Brand new forged goodness from Advan/Yokohama: click the pics for pricing and exact sizes/offsets
Advan RS-DF
Advan RS-DF
This new forged wheel from Advan Japan combines a classic 10 spoke sports wheel shape, with a series of different lips. These are sold in 19 inch sizes only, in widths ranging from 8 inches to 10.5 inches in both 5×100 and 5×114.3 patterns. Available in Hyper Bronze, Black and Hyper Silver.
Contact z1sales@z1auto.com to order!
Brembo 2013 Application Guide with MSRP
Brembo Brakes has just released their 2013 application guide. In the enclosed pdf you’ll find every big brake kit they offer. The Brembo High Performance Program now offers 1000+ GT/GT-R brake upgrades for the most popular sports cars, sedans, trucks and SUV’s.
GT brake kits are based around a high performance, radial-mounted fixed aluminum caliper, combined with large high 2 piece performance rotors, and performance brake lines. These kits are substantially larger than factory brakes, and offer greater heat dispersion, lower unsprung weight, and improved brake torque. The calipers come in red black or silver with the “Brembo” logo prominently displayed.
GT-R brake kits are based around a special monoblock, billet aluminum caliper. These are an even stiffer, stronger design compared to the GT kits, special stainless radiators for the pistons allowing greater heat dissipation and large 2 piece floating rotors sized up to 405mm in diameter and 34mm thick. They also include more track oriented pads vs the standard GT kit as well.
Contact us at z1sales@z1auto.com before December 21, 2012 to get the best possible pricing, before the January 2013 price increases take effect!
HRE has announced a new series called Flowform, which combines the legendary quality the brand has become known for, with a lower entry price (under $3000 a set)
The first HRE FlowForm model is inspired by the latest P40SC in ready-to-mount sizes for specific makes and models. The wheels are engineered and tested to the same standards of HRE’s forged products, and carry TUV certification for sale in Europe and JWL/VIA certification for sale in Japan.
Contact z1sales@z1auto.com
Braid’s Classic Series are an example of their ever expanding lineup. Unlike many modern brands, Braid hasn’t forgotten the classic cars. The combination of size/offset/width/color is literally whatever you can dream up. These come in sizes ranging from 13 inch to 15 inch, and widths ranging from 4.5 inch to 15 inch.
Standard color is white, gloss black, satin black, gold, silver, red, anthracite, etc,. Custom colors are available. (+$30). Serie 1 RC and Serie 2 RC can be made with machined spoke face, (+$12). Machining is standard for gold finish. Standard rim finish is anodised silver. Rims can also be polished (+$10), or painted (inner +$10, outer +$15).
Screws can be finished any standard color (+$12), hidden or semi-hidden with some exceptions.
Except for Serie 4 RC, all Classic wheels are available with or without center caps without extra charge except Serie 4 RC wheels which are made with Blind Centres. This means they don’t have a through hole but a BRAID sticker in the solid centre.
Standard offset range -100 to +100. All wheels are made hubcentric with steel bolt hole inserts
Any questions you have, let us know! email z1sales@z1auto.com or call (631)863-3820
For 2012 we are now offering the full range of Braid Competition wheels. Many of you familiar with the rally scene have probably heard of Braid. For those that haven’t, here is a brief introduction.
Braid was formed in Spain in 1978, with the sole purpose of making competition level wheels primarily for rally use. Their wheels have been used by amateurs and professionals alike. Because all the design, R&D and production is done in house, they have an amazing level of customization available. Wheels can be produced in a very wide range of offsets, bolt patterns, and colors, something you are hard pressed to find almost at any price point. Because they are designed primarily for competition use, this is a firm that embraces the ‘small stuff’, such as 15 and 16 inch sizes. Sure, they offer larger wheels, for touring car, etc. but the roots are in rally racing, and that remains their bread and butter. Since it’s original introduction, the factory has expanded numerous times and today produces wheels ranging from gravel and tarmac spec cast wheels, to mulipiece, even forged and magnesium wheels.
To reiterate, these are not some fly-by-night knock off brand churning wheels out of some random factory in the middle of the pacific rim. These are legit motorsport level wheels. The same wheels the various teams through Europe use on their car, are the exact same wheels you can purchase for your car. These aren’t wheels that will fall apart in a few years, or lose a tremendous amount of value, or fall ‘out of style’. Good stuff never does!
Now, onto the good stuff! While we have access to the full range, and custom orders are easily accomplished, the following represents wheels that are available straight away
Click the picture of each for additional information and specs
Winrace T Acropolis: This is a heavy duty, pure strength oriented gravel spec wheel. Offered in 15×6.5, +45 (21.2 lbs), hubcentric, dual drilled so it fits both 5-100 and 5-114 cars, and finished in your choice of white or gold. Also available in 15×7 (22.2lbs) in gold. Both clear Subaru 4 pots
15×6.5 – $980 shipped in the 48 states per set
15×7 – $1020 shipped in the 48 states per set
Winrace TA: This is a lighter weight version of the Acropolis, making it suitable for tarmac or gravel use.
Currently in stock in 15×6.5 (18 lbs), white, +45 offset, dual drilled 5-114 and 5-100, clears factory 4 pot calipers. Priced at $960 shipped for the set in the 48 states
Winrace A: One of the most popular choices, this wheel can often be found on tarmac stages throughout Europe.
Currently in stock:
17×8 +45 (20.7 lbs) in white, dual drilled for 5-100 and 5-114 cars (clears Brembo and 4 pots). $1280 shipped in the 48 states
18×8 +49 (21.6 lbs) in gold in your choice of 5-100 or 5-114.3. Clears Brembo and 4 pots. $1376 shipped for the set in the 48 states.
Also have a limited 17×7, 5-100 +45 Winrace A in Black on special as well. Contact us for details
We will be adding the full range to our site in the coming days, so check z1auto.com often. Any specific questions you have, just ask.
Remember, while the above represents wheels that are good to go now, if you can dream it, it probably can be built! If you’ve got an event coming up that you NEED a set of wheels for, and waiting isn’t an option, we can generally have a custom set, made just for you, on your doorstep in just a few weeks time. If your car has specific needs, such as unique suspension or brake requirements, or even just a custom color, we’ll work with you to develop the right size, so it fits correctly, the first time
Thanks and Happy 2012!
There was a recent thread on a popular forum where a person was complaining about his second “built” motor failure in recent months. This is unfortunately a common issue among the amateur car hobbyist, whether domestic or import. All too often people think that an engine fortified with forged this and strengthened that will automatically become bulletproof. As many have found, it’s simply not the case.
A long list of parts does not a perfect motor make. Engines are essentially puzzles. But more complex. When you buy a puzzle, the pieces are all designed to fit together in a cohesive package. An engine build is generally made up of a variety of manufacturer parts, and not all were conceived with one another in mind. What’s more, not every part is designed with one end user in mind. Some people only shoot for a dyno number. Others may road race their car and need an engine that can sustain hours upon hours of high rpm. But most of us simply drive our cars on the street, use off the shelf oil, and want and expect the engine to start, drive and last through any season. We want to be able to drive it in January or July. We want it to be able to be reliable at 2500 rpm cruising and 9000 rpm shifts. And when we put money down on a “built” engine, we expect it. We typically don’t know how to treat the engines with kid gloves. The engine build you do for a customer in Dubai can and should differ from
one you do for a customer in Minnesota. Different environments, potentially different uses, require different clearances, and sometimes different components. However, those goals are not always communicated clearly. Often engine builds are sold by a retailer who has no experience in the build side. They simply slap a group of products together that earns a certain margin, finds some inexpensive machine shop in their area who can bolt the pieces together and suddenly they are in the “built engine” business. I’ve heard many good, successful machinists say “anyone can assemble an engine, few can build one”. And it’s true.
All too often customers spend endless hours on forums getting what they perceive to be the truth about an H beam rod vs an A beam. Or this bearing brand vs that. If they put half that wasted time into selecting who they actually use to BUILD the engine, they would end up in a way better position. Their goals would be clearly communicated and understood because the machinist would demand it. He wouldn’t turn a wrench without those marching orders. Not everything ends when you pay. That’s where it begins. Ideally you want to be able to look back 10 years and still have a successfully running engine. Many times, people look back 10 months and see that they are on build #2 or #3, out of pocket, an they aren’t setting any sort of crazy goals. Its not because they selected a stock bearing vs aftermarket, it’s not because they didn’t opt for the piston-top coating. It’s usually because whomever bolted their puzzle together shouldn’t have.
Bottom line – do your research. Don’t buy a boatload of parts and drop them at your local engine builder. Talk to them first. If there isn’t one locally, talk to those who have established a reputation in their community for building reliable engines. Communicate your goals. If you don’t know your goals, it’s ok – but it means you’re not ready for an engine build yet. Think about what you’re doing, how much you can spend, what your tolerance is to potentially do it over. Write your thoughts down, and it will all begin to make more sense. Don’t obsess over staged head packages, or wrist pin offset. That’s why you are using a professional. If you are genuinely curious about this stuff – ask – but then listen. Write stuff down if you want. It helps. A customer smart enough to ask the questions and smart enough to listen to the answers is way more enjoyable than the one who drops off 10 lbs of dung and expects it to fit in. 5 lbs box in 48 hours. Good luck on your builds and most of all – enjoy them!
We get this question all the time, and figured this would be a good opportunity to shed some light on what goes into making an aftermarket wheel. Most tend to think a wheel falls into 2 categories – forged and cast. While this is generally true, there are variations that make a very big impact in the finished product.
At the bottom of the pyramid you have Gravity Cast wheels. This is a fairly simple production technique whereby molten aluminum is literally poured into a mold. Because of the simple process, the mold can be quite complex and intricate. This affords the manufacturer a wider range of styles to play with, and offers the greatest flexibility of design. The downside of course is the technique itself. Since you’re relying on plain old gravity to fill the mold, it’s not perfect. The net result is a wheel that has more empty space between the molecules vs. more involved manufacturing processes. They also tend to be on the heavier side of things, as the goal is style in design vs all out strength. The upside is the price for these wheels can be downright cheap. But so can the quality. Often times, the wheels are made in plants of dubious quality, and attention to detail is sometimes shoddy. You can tell the el cheapo stuff by casting flash on the backside of the spokes and hub.
Next up you’ve got Pressure Cast Wheels. As the name implies, this technique relies on external pressure to fill the mold. As you can probably guess, the result is a wheel where there is far less empty space between the molecules. This method is a bit more limiting in overall style, but the strength to weight ratio is much higher compared to plain gravity cast wheels. This is the most common method used by the larger OEM manufacturers, because it affords them a good compromise between design and strength. Within the Pressure Cast family you have both higher pressure and low pressure. Differences are as stated – the amount of pressure exerted on the aluminun in the mold.
The next technique is relatively new compared to the above, and is employed by several manufacturers such as SSR, Enkei, etc. It’s called Flow Forming, or Spun Form, Hybrid Forged, etc. This process employs a pressure cast technique at first, to achieve a general shape. Rollers are then used to literally pull, or press, the material to shape the final design. Many high end OEM manufacturers use this technique on their wheels. While it’s still technically a casting technique, the process allows a wheel to be incredibly strong (since the molecules are very densely packed), and light weight at the same time. While the production costs are the highest among the cast methods, it still allows the wheel to be about 50% less costly than a forged variant. SSR Type F, Type C RS, several designs from Weds and BBS and several in Enkei’s Racing series employ this technique. Enkei has licensed the process to several other traditional cast manufacturers such as Konig and AME over the years as well.
The pinnacle of the wheel production pyramid is of course forging. In this process, a single, billet hunk of aluminum is literally stamped into a design using very high pressure applied to a die. Because of the costs involved from the raw materials, to the production equipment, these are far and away the most expensive types of wheels. However, they also tend to have the best weight to strength ratio. The designs are often quite limited because of the cost to produces the dies. These tend to be simpler overall designs (aka Volk TE37, BBS LM and LMR, etc.).
From there you get into a variety of materials. Aluminum and Magnesium are the most often used metals. In recent years, we’ve also seen hybrids employing both carbon and aluminum bonded together. The cost of these more exotic materials is high, but it’s done in the pursuit of the lightest weight, and highest level of strength.
When you begin to examine the above in greater detail, you also begin to see that the process is only part of the equation. There are bad quality cast wheels and good quality cast wheels. There are wheels who’s designs are based on a forging model, that are replicated in cast models. There are wheels who’s design is based upon a low or high pressure, or spun technique, and some company turns around and does a low pressure cast version. From the outside, it all looks the same. The price is certainly more attractive. Sometimes it works well, sometimes it doesn’t. This is why the better cast manufacturers don’t replicate every wheel under the sun – because they know it’s an accident waiting to happen. Another important consideration is who is making the wheel in the first place. Some firms own their own factories, some simply come up with a design and broker manufacturing out to the lowest bidder. The problem is the consumer never sees this side of the market, they only see the finished product. When it arrives to you new in the box, it can look all shiny and pretty. Turn the wheel over and examine the spokes, and you can begin to see the origins, and the quality of the wheel. The better quality wheels tend to be finished in very great detail even on the backside, and no casting flaws can be seen, and no extra flashing. The cheap stuff looks…well, cheap.
Hopefully that helps shed some light on what some differences are between the various wheel manufacturing techniques.
In our neverending effort to bring only the best products to our customers, we are proud to now offer Wossner Forged Pistons and Rods. Wossner pistons are found operating in the highest levels of motorsport including the German touring car championship. They develop, build and produce top quality pistons and rods for both important international engine manufacturers and individual customers active within motor sport. Inside their fully air-conditioned, 2500 Square meter machine shop, 2 of the latest CNC controlled machines guarantee quality and precision down to the micro level.
We will be updating the site soon with the full range
If you’re looking to step up your game with BIG power for your 4B11T, then you gotta stroke it! We’ve put together these stroker kits using proven, quality parts, taking all the guesswork out of it.
All bring you to 2.5 liters of total displacement. Components include a forged crank (4340 chromoly with 98mm stroke), your choice of rods (H or I beam configuration, and CP forged pistons with your own bore/compression choice. Coating for the pistons can be done at an additional cost. Bearings sold separately.
Prices range from $3090 to $3575 depending on spec and configuration
Work continues to expand their Meister lineup for 2011 with 2 new wheels – the S1R and M1R. Both are 2 piece wheels using low pressure cast center disk with a spun forged barrel. They come in a wide variety of 18 inch sizes only (18×7.5 to 18×11.5) and custom offsets. Available in silver, black or bronze centers, and polished or bronze lips and custom bolt patterns are available.
If you’re a rally guy, or looking for that rally look, we’ve got some great specials for you!
First up, from Italian manufacturer EvoCorse
Size 17 x 8, 5-114.3, ET49
Color: Gold
Weight: 20.1 lbs
Size 18 x 8, 5-114.3, ET49
Color: Gold
Weight: 21.2 lbs
Next, from Japanese manufacturer Taneisya – a forged wheel for less than cast wheel prices!
Size 17 x 8, 5-114.3, ET49
Color: Gold Metal Flake
Weight: 17.7 lbs
Just got these bad boys in for a monster Z33 build being done by a good customer and friend in Australia.
These are by CP Pistons and were a custom order with 3.937 bore, upgraded ring, ceramic coated for the tops, skirt coating and some other goodies tossed on as well! Stay tuned as this bad boy is built..it should be a pretty sweet end result 🙂
Eugene is a customer of ours from out in Cali that recently added a whole heap of goodness to his Z. New coilovers and Ings wheels came courtesy of us 🙂 He also added a new set of Stoptech’s – the result speaks for itself! Stay tuned for more pics of the car coming soon
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Kwame
Z1 Performance
Jonathan
Corner Balance 