Help with wheel identification.

These wheels were done by Chris Coddington -- all aluminum 15" wide 5s. I have a set of his wheels in the 16" diameter -- they are amazing. 

You can reach him through his site:

http://www.alloyreplicas.com

Warm regards-

Anand

Gorgeous wheels, but I'm sure their prices are as amazing as they are.

Yup - Just called and asked... $3100.00 for a set:

http://www.alloyreplicas.com/1...to-accept-baby-moon/

Seems like he could sell more than 4X as many by charging $800 a set instead of $3100.  The blanks can't cost too much and he already has the production equipment.  There would be that much more exposure for the product, which it seems would equate to more sales.   

He's selling to the real 356 crowd and they expect high prices.  Too low and they'd suspect poor quality.  Doubt that we replica folks ever crossed his mind.

The real 356 crowd is a pretty small audience to play to, and I don't think the purist would be interested anyway.  I see his market as the 356 outlaw crowd, replica owners, and the huge VW bug market.  Are we missing something?  Carey?  Coolryde?  Anybody on the parts manufacturing side have an explanation/theory?

Prices for Fuchs, etc., are going through the roof.  Check out the wheel section on Samba

4 Porsche 'spare' wheels   $900

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/cla...etail.php?id=1499847

4 Porsche steel wheels  $695

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/cla...etail.php?id=1492785

I'd love to have a set Codington's wheels, but I personally can't justify the price.

Hey Guys!

I'm pretty new here, and definitely less experienced that you all in the ways of all-things Porsche/VW, but I have seen quite a few people in the 356 and replica circles who like these wheels. (I am in both of the circles with my BECK 550 Spyder and real '56 356A).

Many of the spyder owners who want authentic 16" wheels use Chris, as Pre-A parts and just through the roof. These wheels are also really strong and light, making them pretty desirable. I paid about $4k for my set (OUCH!), but they have the same offset as the real wheels and look the part! As an aside, TR (now Carrera Coachwerks) sells quite a few sets of these every year too, from what Tom McBurnie told me previously.

Many of the 356 guys buy Chris' Rudge wheels, or even use his wheels so that their originals don't get damaged.

Definitely a pricey item, but o-so very nice!

Best,

Anand

It's still just an alloy wheel. $250 per would be a fair price for these but this guy is gouging. Someone will eventually build these for a much more reasonable price.

It's only "gouging" if the seller has something the buyer needs to stay alive, and he's capitalizing on a disaster. Asking more than you think it's worth doesn't constitute "gouging", as you don't need to buy it if you don't like the price.

Additionally, these might be "just an alloy wheel"-- but they aren't cast, they're machined out of billet. If you've priced AL lately, there's probably $200- $250 in metal in these wheels.

We need to decide what we want. Everybody complains about the quality of parts available for our cars, then in the next breath complains about the price of everything not made in China by slaves. If the domestic maker has a nice CNC 3-axis machine center, his machine is worth what a lot of houses in my part of the world sell for. I own and operate a small business. It would be an AWFUL business decision to make "4x as many" of something, and sell them for one quarter the cost. The net/net of that is working 4x as hard, with 4x the liabilty exposure... for the same money. You first.

They're nice wheels. They cost a lot. The market seems to be bearing the price. I doubt there's a mass market for any of this stuff. The price seems about right for what it is.

Nice wheels - surprised no indication of DOT/TUV testing/certification which would clearly justify cost/quality.

Lane is right, the Bivens/Codington wheels were not designed with Replica's in mind.  they are low volume.  That said, Intermeccanica has used them on several of their recent builds.  If you have not seen them in person it's hard to justify the price.  After you see them in person, you start asking yourself - what can I sell to get me a set of those wheels?  I think wheels represent close to 50% of the look of a car.

I am having a one off set built for my Intermeccanica.  Henry's is having his machine shop make me some aluminum custom centers as I type this. 

I wanted something special in 15*6 that would fit my disc brakes.  I went back and fourth and seriously considered a set of minilites and a set of billet classic 46's from Image wheels out of the UK.  I also spoke with Stoddard Porsche to find out that they were tooling a new line of wheels that would equal/better the quality of the originals and would be offered in painted steel or chromed steel. They are made in the USA and look to be good quality.  I waited for the wheels to hit the Website and then I saw the prices($$$) this made me realize that my money would be better spent on a custom set of Bivens lightweight billet aluminum wheels that are awe inspiring when you see them in person.  Here is a set of the Stoddard wheels in case you have not seen them.

http://www.stoddard.com/356-1/...ke-wheel-chrome.html

I agree with Lane -- the wheels really make the car (16" diameter really changes the look on its own, but the wheels are also a big part) -- here's my 550 Spyder, almost done!

Photo courtesy of my good friend Carey Hines (the windshield had not yet been installed!)

$1800 for four steel wheels    WOW

Arajani, those wheels look awesome.

We live in a world where a set of Delloroto DLRA carbs rebuilt, set up, and ready to go (but without manifolds or linkage) costs about $1000. Where a nice, clean 356A coupe sells for $50K+. Where a lot of long-hood 911s are running over $70K. Where a freaking VW BUS can sell for $150K.

We don't drive cars with small block Chevies in them-- stuff is expensive to make one at a time or in small batches. If I'm running a wheel shop, I'm charging whatever it takes to make money for whatever I'm doing. For a small-run item, well made, sold to people with money-- I'm charging a lot. It's clear the market will bear it, and it gets people who have the means to pay into the 99th percentile of what's possible.

I flipped out the first time I heard how much the wheels Coddington built for Alex Bivens cost nearly 10 years ago now. Then I saw a set on Jim Ward's car, and I resolved to get a set if I ever could. George Brown passed away, and another guy bought his car. He was looking to go in a different direction with the wheels, and I bought 5 Coddington wide-5s in "not new" condition for $1800. I spent another $250 (at least) brushing them myself, and clear powdercoating them to keep the finish looking good. I've got north of $2000 in a set of wheels, and I feel like I stole them. They make the car.

I'm not a millionaire, and I work with my hands for a living. Money doesn't grow on trees, but $2K and a bunch of leg-work was worth it to me. It might not be worth it to anybody else-- I don't care. I'll never change the wheels unless I am forced to for some reason beyond my control.

As I've said before (again and again and again)-- you'll always pay a lot to get into that bracket. Watches, toilets, floor tile, sound equipment... and wheels-- it's all the same thing.

Anand- That spyder is looking really, really good.

Stan, well said, my friend.

I wish I could articulate myself half as well as you do. After I read your posts, I feel like a mumbling idiot!

I'll post some more photos of my 550 Spyder as it progresses. I am hoping to have it done before too long! I'll also post pictures of the 356 too.

Regards,

Anand

Yup Stan you are right. I'm just venting because there is no way in hell I can afford to buy wheels like that. Perhaps someday someone will make something like this, not as nice obviously, but a lot cheaper and within the financial grasp of people like me.