Basically, I use my car on weekends (canyon driving, local fun runs, highway cruising, etc.) but I am going to start A/X also. Can the Ultra Light Panasport Racing Wheels be use for these purposes or is it strictly for "racing purposes only". I like the way they look and the fact that it is a bit wider than my 2.0 Fuchs. Any advise or suggestions is greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

Levon

People do... Supposedly strong enough... Not intended for potholes and curbs if I understand correctly. I intend to use them on my 240Z

Dude, nice Z! How much did the sweet paint set you back?

(Need to lower it, though, if you wanna run with the ricers...)

I've been running Panasports of n on for about 25yrs. I have run them quite often on the street as daily drivers and I have never bent one yet... knock on wood!! I love the wheels they look great on almost anything!!!!
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Mine is white. It is lower. That is my poor departed Z. Victim of Daniel Garaca of Fairfield, drunk driver in a '90s Fireturd...

As I recall, there are 2 versions of the rim, the "street" and the "for racing purpuses only". I have the for racing purposes only, and use them on the street. I have some stupid light Keizer aluminum rims for auto cross that I'd NEVER want to have to drive on the street. Have had no problems with the 'sports on the street, although I do run a 205 50 tire, run it at 32 psi, and watch out for pot holes and road debris. I think if you had the "racing" rim, and ran some rubber band sidewall, 30 or 40 series sidewall tire, the potential for damages would be much greater. If the "racing purposes" cast into the rim isn't enough of a tip off, the racing rims do not have a ring or groove cast into the center bore for a cap, whereas the street rims will have this groove, so you can class up your rims a bit with a center cap. AND, use stick on weights. The spokes are hollow behind, so if you need weight closer to the outside of the rim, you can do this and not have the wt be seen. The old-school rim weights that hammer on caused slow leaks on all 4 of my wheels- remove the rim weights and replace with stick ons, no more leaks.

First pic is "a study in flat roofs", the 2nd is a close up/wallpaper special.

MAN those are good looking wheels! Not enough to make me go back to four lug, but the thought did cross my mind.

They're available in 5 lug.

Edit: ...maybe not in a street version though...

Dave,
I am going to need some more pictures of that thing if I am going to nominate it for COTM. Too bad you can't get it through your head that you can't turbocharge a TypeIV!

Unless I am getting my wheels confused, when they came out with these in the 914 offset, weren't they found to be heavier then the forged 4bolt fuchs?

If for looks, go for it. I agree, they look awesome. But if its for performance, I don't know that the slight width increase is counterbalanced by the heavier rotating mass (assuming that they are actually heavier then the Fuchs).

Oh, and

Thats HOT!

Zach

I read that the Ultra light racing ones are 14 lbs. vs. 18 lbs. for the Fuchs.

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Andy,
I always assumed that the wheels on the early GT cars were Minilites - not Panasports. In fact, Harvey Weidman was showing me some Superlites or Panasports that he was widening for a customer to mimic the early Minilite wheels...

Perhaps I misunderstood and you are just trying to show what 5 lugs in that style would look like...

If you run the rims on the street with a 60 or 70 series tire you will be fine. Thay will look great on your car?

Hope all is well your Brother in laws car is coming along great.

The old Minilites were light cause they were made of Magnesium...at least the racin' variety. These days they are expensive ...if you can find em' and in pretty rough shape from what I've seen. I saw some 10 X 15s for 1k each.

Stock Fuch (5.5 X 15) are 10-11 lbs, IIRC. 5 lug Fuch 7 X 15 are 11-12 lbs....depending on whose bathroom scale you're using.

From what I remember reading, ultra light Panasports...... aren't.

That was indeed the intent ...
Andy

As I recall, the factory 4 bolt Fuchs, 15 x 5.5 were silly light- no matter WHOSE bathroom scale I was using. I'd have no reason to believe the factory 5 bolt 15 x 7's wouldn't be similarly light. However, the factory 15 x 7- 4 bolts have been SO hard to find lately, so I had to settle for the light but not ultra light Panasports in a 15 x 7.

I really like the narrow body look, and since I have "invested" the Keizers and 'sports, its likely to stay that way. If I were to go with flairs and 5 bolt, I'd be hunting down some factory 15 x 7's for sure. Not the "classic" look of the 'sports, but a very classic look of their own.

A quick photoshop job.

They look good on a 356 too