Abstract: A process of producing an aluminum alloy sheet product suitable for forming into automotive parts and exhibiting reduced roping effects. The process involves producing an aluminum alloy sheet product by direct chill casting an aluminum alloy to form a cast ingot, homogenizing the ingot, hot rolling the ingot to form and intermediate gauge product, cold rolling the intermediate gauge product to form a product of final gauge, and subjecting the final gauge product to a solutionizing treatment by heating the product to a solutionizing temperature, followed by a pre-aging step involving cooling the product to a coiling temperature above 50.degree. C., coiling the cooled product at the coiling temperature, and cooling the coiled final gauge product from the coiling temperature above 50.degree. C. to ambient temperature at a rate less than about 10.degree. C. per hour to improve T8X temper characteristics of the product.