| SEMA’s New RPM Act Letter Urges Immediate Congressional Action |
Your Voice Matters! Tell Your Elected Officials to Protect Motorsports This Month
It’s election season and that means your Federal-level elected officials have left Washington, D.C., to campaign in communities and states across the country until November. This is an ideal time to reach out to lawmakers and urge them to support the RPM Act before the end of the year.
SEMA has drafted a new letter urging action on the RPM Act in the final months of session. The SEMA Action Network (SAN) is urging its membership and racing enthusiasts everywhere to send the new letter to federal elected officials today. Even if you have previously sent a letter, your voice is needed once again to ask for immediate congressional action to pass the bill this year.
Here is a quick and easy way to send the new letter. Simply visit www.sema.org/rpm and fill out your name and contact information. It only takes a moment!
8th Annual Collector Car Appreciation Day to be Celebrated July 14, 2017
The SEMA Action Network (SAN) announced that the next Collector Car Appreciation Day (CCAD) will be celebrated on July 14, 2017. The date will mark the eighth consecutive commemoration in what is now an annual event to raise awareness of the vital role automotive restoration and collection plays in American society. A brief recap of the 2016 festivities is highlighted in the current issue of Driving Force. Also, be sure to check out the full photo gallery. The images sent in by this year’s event hosts are greatly appreciated.
“With the 2016 celebration now behind us, car enthusiasts and related businesses can begin planning open houses, car cruises, club gatherings and educational events to mark the 2017 commemoration” said SEMA Vice President of Government Affairs Steve McDonald. “The passion for the collector car hobby that continues to be demonstrated by SAN members nationwide is most clearly evident in this special day.” (Read More)
Click here for the complete list of Legislative Action Alerts.
This ’29 Ford Model A Tudor Sedan brought Robert Long’s long-awaited vision of a traditional hot rod to life. He credits his family’s encouragement as inspiration for finishing the car. His sons provided assistance when they visited and his wife Laura was helping ‘elbows deep’ for many of those hours. She is pictured here smiling at the wheel.
“The story of my favorite build began with gasoline-fueled dreams,” states Robert Long. “I fell in love with my ’29 Ford Model A Tudor Sedan a great while before I’d actually seen it.” In fact, this rod (shown above) was just finished recently. It’s particularly special because it took Robert all the way through a full build. He spotted it at the “Tri-State Auto Swap Meet” in Denver, Colorado. “It started with a nice chassis and not much else. The body had no floors, its engine was riddled with issues and the transmission was blown. Still, it had plenty of promise and just exuded cool!” He says that almost every moment he could spare has been invested in this dream. His incredibly supportive wife, grown children and faithful dog all participated in the project. The result is exactly what Long first envisioned.
Robert believes his affinity for four-wheeled machines was inspired by his father, Joseph. Finned Cadillacs and ‘30s-era Packards were his dad’s preference. However, his mother did her part by buying her son some choice selections from the new Hot Wheels line. Another influence were the stacks of old Hot Rod magazines in his older brother’s room. He ended up inheriting these treasures when the siblings left home. A Chevy Corvair was the first in a slew of cool rides that Long has called his own. An aluminum V8-powered ’62 Olds F85 Cutlass, a 327-equipped ’72 Chevy Vega GT and an old fiberglass bodied T-bucket all came before his ’29 Ford Tudor.
As with many backyard builds, the journey to get the Model A titled and registered was a real challenge. Robert discovered that an incorrect designation was used on the VIN inspection form during the inspection process, subjecting him to modern emissions standards despite his primary use of vintage parts. He then turned to the SEMA Action Network’s (SAN) Tag and Title Toolbox for guidance. Armed with state statute in hand, Long was able to educate the officer at the Colorado State Patrol about the error. Ultimately, the paperwork was changed. The corrected report has since been submitted, along with other associated forms and photos of the construction. He’s now awaiting the final verdict from the state of Colorado. Robert adds, “I feel I wouldn’t have made it this far without the resources available through the SAN. The SAN is looking out for us passionate enthusiasts and our way of life. Through the SAN’s email alerts, I am able to get involved as a voice against potentially unfair legislation affecting our hobby. This group connects me with my legislators and allows me to make a difference.”
Way to successfully tap into our resources, Robert! We’re glad that your cool sedan will finally be seeing some well-deserved highway miles in the near future.
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