If you haven't noticed by now after flipping through the meat and potatoes portion of this issue of Truckin', we participated in this year's 2003 SEMA Show, complete with our publishing company's (Primedia) two-story booth, which contained three air-conditioned offices downstairs and a massive observation deck upstairs. The five-day show is dedicated to showcasing the leading aftermarket manufacturer's latest products for the upcoming year for potential buyers, dealers, and the media to experience.
SEMA (Specialty Equipment Market Association) represents the $27 billion special automotive, light truck, and SUV industries. SEMA was founded in 1963, with its first event held at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles. The association currently has grown to 5,222 members, and each year in early November, the massive halls (2 million square feet) of the Las Vegas Convention Center are filled to capacity.
Last year's high-energy 2003 SEMA Show increased its international flavor with visitors from all over the planet, shattering both exhibitor and attendance records, with more than 100,000 in attendance. The show featured more than 1,000 new products and 60 informative seminar programs. As always, more than 1,500 wild cars and trucks were on display, featuring the latest innovations from the aftermarket industry. The SEMA Show has become one of the largest conventions/show weeks in Las Vegas. With the show mostly catering to late-model cars, trucks, and SUVs, there was still a strong presence of early model truck eye candy, with an abundance of hard-core performance products and plenty of early model custom show trucks.
With today's aftermarket technology, we are seeing a large crossover of products being shared and used in both early and late-model trucks. One of these trends is the transition of pneumatic suspension systems that has become more accepted with street-rod and early model truck enthusiasts. Enthusiasts are given the ability of adjusting their truck's ride height with just a flip of a switch, allowing their truck to be lowered or lifted to a desired ride height on the fly, or lay its rockers flat out on the ground.
The same goes for the increasing diameters of custom wheels. The early model folks seemed to be somewhat less drawn to the increased wheel sizes, but after the ice was broken, we started seeing 18s, 20s, and 22s. In addition, along with the suspension upgrades and larger-diameter wheels creating a greater rotating mass, brakes have become a greater contributor to the handling and braking performance equation. With the addition of large-diameter rotors and massive four- to six-piston brake rotors, it creates a much more efficient deceleration and stopping system.
Our hobby is also seeing more early model truck engine swaps, and with that comes installing late-model fuel-injection systems, turbos, and superchargers, which can more than double the torque and horsepower. Of course, just as important as the intake of the fuel/air mixture is the exhaust, and there was plenty of equipment to check out, from headers, to stainless steel after-cat systems and throaty mufflers. Also prevalent were high-energy electronic ignitions and computer chip upgrades. Paint fashions are advancing with simpler product application, more candy, metallic, and metal flake hues, care, and durability. Interior concepts are also finding different materials and styles of expression. The incredible advanced audio/visual entertainment systems that are becoming available will definitely rock your world.
The SEMA Show was so massive in physical dimensions, for curiosity's sake, it was measured by SEMA officials with a surveyor's wheel. It rolled out just short of 30 miles of aisles. The SEMA Show was definitely a high-octane experience. The 2004 SEMA Show Las Vegas is scheduled for November 2-5.