Meguiar’s contest winner to fly to Sema show in Las Vegas

DR. RAMON Raymundo (third from left) receives the grand prize in Meguiar’s Car Crazy showcase in Sema from Meguiar’s Philippines owner Alec Santos (left). Also receiving the award is Andrew Arago of A Plus Body Works (fourth from left). photo by Jason K. Ang

Premium car care products company Meguiar’s Philippines recently awarded the winner of its Car Crazy Contest for Sema. The Specialty Equipment Manufacturers Association (Sema) Show is widely recognized as the premier automotive specialty products trade event in the international auto community. Exclusive to the aftermarket and auto industry trade, the show draws from a large audience of trade suppliers, buyers, media and affiliates. Specialty car shops get to show off their creations, while the automotive companies get to spot trends in vehicle design and styling.

Car manufacturers have been supporting Sema in an official capacity. Sema welcomed over 60,000 visitors last year, and featured nearly 2000 newly introduced auto parts, tools and components. Meguiar’s has been a major exhibitor during the annual event.

This year, the Philippines joined the global Car Crazy Contest, the first time that Philippine car show winners were invited to participate. Other countries who joined this year include Indonesia, Spain, Sweden, Thailand, Trinidad and Tobago, and Costa Rica.

Meguiar’s Philippines had invited all the car show competition category winners who are registered Meguiar’s users and have won in the following shows to participate and submit their photos to join the Car Crazy Contest: Manila Auto Salon 2012, Manila International Auto Show (MIAS) 2013, Transport Show 2013, Cebu Auto Show 2013, Hot Import Nights (HIN) 2013  and Bumper-to-Bumper Show (B2B) 2013. Entries must gather the most online votes to win the contest.

The car receiving the award this year is a 1965 Mercedes-Benz 230 SL with the W113 body. Nicknamed the Pagoda SL and locally known as the “Mr. Slim,” the car is owned by Dr. Ramon Raymundo.  Raymundo had the car meticulously restored, using parts patiently sourced from official Mercedes parts suppliers. He is an avid car enthusiast, a hobby he learned from his father. As the grand prize winner,  Raymundo will receive an all-expense-paid trip to  Sema in Las Vegas, and meet “Car Crazy” show host and Meguiar’s owner Barry Meguiar.

Hardest  yet rewarding

The Mercedes was restored by car shop A Plus Body Works, located in San Pablo City, Laguna. Andrew Arago of A Plus said: “People who saw the ‘Mr. Slim’ eight months ago all thought the same thing: That restoration was close to impossible. There were too many body imperfections that needed fixing. But we were up for the challenge. Body lines were straightened out and all previously repaired holes were repaired using tig welding. A big hurdle was the costly and long wait for SL parts from all over the world. I must say that in the eight years of A Plus Body Works in the business, this  ‘Mr. Slim’ is our hardest job and most rewarding experience to date.”

The results speak for themselves, and the SL is now ensconced in  Raymundo’s custom garage, decked out with collectibles and exuding a diner-like atmosphere. The garage overlooks the scenic Sampaloc Lake, one of the Seven Lakes of San Pablo City.

One of world leaders

Meguiar’s is one of the world’s leading surface care products companies with over a century of history providing highly specialized products for almost every conceivable type of surface. Founded by Frank Meguiar Jr., the company started off as a simple furniture polish maker and celebrated its centennial year in 2001.  The elder Meguiar was succeeded by his three sons, including Malcolm, who shared his father’s interest for formulating surface car products and was credited for creating most of the formulations that the company continues to market including the Meguiar’s Cleaner Wax, considered the No. 1 selling liquid car wax in America.

It was the dawn of the automotive industry, when the first “horseless carriages” were seen plying the streets of America, that gave Frank Meguiar Jr. an idea that would draw his attention to the emerging automotive industry.  Since the first automobiles had so many wooden components and finishes, they were initially coated with the same finishes he produced that were applied to furniture. By 1973, the family formally introduced its Meguiar’s brand of consumer automotive products.

Now under the stewardship of Malcolm’s son Barry Meguiar, the company sponsors and staffs more than 150 car show events across America, with his wife Karen personally involved with many of the major shows. In addition, Meguiar’s supports more than 1,500 car club events every year.  Aside from running the company, Barry  runs Meguiar’s On Air, an internationally syndicated, multimedia broadcasting network reaching television, radio and  Internet audiences, conducting live broadcasts from major automotive events worldwide. He is also the host of the “Car Crazy” television show on Speedvision, providing viewers with an insider’s look at the icons of the collector car hobby.

At last year’s 50th anniversary of the prestigious Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, 21 of the 25 Best of Class winners and the Best of Show winner all used Meguiar’s products to coat its flawless paint and trim surfaces to perfection. “We are car guys who happen to be in the car wax business. The ultimate experience for us comes when our two passions merge in the exhilaration of ‘Best of Show’ winners who are using our products,”  Meguiar said.

Meguiar’s global operations include its headquarters in Hong Kong and its subsidiary offices in Toronto, Paris and Sydney.  Meguiar works with a number of carmakers including BMW and Mercedes-Benz, serving as a consultant around the world on paint quality and paint correction issues in their assembly plants and at the dealership level.