HRIA Education Days

August 1 – 2, 2024

NSRA Street Rod Nationals
Kentucky Exposition Center, Louisville, Kentucky

A popular component of the NSRA Nationals, Education Days provide event attendees with a chance to participate in high-powered education sessions featuring top manufacturers in the hot-rod and auto-restoration segments. Twelve manufacturers will give hour-long presentations on their product lines and share tips and tricks for hot rod projects. Attendees will learn valuable information as it relates to their businesses and connect directly with the manufacturers.

You also don't want to miss attending the HRIA Open Meeting / Mixer on Wednesday, July 31st from 3:30 – 5:00 p.m.

Thursday Sessions Friday Sessions

THURSDAY SESSIONS

9:15 a.m. - 10:15 a.m. | Room B101
Flaming River Logo

New Products & Options in Steering

Attendees will have a brief overview of steering column options, installation accessories, and rack and pinion options along with learning about the latest products including electric assisted steering columns.

Presented by Brett Domin.

10:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. | Room B102
Vintage Air

The Basics of Hot Rod and Musclecar Air Conditioning

We'll discuss the basic components and operation of a modern aftermarket climate control system and how to choose the right system for your vehicle. We'll also talk about how the parts of the system work together to keep you comfortable, along with installation tips to keep your system operating at optimal efficiency.

Presented by Rick Love.

11:45 a.m. - 12:45 p.m. | Room B101
Bowler Transmission Logo

The Evolution of Transmissions: How many gears do you need?

With the ever-growing amount of horsepower and torque we're seeing on the street you want to be sure that the transmission you're selecting for the build will not only hold up, but actually perform to the best of its ability while giving the customer exactly what they want out of the driving experience. There is more to selecting a transmission than just choosing if you want a manual or automatic. Mark will offer an in-depth look at modern transmissions.

Presented by Mark Bowler.

1:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m. | Room B102
Detroit Speed Logo

Modern Suspension Technology for your Classic Car

Discuss modern suspension technology and its application to classic cars. Cover vehicle usage and how component selection can make or break the performance goals of your build. Discuss suspension tuning for performance, ride quality, and solutions for common handling issues.

Presented by Nathan Peterman.

2:15 p.m. - 3:15 p.m | Room B101
Classic Instruments Logo

Instruments & Gauges: The Finishing Touch

When you are choosing the finishing details for your latest build, instruments are one of those key components. John will discuss the history of the company as well as tell you about exciting new products along with options to consider when looking for gauges. Lastly, John will go over what the future technology holds in helping to develop more options on how you can add your own personal touch to any of their products to create your own "Finishing Touch".

Presented by John McLeod.

Presented by John McLeod

3:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m. | Room B102
Steele Rubber Products

Where the Rubber Meets the Ride

This seminar will focus on the importance of weatherstripping in street rods. Participants will learn about selecting and installing weatherstripping, as well as how to troubleshoot and resolve common issues that arise during the process. The seminar will cover various topics, including the types of materials available, different methods of installation, and how weatherstripping and sealing can improve the comfort and safety of the driver and passengers. Attendees will leave with an understanding of these critical components and be able to apply the knowledge to their own projects.

Presented by Danny Agosta.

FRIDAY SESSIONS

9:15 a.m. - 10:15 a.m. | Room B101
Burr King logo

Tips on Grinding: Materials, Abrasives and Speed

BurrKing will go into an in-depth discussion on various abrasive belt grinders and vibratory and surface conditioning equipment available in the marketplace. Keith Daleen will offer suggestions on how to choose the equipment right for the variety of materials used in building hot rods today. He will also discuss the variation in rpm speed to work efficiently and smoothly with materials used to achieve the desired finish. Lastly Keith will offer tips on working with the belt grinder equipment to reach the full potential of the equipment within the operator's skillset.

Presented by Keith Daleen.

10:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. | Room B102
SPearTech logo

Making your LS LT Installation Simple

The audience will learn about fuel injections roles in the swap community for GM LS/LT swap platforms. Discussion will include the differences between harnesses and GM computer controller set ups, controllers and programming offering for the GM LT based engines with return style and returnless fuel setup.

Presented by Justin Vetter.

11:45 a.m. - 12:45 p.m. | Room B101
Blueprint Engines logo

How to Make Horsepower

Horsepower has always been a desire for hot rodders alike since the beginning of the modification of engines. In this session, Isaac will talk about the basics of engine performance and the process that it takes for reliable horsepower. He will also discuss how the selection of the correct components is crucial to the engine combination for the desired output of power. After this presentation you will have a better understanding of what is going on inside the engine and how that generates horsepower.

Presented by Isaac Boyce.

1:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m. | Room B102
Borgeson Universal logo

The Hook Up: Steering Linkage, Connections & Components

The audience will learn how to select the proper components to make a safe, secure steering connection from the steering column to the steering box or rack. We will cover components, different steering linkage layouts and safe attachment of universal joints to steering shafts.

Presented by Jeff Grantmeyer.

2:15 p.m. - 3:15 p.m. | Room B101
Wilwood Engineering logo

Brake System Basics

Miguel will be reviewing the basic functions on how to set up a brake system. From the pedal to the caliper, we will be reviewing both proper Manual Brake, Power brake and Hydroboost options. What master cylinder is best for your application, to make the proper pressure and pedal feel, for your car or truck will be a key take away from this session.

Presented by Miguel Jimenez.

3:30 p.m - 4:30 p.m | Room B101
Holley Sniper Logo

Learning the basics of Fuel Injection

No complex EFI conversions here! Get your vehicle up and running in as little as four wires - battery, switched ignition, and RPM. Sniper is an ecosystem and is designed to support the needs of your build!

Presented by Colin Kinser.

PREVIOUS YEARS

2023

HRIA hosted another successful Education Days Program at the 2023 National Street Rod Association (NSRA) Street Rod Nationals!

This year's program featured 12 great seminars where members heard directly from manufacturers on topics ranging from automotive electrical basics to how to choose the best suspension system and more.

Weren't able to attend? Watch the sessions on our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/semahria.

Thank you to the following HRIA member companies who presented at this year's event:

  • BluePrint Engines: How to Modernize Your Hot-Rod Engine
  • Bowler Performance Transmissions: Transmission Decisions: Is More Gears the Way to Go?
  • Classic Instruments: Providing Your "Finishing Touch"
  • Driven Racing Oil: Let's Talk About Oil: All Your Oil Questions Answered With the Expert
  • Edelbrock Superchargers: Modern Supercharges for Street or Race Use
  • Heidts: How to Choose the Best Suspension for Your Hot Rod
  • Painless Wiring: Automotive Electrical Basics
  • QA1: Optimizing Ride Quality and Driveablilty of Your Classic Car
  • Steele Rubber Products: Where the Rubber Meets the Ride
  • Vintage Air: Keeping You Cool: The Basics of Performance Automotive Air
  • Watson's StreetWorks: Modern Security for Classic Rides
  • Wilwood Disc Brakes: Brake System Basics

2022

The National Street Rod Association (NSRA) Street Rod Nationals in Louisville, Kentucky, provided visitors with the chance to participate in high-powered education sessions featuring top manufacturers in the hot-rod and auto-restoration segments.

Participant joined manufacturers as they shared details about their products and systems through face-to-face educational seminars. Attendees learned valuable tips, connected directly with the manufacturers and learned about important processes for working on various hot-rod projects.

The 2022 schedule included 12 seminars, six seminars per day, each presented by a different manufacturer. The manufacturers and topics for 2022 were:

  • Flaming River: Steering Systems & Solutions
  • Vintage Air: The Basics of Hot Rod and Muscle Car Air Conditioning
  • Heidts: How to Choose the Best Suspension for Your Hot Rod
  • Hushmat & ZyCoat: Heat is the Enemy of Speed, Performance & Comfort
  • Driven Racing Oil: Oil & Storage: Preserving Your Engine
  • Wilwood Brakes: Brake System Basics
  • Ididit: Advancements in Push Start Ignitions and Installing a Safe Steering System
  • Wizard: Automotive Detail and Ceramic Coating
  • RideTech: Air Suspension Basics
  • Inland Empire: Power Train Vibrations and How to Cure Them
  • Borgeson: The Hook Up: Steering Linkage Connections & Components
  • Powermaster: Alternators & Starters—Install it Right the First Time

WHO IS HRIA?

HRIA, the Hot Rod Industry Alliance is a section of the Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA). HRIA is the driving force behind the iconic hot rod culture, connecting professionals, builders, and businesses alike. With a focus on community, education, and advocacy, we're not just preserving the legacy of hot rodding – we're propelling it into the future!

Marcy Ann Yanus

HRIA Director

marcy@sema.org
909-978-6690