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Moab, Utah -- April 2021

What can I say and show about Moab, UT that hasn’t already been written or photographed?  Little and more...  Moab is like anything else in life; it is what you make of it.  It’s creating new memories, be it a water crossing in your rig or simply sitting by a campfire.  From bathing in the Colorado River, to bending a TE37, to eating half a dozen dounuts at Doughbird, to stumbling upon a rattlesnake, everyones combination of experiences is unique. Someone recently captioned a social media post with, “Can you even do Moab without doing ‘Top of the World?’”  Along a similar vein, today’s off-roading culture might make you wonder, “Can you even overland without a roof top tent?”  The answer to both is overwhelmingly Yes!  Moab is a place you have to personally witness in order to truly grasp the expanse, but don’t let anyone make you think of certain parts as some obligatory check-in-the-box.  As far as your equipment, come adequately prepared but work with what you have.  Don’t ever be deterred from an adventure; simply work within the constraints of your budget, capability, and equipment. Alex said that the people you go to Moab with is what makes all the difference.  I’d echo that thought.  Having not seen Tony and Alex in a few years, in a way this was the most perfect opportunity to get back to the way things were.  We’d all met years ago at a Cars & Coffee meet but had since moved our separate ways.  Moab brought us back together, just in the soil and rocks rather than on pavement.  “Cheers to new trails, rad times, and reconnections.”

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King of JDM Off-Road Wheels

Manufacturer: SSR Wheels Model: Auswuch I Specs: 16x8.5  -5 PCD: 6x139.7

The first iteration of the Auswuch is often referred to as the "King of JDM Off-Road Wheels", and it’s easy to see why...  Aesthetically, there’s something about the full-face, turbo-style dish that keeps them relevent among both JDM auto enthusiasts and off-road enthusiasts alike.  And while the second (5-spoke) and third (6-spoke VIP’ish style) iterations are equally as high-quality, they lack that same appeal.  But the Auswuch isn’t just sought after for its looks. Manufactured by Speed Star Wheels, one of the most renowned Japanese wheel manufacturers, the Auswuch features a forged center disk and spun rim halves.  It’s a true 3-piece wheel, with a welded inner and outer; the face is removable from the rear.  VIA, JWL, and JWL-T certifications are expected and obligatory with a wheel of this caliber.   Now what makes this particular set more rare goes beyond the aforementioned -- the most obvious being that it’s a 5-piece set and in excellent structural condition.  Next, the specs are particularly desirable, as most model widths seem to range from 6.5″ to 8″.  That extra 0.5″ of width, combined with the -5 offset, make for specs popular even on late model trucks and SUVs.  Lastly, notice the ‘hi-disk’ clearance of the mounting pad, ideal for clearing the brake calipers of many (again) late model trucks and SUVs. Another noteworthy improvement (that occurred at some unknown point within the production life of the Auswuch, and which is seen here) involves the fastening hardware.  SSR switched from hex-head bolts to torx-style button head bolts.  In this revised design you’ll notice that these bolts are counterbored into the rear register.  The result is a cleaner, more refined design and likely more clearance for brake and/or hub components. Cons... while the chrome on this particular set is far from pristine, it’s easily overlooked considering all the other redeeming qualities. It’s also just as easily corrected by refinishing!  Our only real disappointment is the loss of the stylized lettering on the face; it’s so faded that it wasn’t worth trying to photo.  If you’re curious what it looks like, a quick internet search should return decent enough images and you’ll see what we mean.  Perhaps we can reproduce decals that approximate the original lettering.  Whether your appreciation is rooted in it’s overall aesthetics, it’s structural superiority, or for it’s subtle details that collectively contribute to performance, the Auswuch is a wheel that remains relevant even in today’s muddled automotive culture.  After all these years, is it still the “King of JDM Off-Road Wheels”?  Well, forged multi-piece 6-lug wheels are so cool.  So yeah, it’s still the king.  

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TE37 - the Pinnacle of Wheel Performance

As an enthusiast what makes your “bucket list” of wheels?  Wheels that, as an aficionado, are must-haves at some point in your automotive life? As the years wear on, if you’re like many of us, then you go through numerous (if not dozens) of sets.  Some wheels may make their way onto a vehicle, others of a more rare variety may become fixtures of a private collection, and still others may be obtained then again change hands in short order.

The TE37 is one of those special wheels that if it isn’t on your list, then it should be!  Disclaimer: they’re meant to be driven though, not hidden away. Debuting in 1996, the 15x6 Touring Evolution weighed in at a mere 3.7kg.  This was accomplished through a complex die forging process which RAYS still uses to this day.  And no, this is not the same forging method that many of the American manufacturers utilize.  At RAYS, there’s no sacrifice in the quality of construction; they spare no expense in order to bring superior products to market. 

Since the 90′s, the TE37 has undergone many iterations and improvements, and can be fitted to to just about anything with four wheels.  Take for example the 6x139.7 variation shown here -- the 16″ TE37X Progressive model.  The “X” features a flat face with six thick spokes, which narrow slightly as they approach the outer hoop.  “Progressive” refers to the modern etching along the spoke and outer rim that RAYS employs to stave off replication.  While there’s something to be said about the clean simplicity and utility of the etching, it somehow leaves us longing for the original style that utilized decals. Original or Progressive, it pains us to say that the X has reached the end of production, being replaced with the 17″ XT variation (and at some point, also a 16″ XT).

Regardless of the model and/or intended use, you’ll typically find that TE37′s retain their value beyond that of many wheels, and most certainly well beyond that of TE37 replicas.  Of course there’s always the naysayers arguement that a full set of gravity-cast knockoffs can be had for the price of just one genuine forged TE37.  Perhaps... but why waste one’s time arguing over two totally dissimlar things? To us, RAYS is a promise of innovation, craftsmanship, and support.  The TE37 is furthermore a guarantee of unrivaled performance, coupled with a design that remains enduringly relevant.

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The Tomcat wheel, manufactured in the early 80's by SSR for Tomcat Speed. The Tomcat was available exclusively in 4-lug, and in 14" for 3-piece and 14" or 15" for monoblock. To this day, the Tomcat remains a rare and sought after wheel for true, Japanese automotive enthusiasts.

At Save the Wheels, our unofficial mascot is inspired by the Tomcat wheel.  Notice the medallion adorning the Maneki-neko, a common Japanese figurine often believed to bring good luck to the owner.

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We're still here.

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Landon Brown's 1973 Datsun 620 on widened SSR “Star Wagon” wheels.  According to KyushaShoes.com, SSR also referred to this model as either “F.6″ or “Star Six”.  Photos by our westcoast boots-on-the-ground, Zach Lenfesty.

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StanceWorks open house, June 2016 Pics via our westcoast photographer, Zach Lenfesty.

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“Real” wheels don’t have to cost an arm and a leg.  In fact… authentic, quality wheels can be purchased for around the same amount as poorly-made knockoffs.

Enkei Wheels’ RPF1 is a perfect demonstration of this fact. A quick online search yields prices from multiple sources at under $1000, which includes shipping!

The RPF1 is inexpensive, aesthetic-looking, and proven.  It’s also Flow Formed by Enkei’s M.A.T. Process, which reduces the overall wheel weight by 10 to 15%.  Less unsprung weight translates into better performance.  Lastly, all of Enkei’s wheels pass their self-administered and self-governing Spec-E stress test.  According to Enkei, Spec-E is more stringent than JWL requirements – it requires a higher drop point in the Impact Test, and 20% more cycles in both the Rotary Fatigue Test and Radial Fatigue Test.

Thanks for reading and we hope you enjoy this photo of Blake Allen’s S2000 on gold RPF1’s.  Photo credit to Cade Garrett.

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What have we been up to lately -- We’ve released a couple of new decals to help with raising awareness about authentic, quality wheels.  We now include an “info-flyer/insert” with all orders to better explain what Save the Wheels is about.  And we’ve expanded the colour options on our Windshield Decal offerings.  So we now offer Neo Chrome, White, Vibrant Gold, and Silver Grey.

Seems like every day that passes we hear about some new fly-by-night wheel company that’s slinging the same sub-par gravity cast products as the previous dozen wheel companies.  Combating this barrage can be tiring and repetitive, but with your help we can make an impact!  Support quality wheels, don’t buy replicas. savethewheels.org

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Varrstoen now ripping off i.force Japan, and not just with this design. i.force is forged and true 3-piece, while the knockoff version is cast from cheap alloy and faux-piece. The sad part is, look who's getting more interest and hype...

Please visit http://www.iforce-japan.com/ for more info about their wheels.

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Sunday, October 4th, 2015 Woke up at 4:30 AM so that George and I could make the drive from Birmingham, AL to Atlanta, GA for our three-pronged day of automotive activities.  Departing a few minutes after 5 AM we arrived perfectly and fashionably late to Caffeine & Octane.  We won’t labor over the details of Caffeine & Octane as a whole, but we will say that if you’re ever in the Atlanta area on the first Sunday of the month, then it’s an all-cars meet worth attending.  Although it was lightly misting and wet, there was still a decently sized crowd.  We teamed up with Tony, ran into a couple of friends that we hadn’t seen since Southern Worthersee, and met a few Supporters that follow us on social media.  As the cars began to disperse we decided to follow suit and trek further north towards our second destination of the day -- Brada Wheels.  Hayden from Brada made a special trip to the shop so that we could pick up some wheel faces that they’d powder coated for us (Volk Racing mesh and Autostrada Modena) and of course to show us around the facility.  With the high-quality product, in-house services, and professional staff, it’s easy to see why Brada is undergoing such rapid growth.  After snapping some pictures and delivering some Save the Wheels t-shirts, we packed up and started south towards our last Atlanta destination -- Red Brick Brewing.  Dirty Dubs is a Georgia-based VW/Audi community that does a monthly meet at Red Brick, which intentionally coincides with the aforementioned Caffeine & Octane.  The meet offers an $8 custom pint glass (to keep) and 6 drink tickets that get you samples of Red Brick’s various custom beers.  Now although the meet is small, it’s manageable and it attracts some clean Euro builds.  We also ran into some more friends that we hadn’t seen since the APR BBQ last year; suffice it to say that it’s a small world!  The brewery staff told us that Red Brick is Atlanta’s oldest craft brewer, and we tend to believe the claim!  Their 22nd Anniversary DIPA was crisp and packed with hops, and their Hoplanta IPA was on point as well (albeit toned down from the Double).  Of course our final destination was back to Birmingham, which we love for too many reasons to name here.  But it’s days like these that really make Atlanta seem like a microcosm of stimulating automotive culture.  As always thank you for reading, and thank you to everyone we encountered on Sunday.  Your support and hospitality fuel our cause!

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iPhone 6 (top) and 5 (bottom) wallpapers featuring one of the most classic and iconic wheels ever -- the Techno Project Phantom!  Decades ago this 3-piece wheel was a collaborative effort between Hayashi and SSR, and today we celebrate its greatness through our media and merchandise (shirts & air fresheners).

To our Supporters -- thank you for helping us raise awareness about quality aftermarket wheels, and for helping us pay proper respects to the classics!

- Dave www.savethewheels.org

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IMPUL FZ-R | 15x6.5 +19 This vintage IMPUL wheel is New-Old Stock (NOS), meaning that despite its age, it’s still brand new.  In the case of a NOS wheel, it means that a tire has never been mounted, and/or that it’s never been installed on a car. To us and many auto enthusiasts, NOS Japanese car parts are considered prized pieces of nostalgia, providing an untainted window into car culture from decades past. 

The various polished, white, and gold pieces provide an amazing contrast, which we tried to capture in as simple and natural of lighting as possible. The center plate reads, “Only the man who runs and runs until he can run no more can gain the victory."  An inscription that we could all likely heed as advice!

Although this is quite a gorgeous specimen from IMPUL, it still seems to be more of a budget version of other similar wheels from around the same time period (SSR and Work come to mind).  The hexcap for example is plastic and has no locking mechanism aside from a very small allen screw that clamps onto the threads.

We purchased this wheel as a single in Japan for the equivalent of $8 USD.   Shipping to the USA was roughly five times that cost, but it was still well worth it.  We have no plans for use aside from as a display piece at shows and meets, so perhaps you’ll get to experience it in person sometime. As always, thank you for supporting Save the Wheels and thank you for reading/looking.

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 Big SoCal Euro 2015

 Photos by Zach Lenfesty

 Big SoCal Euro is an annual European car show held at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego, California.  This year was the 13th year running, and brought together over 3,000 Euro enthusiasts from throughout Southern California and surrounding areas.

 We didn’t get too many photos this year, but sometimes that can be a good thing.  Like much of what we do at Save the Wheels, we focus on quality over quantity.  Pictured you’ll find some excellent examples of wheels that would have most automotive fanatics drooling!

 Igor (from CAtuned) and his bagged & shaved BMW Bavaria is quite an impressive blend of a vintage meets modern.  AC Schnitzer’s are certainly always a good choice for a BMW.  Here they seem perfectly oversized, giving an almost VIP feel to the build.

 Like most RWB Porsche’s, it goes without saying that Crooks & Castles’ is just an over-the-top awesome build.  RWB’s never fail to impress, and Floss Design’s neo chrome on the BBS E88′s is just icing on the cake.

 Among others, the double-stepped & fully-polished RS’s, the Hartge splits, and the OZ Breyton’s really grabbed our attention.  To the owners of all these cars -- well done and thank you for representing with such authentic, high-quality wheels.

 Thanks for reading and looking. 

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The wheels of Southern Worthersee 2015

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The wheels of Southern Worthersee 2015

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The wheels of Southern Worthersee 2015