SPEEDZZTER ON THE SEMA SHOW AT CAR CRAFT.COM (And some impressions on being a SIM "Guest Editor for a Day")

[Get the latest "Truth With Speedzzter" here]

Patrick Cannon, Midwest Advertising Manager for Source Interlink Media's Consumer Automotive Group was given the unenviable task of SIM's liaison to the 25 "Guest Editors for a Day" invited to the 2009 SEMA Show.

Mr. Cannon received minimal support from the various SIM editors at SEMA, despite the fact that "Guest Editors" were supposed to be able to "discuss with Source Interlink Editors and get suggestions of some areas of interest" before attending the show.

One notable exception to the SIM editors lack of support for the "Guest Editors for a Day" program was Automobile Magazine's Jean Jennings. On Tuesday afternoon (November 3, 2009) she graced the Bloggers' lounge behind the Ford Display in the Central Hall with her wit and wisdom. She was still pumped about the Automobile Magazine's "6 versus 8" hill climb video that recently aired on Speed Channel, featuring an EcoBoost Lincoln against a slate of V8-powered European luxury cars. See the story and videos here and Ms. Jennings' blog about it here.

Notwithstanding the overwhelming lack of support from the vast majority of SIM editors, Mr. Cannon was a kind, gracious and patient host. He was even gracious when I turned in hundreds of unpublishable, out-of-focus photograph (camera & camera operator malfunctions). He is a consumate professional.

Mr. Cannon asked us to blog about "The Coolest Things at SEMA" on one of SIM's internet platforms. Unfortunately, most of the SIM websites did not seem to be configured to accept any guest blogs.

Attempting to comply with the daunting task of providing SIM and Ford a thimble of "coolness" out of the raging tempest that is the SEMA Show, "Truth With Speedzzter" posted some reflections on Car Craft's forum. It wasn't exactly what I expected, but it was still kind of fun . . . .

All in all, in the parlance of Nevada's oldest profession, the "Guest Editors for a Day" probably looked like a bunch of streetwalkers or "lot lizards" wandering around to the SIM and Ford P.R. professionals. I suspect they all had a hearty laugh at us.

Still, even with all of the confusion and stress, it was fun to "play journalist" for a day.

I met and interviewed a lot of wonderful people including Azentek's Bob Fehan (www.azentek.com), SMS Supercars' Molly Saleen (www.smsuspercars.com), Ford & Mustang performance superstar tuner Paul Svinicki (www.paulshp.com),Evade Camaro creator Tom Argue and car owner Bill Panouses (www.evadecamaro.com), the guys from Detroit Street Rods (www.DetroitStreetRods.com) and many more.

Look for more vignettes from SEMA 2009 in the coming days.

THE LIFTER SISTERZ DO SEMA

(A special guest column by Hydra and Cammie, the Lifter Sisterz)

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HYDRA: Some of you may remember us . . . Speedzzter used to ask us to provide a “second opinion” on some of the gibberish that passes for advice in the syndicated Car Talk column by those two old M.I.T. brainiacs Tom and Ray Magliozzi, a/k/a “Click and Clack, the Tappet Brothers . . . .

CAMMIE: Yeah, until you blew that sweet gig with your little vacation in the Indianapolis houscow . . .

HYDRA: Sweet gig? Speedzzter didn’t give us jack for all our brilliant insights! And I thought you weren’t going to bring up Indy again, Miss Wallflower! I’ve paid my debts to society. It’s time to move on.

CAMMIE: You mean like you’ve moved on with that orange pleather jumpsuit?

HYDRA: Well this cute young jailer at Indy said that orange compliments my color palate . . . .

CAMMIE: So would a costume from Circus Circus . . . . We’ve got to hurry this thing up . . . they’re charging us $25 an hour to use this computer.

HYDRA: Well, if you hadn’t left the laptop computer back home in the wrecker . . .

CAMMIE: I didn’t think there would be any place to use it at SEMA and I didn’t want some street hustler to steal it

HYDRA: Too bad you didn’t know about the free WI-FI at SEMA. How did you think all the journalists and bloggers put their stories out on the web? Pony Express? Carrier pigeon?

CAMMIE: Well Miss Rue de la Paix, too bad YOU didn’t know that the Luxor wasn’t on the monorail and we’ve spent about an hour a day getting to the Convention Center . . . not including all of your side trips for shopping.

HYDRA: I’m about spend an hour-a-day giving you a little Bugsy Siegel-style facial . . .

CAMMIE: Don’t get your Fredricks-of-Hollywood skivvies in a bunch. Besides, hobbling around on those four-inch spike heels, you’d never catch me . . . .

HYDRA: Well who knew you had to walk so much at the SEMA Show. . . and just getting to SEMA?

CAMMIE: I guess two million square feet of convention space, 10,000 booths, and all those maps showing where the monorail runs weren’t enough fair warning to leave the Manolo Blahniks at home . . . and then you had to buy some more ridiculously impractical shoes over at the Bellagio . . . .

HYDRA: I needed them for the RPM 09 Industry VIP party at The Bank nightclub Wednesday . . . it was the Premier SEMA Week event. Some of us just can’t sit around in our hotel rooms all night, Miss I-Read-A-Book-in-Vegas . . . .

CAMMIE: Well, I picked up lots of interesting product literature at the SEMA Show. And I’m just shocked with how grimy most things are in Vega$ . . . and how expensive everything is . . . I mean what’s a “resort fee” . . . and $60 for a three day monorail pass . . . or $90 a day for a rental car. . .or how you’ve got to tip everybody from the order taker at Fatburger on up.

Besides, I’ve been kinda low on funds ever since I took that cab ride out to Shelby Automobiles to tour where they built my 725-horse Shelby GT500.

HYDRA: You just have to work that Shelby into every column, don’t you?

CAMMIE: So? Time’s a wasting!

We – Hydra and Cammie, the Fabulous Lifter Sisters – are apparently filling in for Speedzzter today at the 2009 SEMA Show.

You DID clear this with Speedzzter, right?

HYDRA: My motto is “It’s better to ask for forgiveness than permission.” Besides, Speedy was nearly comatose, muttering about taking 600 out-of-focus photos and babbling about losing 300 New Products Showcase scans . . . I told Speedy not to buy that ridiculous wide-angle lens from that dude on the Las Vegas Strip.

CAMMIE: WAIT! SO SPEEDZZTER DOESN’T KNOW WE’RE DOING THIS? This is going to work out about like when you talked me into sneaking into SEMA’s Central Hall before the show opened . . . .

HYDRA: Yeah, well that security guard that pinched us was almost cute . . . he gave me his phone number.

CAMMIE: I’m not surprised. You even took those cards about the nudie shows that those illegal alien dudes were passing out on the street corners . . . .

HYDRA: I was hoping for a free ticket to the Chippendales or "Thunder from Down Under" . . . .

CAMMIE: And you thought those card-flipping, “no-habla” Mexican muchachos were handing them out?

Anyhow, what’s a “New Products Showcase scan?”

HYDRA: The New Products Showcase? Don’t you remember all those display cases over on the second floor of the South Hall here at SEMA? Or are the hot flash meds clouding what’s left of your brain? It’s where the buyers and the media get the scoop on all the hottest new stuff. And where I get the scoop on the hottest buyers and inksters (wink, wink) . . . .

CAMMIE: What! Is Speedzzter’s some media big shot nowadays?

HYDRA: Nah. But they still loaned Speedy a little bar code reader to scan tags on the new gear . . . they’re supposed to send the scans straight to your e-mail with a link to a product photo.

CAMMIE: I guess it didn’t work out for poor Speedzzter . . . .

HYDRA: Nope. Kinda like getting a prom date didn’t work out for you . . .

CAMMIE: Go ahead, rub it in Miss I-Dated-the-Entire-Football-Team. Other than a bunch of cheap and superficial flirting, what are you going to remember most about SEMA 2009.

HYDRA: Well, it might be kind of like what Brian Lohnes at Bangshift.com wrote – there are parts of SEMA you can’t swing a cat in without hitting a 2010 Camaro.

CAMMIE: Or some bit for the GM LS motor. But SEMA’s a lot more than the Camaro fad.

HYDRA: Yep. I’m going to remember the scads of hot rides parked outside and scattered through the Show. Widebody tuner cars, moon-jacked 4x4s, smooth customs, tons of Mustangs, the Ford Power Alley. . . .

CAMMIE: Yes, SEMA is quite the car show. I loved the historic drag car display in the lobby between the Central and North Halls: The Hawaiian, Prudhomme’s Hot Wheels “Snake” funny car and transporter, Don Garlits’ Swamp Rat V(a), the Stone, Woods and Cook Willys, the Freight Train digger . . . .

HYDRA: And there were scads of new products . . . superchargers, transmissions, nitrous, wheels, tires . . . I can see why Speedzzter had more than 300 scans

CAMMIE: And another thing I loved about SEMA was the awesome Ford display . . . they had several sweet rides.

HYDRA: And those smokin’ hunks from Galpin Auto Sports building a “new” ‘69 Mustang during the show . . .(Growl) .

CAMMIE: Back it down a notch, Coog! I also loved seeing that 1960s Indy V8 that almost never leaves Dearborn . . . and a SOHC 427!

HYDRA: You’re about to be on the losing end of a cat-fight if you don’t watch it.

Speaking of fights, I liked seeing the dueling Saleens – the new Saleen Mustang S81 from Steve’s former company and the new SMS 460 Mustang from his current gig. Too bad the organizers didn’t park’em next to each other.

CAMMIE: Now that would have been awkward.

HYDRA: You’d be the expert on “awkward,” Gangle Girl.

CAMMIE: I’m rising above your petty potshots today.

Anyhow, Agent 47's ‘69 Mustang was super-hot, too. I also liked seeing a bunch of high performance big wigs. . . Vic Edelbrock Jr., Steve Saleen, Linda Vaughn, Parnelli Jones, Brian Wolfe, Stacy David, Gene Winfield, Chip Foose . . .

HYDRA: Oh yeah, that’s another thing Speedy’s all bummed about . . . Speedy didn’t ever spot Dave Freiburger, Jeff Smith, Douglas Glad or hardly any of those other big-time Source Interlink hot rodding journalists. Speedy thought that the Source Interlink/Ford deal would guarantee at least an intro . . .

CAMMIE: There’s 100,000 people at SEMA. Spotting celebs is just the luck of the draw. And Speedzzter needs to get a grip . . . those journalists are working the show, not babysitting a horde of wannabes with seldom-read, poorly written vanity blogs.

We’ve got to wrap this up or we’ll have to shell out another $25 that we won’t ever get back from Speedzzter . . . .

HYDRA: Okay. Any advise for folks visiting future SEMA Shows?

CAMMIE: You can’t see it all, so don’t try.

HYDRA: Don’t be afraid to strike up conversations with car owners and exhibitors . . . even on the monorail

CAMMIE: Don’t be like my sister – bring some good walking shoes.

HYDRA: Stay in a hotel that’s on the monorail.

CAMMIE: Study the show materials ahead of time so that you can target your efforts.

HYDRA: Keep your camera ready and don’t buy new gear you haven’t tested (Sorry Speedy).

CAMMIE: Bring plenty of hand sanitizer because the public parts of Vega$ are becoming motley.

HYDRA: Find out what the “deals” are ahead of time, because everything in Vega$ is about “the deal.”

CAMMIE: Plan ahead on how you’re going to get 50 pounds of product catalogs, souvenirs, and swag home.

Get plenty of sleep (unlike my sleep-until-noon sister) so that you can see more at SEMA.

And if you’re stuck traveling with Hydra, bring more money “‘cause all she wants to do is dance and make romance . . . .”

HYDRA: How about I dance on your head?

[Computer time runs out]

{Internet Neutrality Notice: We -- Hydra and Cammie, the Lifter Sisterz -- don't get "nothing from nobody" to style for Truth With Speedzzter. The opinions expressed herein are our own and do not reflect the views of anybody else we know of, whether sane or insane. By the way, why are you still reading this legaleze? Wasn't the word "NOTICE" enough to put you on "notice" that what follows is just boring babble conjured up by a roomful of lawyers?)

ECOBOOST STREET RODS: WAVE OF THE FUTURE?

[Get the latest "Truth With Speedzzter" here]

LAS VEGAS -- Ford Powertrain and Detroit Street Rods wowed attendees of the 2009 Specialty Equipment Market Association show with "the first rear-wheel-drive application of the 3.5-liter twin-turbo EcoBoost (tm) V6" The pre-SEMA show announcement of the 400 horsepower 1934 Ford coupe may have been controversial in theory, but the final result is "bitchin." [UPDATE: The EcoBoost '34 won a "Best in Show" award!]



Truth With Speedzzter had a couple of good conversations on the EcoBoost '34 with Dave Berry and Fred Blum of Detroit Street Rods. This car uses one of the few RWD bellhousing EcoBoost blocks available. The engine installation required relocation of the smallish stock turbos, fabrication of custom headers and little else.

While Truth With Speedzzter still contends that V8s are more in line with the storied traditions of American hot rodding . . .
Detroit Street Rods and Ford Powertrain did an excellent job of "daring to be different." Whether it catches on in the in the tidal wave of GM LS dumping remains to be seen.

[Internet Neutrality Notice: Truth With Speedzzter was an unpaid invited guest of Source Interlink Magazines and Ford Motor Company to the 2009 SEMA Show. Truth With Speedzzter is solely responsible for the content of this post. Truth With Speedzzter received no payment, gratuity, or other compensation for this post]

GM VERSUS FORD AT THE 2009 SEMA SHOW

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LAS VEGAS – In some ways, GM versus Ford seems a bit like Mad Magazine’s “Spy versus Spy.” It’s often an entertaining series of moves and countermoves which seldom alter the fundamentals of the performance market niche.

On the surface, the 2009 Specialty Equipment Market Association Show was no exception. In a battle of dueling press conferences on the first day of SEMA, Ford and General Motors took divergent approaches. GM’s big news was aimed directly at mass market performance – a pre-OBD II legal 430 horsepower “E-Rod” crate engine with an expected street price under $8,000.00. This is only the first in a series of “E-Rod” crate engines, including a 315 horsepower 5.3 liter LS, a 505 horsepower 7liter LS7, and a 550 horsepower "LS8."

An hour or so later, Ford’s big announcements were decidedly more exclusive. First, Ford officially unveiled its 2011 Ford Racing Raptor XT truck.

Racing version of the Raptor

The XT will feature a 500 horsepower SOHC 6.2 liter engine and a host of race truck suspension parts. With a price tag in the $100,000 range, the market for Raptor XTs will undoubtedly be limited.

Ford’s other feature vehicle was the recently announced 2010 Cobra Jet drag car.

Ford Racing boss Brian Wolfe discussing features of the 2010 Cobra Jet with potential customers

Aimed at NHRA Super Stock A and B, the latest Cobra Jet reportedly will be NHRA legal down to 8.50 quarter mile elapsed times and will run out of the box in the ten-second e.t. bracket. Ford will offer a choice of racing transmissions, including a drag-prepped manual. For sportsmen racers who cannot afford factory assembly, Ford will offer virtually every part necessary to build a Cobra Jet at home in the Ford Racing Performance Parts catalog. Ford claims it will offer affordable production “bodies in white” that are “not seconds.”

In some ways, these moves are reminiscent of the 1960s. Back in the Total Performance era, Ford’s burned up tracks around the world, but were criticized by some for not “makin’ it” on the streets. Chevrolet, banned from overtly supporting racing, circumvented corporate edicts with hotter street cars and an unmatched factory “severe service” parts program. Thus, while Ford dominated in many professional ranks, the streets tended to belong to the much larger GM.

GM’s latest move is a CARB-legal shot across Ford’s bow. Almost immediately, internet experts were heralding the “E-Rod” program as a catalyst for more awful crossbreeding of Chevrolet engines in pre-1996 Fords. GM may be attempting to solidify its position as the “crate motor” leader before the waters are muddied by Ford’s rumored Coyote V8.

Truth With Speedzzter hopes that Ford will not repeat the mistakes of the 1960s by allowing GM’s dangerous provocation to go unanswered. Ford needs to move with all due speed to market more emission-legal crate engines for the repower market. FRPP’s Boss 302 and Boss 351, as well as the DOHC modulars are excellent foundations for emissions legal countermoves to GM’s “E-Rod” line . . . at least until a production wide-bore center DOHC comes along.

HP2G REVEALS MORE ABOUT THE 110 M.P.G. MUSTANG AT SEMA 2009

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LAS VEGAS -- At the 2009 Specialty Equipment Market Association Show, HP2g.com released more details about its revolutionary 110 m.p.g. electric hybrid V8 Ford Mustang. Doug Pelmear’s innovative 4.8 liter V8 engine uses electronically-managed variable displacement and an integrated pulsed electric motor to vary output for conditions and power demand. The naturally-aspirated HP2g engine can produce as much as 400 horsepower and 500 lbs/ft of torque during acceleration and as little as 15 horsepower during part throttle cruise conditions. The engine is computer managed.

The revolution in HP2g’s powerplant is three-fold. First, according to HP2g’s press release, “[T]he HP2g E-85 fueled engine can transition from running on all eight cylinders down to firing on just one.” Unlike conventional variable displacement systems now in production, the HP2g’s engine rotates the single active cylinder among the eight using a proprietary process.

Second, HP2g reportedly has integrated a unique electric motor which operates “on a pulse basis, instead of what is called full saturation.” HP2g uses rapid electric cycling to conserve electric energy. The integrated motor also reportedly employs regenerative braking. The battery pack for the pulsed electric motor is reportedly two racing spiral core gel batteries.

Third, HP2g has discovered “added efficiencies because of tight tolerances and sturdy design.”

A cutaway of the HP2g engine is scheduled for public display at the 2010 Detroit International Auto Show.

During 18 months of testing, HP2g has logged 22,000 miles and reports average fuel economy of 109.7 m.p.g. In fact Doug Pelmear told Truth With Speedzter that he drove HP2g’s 1987 Mustang prototype on display from Ohio to Las Vegas, with the run from Oklahoma City to Sin City taking a only a splash more than one tank-ful of E-85 fuel.

HP2g also reports that the Pelmear engine underwent “standard EPA testing” in May 2009 and passed without a catalytic converter.

At SEMA 2009, the HP2g Mustang was parked among a diverse collection of “green” cars. Ironically, the "Green Zone" was anchored by huge display of unusual and even freakish Progressive Automotive X-Prize competitors. As reported previously, HP2g is not among the X-Prize finalists. Some internet wags have suggested that HP2g’s omission from the X-Prize “proves” Pelmear’s stock-appearing Mustang is less than what is claimed. Such judgments are irresponsible and premature.

Pelmear also told Truth With Speedzzter that the big OEMs seem to be taking a skeptical view of HP2g’s technology. Perhaps it is because of Detroit’s “not invented here” mindset. Or perhaps the skepticism is fueled by the mystery surrounding HP2g’s three prototype Mustangs. Or perhaps it is because it seems impossible that Ohio hot rodders working on a relatively shoestring budget (compared to the billions OEMs invest for modest gains) could have achieved a technological breakthrough of epic proportions.

In person, Pelmear seems like a modest and forthright entrepreneur. He appears to be a “cut-and-try,” grease-under-the-fingernails hot rodder, and not a highfalutin engineer. In our brief conversation, he gave the impression of one who is always thinking about solving the next problem or technological challenge. Clearly, his enthusiasm for his engine is boundless. And like Smokey Yunick, the legendary inventor of the hot vapor cycle engine, Pelmear is proud that his engine is “all-American.”

Mr. Pelmear is quick to give credit to God for giving him the talents and abilities necessary to develop the HP2g engine. And he seems sincere in his convictions.

Truth With Speedzzter could not help but wonder whether those journalists who interviewed early automotive legends such as Henry Ford back in the day would not have noticed some similarities in Mr. Pelmear. Like those automotive pioneers, Pelmear does not seem put off by the arduous road ahead or the hordes of naysayers. Instead, he’s got vision – which is something sorely lacking in many of the automotive elites and know-it-alls.

In this day and age when the engineering world expects “Goliath” efforts are necessary to make even incremental gains, is it still possible for an obscure, hometown “David” to come along with a fundamental "game-changer" like the HP2g engine?

After five minutes with Doug Pelmear, somehow you want to believe. You want to root for little guys like Team HP2g.

And you desperately want a peak below that mysterious Mustang’s hood . . . .

[INTERNET NEUTRALITY DISCLOSURE: The foregoing report is based on information released by HP2g.com at SEMA 2009 and an interview with Doug Pelmear. It has not been independently verified and should not be relied upon for investment or any other purpose.

HP2g or Doug Pelmear did not provide any compensation, gratuity, or other inducement to Truth With Speedzzter for this report.]

SPEEDZZTER -- LIVE AT SEMA 2009!

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LAS VEGAS--For the first time ever, Source Interlink Magazines and Ford Motor Company invited twenty-five ordinary citizens to experience the 2009 Specialty Equipment Market Association Show and blog their impressions as to the hottest new trends in the aftermarket.

Truth With Speedzzter is one of the invitees!

Covering SEMA is like taking a sip from a fire hose. Everywhere you turn, there's something new, different and hot. The SEMA Show also allows unprecidented access to industry leaders.

I'm heading back to the show floor. Check back here and at Bangshift.com more . . . .