8x16" fuchs replicas......anyone ever see these up close?

[Mattcamp]

http://www.***************/productpage.aspx?pid=110674&name=911%c2%ae+Alloy+Replica+5-Spoke


$250 a wheel for an 8x16" seems like a good price if these wheels look good and dont break.......anyone know anything about these???



911® Alloy Replica 5-Spoke 911® Alloy Replica 5-Spoke



$229.95 - $249.95

Application fits up to 1989 911 Carrera This replica of the standard factory wheel is manufactured using the superior low pressure casting method for a superb finish. Painted center and machine cut diamond finished lip area clear coated for added protection from the elements. Hub centric for a perfect fit. Made in Italy.



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Fits Applications:
911 ALL 1965-89

[holtjv]

i wonder what the paddles look like under the black paint...I would give them a try--I don't have the energy to find real fuchs.

[ulrichd]

I have them on my 78 and they are not an identical match to the real Fuchs wheel. Offsets match exactly, but the profiles of the 5 petals on the wheels faces are different. I had mine sprayed satin Black to match the real Fuchs finish.

They are ok if you want the 7/8 look right now (which I did when I bought my car). As soon as I come across some decently priced 8" wheels I will switch back to the real thing.

[cashflyer]

superior low pressure casting

One step up above gravity casting, "Low pressure is the most common process approved for aluminum wheels sold to the O.E.M. market. Low-pressure cast wheels offer a good value for the aftermarket as well.

Some companies offer wheels that are produced under a higher pressure in special casting equipment to create a wheel that is lighter and stronger than a wheel produced in low pressure. Once again in the quest for lighter weight, there is a higher cost associated with the process."

This from GRM:
"...most any type of wheel (except wire) is strong enough for most types of racing. A good quality, pressure cast wheel, if made with the right material (T-6 aluminum), is plenty strong enough for a road racing car, and certainly for an autocross car."

However, the University of Wolverhampton, School of Engineering, says:
"Unfortunately the reliability of aluminium alloy wheels when using low pressure die-casting as opposed to high-pressure casting can be limited. Low-pressure casting allows greater flexibility in low volumes of production. However, this method can yield large variations in the quality of the castings."

[ulrichd]

Fake on left, real Fuchs on right.

[the]

The viewing angle seems to make a difference. They look ok in your pics, but they sure look fake in these pics:

[IMG]http://content.************************/main/111289/Replica%20Fuchs.jpg[/IMG]

The sharp angles on the petals look all wrong in that pic.

[cashflyer]

And one more item for consideration regarding cast wheels:

O.Z., largely considered a premium niche brand in North America, is a leading producer of professional racing wheels, as well as a supplier to European tuners such as Hamann and TechArt and an original-equipment supplier to Lamborghini. In an effort to increase its presence and popularity in the sport compact market, the company introduced the Superleggera model last year, using a combination of proven production technology and new processes.

Though the wheel is produced using conventional low-pressure casting or gravity casting, depending on diameter, the thin-spoke design is derived from O.Z.'s Formula One wheel designs, aided by the application of finite-element analysis and computer modeling. The wheel uses a proprietary titanium-enriched aluminum alloy for added strength and is lightweight. The final production step before painting is a shot-peening treatment to relieve surface stress and increase strength. The wheel is priced competitively with other conventional cast wheels, and in the 18x8-inch size, the wheel weighs a scant 18.5 pounds, ranking it among the lightest 18-inch wheels available to the general public.

(From a bimmer forum)