Peter Koning in USA Peter is a long time hot rodder and supporter of Let's Go Cruisin. He's left his business, Hoppers Stoppers in the capable hands of his staff to travel the US for 12 months. Sure makes some interesting reading!

Follow Peter's Trip

SEMA

I've been to this show about 6 years ago and apparently this was a good one compared to the last few years , maybe the recession is slowing down.

Sema is quite a huge event, even for Vegas, they put on buses from all the hotel casinos to get us there, the Convention Centre halls would be 5 times the total size of Jeffs Shed, and it takes at least 3 days to see it all properly. Basically divided into A/ Hot rod/Street Machine/Performance aftermarket,   B/ Wheels and tyres , C/ Body repair paint and panel. and D/ Pickup Trucks and 4WD's.   Section A is of course my interest and the busiest. All the very best street rods that have won all the major shows are here representing their sponsors and being million dollar cars they are never started or shown at rod runs so this might be the only time we get to see them. Photos will follow.

As usual in USA nothing exceeds like excess, and they are very much fad driven. The wheel and tyre guys put outrageous examples on everything, now up to 32 inch wheels, many not even drivable as the tyres wouldn't even be able to turn corners, they put them in the show and fit the wheels and tyres once set up.
The current big thing that I had trouble reconciling was showing old and new cars in satin/matt finishes, either by painting or a new process they call "wrapping'.
This involves covering every panel and part in a stick on Contact type plastic sheet, which is stretched all over and trimmed at the edges just like the whole car was painted. There were literally dozens of displays done this way including Million Dollar Rolls Royce's, Bentley's, Ferrari's, Lamborghini's, even a Veyron. The stuff has a life of 1 to 2 years and can then apparently be stripped off but at $4000 to $6000 to apply its not a cheap fad.
They can thank God for the new Camaro, Mustang and Challenger as these rear wheel drive cars make up 90% of the late model aftermarket stuff. There would have been 10 companies making screw type superchargers, another 10 doing centrifugal blowers and another 10 doing turbos just for these three cars. About 10 doing brake upgrades, some like Brembo are really big business over here but very competitive.

Next big thing is the huge range of aftermarket new STEEL bodies, ie Model A, 32, 33, 34, 39 and 40 Ford. F100 and 50's Chevy Truck, Camaro 67/68/69 and Firebird in coupe and convert. Mustang 65/66-67/68-69/70 in Fastback and Convert. Dodge Charger/Challenger  too. Even Ford themselves had a new 67 shell on the their display and 60's Bronco on the way. All this comes down to the latest computer laser profiling machines that can copy an original car panel by panel and make press tools even better than original.

it also seems everyone had the same great idea at the same time as there were maybe 10 companies who all simultaneously showed Pontiac Firebird versions of the new Camaro, plus a smattering of convertible Camaros and quite a few later C5 Corvettes with early 58 type front and rear grafts. Most pretty good too.

The one thing that really blew me away was a new prototyping process called 3D Printing.   Get this.  !!!!   Imagine you have a Computer CAD drawing of a new part you intend to make, lets say a turbo charger. A 3D printing machine takes thin plastic wire like Mig wire and builds it up layer by layer to form the exact part in plastic so you can fit it in place and check it before you get something like castings made.  One Company showed a full sports car with every panel done from Cad drawings to plastic full size demo. They can then alter the program and such until they use the computer to make the steel press or casting  tools. Like machining a part but in reverse, they build it up rather than machine it down.

Its big business , GM, Ford Chrysler etc all build very modified versions of their latest offerings for display and Ford had track rides in Mustangs doing high speed drift driving and new F150 Raptor Trucks being driven at really high speeds and over jumps giving free rides. Top Gear are coming to USA and were giving demo rides around the local streets in Lamborghini's, Porches, Ferrari's, Camaros and even new Rolls, ALL in bright yellow wraps with roof signs like Vegas taxis. See the photos and look in the back ground for an idea of whats happening.

And now an idea of why so many Americans are not happy with O'bama's new Medicare and why this Country will always be in trouble. Firstly there are so many old people and others draining the medical system that they spend an average of $7500 per PERSON on medical, and the new scheme is going in at something like 12% of their income into Medicare Taxes. Next the doctors must be charging exorbitantly, here's an example. I occasionally get a cold sore on my lips and in Australia can buy Zorvirax over the counter for $10 or $12. I went into the Chemist here was told that it was by prescription only and then it would cost over $200 for the same little tube. Here in Las Vegas unemployment is over 14% (10% nationally) and there are 24,000 homes being foreclosed in Vegas at this time. If you have a few dollars to spare you can buy a big home for less than $100, 000. As you can imagine they are building Zero new homes. Be grateful you live in Australia.

So apart from the SEMA show went to a Circus De Sole' show, and walked my feet off around the strip. Took a trip to the top of the Stratosphere and rode that twirly thing that spins you out in the open 1000 feet above ground over Vegas. Quite scary.
Next stop Jamaica.

Be good
Peter