Here’s a list of some the neat products we saw at the SEMA Show.
Photos/Story: T-Bone
The SEMA Show is the premier event to showcase new products for cars, trucks and powersports. This year at the SEMA Show Billy and I were on the hunt for new products like never before. On Tuesday morning, just before the show opens, SEMA hosts a New Products Awards Breakfast. This year they added the SEMA Awards to the festivities. The SEMA Award presents a prize to the vehicles which manufacturers believe are the best platforms for accessorization and that showcase the year’s coolest products. SEMA Show exhibitors chose the Ford Mustang, Ford F-Series Truck, Scion FR-S and Jeep Wrangler as the winners of the 2013 SEMA Award.
In the top floor of the South Hall is the New Products Showcase. We like to hit this area first. There are over 2000 new products displayed in the New Products Showcase. You can get a scanner to scan the code on the products to have the manufacturers send you more information. The aisles of products are displayed in categories like that of the show itself: Wheels, Tires, Performance/Race, Truck/SUV, Sport Compact, etc.
To see a complete list of all the NEW PRODUCT AWARD WINNERS click here.
We found an amazing amount of new products we think are cool. Here are some of our favorites:
Antigravity’s Micro-Start PPS kit. The kit features a small batter and a large variety of attachments that can re-power most any of your electronic devices AND a set up jumpers to start your vehicle. Even a V-8 truck. This thing is packed with a punch!
Quick Loader is a retractable ratchetting tie-down strap. If you are like me, you hate the mess a long tie-down strap can make under the seat of your shop truck. Wessel Industries has created a retractable loop for the excess strap. INGENIOUS! Check out our video demo from their booth on BlacktopTV.
Notchead Fasteners have these cool stainless bolts with a unique head with notches in them. Something different to dress up your engine, but what we liked was their Polishing Grip. The Polishing Grip is a tool that grabs hold of small parts such as fasteners for polishing on a buffer wheel.
Hellwig Products introduced Frame FX a weld-on frame stiffener for GM A Bodies. Perfect for stiffening up those twisty Chevelles and Lemans.
TMI has a complete bucket seat system that would look great in the ’56. Nicely upholstered and well appointed. Check out the Pro-Series Low Back XR.
Classic Industries has some really nice die-cast emblems for your big block Chevy motor. The emblems resemble the waterslide decal that would be on your stock air cleaner. Now you can replace those decals with great looking diecast 3D emblems.
Big news in the show was Surf City Garage. Taking up their entire 50×50 booth with nothing but black carpet and a pedestal in the middle with one can of Black Edge wax. The can positioned under glass was gold-plated and sold for $12,500.00. They had 6 cans at the show and we learned they sold three of them. Mostly a marketing ploy to be able to tell the story of the 10 years of development in the Black Edge line specifically engineered for black or dark colored cars.
CPP launched hydraulic brake boosters. Get rid of that big ugly can under the hood for your conventional vacuum booster with the clean lines of a hydraulic system running off your power steering pump.
Edelbrock always features a bunch of new products at the show. We especially dig their traditional style blower and engine dressup kit for LS motors. Make that new wirey looking motor appear traditional with this great setup. Sitting tall and proud on the show floor and better yet in my ’56. Someday….
Coker Tire released the bias looking radial tire in wide white wall style. A radial tire in a bias ply mold gives you the classic appearance with a more modern performance.
A new manufacturer, Ecoological, showcased a couple of neat products for your shop truck. A gap shield to fill the space between your tailgate and bed, and the Aerobox, a locking bin that sits right behind the tailgate with a vertical opening.
Omega Lift Company had a creeper that adjusts to a low seat and a standard seat height. Another shop stool had a three drawer tool box under the seat pad. Ingenious.
Our favorite product had to be from Hells Gate Hot Rods. They had two products that caught our eye. The lake header cap with a flip-top release was incredible. Simple, quick and cool looking. They also had some sand-cast velocity stacks with a really neat curved tip design that looks wicked. Both products made here in the USA.