SAN DIEGO – Two of the biggest names in the automotive world are teaming up again – this time to design a custom off-road truck that will be the first vehicle built inside the new, state-of-the-art SEMA Garage.
WD-40 Co. and Foose Design, through a partnership with the Alex Xydias Center for Automotive Arts, will have leading SEMA manufacturers working alongside underprivileged teens and young adults to install parts and equipment on the Foose-inspired vehicle, dubbed the WD-40/SEMA Cares Foose Ford F-150. All work for the build program will be done at the recently built SEMA Garage in Diamond Bar, Calif., a facility that allows SEMA member companies to test and prototype parts, try its 3-D modeling and printing, and use its full-scale photo studio, among other things. The completed truck will eventually be put up for raffle, with all of the proceeds going to three SEMA Cares children’s charities.
“I’m so grateful for the opportunity to work with organizations like WD-40 Co. and SEMA Cares, which continue to support the automotive trade,” said Foose, president and CEO of Foose Design. “This year, we’ll have even more hands on deck to help out with the build and there’ll be plenty of WD-40 brand products used throughout that process.”
Instead of being auctioned like previous WD-40/SEMA Cares vehicles, the enhanced 2013 Ford F-150 Lariat will be raffled off to one lucky winner in the spring of 2014. With raffle tickets costing only $50, and available starting Nov. 1, owning a Foose-inspired truck is now more accessible than ever to all automotive enthusiasts. Proceeds from the raffled vehicle will benefit three SEMA Cares charities – the SEMA Memorial Scholarship Fund, which is dedicated to fostering the next generation of automotive leaders and innovators; Childhelp, an organization that provides services to abused and neglected children; and Victory Junction, an organization that provides life-changing camping experiences to special needs and chronically ill children.
“Off-roaders, truck enthusiasts and aftermarket companies have used our products for decades – for preventing mud from sticking to displacing moisture from engines,” said Tim Lesmeister, vice president of marketing for WD-40 Co. “Now, we have the next generation of automotive professionals and enthusiasts getting excited about working on a vehicle that will support a great cause, and that’s something we’re proud to be a part of.”
This is the sixth vehicle WD-40 Company and SEMA Cares have teamed up to build, and the fourth vehicle Chip Foose has designed with them. To date, WD-40/SEMA Cares vehicles have raised more than $575,000 for SEMA Cares charities.
