The Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) show is the biggest automotive related show on the planet. Thousands of attendees will browse through the seemingly endless booths of vendors. It can, very quickly, get overwhelming. Booth after booth of cool products and awesome people just fill the halls of the Las Vegas Convention Center. When it comes to standing out in a crowd, vendors usually have to pull out all the stops and build something wicked to get the attention they desire. Design Engineering Inc. (DEI) did just that with the help of Jerry Magnuson.

Magnuson, founder of Magnuson Superchargers, is a talented car builder that has proven himself many times over. “Jerry’s objective was to build an ultra-high performance vehicle that was equally at home on the street or track.” Says Tom Miller, DEI’s VP of Sales and Marketing. The custom formed bare-steel body was lined with a large assortment of products from the DEI shelf, including Boom Mat’s newly improved vibration Damping Material. Under Carpet UC Lite was laid in to help separate sound and as additional insulation.

DEI Floor & Tunnel Shield II around the transmission tunnel and Reflect-A-GOLD on the engine side of the firewall help keep out unwanted heat from the 530 horsepower LS3 engine and Legend SS700 5-speed transmission. Titanium header wrap keeps the exhaust from causing ill-effects and the various DEI line and hose protective sleeves add protection to the Borla/Holley stack injector system.

Modelled after an old-school oval track racer, this T roadster is a beauty. The all-aluminum nose was hand formed to look just lik the midget racecar-style noses that accompanied the channeled Model T bodies. The driver is sunken down between the driveline tunnel and the frame rail, adding to the ultra-low center of gravity. Featuring a four-link rear suspension utilizing aluminum coil-overs and a quick change rear differential, this car has everything it needs. Under the front, a composite transverse mono-leaf spring hides as it suspends an eight pound billet aluminum front axle. Massive Wilwood brakes can bring the mere 1,600 pound car to a stop with ease. With a power to weight ratio like that of this car, it’s no surprise that it can outperform many supercars on the track in acceleration, cornering, and braking.

“DEI and its Boom Mat brand of materials were [Magnuson’s] products of choice for sound deadening and thermal control to handle heat, road noise, and structural borne vibration in this open chassis roadster.” Says Tom Miller. “The T roadster is a beauty and gives our staff a way to easily show what can be done with street rods to quiet the ride, protect electrical components from extreme hot or cold, and add comfort for it’s occupants.”

Since being formed in 1995, DEI has spent a huge amount of time solving the problems of the hot rodder. DEI’s brands are dominating their fields. Boom Mat settles down squeaks, rattles, and vibrations. CryO2 revolutionizes intake systems with cryogenics and so much more.

For more information on Design Engineering Inc., head over to www.designengineering.com.