The origins of the Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) show are deep in the '60s with strong roots in the hot rodding world. And while the SEMA trade show is now also synonymous with imports, trucks, and tricked-out donks, the hot rodding contingent that got it all rolling is still represented strong each year. As the show has grown through the decades, automotive enthusiasts from other factions have joined the party, growing SEMA to the point where it occupies every corner of the Las Vegas Convention Center
With over 2 million square feet of exhibition space, the annual SEMA show is one of the largest and most exciting trade conventions anywhere. If you're a manufacturer, speed shop, car builder, or media representative, you'll spend most of a week trying to look at every project car and get the lowdown on every new part. Even then, you'll always miss something. Around every corner, there's something cool that will lure you in for longer than you planned. Before you know it, you're behind schedule.
The folks who put on the SEMA show understand our infatuation with cool cars and hot parts, so they've made two great moves for us hot rodding types. The biggest thing is that SEMA put all the high-horsepower hot rod and muscle car stuff in a relatively compact section called "hot rod alley.” This way you don't have to look at miles of Chinese tires, 4x4 lift kits, and 28-inch donk wheels to discover that cool new Oldsmobile cylinder head. The other thing SEMA does is catalog, photograph, and archive all the new products brought in by exhibiting SEMA members, and then posts them online at the website, www.SEMADigital.com. (BTW, that's important insider information you won't get from other magazines. While you have to be a member of the trade to get into the SEMA show, anybody can log onto the SEMA website—at least for now!) Not only does SEMA break down new products by category (e.g. diesel performance, sport compact, street performance, and more), they have photographed every SEMA show vehicle, and listed them by category. (There's even a muscle car section.)
Bottom line is, if you read our top 42 new products story, and still want to see more, everything new from the 2011 SEMA show is available online. So go head and make your own top 42 list if you want to fine-tune our list. That said, we've chosen here what we think are the most potent muscle car pieces from this year's show, and there are some great parts we're all gonna have to look at closer this year. Let's have a look …
Custom Gauges
Auto Meter
What It Is:
Design your own custom gauges online at
AutoMeter.com. Choose any size, any face color, any script type, any script color, any bezel, any material, and any lighting. The website even gives you a running price.
Self-Tuning Fuel Injection
MSD Atomic EFI
What It Is:
MSD's new self-learning Atomic EFI is almost as easy as a carb swap. Requiring only eight connections and a single fuel line (thanks to a pulse-modulated fuel pump), the Atomic EFI can feed up to 620 hp with no laptop programming necessary.
InLine Billet Fuel Pump
Holley
What It Is:
Holley's new HP pump (PN 12-890) delivers 96 gph to support up to 1,050 hp without heating your fuel up! An innovative and reliable design uses OEM gerotor technology in a lightweight, easy-to-mount package.
429ci LS3 Stroker Kit
Eagle Specialty Products
What It Is:
Build your LS3 up to 429ci with this forged stroker kit from Eagle! Comes with a forged 4.125-inch stroke crank, forged 6.125-inch H-beam rods, 4.070-inch bore 11.1:1 compression forged Mahle pistons, and rings. Includes race bearings too.
LS Engine & Trans Control Kits
FAST
What It Is:
Make that LS swap a little easier with an EZ-EFI Engine & Transmission Control Kit. One of these kits packages both engine and transmission control modules plus all the attendant wiring for a no-hassle installation. No laptop tuning needed either!
8.1L BBC Cylinder Head
Dart Machinery
What It Is:
Dart's new Gen 7 big-block Chevy head has opened up a whole new world of performance for the metric 8.1L big-block engine. New cast-iron cylinder heads with improved high-flowing ports and efficient combustion chambers greatly enhance power and torque.
LS Swap Manifolds
Hooker Headers
What It Is:
Like it or not, LS swaps are hip, from old-school rat rods, to import drift machines, to classic muscle cars. Make that swap easier with Hooker's LS cast-iron exhaust manifolds, which provide universal fit for popular chassis when swapping any LS engine.
Tri-Five Trunk Striker Kit
Real Deal Steel
What It Is:
The '55-57 Chevy is gaining steam, and more hard-to-find parts keep getting reproduced by Real Deal Steel. This kit includes a reproduction steel tail pan loop, alignment pin, and trunk tabs, allowing for proper fit of the trunk lid on all Tri-Fives.
Camaro Fuel System
Aeromotive
What It Is:
You don't need to go crazy reengineering your '10-up Camaro SS fuel system for big power, just drop in this Aeromotive in-tank unit and you're good for a bigger stroker motor, a blower, turbos, or nitrous. It supports over 1,000 hp from a single pump!
Break-In Oil
AMSOIL
What It Is:
Don't leave power on the table! AMSOIL's SAE 30 viscosity break-in oil is formulated for quick and efficient piston ring sealing in those critical few early hours of operation. The oil also helps to increases compression, power, and torque for maximum engine performance.
Mopar Small-Block HEI
Top Street Performance
What It Is:
TSP HEI distributors features everything you need under one cap. Just hook up one wire, adjust your timing, and you are done! The adjustable vacuum advance allows dialing in the timing exactly where you need it. It fits perfect with most aftermarket intake manifolds.
Brakes For 15-Inch Wheels
Baer Brakes
What It Is:
Don't let your pride wreck your ride! Drag guys: Good brakes aren't just for Pro Touring—they can save your carcass from injury at 130, 140, or even 150 mph. These Baer units feature an aluminum four-piston caliper that is mounted to an 11x1-inch two-piece rotor.
Mustang Turn Signal Mirrors
Mustang Project
What It Is:
Classic cars and '64-66 Mustangs have a lower profile than most modern cars. Make sure your car is noticed when changing lanes with these new LED turn signal mirrors. Looks like the original Ford mirror until the turn signal is activated. Simple one-wire hook up.
1955-57 Thunderbird
Unisteer
What It Is:
Why should Tri-Five Chevys get all the cool parts to modernize their handling? Unisteer has new rack-and-pinion steering kits for all '55-57 Ford Thunderbirds. The kit includes a new rack, a pump with accessories, a hose kit, and a shaft kit.
Fender Finisher
Eastwood
What It Is:
Eastwood's pneumatic fender former was developed to provide additional fender-to-tire clearance on lowered vehicles or vehicles with larger wheels. This cool tool can perform the fender "rolling” without the need to jack the vehicle and remove the wheel.
Fuel Pressure Regulator
Mr. Gasket
What It Is:
Since the mid '90s, factory performance cars have done away with return-style fuel systems for emission reasons, but a return-style regulator is still preferred for high-power buildups. Mr. Gasket's return-style fuel pressure regulator is perfect for carbureted strip applications.
Road Race Rack & Pinion
Flaming River
What It Is:
This custom-designed power rack-and-pinion is designed for serious road racing. This quick-ratio piece has a tight 2.27 turns per revolution of pinion and the adjustable positive-lock rack gear will not back away from the pinion. Customizable travel too!
Clevor Coolant Crossover Kit
Trick Flow
What It Is:
Trick Flow understands how big a different Cleveland heads can make on Windsor blocks. This kit mates the cooling passages of Cleveland cylinder heads with Ford Windsor engine blocks to easily complete any Boss 302 or Clevor conversion.
Camaro Hood Vents
Eddie Motorsports
What It Is:
Got a first-gen Camaro and want to stand out from the crowd? Eddie Motorsports' billet aluminum SS hood vents might help. They're designed for '67-69 models and are an attractive complement to your custom car. They also include an aluminum mesh insert.
Cuda/Challenger Wiring Kit
American Autowire
What It Is:
This exciting new kit is designed specifically for modified/Pro Touring-style '70-74 Cudas and Challengers. It is engineered to handle upgrades such as electric fans, aftermarket A/C, gauges, powertrain combinations, and anything else demanding power.
1967 Mustang Air Cleaner
Drake Automotive Group
What It Is:
The extremely rare '67 390 GT High-Performance Air Cleaner (C7ZZ-9600-E) is tough to come by, but is now available from Scott Drake Enterprises. This air cleaner is a concourse-correct reproduction that includes a blue base and chrome lid.
Triple-Adjustable Shocks
RideTech
What It Is:
The newest addition to the RideTech shock line goes beyond the typical double-adjustable unit; the TA shock has a single-rebound adjustment and a dual-stage (high speed and low speed) compression adjustment for the utmost in performance.
350 Olds Aluminum Head
Procomp
What It Is:
Originally produced from 1968 to 1980, the short-deck small-block 350 Oldsmobile motor is mostly ignored today, except by Procomp! They just released an aluminum head that features 2.072-/1.68-inch valves, 188cc runners, and 77cc chambers.
LS9 Forged Pistons
Ross Racing
What It Is:
There's no doubt that the 638hp LS9 engine found in the ZR1 Corvette is one of the baddest engines ever in a production car, but c'mon guys, cast pistons? These new Ross forged slugs are just the durability fix your LS9 needs, especially if you add more boost!
Demon Carb Stubstack
K&N
What It Is:
Demon carbs are back, and K&N wasted little time in making a good carb even better! The K&N Stubstack for Demons is designed to increase the airflow by decreasing the restriction around the choke horn. The Stubstack slides snugly down over the choke horn.
Aluminum Racing Radiator
PRW
What It Is:
PRW is known for affordable performance, and now they're adding radiators to the mix! PRW aluminum racing radiators feature MIG/TIG welded frames, tanks, multiple mounting bungs, and a petcock drain. The top rails and tanks are also fully polished.
Coyote Oil Pan
Canton
What It Is:
Beefing up Ford's new Coyote 5.0-liter should also include improved oil control if durability is to be expected. Canton's new Ford 5.0 Coyote pan will help the cause and is available in front and rear sump. The rear-sump model is designed specifically for kit cars.
Second-Gen Column
Ididit
What It Is:
This '67-75 Camaro ididit tilt column has an eight-position tilt mechanism, and its GM top shaft fits the OE steering wheel perfectly. This column has a year-specific wiring plug (check for your specific part number), ignition, and collapsible safety feature.
LS Valve Covers
Billet Specialties
What It Is:
These new valve covers for the LS have aggressive styling and retain the coil packs in the factory location. They're precision machined from billet aluminum and feature stainless hardware and stainless mesh screen with a hidden oil fill. Available polished or black anodized.
1970-72 Chevelle gauges
Classic Instruments
What It Is:
The Chevelle is one of the most sought after muscle cars on the planet, and most of them have dingy, inaccurate, or even broken gauges. This direct-fit gauge package will fit any '70-72 Chevelle, Monte Carlo, and El Camino that has a factory-style SS dash.
SBC Accessory Drive
CFR Performance
What It Is:
There are already plenty of high-priced billet accessory drive systems for the venerable small-block Chevy, but what if you're on a budget? CFR can provide a cost-effective solution with their complete SBC pulley, bracket, and pump set for long water pumps.
2012 Mustang Converter
TCI
What It Is:
Designed for the unique (read: big power) requirements of '12 Ford Mustangs, TCI StreetFighter torque converters are perfect for everything from stock to radically prepared street/race machines.
1968 Chevelle Door Panels
Parts Unlimited Inc.
What It Is:
PUI's new Platinum Edition Door Panels for '68 Chevelles use new and updated processes developed specifically for this line, which are combined with new tools built from scratch directly from painstaking measurements from original GM panels.
Source:
Parts Unlimited Inc. (PUI)
502-425-3766
www.PUI.cc
625 X-Treme Plasma Cutter
Miller Electric
What It Is:
Make short work of any fab job that requires quick, precise metal cutting. Miller Electric's Spectrum 625 X-Treme plasma cutter has 40- amp power, cuts up to ⅝-inch mild steel, and weighs only 21 pounds. The MVP adapters connect to 115 or 230V power.
Classic Recliner Seats
Procar By Scat
What It Is:
Procar by Scat Classic Series seats offer traditional styling and vertical stitching for a classic look and feel. These seats feature recliner adjustment, and come with either an adjustable headrest or no headrest for that classic stock look. TIG-welded steel frame.
G-Body Control Arms
Hotchkis
What It Is:
The next big thing in hot rodding is the '78-88 GM G-body. These Hotchkis Sport Suspension upper and lower control arms have corrected geometry and use tubular construction. They're 100 percent TIG-welded and made in the USA.
Digital Battery Charger
Optima
What It Is:
The Optima Digital 1200 Battery Charger uses microprocessor control to sense condition and regulates battery charging. It maintains 12 volts AGM and can recover even deeply discharged batteries. It's the smart charger that extends battery life!
CNC LS7 Head
Racing Head Service
What It Is:
The RHS Pro Elite six-bolt raised-runner CNC aluminum cylinder head for LS7 (PN 54501) is the ultimate LS race head for your take-no-prisoners Chevy! Applications are engineered for all LS7 intake manifolds and valvetrain setups.
Mopar Radiators
Afco
What It Is:
Mopar guys are always a little too hot under the collar—what they need is a better radiator from Afco! These direct-fit bolt-in radiators are available for A-, B-, and E-Bodies and are available with or without fans and/or shroud. Available polished, satin, or classic black.
Motor Mount & Crossmember Sets
Chassisworks
What It Is:
Your Pro Touring project will benefit from improved powertrain stability with a new billet aluminum motor mount and tubular transmission crossmember set from Chassisworks. Made for '64-72 Chevelle (A-body), '67-69 Camaro (F-body), and '68-74 Nova (X-body).
Mickey Thompson Valve Covers
Holley
What It Is:
The iconic Mickey Thompson valve cover is back! With the retro, rat rod, and "day two” movements in full swing, vintage M/T valve covers are becoming more popular than ever. And now you can have new ones with the same great looks and performance.
Gen III Hemi Cams
COMP Cams
What It Is:
Unlocking all the power in Mopar's high-tech Gen III Hemi requires knowledge! COMP Cams has it with their Hemi Phaser camshafts! These have phase-limiter kits and locks that enable the use of aftermarket grinds on motors with variable valve timing technology.