Rep wheels -- all you need to know

[ggzilla]

the algorythm showed this today. A very insightful video about rep wheels

 

* what are rep wheels

* how are they different from fake wheels

* they can be stronger and better than the original

* looks vs. engineering features

 

for example, he talks about the Watanabe RS, which is a replica of the british Minilite. But nobody remembers that, they all want the Wats

 

 

 

 

[Stoffregen Motorsports]

Watanabes are not an identical reproduction to the minilite. But I get he point.

 

Speaking of minilites, I have tw sets of 13x6 minilites for sale. No, they won't fit a 510, they have a 4x4 inch bolt pattern for an MD Midget/ Austin Healey Sprite. Ironically, they will also fit many popular side by sides...

[ggzilla]

my bad, "rep" doesn't mean total replica

 

His proposed definition is: key features match 80% of an existing design for discontinued OG wheels that were active in motorsports or have heritage interest, and have actual JWL & VIA certification

What is a replica wheel? at 2:15

 

 

I thought it was most enlightening to find out that many companies make their own reps. For example, he says YHA makes wheels sold as Enkei, OZ Racing, Koni, Advanti, sparco, Breyton and M/T

 

But ... yha and the logo shown are a travel organization. I can't find anything about them making wheels ... can this video be trusted?

[yenpit]

On 3/22/2025 at 11:19 AM, Stoffregen Motorsports said:

Watanabes are not an identical reproduction to the minilite. But I get he point.

 

Speaking of minilites, I have tw sets of 13x6 minilites for sale. No, they won't fit a 510, they have a 4x4 inch bolt pattern for an MD Midget/ Austin Healey Sprite. Ironically, they will also fit many popular side by sides...

 

A buddy in Ohio (RIP Eric 2008 🙏) was an SCCA Pro Rally racer in 510's.  In his later years, he used Panasport's...............I ended up with iirc 20++ wheels (when I acquired all of his Datsun stuff), but they were ALL beat to hell, from rally racing!!  In the early-mid 2000's, he decided to build another 510 rally car & had an ORIGINAL set of the MiniLite wheels, that had small "ribs" on the lip face of the wheels (MiniLite later deleted these).  The car sold 3-4 years ago on BAT, was a yellow RHD 4dr!

 

I sold the early Enkei Comp 8's NEW in the 1980's, while I worked at a British shop in MD.  Then 20 some odd years ago, I went on the hunt for a set, for a Datsun 510 project.  I found a 14in MINT set, gold center spokes, polished lip, that were on a 240Z in the early 1990's.  Guy bought the Z, did not like the Enkei's, bought NEW Centerline's & stuck the Enkei's in the boxes & stuck up in his attic for 20++ years!!  I held on to them, until I grabbed the 1973 2dr, that I now have!

Edited March 25 by yenpit