American Racing Wheels on E-Bay

[gfw1985]

Does this make my 4-spokes worth more? Unreal!
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/American-Racing-Mag...dZViewItem

[chickengeorge]

[73notch]

[chickengeorge]

[Cohibra45]

Guys,

The difference is original vs. reproduced. Kind of like a real 65 AC Cobra verses a new Superformance. You only get the chance to purchace an original when new once. If it is produced in low enough numbers and there is a demand, the price goes up.

Someone makes a reproduction and sells it for 1/10 the cost of an original and people get what they pay for. Just like original Fuchs that I have vs the reproduced. The quality and offset of the originals are spot on where as, the repops are not nearly as nice. They look almost the same, but close inspection most people can notice a difference.

Your right, the difference between old and young is most of the time money, but mainly it is I remember when I could have bought those for nothing a few years ago (usually over 30yrs )!!! Now I have the money and by damn, I am going to get them now!!!

Take care,

Kelly (Cohibra45)

[ach60]

I would feel uncomfortable paying $8K for a set of 40 year old cast aluminum wheels made by an American aftermarket supplier.
I would be worried about metal fatigue, cracks & ultimate failure.
Aluminum’s failure mode compared to steel is quite drastic, and could be deadly.
Also comparing the quality of original American Racing wheels to original Fucks is not valid.
The logic tract is not valid.
I agree that reproduction Fucks are not as good as original Fucks, and that I wouldn’t run reproduction Fucks.
But the same is just not true for American made aftermarket equipment.
These things are rare, and command the price because of the rarity, but I’d never run them.
_________________
Good Luck
Al

[Bruce]

[a.wilson]

[racerx45]

[Cohibra45]

It's the same thing with original Cragers and Torque Thrusts. You pay for originality, not anything else. Sometimes you get better quality, but that is not the point. It was the real thing 'Back when' !!!

Nostalgia does things to us that were born back then.... Not sure if it is a good thing or not. I'm having a birthday this Sunday, as we all have once a year. Getting older is not bad; not when you consider the alternative !!!

I'm building my 70 Ghia vert to be my personal 'Speedster'. I realize it isn't original or even one of the replicas. I like the fact that it is a great convertible. It has roll up glass windows and a glass window in the rear (that can be lowered for more air when driving )!!! It also has the classic VW/Porsche rear engined, aircooled and handles/drives similar. I'm putting in a lot more hp and better brakes, changing the suspension to handle better!!!

It also has classic lines also...

I guess you can say I'm doing a Resto-Mod. It is what I want and I am old enough to realize that by making these changes, the money I spend on the car, I will never recover! Who cares, that is what I have been working for all my life. I'm the one I'm spoiling and I'm enjoying it!!!

So, bottom line, if you want original and can afford it, buy it and enjoy!!! If you can't, don't complain about the market prices. Demand and availability drive prices ! Buy your reproductions and be happy! Life is too short to complain, !!!

Take care,

Kelly (Cohibra45)

[Mango Juice]

Congratulations MICROBUSASAURUS!!

$8,300.00 Final Winng Bid!!

[mr. warehouse]

Things are only worth what people will pay for them.
$8300 is more than I was originally offered for them when I first got them, and $300 more than I wanted for them, so with Paypal fees it came out perfect.

The "market" set the price via ebay, so in my book a good set of clean uncracked, unwelded, true, round Magnesium American Racing Torque Thrust is worth $8300.

A set that has been welded, or are cracked would be worth much less, and an NOS set in the boxes would be worth much more.

[hawynvdub]

[Mango Juice]

Im surprised they even made it to ebay Greg with all the pre ebay offers you were getting that you mentioned to me while we communicated over your N.O.S set.

Maybe the so called "Market" at the time was not ready for the "Severe Rarity" wheel factor prior to you putting them on ebay??

I'm Very glad to hear they sold for over $8K and the deal is sealed on them!!

Happy Thanksgiving!

[chickengeorge]

Congrats Greg.

I got no problem taking advantage of dumb people who got the money to pay.

[glandnut]

Congrats on the pre-recession bank account backup.. you damn sure can't get the type of grip that empi GT wheels and OG raders used to command. You can hardly give those things away now.
_________________
Looking for aluminum single port Kadron manifolds.

[mr. warehouse]

I wouldn't say I took advantage of anyone, and I definitely wouldn't call them dumb.

In the past I've paid way more for stuff than anyone else would have just because I wanted it. I hope no one called me dumb or thought they took advantage of me.

[mr. warehouse]

[Mango Juice]

Really Greg?? you decided to keep the N.O.S set over three weeks ago??....after that $16K Offer came in from some bloke remember....I was out of the deal at the $12K we discussed weeks ago as I was not going to get into a bidding war ....the bummer is the person I had lined up to buy my set did not get to seal the deal as you decided to hold onto your N.O.S set!...no worries Greg....the hex center cap deal is still in the works if you need a set....I know a few people who are need of them....Happy Thanksgiving!

[mr. warehouse]

I decided to keep the NOS set the day I got them.
Yeah people have offered me decent money ($15k was the highest offer) but nothing that made me want to sell them.

No need for 2 sets, so I sold these instead. They are the least "desirable" of the 2 sets, I'm sure you agree.

It's no secret that I fished for the best money from them *before* going to ebay. But in the end I figured ebay was the best way to sell them and have no hard feelings from all those interested.

I'm really surprised the hex cap deal is still going down since. I'm still down for a set to put with the 3 bars and the 2 piece caps as well. If I can get a set of hex caps I'll need to find 1 other style to have 1 cap for each wheel. That would make a good display....