delivering programs and resources to help advance the restoration industry.

For more than a year, the select committee of the Automotive Restoration Market Organization (ARMO) has been discussing how to best address council members’ need for data access and organization. Quite a bit of vehicle data from the ’80s and ’90s is unavailable—information that manufacturers could use for product research.