S
SurfnSun
Guest
EricVonHa and I were walking BG last year when we saw these wheels...price was around 6k PER WHEEL!!! Well after what seems to be a bunch of rumors/lies/etc...the truth has come out!
We had NO idea at the time that these were Dymag wheels.---------------------------------------------------------------------------
http://www.accuratetechnologies.com/performance/Default.aspx?tabid=244
Early in 2005, we stumbled upon a manufacturer for a product that seemed almost too good to be true - a carbon fibre wheel, in a C5 Corvette fitment, that weighed 8lbs.
Sure, they were pricy, but 8 lbs for a Corvette wheel is outstanding, and the manufacturer was insistant that they had passed every DOT test under the sun. So we ordered a set, got ourselves set up as a dealer for them, and added them to the ATI PE Performance Store.
As it happened, they got noticed by some folks on some of the enthusiast forums, and soon after we had a full-blown Slashdot Effect going on. The combination of exotic material, ultra light weight, and high price made for a cool discussion point. Hey, we thought they were pretty cool too - that's why we signed up to be a dealer.
But time passed, and we had no wheels. We got all kinds of promises and excuses from the manufacturer, but no wheels. We started to get a little concerned.
And then in a stroke of luck (thanks to a sharp-eyed ATI PE customer) we managed to track down the real manufacturer, made a couple of phone calls, and in very short order, had a wheel in our hands.
And then we learned a few things:
- The wheel, in an 18 X 10.5 size, with a cast magnesium centre, weighed 15.89 lbs, not 8 lbs as had been claimed
- The wheels are being designed more for the OEM market than the performance market. As such, they are currently going through the DOT testing process. So far, they have passed every test in that process, but there are still tests left to go.
- The 18 X 10.5 wheel that is their show mule (and that could be built in very short order if required) doesn't quite fit a C5 Corvette. C5-specific wheels could be made, but they'd be special order items.
Having actually seen the wheel, it's a very impressive bit of technology. It looks very cool, with a very distinct carbon fibre weave pattern in the rim shell. The carbon portion is also much thicker and heftier than we first imagined; it feels very strong, and unlikely to crack due to any reasonable impact. If you curbed the wheel, you'd probably gouge it, but not break it.
The manufacturer - the real manufacturer this time - has promised to send us all their technical data on the testing that the wheels have seen.
16 June 2005 - They did send us the technical report as promised, and it is full of all kinds of interesting information. The bottom line is that the wheels are plenty strong - in many cases, it was the magnesium centre section that was the weakest link, not the carbon fibre.
At least one of these tests involved dropping a 440kg (about 1000lbs) anvil a distance of two feet onto the wheel! It seems they are plenty roadworthy.
These tests are British Standard tests, and while they are probably similar to the US DOT tests, they aren't the same, which probably means the wheels aren't DOT certified yet. I would think that they'd have no problems passing though, given how tough the BSI tests were.
We're going to continue discussing these wheels with the manufacturer, and see if we can't bring some wheels to market, mostly for street use (race use depends on if the SCCA decides to lift their ban or not). If you are interested, please feel free to contact us.
But the combination of the SCCA ban and the fact that the actual wheels are double the weight that was first claimed for them has reduced a lot of the urgency.
We've learned a bit of a lesson here about believing "manufacturer" claims until we have product in hand, and rest assured that we, at least, will always tell the truth about our products or products we decide to distrubute. Our primary focus is selling quality, reputable products, and if something doesn't meet expectations, we won't carry it.
In this case, these wheels look to be a very high quality product, but their primary feature, the claimed ultra-light weight, isn't there - nor is it likely to be in the forseeable future.
If you reall want the most exotic-looking (and still reasonably lightweight) wheel for your street car, give us a call, and we'll see what we can do for you.
Copyright © 2002-2004 Accurate Technologies Inc.
