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Every year, we comb the miles of aisles at SEMA looking for cool new car products. But this year, the SEMA action was all online.
So instead, we clicked all around the web pages in SEMA’s New Product Showcase to find cutting-edge gear.
Here are our top six picks, complete with videos. Also check out our year-round listings of past SEMA vehicles for sale.
High-Tech Tornador Pressure Cleaner with LED Light
The Max Z-030 is the newest cleaning gun from Tornador. The company makes car cleaning tools that work with air compressors. The high-pressure spray guns allow you to blast cleaning solutions into hard-to-reach crevices.
The Max Z-030 is a big upgrade. It has an integrated regulator that optimizes air intake for precise cleaning. The air-fitting on the handles now swivels, so the tool is easier to use in tight spots.
A handy fluid-control valve toggles between cleaning and air drying. And a fully adjustable LED light is built into the new Tornador Max’s barrel. It shines light exactly where you need it most.
The Tornador Max Z-030 is expected to ship in summer 2021.
Complete Chassis System from Roadster Shop
Restoring a classic muscle car is a rewarding experience. But in the end, you might be disappointed by how an old-school classic handles on twisty roads.
To make sure a restored classic drive as good as it looks, you should consider a complete upgrade to the frame and suspension. That’s where the Roadster Shop’s new 1964-1970 Mustang SPEC Series chassis comes into play.
It’s a complete bolt-in solution that does away with prehistoric OEM components and aftermarket fixes. The chassis uses a slick independent front suspension cross member that bolts right over the car’s existing sub-rails. A range of motor mounts is available.
The Mustang SPEC chassis can be fitted with a period-correct, small-block Ford engine, Coyote engine, or even an LS motor. So you can mix and match. It’s available now from Roadster Shop. eBay offers hundreds of rolling chassis for sale.
Easier Conversion of Classic Cars to Electric Power
Converting classic iron into an EV is becoming a craze. The trend hit overdrive with the introduction of Chevrolet’s “connect and cruise” eCrate conversion package installed in a 1977 K5 Blazer at SEMA 2020.
The eCrate package utilizes the Chevrolet Bolt EV’s drivetrain, with a 200-horsepower electric motor and a 60 kilowatt-hour battery pack. That’s good for about 250 miles of driving range on a single charge.
The package includes all the wiring harnesses, controllers, and liquid thermal management to keep the battery pack at optimal temperatures. The eCrate package is on schedule for a 2021 release. Meanwhile, eBay sells a wide selection of EV components.
Electric Drag Racing Hits the Big Leagues
Even old-school drag racers like the legendary Don “Big Daddy” Garlits have discovered the amazing torque of electric motors.
Electric drag racing leaps into the mainstream with AEM’s new VCU300 Programmable EV Control Unit. It offers the ability to precisely control up to four electric motors and their wallop of torque.
Consider this spec: 1,400 horsepower! That’s what was delivered via the VCU300 controlling a quartet of Cascadia Motion electric motors and inverters. In a recent test, a Ford Mustang CobraJet 1400 prototype flew through the traps at 170 miles per hour with an elapsed time of 8.492 seconds.
Bolt-On eFlexFuel Conversion Kits
Ethanol is the Two-Buck Chuck of racing fuel. And America has an endless supply, thanks to our farmers. But the trick is getting the dirt-cheap renewable high-octane fuel to work properly with non-FlexFuel engines designed for E10 or E15.
Detroit’s Big Three have built millions of FlexFuel vehicles over the years. But those cars, trucks, and SUVs have not been performance-oriented models.
The solution was showcased at SEMA: eFlexFuel’s conversion kits.
The bolt-on kits mean that non-FlexFuel engines can make the most of high-octane ethanol fuel blends. This grants more horsepower and torque while reducing emissions. And it means savings at the pumps: E85 flex-fuel is usually available at a much lower cost per gallon than conventional premium gasoline.
With the eFlexApp on your smartphone, you can monitor the ethanol sensor and change settings on the fly. That’s a winning combination, whether you’re driving a turbocharged WRX, V-8 Mustang, Camaro, Challenger, Charger, or a multitude of other models.
AutoMeter InVision Digital Dash
Is the OEM dashboard on your 1995-1998 Chevy Truck or 1987-1993 Fox Body Mustang a bit tired and dim? AutoMeter has a brilliant solution.
The InVision Digital Dash is a direct, bolt-in replacement with a crisp 12.3-inch LCD screen that provides user-selectable displays of the speedometer, tachometer, fuel level, oil pressure, and water temperature gauges. You can also customize displays for turn signals, high beams, trip meters, and the dashboard clock.
It can be calibrated to OEM or aftermarket speed sensors. The kit comes complete with wiring harnesses and sending units for oil pressure and water temperature.
Also, see our guide: “Create a Powerful Digital Cockpit with a Tablet Car Mount on Your Dashboard.”
