THE DFW Weekly GTG : North Dallas, Plano, Frisco, McKinney, Richardson, + Area #24
11-10-2014, 11:32 AM
#3141
Tech Contributor
Thread Starter
I hope CCW's customer service stays as good as it has been !
Toque
11-10-2014, 11:53 AM
#3142
Tech Contributor
Thread Starter
C5 Parts manuals etc....etc..
http://www.westcoastakitas.com/dam.shtml
It looks like a dog web site... But if you hover your mouse over the bottom 2 left hand side pics you will see its a link to a RAR file.
RAR will open like a ZIP file.
Download the files linked secretly to both pics.
One file has one file inside it, the other has 400+ files.
All manuals, and how to guides on the C5.
Toque
http://www.westcoastakitas.com/dam.shtml
It looks like a dog web site... But if you hover your mouse over the bottom 2 left hand side pics you will see its a link to a RAR file.
RAR will open like a ZIP file.
Download the files linked secretly to both pics.
One file has one file inside it, the other has 400+ files.
All manuals, and how to guides on the C5.
Toque
11-10-2014, 11:56 AM
#3143
Safety Car
Member Since: Jul 2012
Location: Houston Texas
Posts: 4,543
Received 277 Likes
on
85 Posts
C5 COTM Coordinator
I hope so too!
Nice! Why would someone hide files on a dog site though?
C5 Parts manuals etc....etc..
http://www.westcoastakitas.com/dam.shtml
It looks like a dog web site... But if you hover your mouse over the bottom 2 left hand side pics you will see its a link to a RAR file.
RAR will open like a ZIP file.
Download the files linked secretly to both pics.
One file has one file inside it, the other has 400+ files.
All manuals, and how to guides on the C5.
Toque
http://www.westcoastakitas.com/dam.shtml
It looks like a dog web site... But if you hover your mouse over the bottom 2 left hand side pics you will see its a link to a RAR file.
RAR will open like a ZIP file.
Download the files linked secretly to both pics.
One file has one file inside it, the other has 400+ files.
All manuals, and how to guides on the C5.
Toque
11-10-2014, 11:59 AM
#3144
Tech Contributor
Thread Starter
11-10-2014, 11:19 PM
#3146
Safety Car
Guys:
Next Sunday.... Were making a Breakfast run to Sanger.
Benny knows some good roads to cruise on he tells us.
Anyone is welcome to join us.
7am meeting time.
Rooms To Go (North East corner of 121 and Dallas North Tollway).
Easy access right onto the Dallas North Tollway when we pull out
Map to meeting spot....
https://www.google.com/maps/search/r...96.8182746,17z
Should be a "chilly" morning.
Will make some great horsepower.
Maybe not much traction though.
See ya'll then !
Toque
Next Sunday.... Were making a Breakfast run to Sanger.
Benny knows some good roads to cruise on he tells us.
Anyone is welcome to join us.
7am meeting time.
Rooms To Go (North East corner of 121 and Dallas North Tollway).
Easy access right onto the Dallas North Tollway when we pull out
Map to meeting spot....
https://www.google.com/maps/search/r...96.8182746,17z
Should be a "chilly" morning.
Will make some great horsepower.
Maybe not much traction though.
See ya'll then !
Toque
11-11-2014, 01:19 PM
#3147
Burning Brakes
Other possible implications of Weld's purchase of CCW
I'll bet under Weld Racing's ownership the price of CCW wheels will go up, and possibly substantially. Why? I can think of at least three reasons:
1. Post-acquisition, the CCW business will need to generate incrementally greater profits in order to repay the Weld purchase price. That, by itself, will likely put upward pressure on CCW's retail unit sales prices, even if it continues its one-step distribution (see 2. below).
2. CCW presently employs one-step product distribution: direct from CCW to the consumer/customer. Weld employs two-step (and possibly three-step) distribution: it sells its products to retailers who then sell to the end customers (two-step) and possibly to distributors who in turn sell to retailers who sell to the end customers (three-step). Each of those "steps" needs to be accomplished at a profit, which means the price the consumer pays must be sufficient to generate that profit. Increasing the number of steps in the CCW distribution chain will most likely trigger increasing unit sales prices.
3. Of course, Weld might reduce the cost of manufacturing CCW wheels as one way to fund these additional profits by using less costly materials, alternative manufacturing processes, and/or outsourcing the manufacturing (e.g. to China) to reduce labor costs.
Or under Weld's ownership CCW might both increase prices AND reduce manufacturing costs.
So the question is: Would CCW wheels continue to enjoy their current level of popularity among consumers if the retail price CCW charges for a set of four wheels increased by $500, $750 or even $1,000 over the prices CCW has historically charged? Or if the manufacture of CCW wheels was changed in a way that caused customers to perceive that the quality of those wheels was diminished?
I suspect Weld Racing would assert (and this is probably true) that CCW's wheels are significantly underpriced compared to comparable wheels available in the market. So Weld's gamble is that the CCW wheels will not lose any (or at least not much) of their historic popularity after (a) their retail prices are adjusted upwards and/or (b) the manufacture of the CCW wheels is significantly altered. And Weld's concurrent likely assumption is that unit sale of CCW wheels will increase once CCW-branded wheels are sold through Weld's distribution channels.
Weld's likely gamble is, then, that a combination of higher unit prices, greater volume and lower unit costs will be achieved once CCW is operated as a Weld Racing brand.
The above analysis likely constitutes Weld's "investment thesis." But that is only one-half of the equation. The other half is: why does CCW's current owner want to sell the business to Weld? That's another topic entirely. I have ideas, but....
Time will tell....I'm just glad I already bought my CCWs before all of this happened. Why? Because (a) I am concerned whether under Weld's ownership there might be temptation to cut corners on the quality - e.g. materials, manufacturing processes, etc. - of CCW wheels [refer to the saga of GHL exhausts as an example.] and (b) I'm not so sure I would have purchased CCW wheels had the retail prices of those wheels been (approximately) the same as other specialty wheel manufacturers' prices.
The Lizzard
1. Post-acquisition, the CCW business will need to generate incrementally greater profits in order to repay the Weld purchase price. That, by itself, will likely put upward pressure on CCW's retail unit sales prices, even if it continues its one-step distribution (see 2. below).
2. CCW presently employs one-step product distribution: direct from CCW to the consumer/customer. Weld employs two-step (and possibly three-step) distribution: it sells its products to retailers who then sell to the end customers (two-step) and possibly to distributors who in turn sell to retailers who sell to the end customers (three-step). Each of those "steps" needs to be accomplished at a profit, which means the price the consumer pays must be sufficient to generate that profit. Increasing the number of steps in the CCW distribution chain will most likely trigger increasing unit sales prices.
3. Of course, Weld might reduce the cost of manufacturing CCW wheels as one way to fund these additional profits by using less costly materials, alternative manufacturing processes, and/or outsourcing the manufacturing (e.g. to China) to reduce labor costs.
Or under Weld's ownership CCW might both increase prices AND reduce manufacturing costs.
So the question is: Would CCW wheels continue to enjoy their current level of popularity among consumers if the retail price CCW charges for a set of four wheels increased by $500, $750 or even $1,000 over the prices CCW has historically charged? Or if the manufacture of CCW wheels was changed in a way that caused customers to perceive that the quality of those wheels was diminished?
I suspect Weld Racing would assert (and this is probably true) that CCW's wheels are significantly underpriced compared to comparable wheels available in the market. So Weld's gamble is that the CCW wheels will not lose any (or at least not much) of their historic popularity after (a) their retail prices are adjusted upwards and/or (b) the manufacture of the CCW wheels is significantly altered. And Weld's concurrent likely assumption is that unit sale of CCW wheels will increase once CCW-branded wheels are sold through Weld's distribution channels.
Weld's likely gamble is, then, that a combination of higher unit prices, greater volume and lower unit costs will be achieved once CCW is operated as a Weld Racing brand.
The above analysis likely constitutes Weld's "investment thesis." But that is only one-half of the equation. The other half is: why does CCW's current owner want to sell the business to Weld? That's another topic entirely. I have ideas, but....
Time will tell....I'm just glad I already bought my CCWs before all of this happened. Why? Because (a) I am concerned whether under Weld's ownership there might be temptation to cut corners on the quality - e.g. materials, manufacturing processes, etc. - of CCW wheels [refer to the saga of GHL exhausts as an example.] and (b) I'm not so sure I would have purchased CCW wheels had the retail prices of those wheels been (approximately) the same as other specialty wheel manufacturers' prices.
The Lizzard
11-11-2014, 01:43 PM
#3148
I'll bet under Weld Racing's ownership the price of CCW wheels will go up, and possibly substantially. Why? I can think of at least three reasons:
1. Post-acquisition, the CCW business will need to generate incrementally greater profits in order to repay the Weld purchase price. That, by itself, will likely put upward pressure on CCW's retail unit sales prices, even if it continues its one-step distribution (see 2. below).
2. CCW presently employs one-step product distribution: direct from CCW to the consumer/customer. Weld employs two-step (and possibly three-step) distribution: it sells its products to retailers who then sell to the end customers (two-step) and possibly to distributors who in turn sell to retailers who sell to the end customers (three-step). Each of those "steps" needs to be accomplished at a profit, which means the price the consumer pays must be sufficient to generate that profit. Increasing the number of steps in the CCW distribution chain will most likely trigger increasing unit sales prices.
3. Of course, Weld might reduce the cost of manufacturing CCW wheels as one way to fund these additional profits by using less costly materials, alternative manufacturing processes, and/or outsourcing the manufacturing (e.g. to China) to reduce labor costs.
Or under Weld's ownership CCW might both increase prices AND reduce manufacturing costs.
So the question is: Would CCW wheels continue to enjoy their current level of popularity among consumers if the retail price CCW charges for a set of four wheels increased by $500, $750 or even $1,000 over the prices CCW has historically charged? Or if the manufacture of CCW wheels was changed in a way that caused customers to perceive that the quality of those wheels was diminished?
I suspect Weld Racing would assert (and this is probably true) that CCW's wheels are significantly underpriced compared to comparable wheels available in the market. So Weld's gamble is that the CCW wheels will not lose any (or at least not much) of their historic popularity after (a) their retail prices are adjusted upwards and/or (b) the manufacture of the CCW wheels is significantly altered. And Weld's concurrent likely assumption is that unit sale of CCW wheels will increase once CCW-branded wheels are sold through Weld's distribution channels.
Weld's likely gamble is, then, that a combination of higher unit prices, greater volume and lower unit costs will be achieved once CCW is operated as a Weld Racing brand.
The above analysis likely constitutes Weld's "investment thesis." But that is only one-half of the equation. The other half is: why does CCW's current owner want to sell the business to Weld? That's another topic entirely. I have ideas, but....
Time will tell....I'm just glad I already bought my CCWs before all of this happened. Why? Because (a) I am concerned whether under Weld's ownership there might be temptation to cut corners on the quality - e.g. materials, manufacturing processes, etc. - of CCW wheels [refer to the saga of GHL exhausts as an example.] and (b) I'm not so sure I would have purchased CCW wheels had the retail prices of those wheels been (approximately) the same as other specialty wheel manufacturers' prices.
The Lizzard
1. Post-acquisition, the CCW business will need to generate incrementally greater profits in order to repay the Weld purchase price. That, by itself, will likely put upward pressure on CCW's retail unit sales prices, even if it continues its one-step distribution (see 2. below).
2. CCW presently employs one-step product distribution: direct from CCW to the consumer/customer. Weld employs two-step (and possibly three-step) distribution: it sells its products to retailers who then sell to the end customers (two-step) and possibly to distributors who in turn sell to retailers who sell to the end customers (three-step). Each of those "steps" needs to be accomplished at a profit, which means the price the consumer pays must be sufficient to generate that profit. Increasing the number of steps in the CCW distribution chain will most likely trigger increasing unit sales prices.
3. Of course, Weld might reduce the cost of manufacturing CCW wheels as one way to fund these additional profits by using less costly materials, alternative manufacturing processes, and/or outsourcing the manufacturing (e.g. to China) to reduce labor costs.
Or under Weld's ownership CCW might both increase prices AND reduce manufacturing costs.
So the question is: Would CCW wheels continue to enjoy their current level of popularity among consumers if the retail price CCW charges for a set of four wheels increased by $500, $750 or even $1,000 over the prices CCW has historically charged? Or if the manufacture of CCW wheels was changed in a way that caused customers to perceive that the quality of those wheels was diminished?
I suspect Weld Racing would assert (and this is probably true) that CCW's wheels are significantly underpriced compared to comparable wheels available in the market. So Weld's gamble is that the CCW wheels will not lose any (or at least not much) of their historic popularity after (a) their retail prices are adjusted upwards and/or (b) the manufacture of the CCW wheels is significantly altered. And Weld's concurrent likely assumption is that unit sale of CCW wheels will increase once CCW-branded wheels are sold through Weld's distribution channels.
Weld's likely gamble is, then, that a combination of higher unit prices, greater volume and lower unit costs will be achieved once CCW is operated as a Weld Racing brand.
The above analysis likely constitutes Weld's "investment thesis." But that is only one-half of the equation. The other half is: why does CCW's current owner want to sell the business to Weld? That's another topic entirely. I have ideas, but....
Time will tell....I'm just glad I already bought my CCWs before all of this happened. Why? Because (a) I am concerned whether under Weld's ownership there might be temptation to cut corners on the quality - e.g. materials, manufacturing processes, etc. - of CCW wheels [refer to the saga of GHL exhausts as an example.] and (b) I'm not so sure I would have purchased CCW wheels had the retail prices of those wheels been (approximately) the same as other specialty wheel manufacturers' prices.
The Lizzard
11-11-2014, 03:45 PM
#3149
Tech Contributor
Thread Starter
John:
I hope CCW does not loose there high level of customer service, quality of the wheels, or the price point of the wheels. There is a reason they are so popular ! Where else can you buy a forged wheel at prices like that ?
Toque
I hope CCW does not loose there high level of customer service, quality of the wheels, or the price point of the wheels. There is a reason they are so popular ! Where else can you buy a forged wheel at prices like that ?
Toque
11-11-2014, 04:09 PM
#3150
Le Mans Master
I think they will probably just make a lower end wheel for less to capture a little more streamline revenue.
11-11-2014, 04:30 PM
#3151
Burning Brakes
It sucks for a customer to spend (relatively) big bucks on custom wheels and then find out, later, that he can't buy a replacement wheel for the one that just got trashed (bent beyond repair due to a wreck, etc.).
The Lizzard
11-11-2014, 04:38 PM
#3152
Race Director
Member Since: Mar 2006
Location: Everywhere and Nowhere at all
Posts: 15,357
Received 1,679 Likes
on
1,135 Posts
Weld has been around a whole lot longer than CCW.... I have never seen a CCW wheel advertised in a Summit or Jegs magazine.... The first several years will be about the ROI (Return of investment).. Although I love the look and finish of the Weld RTS S71 series wheels on the C5Z's C6Z cars,,, The reality is that they fall waaaayyyy short of the CCW trademark. Lower quality, higher price seems to be the norm lately... This effects much more than the "Corvette" community... I say if you have the original CCW's, Keep em! They may just be worth a mint down the road... Just my .02....
11-11-2014, 04:47 PM
#3153
Burning Brakes
Weld has been around a whole lot longer than CCW.... I have never seen a CCW wheel advertised in a Summit or Jegs magazine.... The first several years will be about the ROI (Return of investment).. Although I love the look and finish of the Weld RTS S71 series wheels on the C5Z's C6Z cars,,, The reality is that they fall waaaayyyy short of the CCW trademark. Lower quality, higher price seems to be the norm lately... This effects much more than the "Corvette" community... I say if you have the original CCW's, Keep em! They may just be worth a mint down the road... Just my .02....
Something will be different, that's for sure. Status quo sales prices, quality and volume won't likely provide an adequate return on Weld's investment.
The Lizzard
11-11-2014, 04:59 PM
#3154
Or one other version of the Weld CCW deal is just like happens in the airlines they buy them take the assets and the old airline just goes away. Could be weld just was thinning the heard and gaining some assets and designs for themselves.
11-11-2014, 05:19 PM
#3155
Burning Brakes
As I said in my first post, we don't know what motivated CCWs current owners to sell. If they were in a financial bind, then they might have sold for a pittance. In that case, Weld may have bought nothing but assets - the CCW name and any valuable trade dress (shape, style and appearance) intellectual properties. If that were the case, then CCW the corporate entity might go the way of Pfadt, GHL and others before them . Not a pretty picture.
It all depends on motivated CCW's owners to get out of the business. There could be many reasons. Principal owner/business manager in poor health? Owners got tired of running the business, or old age caught up with the owners, and there was no family member to take over or similar management succession plan that made business sense for the owners? Over-leveraged? Etc., etc., etc.
We'll likely never know.
But if I were about to pull the trigger on new CCWs, I'd consider holding off until more was known about the transaction. For example, will the current owners/management continue to run the business? For how long would CCW continue to make and sell its current line of wheels? If price changes are in the pipeline, how long would I have to make a purchase with current prices/quality. Etc., etc. The standard due diligence.
But in any event I anticipate changes will occur. For better or worse? The answer is, of course, "yes."
Just my thoughts.
The Lizzard
11-11-2014, 10:32 PM
#3156
Safety Car
Here we go.. The assembly line for the Z06 has started... 7 cars per hour.. Thats 1 car every 8 minutes..
I'd like to see that assembly on a video.. Am I missing something here?? 8 minutes to put the car together??
http://blog.caranddriver.com/first-2...ours-just-yet/
I'd like to see that assembly on a video.. Am I missing something here?? 8 minutes to put the car together??http://blog.caranddriver.com/first-2...ours-just-yet/
Last edited by David426; 11-11-2014 at 11:00 PM.
11-12-2014, 08:19 AM
#3157
Tech Contributor
Thread Starter
Here we go.. The assembly line for the Z06 has started... 7 cars per hour.. Thats 1 car every 8 minutes.. I'd like to see that assembly on a video.. Am I missing something here?? 8 minutes to put the car together??
http://blog.caranddriver.com/first-2...ours-just-yet/
I'd like to see that assembly on a video.. Am I missing something here?? 8 minutes to put the car together??http://blog.caranddriver.com/first-2...ours-just-yet/
Toque
11-12-2014, 11:16 AM
#3159
Former Vendor
seems to be a lot of speculation about the sale of ccw to weld. first off, nothing is changing in terms of where we make our wheels and how we sell them. we will continue to sell our wheels direct to the consumer as it is the main reason we are able to keep the costs in line. as far as the product goes, we have been expanding the offerings and finishes available and will continue to do so, currently we are finishing up some new 19 and 20" monobloc forgings for the c7 as well as more hybrid offerings for the c5 and c6z. as for my reasons to do it, after 25 years of doing this, i want to lessen my workload while seeing ccw continue to grow, and the pairing with weld will allow that to happen. i will continue to be here, just not till 8 at night, and might actually start taking some days off. so feel free to call us anytime and i look forward to showing off some of what we have been working on
john
john
11-12-2014, 11:39 AM
#3160
Tech Contributor
Thread Starter
seems to be a lot of speculation about the sale of ccw to weld. first off, nothing is changing in terms of where we make our wheels and how we sell them. we will continue to sell our wheels direct to the consumer as it is the main reason we are able to keep the costs in line. as far as the product goes, we have been expanding the offerings and finishes available and will continue to do so, currently we are finishing up some new 19 and 20" monobloc forgings for the c7 as well as more hybrid offerings for the c5 and c6z. as for my reasons to do it, after 25 years of doing this, i want to lessen my workload while seeing ccw continue to grow, and the pairing with weld will allow that to happen. i will continue to be here, just not till 8 at night, and might actually start taking some days off. so feel free to call us anytime and i look forward to showing off some of what we have been working on
john
john
John:
Thanks for your clarification on this.
I have had my CCW's (SP500's) for almost 7 years now and still love them !
Glad to hear your still going to be involved in the business.
Good luck with the transition with WELD !
Toque