The SEMA Show is the automotive performance industry’s most important yearly shindig—a trade-show gathering of parts manufacturers and car builders representing every kink in the gearhead world. It’s where business gets done, it’s the launching point for thousands of new products, and it has become one of the nation’s most interesting and diverse car shows. The project cars on display are advocates of the newest components and styles in the niches of hot rods, muscle cars, imports, street trucks, and 4x4s.
At HOT ROD, we look at the SEMA Show as an indicator of trends coming and going, and we walk the aisles looking for consistent themes in the creations of car builders nationwide. Here we present the fruit of this year’s hunt.—David Freiburger
Here is another row. I’ve never seen this many Avanti. One of the owners heard me say to my wife, “I don’t know there were this many Avanti left!” He tossed me a disapproving look and then laughed.
This show is to benefit the local police departments (city and count) as well as other first responders. This is the first year in the last 4 that I didn’t bring at least one car (Vette and/or Mustang).
As will all car shows, the hosts normally try to list the cars by class, but that doesn’t always work – often car clubs make up a large percentage of the participants and if the Mopar guys want to park together they will be allowed to. So you’ll see the “rows” that don’t seem to match up.
In this case, however the Chevelle’s got this one right.
A not so small feat was the formation of the LittleMotor Car Co on 10/30/1911 – The Little was an automobile built in Flint, Michigan by the Little Motor Car Company from 1912-15. The Little first was available as a two-seater with a four-cylinder 20 hp engine, and had a wheelbase of 7 ft 7 in (2,310 mm) . In 1914 a 3.6 L six-cylinder L-head engine was available in a later model that had a larger chassis. This was phased out in 1915 as it was too close in size and price to the Chevrolet Six. Durant merged the Little Company and Chevrolet in 1913, gave the Chevrolet name to the Little car and moved manufacturing from the Detroit plant to Flint.
The Little was merged into Chevy in 1913.
On Nov 1, 1955 Studebaker debuted the “Hawk”. – Hawk came in the Power, Sky, Golden, Flight in it’s first production year 1956. Want to talk rare cars? How about the Flight Hawk in the K7 body type – only 560 produced. The Power Hawk numbered 7,095; Sky Hawks 3,050 and the Golding Hawk came in at 4,071.
This is one of the best car shows in southern AZ. Lots to do, tons of cars and it all held on ‘grass’. No dirt or black top parking lots!!! Come and find me. I’ll have my 70 Mustang in where all the Mustangs are.
Saturday, October 13, 2012
St. Gregory College Preparatory School
3231 N. Craycroft Road
Tucson, AZ 85712
I will have some free gifts if you come by and you say “I saw this on www.Average-guys-car-restoration-mods-racing.com!!!
First up is the car that started it all. Oct 1, 1908 the Ford Model T went on sale. Perhaps the only car that is always referred with the word “Model”. You never hear it called the Ford T (like Ford Focus) or the T (like Mustang).
1908 Model T
Model T Ford – Rag Top
1927 saw the 15 millionth Model T produced and the last.
On the same day 46 years later (1954) Packard and Studebaker merged. It was debatable was to who the merger would benefit the most. It is was reported Packard was broke but Studebaker had money troubles as well. This was not a great partnership. They attempted to sell the cars separately in the same dealerships. The Packards were just Studebaker’s President with more chrome. They were unflatteringly called “Packerbakers”.
’56 Studebaker President
57 Packardbaker – You got to love the fins!!!!!
The Packarbaker only lasted 2 years and Packard essentially ceased to exist.
Oct 1, 1974 was the last Imperial debuted. The Imperial was at one time its own company. It was incorporated in to the Chrysler family and then sort of released back as its own brand.
1974 Imperial. The two configuration was the best looking.
Chevy delivered one of the most iconic cars in automotive history on Oct 2. 1959. That was the day they debuted the Corvair. It was a huge media blitz with some every innovative sale/marketing demonstrations. Including running through field and stream.
Any Ralph Nader fans? This is a great car and they came in four door, station wagon and drop top configurations!!!!
On Oct. 4, 1962 Buick debuted it’s Riviera.
Distinct (grill/headlight over-hang) but familiar (Skylark like). I really liked the early Riviera, right up until the boat tail design.
Now I didn’t really want to consider this next historic moment but in my opinion this really isn’t automotive related, except that it did have tires and moved along the ground, but in 1983 on Oct 4 the land speed record was broken. A British team accomplished with the Thurst SSC and setting the record at 633 mph. But really it was just a plane with jet engines – minus the wings.
The UK Team’s Thrust SSC. Notes below are from the Wikipedia
The car was driven by Royal Air Force fighter pilot Wing CommanderAndy Green in the Black Rock Desert in Nevada, United States. It was powered by two afterburningRolls-Royce Speyturbofan engines, as used in the British version of the F-4 Phantom II jet fighter. The car was 16.5 m (54 ft) long, 3.7 m (12 ft) wide and weighed 10.5 tons (10.7 t), and the twin engines developed a net thrust of 223 kN (50,000 lbf), a power output of 110,000 bhp (82MW),[2] burning around 18 litres per second (4.0 Imperial gallons/s or 4.8 US gallons/s). Transformed into the usual terms for car mileages based on its maximum speed, the fuel consumption was about 5,500 l/100 km or 0.04 mpg U.S.
Next up two debuts on the same day 11 years apart.
First 0n Oct 6 1955 the Lincoln Continental MK II showed up at the Paris Auto show.
Look a bit like a Thunderbird in this pic.
That’s a huge grille!!! Great looking car.
Eleven years later in 1966 Cadillac debuted the Eldorado. Perhaps the most famous Caddy model.
Here it is in a beautiful blue drop top configuration.
, imports, street trucks, and 4x4s.
