New F1 replica wheel by Sala Motorsport

[Nicholas Chong]

Hi guys,

Came across this new company that is making an exciting new product. It's an F1 wheel that is made with the exact same pre preg autoclave process of the actual f1 wheels. Probably the closest thing to the real thing and some how even better!

Its been posted on the leo bodnar forums but I'll share it here as well for those that are considering the ultimate f1 wheel rim. Here are the details of the wheel.

SalaMotorsport are 80% complete on the new F1 Sim steering wheel and it will be available in the new year.
This wheel is pre-preg carbon fibre construction and will use the new Leo Bodnar SLI-F1 unit and has 28 control buttons,switches and dials, all fully programmable.
Made in the exact process that the real formula one (£45,000) wheels are made and only the best materials and top quality switches from Leo Bodnar are used in its construction.
Production wheels will have Alcantara grips, leather or suede, clear extra led’s and Electrical Lifeline quick release bosses with adapters for all types of wheel base.
It will be come in its own flightcase for protection.
More updates to follow.
The Salamotorsport website will be up and running at the start of 2013.


The interesting thing is he's gonna definitely consider making other f1 replica wheels in the future.
There's currently adapters for ecci and g25/g27, but he will be making adapters for the CSR elite and also the CSW.
The lifeline quick release comes with an option of either wired 4 pin or 8 pin. The 8 pin will definitely come handy for wiring the 4 wires that connect to the extra vibration motors that come with the CSR-E rims and the CSW rims. And can be purchased pre wired from Scott by Sala Motorsport. There are no information as to when this will be launched as it is also very dependant on launch of the SLI-f1. All dimensions and details, Scott seems to be striving to get them as close as possible to the real lie counterpart. In my opinion, it looks worthy of a display piece, to be framed in a man cave!

He's even built his own autoclave for this

 

[PetersonGP]

Aja, a Sim Wheel for 1,642.54 EUR (Mid-market rates: 2013-01-25 17:25 UTC)
That provoked an uprising of women at home.The means sex deprivation for several weeks!
Looks good ... but for the wheel without sex!

 

[Nicholas Chong]

Then it changed again, last time i checked with paypal 1200 pounds was 1800€, some days ago though.

Nicholas Chong

Well, i meant Sala get a amalgam replica and get their molds for their wheels out of it, you understamd? I know that you and marcus Hwang not really like my mod but i can just promise you my latest Mod is better then zroso wheel for sure, while i offer also a support wich zroso never heard about. Now think about some clutch added at least to my mod and that for less then 800€ not pounds.

Since when did I or Marcus Hwang say i didn't like your mod? Its a great mod which i thought was very much needed for the thrustmaster f1 wheel to not have it feel like a toy. In fact Marcus was also highly successful in modding his own thrustmaster f1 wheel. I highly doubt Sala Motorsport got their molds from amalgam, as he is constanly tweaking it to fit the sli-f1. Even if he did. He is trying to make a replica, so i won't fault him for that. Instead props up to him for going through the carbon fibre fabricating process and also replicating the exact look of the shifter paddles and clutch. I never did knew you have a modding service plus i don't own a t500. so it's irrelavent to me. I'm just stating the fact that if i were to do a mod myself to equal the same quality as the sala wheel. it would have cost me more and might be less pro looking. I'm just posting some comparisons and justifications for potential buyers, for some people who just want the absolute best, and don't mind spending some money on toys after a hard day at work.

 

[belldanndy]

Kai Lohmann belldanndy If you'd like to know the current exchange rate, check http://www.xe.com/.

Yes, I use it's iPad app. Very good!

 

[Kai Lohmann]

Nicholas Chong

Im verry sure he is using the amalgams for the molds, where else can he get all molds he need? Anyway, i really like the look thats sure, just not the way they do it.
I got verry real problems with Ferrari cause of a damn sticker i got on my wheel.
Same will hit Sala cause they dont have licenses.

Marcus though did a good job but makes some huge mistakes so for example the original PCB doesnt fit in the wheel anymore and so it wont run on a ps3 anymore.

 

[PetersonGP]

Everyone at the Wheel has modmate be let modding know what good quality it delivers.
I can understand that he has in mind when he sees the mess around on some wheel and make mistakes, and many believe that he could make it that way. The work of Kai is very professional, he gives for this is certainly a lot of time and hopes to succeed, he is convinced by his work 100 percent and I think it's great. I think it's really impressive what are you just out of the wheel and do invest.Defend your baby Kai.
I wish you all success .

greets

 

[Nicholas Chong]

Im verry sure he is using the amalgams for the molds, where else can he get all molds he need? Anyway, i really like the look thats sure, just not the way they do it.

My bad for suggesting any use the amalgam for molds. Scott from Sala said he never touched the amalgam wheels. He actually made that mould from scratch based on his own drawings and reference images either by using hand built plug or with rapid prototyping. Sometimes spending hundreds of hours building certain parts for the wheel.

Modmate's wheels are definitely very cool too. Would be nice to see some support for other wheel bases as well.

 

[Kai Lohmann]

My bad for suggesting any use the amalgam for molds. Scott from Sala said he never touched the amalgam wheels. He actually made that mould from scratch based on his own drawings and reference images either by using hand built plug or with rapid prototyping. Sometimes spending hundreds of hours building certain parts for the wheel.

Modmate's wheels are definitely very cool too. Would be nice to see some support for other wheel bases as well.

Sorry mate, but you really trust that? I dont think he did all molds from scratch, its just not possible, even with 100 hrs. it isnt. They look absolutely 1:1.

 

[William Geuze]

It would be very stupid if he openly admitted copying the Amalgams obviously, I'm with kai on this one, and he isn't the first one to notice.

I'm working on the same thing and I know how hard it is getting it to 1:1 with only distorted pictures

 

[Racestation]

What a wonderful piece of work this wheel is, I have had a few top end wheels but this is in another class.. good job.

 

[Racestation]

Ordered one! can't wait.

 

[Kai Lohmann]

Ordered one! can't wait.

edit

 

[Racestation]

Actually they have taken my order without any money up front and have answered all my questions that i have e-mailed to them. I have read some of your comments and it seems to me that you are the only one upset by this new wheel. got nothing to do with there wheel being better in every way than yours I think you should just stick to sticking bits of fake carbon to plastic wheels and let us get the real thing.

 

[Kai Lohmann]

Actually they have taken my order without any money up front and have answered all my questions that i have e-mailed to them. I have read some of your comments and it seems to me that you are the only one upset by this new wheel. got nothing to do with there wheel being better in every way than yours I think you should just stick to sticking bits of fake carbon to plastic wheels and let us get the real thing.

Well, just have a look at my thread and the reviews:

 

[PetersonGP]

Actually they have taken my order without any money up front and have answered all my questions that i have e-mailed to them. I have read some of your comments and it seems to me that you are the only one upset by this new wheel. got nothing to do with there wheel being better in every way than yours I think you should just stick to sticking bits of fake carbon to plastic wheels and let us get the real thing.

I have a Wheel of Kai, I do not think ... I can see it and touch it, I can not confirm that your thinking. The Wheel is perfect worked and to be honest I always have a hard stick when I use it. The wheel has an effect as Viagra. My wife nods his head in agreement. I love the wheel almost like my wife ... It fits so in my hand, I stroke it sometimes, but only when I'm alone. Well now, but one order from Kai and discover the F1MOD emotion ...at least you can have a voice of their own experience.

 

[Nicholas Chong]

Haha, Kai why do this to someone else's hard work? Aren't we supposed to support such a niche community when someone makes a good thing? You obviously do good mods for the thrustmaster wheel and seems like Scott from Sala is avoiding heated discussions of accusations as he has a lot to do to get this project going. He answers my every question in PM and email. the forum is no evidence of him not supporting potential customers as they pm him. Obviously he knows about you and chooses to ignore. I think its a wise move on his part. Or else it will turn into another epic leo fred discussion like in iracing forums.

It's a replica, of course it's gonna look like other molds or even the real thing. No point debating where the molds are from. Anyway why does it matter? (I'm not saying that he did) There's a huge industry of replica kit cars out there replicating actual unattainable cars and some of them are molded from scratch and some copied from original parts. This is pretty much the same thing. replicating an f1 wheel that's unattainable and a work of art imo. Who cares where he got his molds?

I've put in an order for one and he's making me a quick release custom adaptor for the CSR-elite. Also wiring is in 8 pins which is perfect for the sli-f1 and the 2 vibration motors previously in the CSR elite. I shall put in a thorough review of this wheel rim. I also have plans for it as a display piece in an acrylic box next to my f1 collectibles. Hopefully I could get it in time for some of the f1 2013 races, as i'm going to get it signed by Alonso. Would be cool to see his expression when signing it.

you guys are doing the same thing, creating more aftermarket peripheral options for the sim racing community. Your products are in a different price range and a different wheel base platform. So lets be civil and not let too much of the green eyed monster out.

Oh btw PetersonGP. I fully understand what you mean when I'm in love with a new toy! I had that same feeling when i first received my roso wheel and Ultraforce gs-4!

 

[Sala Motorsport.]

Hi everyone, here is a small update on our full and complete sticker set and SLI-F1 enclosure.

Thanks
SalaMotorsport

 

[William Geuze]

Do you have more info on the SLI-F1 pcb than we do?
Enclosure is looking ace

edit:
that chamfer on there is a bitch still btw.. did you manufacture it yourself?

 

[Lars Bargmann]

Ooohhh, you should sell those stickers separately!!!!
I'd love a set or two, but I wouldn't be able to afford the wheel itself until 2137 or there abouts... :-D

 

[Sala Motorsport.]

Yes, we will be selling the sheets when they come back from the printers.

Cheers
Sala Motorsport.

 

[hwangm]

Then it changed again, last time i checked with paypal 1200 pounds was 1800€, some days ago though.

Nicholas Chong

Well, i meant Sala get a amalgam replica and get their molds for their wheels out of it, you understamd? I know that you and marcus Hwang not really like my mod but i can just promise you my latest Mod is better then zroso wheel for sure, while i offer also a support wich zroso never heard about. Now think about some clutch added at least to my mod and that for less then 800€ not pounds.

hmm I just saw this.

Kai, I think you need to back-off here a little.
Stop trashing someone's threads with your un supported accusation , your mod I do like, it's the low quality plastic that you dare charge 40 Euro that I don't. it cracked and now you change your online product. (lets not trash this good thread any longer)

zroso wheel have a higher quality than yours and mine. ok.,it uses real carbon fibre (not some painted pattern and uses 5 x 12 position rotary switch instead of "high quality" encoders, mate, WAKE UP, if you want to defend your product it's absolutely fine. but do us a favour. do it at your own shop/thread.

Im happy with my wheel. you and your customer here is happy with your wheel. I just hate to see you here defending your service, while others are trying to see a good thread.