Request 1st gen Wheel Pic Comparisons - 15mm vs 20mm vs. 40mm offset, etc.
 

I've been going back and forth reading past posts on this forum about wheel offset.

I'm in the market for 15 x 7 panasport-style wheels for my 1979 RX-7 (either panasports, compomotive MLs, or konig rewinds) with 4 x 110 bolt pattern.

I want to achieve a nice lip on the wheel so they look rear-wheel drive with a deeper-dish appearance. Don't mind having tires stick out a little. Aggressive look, but no tire rubbing. I'm trying to avoid the front wheel drive, positive offset look of some Panasport-style wheels.

I would like to see how such different wheel offsets look, but photos on this forum have lacked specifics.

With this thread I'd like to invite other members to please post pics of their RX7 Panasport style wheels and to state the known wheel offset they have.

This will help me, and I'm sure other 1st gen owners, make their decision on ordering wheels.

BTW, attached is what I have on my '79 RX7 today (13 x 5.5 ET Wheels) which were on the car when I bought it. But I recently discovered that these wheels are slightly bent (causing shaking at high speeds) and need to be refurbished.
The wheel offset of these 13" rims is not stated anywhere on the wheel front or back, but they must be damn close to a zero offset.

Many thanks in advance to all for your participation.

Here's my car with 13x7 0 offset wheels
http://memimage.cardomain.net/member...21_30_full.jpg

I called Mariah Motorsports (Santa Barbara, CA) today. They recommended to me 20 mm offset for Panasports as the "appropriate offset" for a 1st gen RX-7, 15 x 7" wheel.
I'm not sure this will achieve the look I want, but my choices of wheel are pretty much limited to:

a.) 15 x 7 Panasports at $280/each, 20mm offset
b.) 15 x 7 Konig Rewinds at $112.50/each 20mm offset
c.) something used on ebay and not messed up ? priceless.

I know people have bought 40mm and 20mm Konig Rewinds on their 1st gens.
I'd like to see how different they look.

Any pics?

0 offset look HOT!! thats the way I would go and will go.

I've seen pics of the Rewinds with 20mm offset. They look good, but I think they would look better in maybe a 10mm or 0. If you look in the for sale section and search for Rewinds, you can see how they look on some peoples' cars.

Here's what I can do. You can try out any of my rims (panasports, epsilons, weds and autobahns) on your car fro test fitting and to get a feel of what would be good or not.

HOWEVER, here's the catch. YOu need to bring korean bbqs and heinekens that will be good for a dozen of hardcore party animals. IF you can do this, PM me and we will arrange this on a Saturday afternoon.


:jump:

i am in the process of getting a set of these for my FB! KONIG REWINDS!! THEY ARE SO FREAKIN HOT! And they are 4 x 110mm /15 X 7/ 20mm offset.

http://www.jlbmotorsports.com/PICS/K...aph_RWD_sm.jpg


Here is a pic of them on an FB (the silver ones ...im getting the graphite ones), This is Lt. Dan's FB:

https://www.rx7club.com/attachment.p...hmentid=206410

https://www.rx7club.com/attachment.p...hmentid=206412

https://www.rx7club.com/attachment.p...hmentid=206414

http://img165.imageshack.us/img165/6...quarter1ti.jpg
15"x7"s with +10 offset

15'7 with +17 offset
http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g1...g?t=1169593243 http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g1...g?t=1169593244 http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g1...g?t=1169593249

I couldnt resist the temptation of pix whoring
 

Many will walk the red carpet but only one will bring Oscar home . :icon16:

My vote goes to the "OLD SCHOOL RIMS"
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v3...r/DSC06877.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v3...r/DSC05731.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v3...r/DSC06615.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v3...r/DSC06614.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v3...DSC07528-1.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v3...r/DSC07296.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v3...DSC07298-1.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v3...r/DSC04753.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v3...-racer/SS5.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v3...r/DSC09215.jpg

Those are only +17 offset??????


Ive got a set myself, but they actually say +42 on the sticker inside.
Unusual...Were they just on crack when they made them or what?

http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h1...houseview2.jpg
http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h1...SL2-damage.jpg

Mine sorta do look a little bit more tucked. Whats goin on here??
RIP- silver FB

[QUOTE=wackyracer]Many will walk the red carpet but only one will bring Oscar home . :icon16:

My vote goes to the "OLD SCHOOL RIMS"
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v3...r/DSC06877.jpg


Do you remember the offset of these Pana's ?

Thanks guys for the responses and picture posts.

I think I like WackyRacers very first pic the most.
Are those Compomotive MLs or Panasports?
Can you please disclose the offset for those wheels! :)

I love Konig Rewinds but it seems to me too that 10mm or 15mm would look a lot better.

As I am often scolded on this forum, it doesn't matter what I like. What matters is that the wheels freaking fit and don't interfere with the car's suspension...

Thanks again to everyone for posting (and reposting). Please keep the pics coming.

[QUOTE=Rx Seven]Yeah, that's what I'd like to know too.

Thanks. :)

to answer your question gen1onr, heres a pic of the stick size.
http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g1...g?t=1169603643

+1 for dimensions of wackyracer's wheels. Regarding the difference between notveryhappyjack's and Gen1onr's offset, I would venture to guess that Gen1onr has an -SE (or at least -SE suspension) while notveryhappyjack has got the good ole 4x110's.

Also, I wouldn't mind knowing what Fibermaz is runnning as far as suspension and wheels.

Wheels are performance Challengers,still available new in 4x110 or 4x114.3 15"x7"s all round. i'm running locally made springs, 2.25" lowered front (soon to ditched for GC Coilovers with 350lb springs) and 3.75" lowered rear...that's right almost 4" :) with about 3/4" chopped off the rear bumpstops. KYB shocks and Noltec adjustable strut tops. Whiteline sway bars front and rear. Handles quite nicely on the 15"s

can some one tell me how offset works? is it the extra meat provided by the lip

I will get the specs this weekend on the Panas this weekend.

I am running 4X110.
Too bad when I cleaned up my wheels, the ink on the stickers rubbed right off. I am 95% positive that they were +42 mm offset, but I guess its possible I am mistaken.

This has really got the gears in my head a turnin!

That's cool wackyracer! We'll wait until then. Thanks again for taking the time and effort for this research...

Those Pana wheels do look great on your RX-7.

Blwfly, I found the following website to be kickass in terms of explaining visually what offset is, what backspace is, as well as different, compatible heights and widths of wheels.

http://www.bigcustomwheels.com/info_specs.jsp

I think it's cool because you can enter in different data and see visually how the tire fits over the wheel. The sight even warns you about fenders and other considerations when you use to low of an offset.

Bear in mind though, not all wheels are alike and measurements can and do differ by wheel brand.

I just mounted the Konig Rewinds - 15x7 w/+20 offset & 205-50-15 rubber on my '85 GSL. Pics should give some idea of how they look.

My vote is always "old school".... less gap the better baby!
Epsilons 15x7 205/50/15 in the front, 15x9 225/50/15 in the rear.Don't have the offset specs off the top of my head.

But you got a mis-matching set. :)

awsome thanks that was a perfect example

No he doesn't those are enkies on the front in one pic, but he's got enkies, volks, epsilons, knock off enkies. Everything... If I remember his epsilon fronts are 15x7 0 offset and the rears are 15x8or9 0 offset. Lots of lip on his epsilons. my car looks like a 4x4 w/ pizza cutters sitting next to his.

this is the look im goin for. i dig the wheel sticking out of the fender abit, and a stretched out tire. like a 205/50/15 on a 15x9 wheel... i just love the stretched wheel look!! :icon_tup:

Thanks Goldfinger for your post on the 20mm offset 15 x 7 rewinds.
Looks good.

Still, I wish there were an option for a lower offset that would fit.
I see pictures like the one attached and say "that's the look I want to achieve".
But I don't know - there must be fender rubbing big time...

Panasport does have 4 x 110 with 15mm offset, but they recommend 20mm.

+40mm offset


http://img246.imageshack.us/img246/2...dcarpicvp3.jpg

Hey speaking of suspension...I have a REALLY quick question for you FMAZ.....The company KING SPRINGS is out of Australia...and they provide a HUGE drop for our first gens...But are they any good?

my white car has 15x7 wheels with a +10 offset

http://img261.imageshack.us/img261/9...ecar002eh2.jpg

http://img131.imageshack.us/img131/5...build32tz9.jpg

16X7 Rota N1R +38mm wheels with 205/40/16 on an 85 GSL-SE

Old Panasport FS Wheel Brochures
 

I dug up a set of old Panasport brochures I had from the mid- to late 1990s.
They used to offer 14 x 6 wheels, 4 x 110, with 15mm offset.
They offered 15 x 7 wheels, 4 x 110, with 18mm offset.
These were the base wheel options for RX-7s at the time for street wheels.

I'm going to give Panasport a call today to ask about the lowest, clearable FS wheel offset possible for a 1st gen and post.

I have some Ronal 15 x 7's with +15mm offset, and a set of (very) old Tokico springs that have my car sitting near the bumpstops. I have no tire rub issues with a 205/50-15. The front fenders have been lightly rolled. I actually have less clearance when using my stock + 13's and a 205/60-13, but the issue with those is the springs.
I know they aren't panasport style, but here's a pic.

https://www.rx7club.com/attachment.p...d=218272&stc=1

King springs are great if you have smooth roads. The superlows especially ride very harshly.

Cool Onlyonthurs, please post your pics when you get them!

Watanabes FTW!!!

16x8 32mm offset

http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c1...4/IM002607.jpg

Those wheels are sexy :bigok: whos got a set for sale?

where can i get those fender flares?

http://memimage.cardomain.net/member...4_155_full.jpg
SSR RS-8's (rsWatanabe makes them now)

14x8 front, 14x8.5 rear
fronts are ~+20-25, rears ~+20-25 IIRC (to much snow to go look)

isaac

i do, pm me for details

Holy Hell! 16 x 8 with 32 mm offset. What about rub?
Like the look of black too.

It has been raining ON and OFF here in LA. So I cant get the specs.

Just a little rub on the rear fender... still haven't rolled them... but I'm running the stock -Se wheels for a while

OK Wackyracer. Thanks for trying. Hopefully you can find time to check when the weather gets better...

I measured it during lunch. Im a bit surprised myself that my panas are 15x8, not 15x7. It has 4.75 backspace.

Here's the pic... Sorry about the mess up.. LOL LOL

http://img250.imageshack.us/img250/2...build28be4.jpg

15x7 Panasports +33 Offset
 

On GSL-SE though...one more vot for the Panas!

:icon_tup:

Found an old pix @ rotaryfest last year. Alvin's FB and mine
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v3...t/DSC06870.jpg