[CP]

COH called me and said they had a number of sets of chrome Z06 wheels and asked if I was interested. These are reproductions. I saw wheels like this at the Hooters show Sunday on JW Schmidt's car and they were hot! I'm torn between turning in my OEM wheels for chrome repros or waiting it out for Corvette Mike to get me chrome OEM wheels, or being without a car for three weeks to get mine chromed. What's your call?

What should I do, what should I do?

------------------
Paul
#13 and President, Torch Red Corvette Club, Texas Chapter
CAGS, V1, Plate,
Momo shift knob, Red/Black WheelSkin,
Vortex, Clear Euros with blink-blink,
Decals, APC bulbs

 

[HarleyB]

I talked to Jim Fikse of FIKSE USA wheels today... the Z06 repros are cast, the OEMs are forged. The Z06 wheels (in such short supply that the factory has shut down the Z06 line) are a lightweight design & get their strength from the forging process. The OEM wheels are going to be stonger than the cast repros. Also, the chroming process (even on real Z06 rims) does affect the metal structure of the wheel that is chromed. He did not say that this (chrome) would make the OEM unsafe, just that it would change the original.
IMHO the Alcoa factory forged Z06 wheels are pretty well though out & engineered pieces of high tech gear.

I'm keeping mine stock. My $.02 (it'll be $.04 once we get that tax cut!

HarleyB

------------------
'73 Silver Roadster -gone
'89 Red Coupe -gone
White Z06 -coming

 

[CorvetteSS]

Maybe it was my imagintion, but JW's wheels did not even look like stock wheels to me. The spokes were too thick and they didn't have the same contour where they meet the wheel. I was very unimpressed with them.

I also would hesitate to buy any chrome wheels if I were planning to do any performance driving. I don't trust the strength and integrity of these wheels and I suspect the chrome will peel shortly due to the heat that will build up.

If I were going to go with chrome, I'd go with OEM wheels that were chromed, but I'd expect to have to replace them in about 3 years. Only speaking from experience here.

BTW, who called from COH? I didn't know they had anyone left who knew any of us.

------------------
SSPORT IT UP!!!

E-Mail: [email protected]
National Corvette Museum Member #4641
2001 Speeday White Z06 Corvette SS
2001 Navy Blue Metallic Coupe

[This message has been edited by CorvetteSS (edited 02-07-2001).]

 

[Guest]

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by CP:
COH called me and said they had a number of sets of chrome Z06 wheels and asked if I was interested. These are reproductions. I saw wheels like this at the Hooters show Sunday on JW Schmidt's car and they were hot! I'm torn between turning in my OEM wheels for chrome repros or waiting it out for Corvette Mike to get me chrome OEM wheels, or being without a car for three weeks to get mine chromed. What's your call?

What should I do, what should I do?
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

I'm a fan of putting what I like on my cars...same holds true for what folks choose to do with their cars... but, you ask for advice and I'll give it.

The wheels that came on your Z06 are quite good, well designed and FORGED... so they are light and strong. This isn't a small point.

I wouldn't personally hand anyone my high tech forged, lightweight wheels AND CASH for cast knockoff repros. The stockers on the Z06 are really good wheels. If someone was going to chrome my wheels I be interested in what effect that process might have on the integrity.

Shiney is all well and good, but don't give someone your better wheel for one that isn't nearly as fine a piece. Keep 'em. Buy the shiney ones if that's what you want.

Don't ignore the metallurgy or unsprung weight considerations. The wheels on the car contribute to the package.

What do I know?...I think the Z06 wheels look right on the car just the way they are.
I'm strange enough to think most wheels look better with brake dust on them

------------------
1fastdog 2K FRC
[email protected]

[This message has been edited by 1fastdog (edited 02-07-2001).]

 

[CP]

Thanks for the feedback. I did notice John's wheel spokes were thicker than OEM, which I didn't particularly care for. The chrome really looked good on the car, though.

You convinced me not to go with the repros. I think I will look into the OEM route either through COH, Corvette Mike, or scare up a chrome plater here in Houston. I'm not too concerned about the weight increase - I think it's only 1 or 2 pounds per wheel.

 

[fcalmes]

Here is a link to an earlier post on chrome wheels:
http://www.z06vette.com/ubb/Forum2/HTML/000022.html

Chrome only adds a total of 2.9 lbs. That's all 4 wheels, so I don't think 2.9 lbs will make too much difference.

I'm sticking with the chrome..I like em!!

------------------
Frank Calmes Quicksilver 2001 Z06
Vortex Rammer & Power Duct, B&B PRT's with Speedway Tips, Ripper Shifter with Momo Knob, Chrome Z06 Wheels

Sherylann Calmes Black 2001 Z06
Vortex Rammer & Power Duct, Chrome Z06 Wheels

[email protected]

 

[ZEEE 06]

Call me silly but at 170+ mph, I want the strongest wheels i can get....OEM forged.

------------------

2001 Torch Red Z06

 

[CP]

Frank,

Where'd you get your wheels?

 

[BOBSZ06]

I'm getting mine chromed from C.Mike in about a week and a half. I think strength is not an issue, and they will look absolutely gorgeous on this Torch Red Z06.

------------------
2001 Torch Red/Mod TR Z06
Zaino;CAGS defeat;Lloyds Z06 front/cargo mats;CAU decals;Z06 exhaust plate;Valentine 1/remote;BP Al Gas Pedal;power antenna;Dynamat Super interior;K&N air filter.

 

[fcalmes]

CP,

I got mine from Corvette Mike. If you are a C5Registry member, they will give you a 10% discount.

 

[Guest]

I am on the list to get a set of OEM Chrome wheels from Corvette Mike.
I was also on the list to get a set of repros since I wanted to keep my stockers.
I was told they would not give me a 10% discount due to the popularity of the wheels, and that if I didn't buy them, soemone else would? (not exact words)
Whats up with that?
Anybody else deal with them, and get the 10% C5 Registry discount?
I am only going there because they are local to me and West Coast (Who I usually go to and ALWAYS get my discount)did not know when they would have any yet.
--Rich--

------------------
'01 Black / Mod.Red Z06
Breathless Vortex Intake
West Coast Corvette Power Duct
Corsa Indys w/ Pro Tips
Corsa X-Pipe (on the way)
Momo Combat Knob(Red)
Z06 Exhaust Plate
Lloyds Z06 Mats
Much More to come!

 

[fcalmes]

I bought 2 sets and received a 10% discount on both.

 

[DaveZehak]

I'm with 1fastdog on this one, although I like chrome rims(I had them on my 2000), the the Z06 is a racecar, it is not desingned to be pretty, chrome rims are pretty, and for me it doesnt fit the personality of the car, with my 2000, it was a different story, I wanted the car to be fast, but also wanted it to look flashy I would not own a coupe or vert without having chrome wheels on it, but the Z06 is supposed to look evil, which it does, and that is why I bought it, it has a different personality than my 2000, nothing flashy, just all out in your face performance.

------------------
Dave Zehak
2001 Black ZO6
Best 1/4(so far) 12.5 at 112
"Mods"
B&M Ripper Shifter
RM racing Nitrous(not installed yet)
"Previous Vettes
1985 white Corvette coupe(auto)
1998 Silver Corvette coupe (M-6)
2000 NBM Corvette Coupe (M-6)

 

[Rapid]

This business gets more confusing everyday. I too wanted chrome but don't want to give up forged. I thought of buying an oem set and send them to Mike's for chroming, but how would I know if I get the exact set of wheels back?

The above posts about difference in size of spokes in repros only muddies the waters.

Another option is to buy a set of oem's and have them polished by Ron Conrad.

By the time I decide the c6 will be on the street!

------------------
Z06,Red,Modified Red.Stock for now.

 

[BLACK/BLACKZ06]

Just my opinion..of course...
The first time I saw my black Z06 I was really bummed by the look of those Grey wheels and I knew which mod was coming first...So needless to say, Corvette Mike was contacted right away and was put on the looong waiting list...I just looove Chrome.
I did go for the OEM wheels, but only because I could get them faster than the repo. My 97 coupe had 2000 chrome repros from Corvette Mike and they were great

------------------

DOUGLAS PERRY

2001 BLACK/BLACK Z06
CHROME OEM Z06 WHEELS
Z06 TRIC/COBRA CARBON FIBER PACKAGE, CAGS ELIM.

 

[Duntov7]

And we thought your moniker was 'Rapid' !!

------------------
Mac Cross - Toronto, Ontario
C5Registry W0218
Torch Z06
'98 C5 Silver Targa
NCRS # 19306
NCM Shinoda Charter Membership # 3216

[This message has been edited by Duntov7 (edited 02-08-2001).]

 

[u8dusst]

Does anyonen know how much just regular OEM Z06 wheels go for? And can you get them at the parts department at any chevy dealer?

 

[MDVZ06]

I just installed a set of repro Chrome Z06 wheels that came from CWS (Corvette Wheel Specialist) & they are just awesome! I got my Z06 way back in Dec 2000, so I've had alot of time to choose a set of Chromies & saw these as well as others sold by different manufactuers. The CWS wheels were the best looking reproductions that I've seen so far. My advice would be to keep the stock GM wheels for racing & get the Chromies for show/cruising. I certainly wouldn't give up my stock wheels AND pay an additional $800 for GM chrome wheels that look exactly the same (IMHO). Keep your stock wheels; you won't be sorry in the long run. www.corvettewheelspecialist.com

 

[mdickie]

I have repro chromies on my torch red 01, and I love them. Not worried about the strength issue as I am not sure this car will ever be on a track, and it will certainly never reach anywhere near 170 mph with me driving it, so in my case this is not an issue.

I can say that everyone that saw the car with the OEM wheels and then with the repro chromies loves the change, many people have commented on how much better the car looks with them.

Now I have the best of both worlds as I got the new repro wheels as part of an insurance situation where I had scraped up two of the OEM wheels and the cost of those wheels covered the cost of the repair to the car and the complete set of chromies.

I have the originals back and will send them off to Wheels America for machining (to fix the scrapes and dings) and high polishing and clearcoating. Once done I will decide which ones to use, but I will hold onto the OEM wheels wither way.

Love the chromies, they look awesome... Just my 2 cents...

 

[Sanford]

Which are better?

The 2001 forged wheels or the 2002 cast spun wheels? Would you trade 2002 for 2001 forged wheels? The reason I asked is I had the dealer trade my 2002 wheels in on chromed 2002 wheels. Just found out I ended up with the 2001 GM forged wheels chromed. Should I leave it that way or do I complain that I should have gotten 2002 wheels. The nice thing about the 2001 wheels is that they are made in America. The other ones are speedline made in Italy. Any comments or opinions?:-? :-?