Super snake wheels would be made if Shelby performance ordered more? Every body wants super snake wheels, let us buy them from Alcoa ourselves.

[mywickedshelby]

Some things are better left unsaid.

 

Just sayin.

 

Roger

 

 

Ive thought that numerous times in the last 4 years..........

 

In lieu of the discussion......this is an enormously weak response........from the Director of Sales....

 

as enthusiast dollars walk away from SA....IMHO........

[frank bullitt]

Hey Jer,

 

For what it is worth my order of preference would be the following, but any of the 3 would get my cash;

 

1) Exact same wheels made by Alcoa

 

2) Replicas without durabright made by someone else, but with ideal offset for widest tire without body/suspension mods. (Anyone know the perfect offset for an Alcoa wheel we could offer up to Jer, since I'm thinking they might have to re-tool with a different manufacturer?)

 

3) Exact replicas without durabright made by someone else if you already own the tooling used with Alcoa and thus can simply give everything to another company. (Not sure whom owns what.)

 

 

Since this is a hopes and dreams thread, how about bringing back 08/09 SS CF splitters as well Jer? I can't believe there wouldn't be continual demand for replacement splitters on these high damage, parts.

[patrickshelby]

Is this thread entertaining folks?

 

:bandance: :bandance: :bandance:

 

Hope so, because that's all it will be.

 

 

Some things are better left unsaid.

Just sayin.

Roger

 

 

Just to be clear:

When I was writing this I was not criticizing any of the answers or comments from SA.

I was referring to the answers, wishes and comments from US, the customers.

We are going into so many directions and it all becomes so confusing that reasonably, it can not be solved by Jer and have us all happy.

If we would have all asked for the same thing: "Please bring back the very same Alcoas".

If we would have all said we stand behind it with cash ready.

That would have been a way of seeing something happen.

Just my point of view.

[patrickshelby]

Yes I did lol.

But seriously people like the "look" of durabright I doubt anyone knew the true advantage of it till Phill pointed it out.

And you know damn well I've never owned a set of alcoas why do even bother asking?

 

Everyone owning Durabright wheels knows from experience how GOOD it is. That's all.

[svt13]

 

 

 

 

Just to be clear:

When I was writing this I was not criticizing any of the answers or comments from SA.

I was referring to the answers, wishes and comments from US, the customers.

We are going into so many directions and it all becomes so confusing that reasonably, it can not be solved by Jer and have us all happy.

If we would have all asked for the same thing: "Please bring back the very same Alcoas".

If we would have all said we stand behind it with cash ready.

That would have been a way of seeing something happen.

Just my point of view.

 

We had to change our view and request because Jer said most likely it won't come from Alcoa

[RogerS]

Ive thought that numerous times in the last 4 years..........

 

In lieu of the discussion......this is an enormously weak response........from the Director of Sales....

 

as enthusiast dollars walk away from SA....IMHO........

 

 

Really..............I would believe that the forum members would cut Jer a little slack here. Just into his second week and has had a huge inpact. From what I have read and have wittnessed on the ground, he is going above and beyond to listen and make things happen that have been pending for some time. He is trying to make enthusiast dollars stay a Shelby American.

 

Roger

[03 DSG Snake]

People love to complain...

[2010KonaBlueGT]

Some things are better left unsaid.

 

 

And many times you realize that only *after* they were said.

 

Speaking for myself, of course!

 

 

Phill

[2010KonaBlueGT]

But seriously people like the "look" of durabright I doubt anyone knew the true advantage of it till Phill pointed it out.

 

 

I like both the *look* AND the ease of maintenance.

 

They don't just look like polished aluminum. They don't just look like Chrome. They almost look like a combination of both. Chrome has a "blue-ish' hue to it. Polished Al. has a silver look to it. Nickle is even different so maybe I'll go with "a combination of all three" (Chrome, Nickle & polished Al.).

 

Hard to describe but I don't think a Chrome copy will get the same desired appearence. Mirror Polished Aluminum is about the closest but it's a BITCH to keep from getting micro scratches in it, just from normal cleaning (see my Ford Racing COP covers for a example of said BITCH).

 

My Whipple 2.9L Polished Supercharger is very similar to my Alcoa wheels so I'm wondering if Whipple uses the Dura-Bright process (or something VERY similar to it) on their polished SC's, or if they have Alcoa do it for them. I use the same cleaning method (spritz of H2O and a microfiber towel) on my Whipple and it still looks brand new with absolutely NO scratches or swirl marks in it, no oxidizing, no tarnish, etc. etc. etc.

 

 

Phill

[svt13]

I like both the *look* AND the ease of maintenance.

 

They don't just look like polished aluminum. They don't just look like Chrome. They almost look like a combination of both. Chrome has a "blue-ish' hue to it. Polished Al. has a silver look to it. Nickle is even different so maybe I'll go with "a combination of all three" (Chrome, Nickle & polished Al.).

 

Hard to describe but I don't think a Chrome copy will get the same desired appearence. Mirror Polished Aluminum is about the closest but it's a BITCH to keep from getting micro scratches in it, just from normal cleaning (see my Ford Racing COP covers for a example of said BITCH).

 

My Whipple 2.9L Polished Supercharger is very similar to my Alcoa wheels so I'm wondering if Whipple uses the Dura-Bright process (or something VERY similar to it) on their polished SC's, or if they have Alcoa do it for them. I use the same cleaning method (spritz of H2O and a microfiber towel) on my Whipple and it still looks brand new with absolutely NO scratches or swirl marks in it, no oxidizing, no tarnish, etc. etc. etc.

 

 

Phill

 

 

Phill all I have to say is you have a better eye than mine because they all look the same to me lol. Though I like the cleaning benefit. But you know me I want a black set

[2010KonaBlueGT]

I am/was only quoting what I was told by a local CNC friend that I use, and yes I did have wheel damage on the face of one Alcoa spoke, the Durabright was missing, and it was rough around the edge where the wheel/spoke had been rubbed/dropped against something solid, maybe contact with an edge. The surface underneith was not bight, it was dull, same color, but dull.

R

 

 

Yes, understood that you were only repeating what you were told.

 

I'm going to get a magnifying glass and get up close and personal with the nick in my wheel rim to see if I can see a 'layer' like you see on your spoke. To be clear, are you saying it appears that there is a "coat" of something on the spoke? Something like a clear coat of paint would produce, or a clear powdercoat would produce?

 

I ask because I truly have NO idea what the Dura-Bright process is. I'd be VERY surprised if it was just a clear powdercoating like they use on aluminum motorcycle forks (or other Al. MC parts). No one else has come close to reproducing it, which is where my skepticism stems from.

 

Either way, I'd be real interested to find out...And Alcoa ain't talkin'!

 

 

Phill

[2010KonaBlueGT]

When do you think we'll get a final resolution to end the matter once and for all? I think people need a definite yes or no.

Not something unclear and in the middle.

Either sorry guys it will never happen again. Or yes we can do it.

 

 

BWAAHAAHAHAHAAAA! You "noob"!

 

That's not how things work around here. One tidbit of advice: DON'T HOLD YOUR BREATH!

 

Search for the "Shelby valve cover" thread in the SPP section for a example of what I speak.

 

 

Phill

[2010KonaBlueGT]

Everyone owning Durabright wheels knows from experience how GOOD it is. That's all.

 

 

+1

 

P

[2010KonaBlueGT]

The Alcoa Durabright bright silver vs. the dark look..............Weren't all of these Alcoa's Durabright finish as sent from Alcoa? and the dark Alcoa's were powder coated after the fact?

If I remember correctly, in 2011, some Super Snake buyers made mention of waiting for their Alcoa's to come back from powder coating before they could take delivery.

 

Isn't this the way the dark Alcoa's came about? They are/were all bright (Durabright finish) to start with, and the dark finish was an "after Alcoa" thing?

 

 

 

Robert,

 

I just recently ran across the thread where Robert was offering Black KR Alcoa's to KR owners and one of the statements in his post said something to the effect that the "Dura-bright finish was removed and they were powdercoasted black".

 

That gives credence to both of your suspicions, that ALL Alcoa's started life as a Dura-Bright wheel and were finished in black after the fact.

 

But I also kind of remember when the '11 Super Snake Prototypes came out, one with "Anthricite" wheels and someone described them as being different from black, something along the lines of metallic (or something like that).

 

Since the inception of those first few Anthracite wheels, I've yet to see much mention of them so I'm wondering if that was something Alcoa made vs. post-mfgr.

 

But yeah, the Black Alcoa's are just powdercoated Dura-brights. How they "removed" the finish is a mystery but I suspect it was done by the PC shop with either glass bead or sandblasting.

 

 

Phill

[2010KonaBlueGT]

Phill all I have to say is you have a better eye than mine because they all look the same to me lol.

 

 

Compare side-by-side and it becomes more obvious.

 

 

Phill

[mywickedshelby]

Really..............I would believe that the forum members would cut Jer a little slack here. Just into his second week and has had a huge inpact. From what I have read and have wittnessed on the ground, he is going above and beyond to listen and make things happen that have been pending for some time. He is trying to make enthusiast dollars stay a Shelby American.

 

Roger

 

 

your post is misdirected......my comment was directed at you.

Jer is doing his best to fend off the demand for answers while equiped with false info and

you wade in and basically add nothing...........unless of course you were directing the above response st yourself?

[Robert M]

What do the alcoas weigh? I had a front wheel off this weekend and put it on a scale. Goodyear F1 and svtpp wheel = 62pounds!

Light weight would be better

 

 

Sorry for the late reply, today was the first day that I was near a FedEx location for an accurate "mounted" Alcoa weight. The front 20" Alcoa with a 255/35 Pirelli P Zero is 57.65lbs. ready to install, with TPMS, etc.

 

 

 

 

R

[Robert M]

Yes, understood that you were only repeating what you were told.

 

I'm going to get a magnifying glass and get up close and personal with the nick in my wheel rim to see if I can see a 'layer' like you see on your spoke. To be clear, are you saying it appears that there is a "coat" of something on the spoke? Something like a clear coat of paint would produce, or a clear powdercoat would produce?

 

I ask because I truly have NO idea what the Dura-Bright process is. I'd be VERY surprised if it was just a clear powdercoating like they use on aluminum motorcycle forks (or other Al. MC parts). No one else has come close to reproducing it, which is where my skepticism stems from.

 

Either way, I'd be real interested to find out...And Alcoa ain't talkin'!

 

 

Phill

 

 

It was a thin surface layer for sure. I had a picture of it but I can't find it. Since the wheels were for sale, I attempt to do some light polishing on the area where the Durabright was scraped off, but it stayed dull and would not blend to the surrounding Durabright finish. The edge of the Durabright almost looked as if it could be peeled off, but I'm sure it was well bonded, and that spoke on the wheel and took a considerable blow to chip/scrape it off.

 

I don't think it was like powder coat. It seemed like more of a metallic/plated surface on the alum. wheel. That is probably why it bends/dents, but my spoke damage appeared to be more of a tear in the Durabright surface, leaving a rough edge.

 

 

 

R

[Jer]

BWAAHAAHAHAHAAAA! You "noob"!

 

That's not how things work around here. One tidbit of advice: DON'T HOLD YOUR BREATH!

 

Search for the "Shelby valve cover" thread in the SPP section for a example of what I speak.

 

 

Phill

 

 

Phil,

 

The valve covers are on the way. Ordered them early last week.

All three versions. (both of the black, AND the "race-fabbed" version).

No kidding.

 

This should give you an idea of the steps we're taking...

 

Jer

[2010KonaBlueGT]

I don't think it was like powder coat. It seemed like more of a metallic/plated surface on the alum. wheel. That is probably why it bends/dents,

 

 

 

HMMMMMM. The plot thickens. It sounds like Dura-bright is a PLATING process rather than a coating process.

 

I'd sure like to know what they plate them with.

 

Interesting. And THANKS, that tells me more than I've learned over the past 3 years here (about Alcoa's)!

 

 

 

Phill

[2010KonaBlueGT]

Phil,

The valve covers are on the way. Ordered them early last week.

All three versions. (both of the black, AND the "race-fabbed" version).

No kidding.

This should give you an idea of the steps we're taking...

Jer

 

 

 

Jer,

 

I'm just trying to give svt13 a idea of how long the process takes. I remember when Robert first announced the CS valve covers and how MONTHS later, people were still asking for a pic of them, let alone the real thing.

 

That was probably.......hmm, 2 years ago? Maybe 3?

 

Like I told him, don't hold yer breath!

 

 

 

Phill

[athlon551]

+1

[Afdharley]

 

 

Sorry for the late reply, today was the first day that I was near a FedEx location for an accurate "mounted" Alcoa weight. The front 20" Alcoa with a 255/35 Pirelli P Zero is 57.65lbs. ready to install, with TPMS, etc.

 

 

 

 

R

 

 

Thanks. Bigger wheel and tire combo and still lighter than my stock 19"er.

[Robert M]

Thanks. Bigger wheel and tire combo and still lighter than my stock 19"er.

 

 

You're welcome.

 

 

 

 

R

[Captain Beyond]

If Alcoa doesn't want to make them, why not http://www.carrollshelbywheels.com/

[Jer]

Jer,

 

I'm just trying to give svt13 a idea of how long the process takes. I remember when Robert first announced the CS valve covers and how MONTHS later, people were still asking for a pic of them, let alone the real thing.

 

That was probably.......hmm, 2 years ago? Maybe 3?

 

Like I told him, don't hold yer breath!

 

 

 

Phill

 

 

It won't take as long as it used to anymore.

When we show a product, it will be available or very nearly available... you'll see much shorter lead times. Shelby has hired people to focus on this full-time, the process has shortened considerably.

 

 

Jer

[Evasive]

That sounds fair enough. Are you allowed to say currently what is your biggest obstacle needed to be overcome to make this happen? Or at least some of the obstacles?

 

 

It's a simple business decision...if they can't get a ROI, they won't do it. Once the bean counters chime in, we'll have an answer.

[HPT BANDIT]

I wish you all luck. The Alcoa wheels are really nice wheels.

[svt13]

Hey Jer any progress on this front?

[speedrx]

Picking up my GT500 today, I really want a set of these to put on it!