Turning Lemons into Lemonade....rare find...Z16 rims
06-09-2011, 01:04 PM
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Turning Lemons into Lemonade....rare find...Z16 rims
So here is my turning a lemons into lemonade story...
I originally bought some after market reproduction C6-Z06 rims that ended up being a real nightmare. I bought them and they looked fine in the box but once I got around to mounting the tires on them...yeh totally different story. They looked horrible. The spokes were wavy at the tops and protruded outside of the outer rim diameter. Not only were they defective in their structure/manufacturing process...more importantly they rubbed on my a-arms. After dealing with both the manufacturer and vendor I was able to send them back for a refund. Normally they don't allow this. The bad part...the vendor and manufacturer made me eat the $165 return shipping bill even though the rims being messed up were not at all my fault! LIVE AND LEARN!!!
This all happened 3 weeks prior to me going to Talladega Superspeedway with my vette so over the next couple of weeks I looked for a new set of rims. I decided that I wasn't going to go the aftermarket route again for fear of having another issue with quality control so I turned to looking for a set of OEM rims. My only choice was Z06 since my new tires that I bought for the repro rims were the Z06 sizes. So my search for a set of Z06 rims started. I called around several places....all seemed to have the grey stock front Z06 rims...but finding rears was turning up to be near impossible. Ebay, Craigslist, the forum, other forums....nada. I checked out places for sets of chromed over OEM Z06 rims as well...nothing. I searched for about 2 weeks up to this point now...I was down to my final week and was getting desperate. During this time I learned that in 2004 GM had made a special set of Z06 rims but in polished aluminum. They were only made in 2004 as part of the C5 going away Commemorative package for the vette. They were labeled Z16 rims. To find a set now is extremely rare because of the 1 year limited production run. I came across a place while searching all over the web that said they had the stock grey Z06 rims. I called and asked if they had some and they said unfortunately no that at this time, they were completely sold out. He then said that he had just gotten in a set of polished ones that needed some light reconditioning that he would be willing to sell. I couldn't believe my ears...I told him....YES...I'll take them! Being I had had such a bad couple of weeks prior to this I was skeptical thinking they were going to arrive and be either chromed or be aftermarket reproductions. But they were not...they were the 2004 Polished GM Z06 Z16 rims.
They arrived in perfect condition along with my request for brand new center caps. I weighed them and was blown away...they were lighter then my smaller sized stock thinspokes. 18.6lbs each! YES you heard me correct...the fronts and rears weighed the same! I noticed GM tapered the rears more in the center and that must be where the weight savings took place. Pretty cool.
Here they are on my car!
I originally bought some after market reproduction C6-Z06 rims that ended up being a real nightmare. I bought them and they looked fine in the box but once I got around to mounting the tires on them...yeh totally different story. They looked horrible. The spokes were wavy at the tops and protruded outside of the outer rim diameter. Not only were they defective in their structure/manufacturing process...more importantly they rubbed on my a-arms. After dealing with both the manufacturer and vendor I was able to send them back for a refund. Normally they don't allow this. The bad part...the vendor and manufacturer made me eat the $165 return shipping bill even though the rims being messed up were not at all my fault! LIVE AND LEARN!!!
This all happened 3 weeks prior to me going to Talladega Superspeedway with my vette so over the next couple of weeks I looked for a new set of rims. I decided that I wasn't going to go the aftermarket route again for fear of having another issue with quality control so I turned to looking for a set of OEM rims. My only choice was Z06 since my new tires that I bought for the repro rims were the Z06 sizes. So my search for a set of Z06 rims started. I called around several places....all seemed to have the grey stock front Z06 rims...but finding rears was turning up to be near impossible. Ebay, Craigslist, the forum, other forums....nada. I checked out places for sets of chromed over OEM Z06 rims as well...nothing. I searched for about 2 weeks up to this point now...I was down to my final week and was getting desperate. During this time I learned that in 2004 GM had made a special set of Z06 rims but in polished aluminum. They were only made in 2004 as part of the C5 going away Commemorative package for the vette. They were labeled Z16 rims. To find a set now is extremely rare because of the 1 year limited production run. I came across a place while searching all over the web that said they had the stock grey Z06 rims. I called and asked if they had some and they said unfortunately no that at this time, they were completely sold out. He then said that he had just gotten in a set of polished ones that needed some light reconditioning that he would be willing to sell. I couldn't believe my ears...I told him....YES...I'll take them! Being I had had such a bad couple of weeks prior to this I was skeptical thinking they were going to arrive and be either chromed or be aftermarket reproductions. But they were not...they were the 2004 Polished GM Z06 Z16 rims.
They arrived in perfect condition along with my request for brand new center caps. I weighed them and was blown away...they were lighter then my smaller sized stock thinspokes. 18.6lbs each! YES you heard me correct...the fronts and rears weighed the same! I noticed GM tapered the rears more in the center and that must be where the weight savings took place. Pretty cool.
Here they are on my car!
Last edited by XtremeVette; 06-09-2011 at 01:33 PM.
06-09-2011, 01:55 PM
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on finding a set of the wheels. They do look very good on your car.
06-09-2011, 02:44 PM
#11
06-09-2011, 02:49 PM
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Thanks for all the kind words.
I have seen $1500-$2000 for a set in perfect condition. It comes down to if you can find a set. With each year going by they are getting more and more rare. I read someplace (think it was on here) that the factory GM Z16 option was $4000? I can't verify or prove that...just what I read when I was out looking all over the place for rims.
I have seen $1500-$2000 for a set in perfect condition. It comes down to if you can find a set. With each year going by they are getting more and more rare. I read someplace (think it was on here) that the factory GM Z16 option was $4000? I can't verify or prove that...just what I read when I was out looking all over the place for rims.
06-09-2011, 02:57 PM
#13
If anyone is interested, one of my fellow Z16 owners has a set for sale.
http://z16.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=3477
http://z16.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=3477
06-09-2011, 08:16 PM
#14
Pro
So here is my turning a lemons into lemonade story...
I originally bought some after market reproduction C6-Z06 rims that ended up being a real nightmare. I bought them and they looked fine in the box but once I got around to mounting the tires on them...yeh totally different story. They looked horrible. The spokes were wavy at the tops and protruded outside of the outer rim diameter. Not only were they defective in their structure/manufacturing process...more importantly they rubbed on my a-arms. After dealing with both the manufacturer and vendor I was able to send them back for a refund. Normally they don't allow this. The bad part...the vendor and manufacturer made me eat the $165 return shipping bill even though the rims being messed up were not at all my fault! LIVE AND LEARN!!!
This all happened 3 weeks prior to me going to Talladega Superspeedway with my vette so over the next couple of weeks I looked for a new set of rims. I decided that I wasn't going to go the aftermarket route again for fear of having another issue with quality control so I turned to looking for a set of OEM rims. My only choice was Z06 since my new tires that I bought for the repro rims were the Z06 sizes. So my search for a set of Z06 rims started. I called around several places....all seemed to have the grey stock front Z06 rims...but finding rears was turning up to be near impossible. Ebay, Craigslist, the forum, other forums....nada. I checked out places for sets of chromed over OEM Z06 rims as well...nothing. I searched for about 2 weeks up to this point now...I was down to my final week and was getting desperate. During this time I learned that in 2004 GM had made a special set of Z06 rims but in polished aluminum. They were only made in 2004 as part of the C5 going away Commemorative package for the vette. They were labeled Z16 rims. To find a set now is extremely rare because of the 1 year limited production run. I came across a place while searching all over the web that said they had the stock grey Z06 rims. I called and asked if they had some and they said unfortunately no that at this time, they were completely sold out. He then said that he had just gotten in a set of polished ones that needed some light reconditioning that he would be willing to sell. I couldn't believe my ears...I told him....YES...I'll take them! Being I had had such a bad couple of weeks prior to this I was skeptical thinking they were going to arrive and be either chromed or be aftermarket reproductions. But they were not...they were the 2004 Polished GM Z06 Z16 rims.
They arrived in perfect condition along with my request for brand new center caps. I weighed them and was blown away...they were lighter then my smaller sized stock thinspokes. 18.6lbs each! YES you heard me correct...the fronts and rears weighed the same! I noticed GM tapered the rears more in the center and that must be where the weight savings took place. Pretty cool.
Here they are on my car!
I originally bought some after market reproduction C6-Z06 rims that ended up being a real nightmare. I bought them and they looked fine in the box but once I got around to mounting the tires on them...yeh totally different story. They looked horrible. The spokes were wavy at the tops and protruded outside of the outer rim diameter. Not only were they defective in their structure/manufacturing process...more importantly they rubbed on my a-arms. After dealing with both the manufacturer and vendor I was able to send them back for a refund. Normally they don't allow this. The bad part...the vendor and manufacturer made me eat the $165 return shipping bill even though the rims being messed up were not at all my fault! LIVE AND LEARN!!!
This all happened 3 weeks prior to me going to Talladega Superspeedway with my vette so over the next couple of weeks I looked for a new set of rims. I decided that I wasn't going to go the aftermarket route again for fear of having another issue with quality control so I turned to looking for a set of OEM rims. My only choice was Z06 since my new tires that I bought for the repro rims were the Z06 sizes. So my search for a set of Z06 rims started. I called around several places....all seemed to have the grey stock front Z06 rims...but finding rears was turning up to be near impossible. Ebay, Craigslist, the forum, other forums....nada. I checked out places for sets of chromed over OEM Z06 rims as well...nothing. I searched for about 2 weeks up to this point now...I was down to my final week and was getting desperate. During this time I learned that in 2004 GM had made a special set of Z06 rims but in polished aluminum. They were only made in 2004 as part of the C5 going away Commemorative package for the vette. They were labeled Z16 rims. To find a set now is extremely rare because of the 1 year limited production run. I came across a place while searching all over the web that said they had the stock grey Z06 rims. I called and asked if they had some and they said unfortunately no that at this time, they were completely sold out. He then said that he had just gotten in a set of polished ones that needed some light reconditioning that he would be willing to sell. I couldn't believe my ears...I told him....YES...I'll take them! Being I had had such a bad couple of weeks prior to this I was skeptical thinking they were going to arrive and be either chromed or be aftermarket reproductions. But they were not...they were the 2004 Polished GM Z06 Z16 rims.
They arrived in perfect condition along with my request for brand new center caps. I weighed them and was blown away...they were lighter then my smaller sized stock thinspokes. 18.6lbs each! YES you heard me correct...the fronts and rears weighed the same! I noticed GM tapered the rears more in the center and that must be where the weight savings took place. Pretty cool.
Here they are on my car!
Where did you get the Ls1 sigh from?
06-09-2011, 08:19 PM
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They look great.
06-09-2011, 08:40 PM
#17
Burning Brakes
Very cool. I wanted the same look and bought a set of forged Z06 rims that had been painted black. I had a wheel shop polish the face of the spokes and the outside rim with the inside barrels painted silver and clear coated. I don't think there are many after market wheels that look better on a C5 congratulations. 
Last edited by jornahow; 06-09-2011 at 09:14 PM.
