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I couldn't really justify paying for 5-6 wheels, so I'm stuck with four. If a center gets damaged, I'll just have to have it refurbished locally. If a rim gets damaged, those are easily replaceable, so I'm not too worried there. It's the centers that matter, and 4 of them should be plenty.
Rota made their money on the backs of countless other wheel designers, taking great wheels and copying their look with horrid build quality, poor materials, and questionable ethics. I've lost count of how many times I've seen full failures of Rotas when used on the track. This can't be news to you... Do some research on the topic. Respect your hobby.
As for the design copying, that alone isn't the end of the world. They just do it so often, and to the determent of our passionate hobby and don't make up for it anywhere else. They are a drain on the industry, steering us straight to the bottom.
There may be worse wheel companies out there, but I can't think of one.
Edit: Well, maybe XXR is worse. It's a toss-up.
Edit 2: A list of Rota wheels and the original designs they stole from.
Rota Attack = Gram Lights 57cz
Rota Auto X = SSR Type X
Rota Battle = Advan T5
Rota Bella = Voltec MS
Rota Boost = Advan RG 2
Rota Circuit 8 = Mugen MF8
Rota Circuit 10 = Mugen MF10
Rota D2 = Work Meiser S1
Rota DPT = Volk Racing CE28
Rota Flashback = Work Equip 03
Rota Flight = CPF Tune-R
Rota Formula = BBS CH
Rota G-Force = Advan RS
Rota Grid = Volk TE37
Rota Group N = Mugen RNR
Rota GT3 = Gab Sports
Rota J-Mag = Mugen M7
Rota JSPL = Work RSZ-R
Rota MGM = Mugen XJ
Rota MSR= Work RSB
Rota P1 = Work Emotion XD9
Rota P45= NISMO lmgt4
Rota Real Lite = Gram Lights 57 Maximum
Rota SDR = Prodrive PFF7
Rota SDX = Mugen GP
Rota Slipstream = Spoon Sports SW388
Rota Spectrum = Volk Racing RE30
Rota SS10 = Volk Racing ZE40
Rota Subzero = Racing Hart CP035
Rota SVN = Volk Racing RE30
Rota Tarmac 3 = Prodrive GC010
Rota Titan = WedsSport TC105N
Rota Torque = Work Emotion CR
Rota Track R = Sprint Hart CP-R
Rota WTC = 5Zigen ZR+520
My gut tells me it would be almost useless to try to get wheel halves from Panasport. It is like pulling teeth with them, and I believe it would not be worth it even if it could theoretically be possible for a handful of reasons I'm too lazy to detail here.
For rebuilding, it really comes down to being able to match the bolt pattern, right?
The 17" Panasports use a 35-bolt pattern. I will admit I've not seen this pattern for sale anywhere in the US, but I'm not deep in the 3-piece wheel scene. I'm familiar with most wheel places using a 40-bolt pattern for street wheels and something less for race wheels. Maybe 32-bolt? I've seen 17" Fikse wheels with a 20-bolt pattern...
I haven't done enough research, but when I was thinking I might be able to buy just centers from Panasport I had a couple boutique wheel makers telling me that if I could get the centers, they could almost certainly get me wheel halves that would work. I am counting on that promise, and if I do end up buying new halves (which is likely at some point) then I will report back with details on how that was managed.
I couldn't really justify paying for 5-6 wheels, so I'm stuck with four. If a center gets damaged, I'll just have to have it refurbished locally. If a rim gets damaged, those are easily replaceable, so I'm not too worried there. It's the centers that matter, and 4 of them should be plenty.
Rota made their money on the backs of countless other wheel designers, taking great wheels and copying their look with horrid build quality, poor materials, and questionable ethics. I've lost count of how many times I've seen full failures of Rotas when used on the track. This can't be news to you... Do some research on the topic. Respect your hobby.
As for the design copying, that alone isn't the end of the world. They just do it so often, and to the determent of our passionate hobby and don't make up for it anywhere else. They are a drain on the industry, steering us straight to the bottom.
There may be worse wheel companies out there, but I can't think of one.
Edit: Well, maybe XXR is worse. It's a toss-up.
OT: i had the chance to tour their factory and their manufacturing is not state of the art but the careful steps they take rival those of most japanese makes in terms of weight and strength. Of course that was 15 years ago and their manufacturing director was recruited by a manufacturer in Japan. So quality may have slipped. As far as making copies, well that is entirely a sales/marketing issue right there. This is news to me because i buy originals when i can.
their manufacturing is not state of the art but the careful steps they take rival those of most japanese makes in terms of weight and strength
I assume you're talking about Rota? Aren't they in the Philippines? How on earth do you imagine Rota wheels rival the weight and strength of most Japanese wheels? Enkei really is what Rota wants to be, but fails miserably at. And even then, Enkei is just a mid-grade Japanese wheel manufacturer. There are plenty like it who beat out Rota in every way. (Take a huge step up to Rays wheels and you really are out of the loop if you think Rota compares to those.)
As far as making copies, well that is entirely a sales/marketing issue right there. This is news to me because i buy originals when i can.
The more you learn, the more you'll realize there doesn't seem to be a single wheel in Rota's catalog that isn't a blatant copy of a previous, popular design.
Like I said, copying a design isn't the end of the world if you do it once in a while and actually improve it by offering sizes and configurations that weren't previously offered or improvements in other areas. However, Rota doesn't do any of their own wheel design as far as I know, and they don't improve on what they are copying. They make it worse, and make it cheaper (which I realize in one way is an "improvement"). I just prefer not to race to the bottom...
As for the Panasports, I got an e-mail update from Rajeet saying they expect their shipment from Japan to California to take place mid-February. Anyone else want to play the waiting game with me?
It's mid-February, which means it's time for an update.
Rajeet says he's in Japan now, and will be back in the US tomorrow. My wheels are en route, and should arrive at the CA port any day now. He's telling me there are union workers at customs on strike so there may be major delays. He's promised to keep me updated.
I've gotten married since paying for these wheels. Let's hope they arrive before my first child.
I just spoke with Rajeet on the phone for a status update.
The union strike was not customs, it was the port workers. I'm told the wheels arrived at the port, and have cleared customs. Rajeet is now just waiting for them to get through the port and shipped to Apt. 9 Wheels in Santa Fe Springs, CA. He said the striking workers were working out their issues faster than expected and the wheels should be leaving the port within a week, two at the most.
It might be time to think about tires here real soon.
Gratz man on the wheels and getting hitched! I've been rooting for you all of this time. It's been one hell of a roller coaster ride for these wheels hahaha.
Nope, not preggo yet. They still have time to beat that. I'm expecting to hear something from them very soon, or I will reach out to them and get an update. I'll see if I can resist until next week.
Rajeet called me last night and told me the wheels had arrived at their shop! They will be shipped out today and I'll have a FedEx Ground tracking number for them e-mailed to me.
He also sent 17 new pictures he just took, and it is like Christmas morning!
The Panasport center caps are ugly as sin, so they will not be installed. I'll figure something else out. The front wheels have almost no step because of the offset I ordered. Hopefully once I have them on the car I'll know what kind of brake clearance I really need, and if I can go a little wider to get some shape to those outer rims.
Those rears though!
Once I have these in my hands it will be such a relief!
I also plan on making good on my promise in my first post:
I'm so desperate I'm willing to offer a $200-$500 finders fee (depending on how well they match my needs) to anyone who can get these wheel centers in my hands.
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