Panasports, anyone??

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MRGTX

MRGTX

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Hey, guys.
This may have come up here before but a search for "Panasport" didn't provide anything so I figured I'd just ask...

Anyone running Panasport (or replica) wheels? It's one look that I have always loved... should look just as good on a lowered A-Body..

Any reccomendations for brands? Real Panasports are expen$ive. :D
 

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I always wondered what wheels those were, and how they'd look on a Dart
 
Thanks. I just submitted a request for a quote for 15x8, 15x8 and 15x10...not even sure if they make these....but I will pass along whatever I learn.
 
Panasport are great wheels, but not cheap. Put a set on my TR-6. They're not an exact Minilite replica, but close. VTO makes a similar wheel.
 
I think Minilites will be the next wheel I put on my Barracuda. 15X7's and 15X8's would be ideal. Hard to order them sight unseen. We'll let you be the guinea pig.
 
The ones used by most road racers back in the day were Minilite$. $ is for emphasis on expense. As best as I can remember, the wheels on the AAR Cudas were white.

http://www.minilitewheels.us/

ET makes a knock-off of this style that surely costs less. Only in 17 & 18-inch sizes.

http://www.team3wheels.com/lt_iii.html

Found another. The JBW BRM next to the Minilite knock-off looks a lot like the old Hurst mags of back in the day.

http://www.midlandwheels.com/Shop/C-1102-JBW---Classic-Range.html

JOS51700: Didn't know what year Dart you were looking for. Back when Mopar had a Dart in TransAm, they didn't use the Minilite. They used what looked like an aluminum version of the steel wheel or Magnum 500s.

http://www.a2zracer.com/page9.html

At the bottom of the page are photos of Petty w/Cuda and Pearson w/Dart as well as navigation for the site. The story of the T/A Dart continues on pages 10 & 11. Enjoy.
 
http://www.vintageeng.com/

I believe the wheels are about $1200.00 each and are of the highest quality. Magnesium is a strange metal. Yes its light and strong but it is also porous and corrosion can be a issue.
All that being said. I would buy a set if I had the money. To me that is the best looking set of wheels every made.

Michael
 
You can probable get a set made for cheaper. Though it will probably be aluminum.
 
BigWhip said:
http://www.vintageeng.com/

Magnesium is a strange metal. Yes its light and strong but it is also porous and corrosion can be a issue.

Michael
Click to expand...

Another thing worth considering is that if you get it hot enough or exposed to enough oxygen and heat , it will burn. The metal is used in some flares, some of which burn underwater. Flash point is 883ºF for magnesium ribbon. The heat needed to light off something as large as a wheel is somewhat higher. It burns at around 3100ºF.

If you put mag wheels on your car, avoid running into a truck full of oxygen cylinders or a tanker full of LOX. - lol
 
Another minilite style manufacturer is 'Superlite'. My recollection is US dealers although Asutralian made.

IIRC, the rims you see on some of the '66 Trans-am Mopars were Kelsey Hays Magstars.
There were more pictures of the Riverside TransAm race on the web at one time. Maybe still there if you want to search.
 
Some where on this site is a photo of a car with a set of Western Wheels (Minilite)copy on it......I have looked for it, but???????

Many Porsche wheels are made of magnesium. So they can survive on the street with ease.
Keep us updated with what you find out and do.
 
BigWhip said:
Some where on this site is a photo of a car with a set of Western Wheels (Minilite)copy on it......I have looked for it, but???????

Many Porsche wheels are made of magnesium. So they can survive on the street with ease.
Keep us updated with what you find out and do.
Click to expand...

This one?
353454357.jpg


Western Minilites, they're unilug. Cheap if you can find a decent set. I found these in a wrecking yard, a 12 pack and $75 bucks got 'em :)
 
These are Optima brand wheel minilite copies. They do not sell them anymore. IIRC, the company is out of business.

They are not unilug. These are 4 1/8 backspacing and 15x9's
 

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Ontos, That is the car!:prayer:

Isn't it wild how a car stays in your memory?

When they come up for sale don't forget us. Or trade on something. A old lava lamp, some 14" steelies with new tires and matching ittybitty hubcaps, whiskey, a cannon ball ( size depends on how strong the floor is in your house), etc, etc.

thanks

Michael
 
The problem I remember with the Panasports is that they are all bolt together two piece rims. And I didn't like the look of the bolts showing. Maybe they are all not like that now.
 
Autoxcuda,

I have never seen a photo of your car that I could tell what wheels you have mounted.

You car looks great with great fitment of the wheels also. Do you have any comments on how you like these wheels?

Michael
 
BigWhip said:
Autoxcuda,
....
You car looks great with great fitment of the wheels also. Do you have any comments on how you like these wheels?

Michael
Click to expand...

I like them a ton. I like the spokes much better than the Western Rim unilugs. The 9" width really gives the wheel a deep racey look. IMHO, almost better than the original 8" rims on that race Sam Posey Challenger T/A. But that's because their rules limited them to 8" rims.

The problems with these rims and any 15" rims are that there aren't a good selection of tires for them and fitment is very tricky. I run 245/50/15 tires that are not made anymore except for AVON brand which are expensive. The next choice would be a 265/50/15. Those would look very good I belive. But even with the 245/50/15 and my low ride height I've had to massage my fender lips to fit these rims. 265/50/15 tires on my rim would force me to slice the fender lip tops and reform and weld them for greater flare. Only about 1/2" more. They would fit better if they were the pefect 4.5 backspacing instead of 4.125. But the fender lips would still need mods.

My front and rear fender lips are rolled on top. The front section of my fender are rolled/bent in. Also my rear and front fender lips have had some "baseball bat" fender rolling treatment. Not real agressive and mostly the front. And in the front I put 1/2" spacers on the upper fender support braces to keep things pushed out.

I did what I did below with trying not to mess up the existing paint. So it's not too major.

In the picture of the front fender lip rolling with a pipe, notice the pipe just supports the metel while he hits/bends the outside of the fender with a leather mallet and holding a 1/4" thick piece of rubber against the paint. Before that we initially bend in the fender lip with a Harbor Freight 3" sheet metal pliars with one side grounded round so as not to leave a point when I didn the bending.

The last two pictures are the before and after of the rear fender lipping. I did most of that with the aforementioned Harbor Freight 8" sheet metal pliars: http://www.harborfreight.com/8-inch-flat-jaw-welding-pliers-93062.html
 

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We have a set of Western wheels like that. Really cool wheels, I think they would go good on the E body we have.
 
BigWhip said:
Autoxcuda,

I have never seen a photo of your car that I could tell what wheels you have mounted.
Click to expand...

I'm not following? You mean what rim brand and specs?

Here's a good shot of just the rim and tire
 

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