July 11th Just Named "Collector Car Appreciation Day"

by Andrea L. Algar

SEMA, the Specialty Equipment Market Association, has gone to bat for all the classic car enthusiasts who love their collector cars a special appreciation day. Now anyone who loves classic cars, vintage trucks, antique automobiles or muscle cars can commemorate in an annual event to celebrate the restoration of historic and classic cars and trucks.

Photo Credit: Super Chevy Show by AAlgar

Steve McDonald, SEMA Vice President of Government Affairs stated, "We thank the U.S. Senate for its continued recognition of the collector car hobby as a valued American Tradition and pastime. With Australia and Canada joining the celebration, Collector Car Appreciation Day has now become an international recognition of the collector car industry and the millions of hobbyists it supports. A number of states and local governments have adopted similar commemorative declarations as well."

Two SEMA councils, the Automotive Restoration Market Organization (ARMO) and Hot Rod Industry Alliance (HRIA), worked with lawmakers in designing a resolution designating July 11th as "Collector Car Appreciation Day". The U.S. Senate passed Senate Resolution 493 (S. Res. 493) June 30, 2014, acknowledging the importance of collector cars in America. The Resolution was sponsored by Congressional Automotive Performance and Motorsports Caucus, a non-partisan member organization.

Rick Love, Chairman of HRIA said, "Businesses and car clubs across the country will be hosting car shows and cruises. More events are being held to commemorate this special day each year." Motorheads Performance, a repair and restoration shop serving San Antonio and South Central Texas, encourages enthusiasts to take part in 2014 celebrations by attending events in their area.

Guy Algar, owner of Motorheads Performance, states, "In the past, we have hosted a fun car show designed specifically for classic car and muscle car enthusiasts, and have recently heard from many of our customers that they would like to participate in one if we put one together again. We'd like to hear whether you would like to celebrate Collector Car Appreciation Day with us next year." Please contact Motorheads Performance if you would like to bring a car, help organize the event, or just attend.

RESOURCES FOR MORE INFORMATION:
SEMA - Event List for Collector Car Appreciation Day
Motorheads Performance - Contact about organizing a Classic Car Show Saturday, July 11, 2015

ABOUT SEMA
SEMA, the Specialty Equipment Market Association founded in 1963, represents the $31.3 billion specialty automotive industry of 6,537 member-companies. It is the authoritative source for research, data, trends and market growth information for the specialty auto parts industry. The industry provides appearance, performance, comfort, convenience and technology products for passenger and recreational vehicles. For more information, contact SEMA at 909-610-2030 or visit www.sema.org or www.enjoythedrive.com.

Chevy's 2014 COPO Camaro Looks Like A Winner

Chevrolet's upcoming 2014 COPO Camaro was unveiled at the SEMA show and we're sure that they're turning heads!

These are great looking cars! But, what makes the limited production factory COPO Camaro so unique is that each race car is hand built on the same body shells that professional racers purchase from Chevrolet Performance. The COPO-specific parts are built for each car and include NHRA-approved roll cage, solid rear axle system and chassis and suspension components that are rated for performance racing.

2014 Chevrolet COPO Camaro

The 2014 limited production COPO Camaro will offer two race engine choices, including a new naturally aspirated 427 engine as well as a supercharged (2.9L Whipple screw-type supercharger) version of the 350 engine. Naturally aspirated 350 and 396 engines are also available.

Customers will need to select the engine based on their intended NHRA racing class. Chevrolet is also offering an option where customers with big pockets can purchase all four engines, each serialized to match the car!

To purchase one of the exclusive COPO Camaro's, potential customers must sign up for the COPO Camaro mailing list at Chevrolet Performance's website (see link below).

Serial number 1 of the limited-production run is a one-of-a-kind, painted in a beautiful metallic ice blue, which will be auctioned off at Barrett-Jackson’s annual auction in Scottsdale, Arizona this January. Proceeds of the Barrett auction will benefit the Freedom Team of Wounded Veterans, an organization dedicated to helping wounded veterans.

Only 69 race cars will be built for NHRA Stock Eliminator and Super Stock competition, and they will all carry the new styling of the 2014 COPO Camaro.

And, there's now great news for those wanting to take advantage of the great power of the high-performance COPO Camaro engines. The same race engines used in the COPO Camaro production race cars are available as crate engines for racers building their own Camaro race cars. Each of the new crate engines is engineered for NHRA’s Stock Eliminator and Super Stock classes.

The COPO crate engines available for 2014 include:

• 427 7.0L naturally aspirated engine
• 5.3L supercharged 327 engine with Whipple twin-screw 2.9L supercharger 
• 5.3L supercharged 327 engine with 4.0L Whipple supercharger
• 396-cubic-inch naturally aspirated engine
• 350-cubic-inch naturally aspirated engine

Each high-performance engine is hand assembled at GM’s racing engine shop in Wixom, Michigan.

RESOURCES:
achillesinternational.org - Freedom Team of Wounded Veterans
barrett-jackson.com - Barrett-Jackson Auction in Scottsdale, AZ
chevroletperformance.com - Chevrolet Performance's COPO Camaro (use link to sign up)
nhra.com - National Hot Rod Association

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: 

Andrea L. Algar is co-owner of a classic car performance and restoration design shop in Leesville, Texas. Motorheads Performance specializes in repairs, maintenance, performance upgrades and restorative work on cars and trucks from the 1920’s through 1970’s. Her husband Guy L. Algar is a Mechanical Engineer with over 25 years experience. He holds 5 ASE Certifications from the National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence and has been working on old cars and trucks for over 37 years. Together they share their passion for old cars and trucks with other enthusiasts from around the country.

John Force to appear at Performance Racing Industry Convention in November at their Grand Opening Breakfast

by Andrea L. Algar
Motorheads Performance

Performance Racing Industry (PRI) announced last Tuesday that John Force will be joining PRI to kick off their 25th Annual Performance Racing Industry Trade Show in Orlando this Fall.

John Force
(buddytv.com)

John Force is a living legend in racing. He is 15-Time NHRA Full Throttle Funny Car Champion,  Driver of the Castrol GTX High Mileage Ford Mustang, and he is one of the most dominant drag racers in the sport with 133 career victories  His daughters Courtney and Ashley Force, have both established themselves as credible competitors in the mainly male-dominated sport of drag racing, and have raced with him as part of the John Force Racing team.

The PRI Trade Show brings together the worldwide racing industry in Orlando, Florida November 29 - December 1, 2012, for the world’s largest racing trade show. Here, the latest advances in racing products and race engineering takes center stage.

According to PRI, "Engine parts, suspension components, data acquisition, safety gear, new metal alloys and coatings, machining equipment, race electronics...it’s all part of the world’s largest racing trade show.

"Arriving from 70+ countries, 38,000 buyers will scour the displays to source the new technology that will be winning races next year. It’s all hardcore racing. No fuzzy dice. No neon windshield wipers. The PRI Trade Show is so big, they can’t afford to miss a single day.

"Attendees are pre-qualified. Admission is complimentary, but they must all prove they own, manage or are employed by a racing business. Buyers for tens of thousands of racing retail stores, warehouse distribution centers, professional race engine builders, race car production companies, are making 2013 inventory decisions in each exhibit. They represent the all-important distribution pipeline for racing products."

Guy Algar states, "PRI has supplied us with the best information in racing, from cutting edge technologies to applications for shops and racing teams. As a mechanical engineer who has designed tools and parts helpful to the racing community, I like to stay on top of what is happening in our industry. And, because I've also created AutoCAD patent drawings for inventors through my design company, it helps to stay on top of the latest metal alloys, coatings, machining, components and technologies. The information I receive from our PRI Magazine is great, but trade shows allow you to meet and talk with your peers who deal with the same issues you do. It's invigorating."

The history of the PRI is actually very fascinating. According to PRI, "It was the mid-1980s, and the big SEMA Show out West 'Speed' was removed from the organization's title (Speed Equipment Manufacturers Association) and replaced with 'Specialty' (now the Specialty Equipment Market Association), as the organization embraced the opportunities in the broader automotive performance aftermarket.

"The prime movers of the national racing industry felt there needed to be an annual event for all the people in the business of racing, with new hardcore racing equipment on display. No fans. No weekend racers. No mere enthusiasts. Just manufacturers of racing equipment as exhibitors, while the attendee make-up would include retailers of racing parts, race engine builders, race car fabricators, WD's and manufacturers reps active in racing, and professional race teams. Even in the beginning, it could be a small group of people, but it would be the right group of business people representing the 'hardcore' racing market."

In 1988 PRI filled this need by first creating a magazine called PRI Magazine, and nine months later launching their first trade show which was held in Louisville, Kentucky. So, in a Grand Opening Breakfast event for the 2012 Trade Show, John Force will join Dave Despain for a live version of Wind Tunnel Speed TV program on Thursday, November 29, 2012!

John Force Racing Funny Car
Photo Credit: DansPitStopRacing.com

“The Grand Opening Breakfast is a great racing industry tradition, and we’re excited to bring Dave back again. He’s an outstanding motorsports journalist, and always brings out the best stories from the special guests. Add John Force to the mix, and we’re really going to have some fun” said John Kilroy, producer of the PRI Trade Show. “John Force is one of the most dominant racers in our lifetime, as well as one of the biggest personalities in the sport. He rewrote the history of NHRA racing in more ways than just his championships. He’s amazing, and we’re already looking forward to Thursday morning at the Show,” continued Kilroy.

The PRI Trade Show takes place Thursday, Friday and Saturday, November 29-December 1, 2012, in Orlando, Florida.

REFERENCES:
Performance Racing Industry
PRI Magazine
John Force Racing
Wind Tunnel Speed TV
Dave Despain on Facebook
NHRA Racing - National Hot Rod Association
SEMA - Specialty Equipment Market Assocation
Guy L. Algar - Motorheads Performance

Author's Note: I will be attending this year's show and look forward to bringing you news you may benefit from when I return! - Andrea

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Andrea L. Algar is co-owner of a classic car performance and restoration design shop in Leesville, Texas. Motorheads Performance specializes in repairs, maintenance, performance upgrades and restorative work on cars and trucks from the 1920’s through 1970’s. Her husband Guy L. Algar is a Mechanical Engineer with over 25 years experience. He holds 5 ASE Certifications from the National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence and has been working on old cars and trucks for over 37 years. Together they share their passion for old cars and trucks with other enthusiasts from around the country.

Fully Adjustable Steering Rack For Classic Car Upgrades

by Andrea L. Algar
Motorheads Performance

Guy Algar and I like to keep abreast of what's happening in our industry. There are a lot of product releases, with many claiming huge advances in technology, or claiming superiority over other products. Many fall short, and it often isn't until many people have sunk a lot of hard-earned money into trying the newest-and-greatest. While we usually don't endorse specific products over another, we do like to report on ones that are unique, or that fill a true need within the industry. Here's one that may fill a need for the do-it-yourselfers that I first learned about in one of our performance industry publications.



RetroRack Steering System
by American Online Imports



RetroRack offers a product that can be useful for anyone upgrading an old car or truck's steering themselves. As we discussed in our last article on Safe Speed Limits for Classic Cars, many owners are opting to have critical components such as power train, brakes, suspension and steering upgraded to more modern technologies that not only make their driving experience more comfortable, but perhaps safer as well. Motorheads Performance and other repair and restoration shops across the country have long been dealing with clearance issues that frequently occur when customers want an engine swap with something other than what was originally in their vehicle. You usually have no problem getting the new engine in, and attaching accessories, but when it comes time to tie in the steering, you find you're bumping into headers (probably the #1 problem encountered), brake master cylinder or some other component. Sounds familiar, right? Professional shops have the necessary tools and the experience to solve these problems, but the average do-it-yourselfer may not.

Well, an Australian company designed and manufactured the first universal rack and pinion steering system they call RetroRack, which is a patented design that is engineered so that every component can rotate with precision 360 degrees to the desired location and locked into place. This solves tight fit issues and gives ultimate steering geometries, making it incredibly useful for anyone upgrading their muscle car, classic car, hot rod, street rod, vintage truck, sports car or race car! Because it features a CNC-machined billet aluminum housing and hardened chromoly rack and gear, it is built for speed, and built to last.

First released by designer and manufacturer, American Online Imports at the 2011 SEMA show, it is gaining in popularity with American restorers because of the high quality and ease of installation. It has even captured the attention of Jay Leno, as was seen on his television show.  See the resource list below for other video links on RetroRack.

The RetroRack system has been designed to be totally flexible in installation, and is available in front and rear steer, left hand drive and right hand drive configurations. 

RetroRack offers these unique features:    

• Every component is designed to rotate 360 degrees
• Complete versatility 
• 100% CNC custom billet product provides ultimate strength
• No cast or welded components
• Only the highest quality components are used
• There is a Lifetime Warranty on RetroRack
•  Looks Great!

So, if you're considering an upgrade to the steering in your classic car, muscle car, or other old vehicle, and want to do the work yourself, consider the potential savings the RetroRack could give you. While the units are costly (currently about $2500), what they could save you in having to pay a professional to solve fit or clearance issues for you later down the road, might make it worth your consideration. New products always have a high cost. As the company grows, and production increases, it's our hope that the unit price of these will come down. It's a great looking, high quality unit which performs great.

RESOURCES:
SEMA Show Video Interview
American Online Imports Product Videos
Bishop Endurance Testing on RetroRack

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Andrea L. Algar is co-owner of a classic car performance and restoration design shop in Leesville, Texas. Motorheads Performance specializes in repairs, maintenance, performance upgrades and restorative work on cars and trucks from the 1920’s through 1970’s. Her husband Guy L. Algar is a Mechanical Engineer with over 25 years experience. He holds 5 ASE Certifications from the National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence and has been working on old cars and trucks for over 37 years. Together they share their passion for old cars and trucks with other enthusiasts from around the country.