You got a point cause the more I research this the more I find out that there are all kind of wheels with the same design as the wantanabe's such as saab, minilite, panasport, enkei, empi, pandasports. And a few people also told me that they were not sure about what company was the originator but the country is was produced in like Germany, tokyo, UKand Umai, witch is a country I have never heard off. I was even told that there was a takumi tax on all low offset 15 and 16 inch wheels, what years or era this took place in I did not find out. But here is what I found out who ever made the wheel design first did it in the 1960's and whoever the brand name of the wheel it was doesnt matter what did matter was the sport and racing cars used the wheel like or simular to that design and the brand of wheel or the manufactuer of the wheel depended on the car make and the country the car either raced in or was made in hell there were even some pics of some camaro's challengers daytona's and mustangs, with that style of wheel. So for now I will say that I actually dont know and it doesnt seem like anybody else does either, well at least not the actuall original manufactuer but it seem that who ever made the wheel did it in the 1960' but I am not done looking I want to find out so I can be sure, but from what I can find is the wantanabe's are at least the most popular and has the longest production run out of all. But I will keep yall posted on what I find cause im not done until I find out who was the original

 

im getting nowhere with this one the more people I ask the more answers and more wheels that have this design I find. I did not know that there were so many different wheel maker that made a wheel that looks the same there are some small differences that I notice like where the valve stem goes, how far apart and how thick the spokes are, the colors, how sharp or how much of an edge is in the middle of the spokes, some cars came with this style of wheel from the dealer, special taxes that had to be paid for low offset deep versions. But in the end Im am right where I started its between the same two companies I started with so Im gong to keep reaserching but its pissing me off cause it seem like the originator alwways turns out to be whatever the person like more or from the country that persons store or car is in or from
Plus I have the weights soon to Im tring to decide between 3-4 or all the different brands and do I want to do all sizes or just 15-16

 

It's a classic design and it's entirely possible that more than one company came up with the design at around the same time.

It's always been my favorite style wheel and I'm just glad that companies like Rota and Konig make versions that fit FWD cars because the original designs were RWD only.

 

Yeah well i still want to know just for the sake of knowing plus to me this shouldnt be that difficult to prove I still think its tha wantanabe's but I cant prove it completely but I have more evidence pointing to them with the minilites in second panasports in third but I going to find out even if I have to get on a plane but its bothering me that I dont know for sure. But you do have a point but you can still order a brand new set o wantanabe's in the size offset bolt pattern you need and they prolly aint that much more then the rewinds and prolly take just as long to get cause my buddy had to trade a set of honda edition te's that cost way more just to get a set which i thought was stupid but what do I know

 

Dont know guys tring to find this out is like the song that does'nt end cause I basically get the same three answers but at least Im not tring to force my opinion as the truth I can honestly say I dont know??? But the moral is I hope that if you buy the real ones its cause that what you want, not because you think people like the real ones best and if you get copies cause you like the look and you want them, not because you think you will be cooler if you can pretend they are original. I hope guys are buy what they want not what they think others guys like that? That pretty much *** isnt it????? (im not tring to offend anybody) just speaking my mind.

 

The Watanabe's would cost about four times what the Rewinds cost, possibly even more if you need a custom FWD offset.

You can order Rewinds through lds motorsports and have them in less than a week.

 

Oops, that should have been jlb motorsports.

 

Probaly not but call and ask or try going directly to konig cause thats what my friend did even though he had to basically get them through a local distributer for konig

 

I'm really digging those wheels