Yahoo Japan Auctions is bad…for my wallet.

I was not at all intending to replace Rooster’s Rotas any time soon. I mean, I know they’re Rotas and opinions vary on that particular brand. I’ve received comments – some in this thread – that the one part of the car that lets it down are the wheels.

I disagree.

I like the K7′s. The size is perfect for 225 RS3′s, the look is to my taste with a decent lip, they’re not particularly heavy (or light) for their size and they are unique. I only know of one other person who has even test-fitted a K7 on a Roadster. And that was an NB.

Best of all…they’re cheap.

I’m not sure why…I think maybe it was the Yahoo Auctions thread…I decided to take a peek at what’s currently up for auction in Japan in a 14″ diameter and 4×100 bolt pattern. There were a few hundred auctions to scan through. I clicked on a few that caught my eye but everything was FWD Honda sizing. Not exactly up my alley.

Then I saw this picture.

So I clicked and saw the specs.

This set is used for offset +12 4 · PCD100 · Speed ​​Star SSR aluminum wheel hole Watanabe Watanabe RS-8 · 14 インチ · 7J · 4! Rare is the size of the rim depth! Wheel is a small wound, abrasion, scratch Ghali, chipping paint, paint float, dull, corrosion, dirt, etc there. Rest (in kind goods and received a state you think is worse than the picture, who are looking for, please refrain from the tender beauty goods) model of the title is intended for search, detailed images Please judge or questions We recommend checking on, we ask that you please consider reference in regard to matching the size stated. If you were bending and distortion of my degree is not noticed by visual inspection should be noted that the wound will pardon etc., on your understanding, I hope in a no claim no return enough content and that it is used above. The carriage is (with insurance) (Okinawa islands except Hokkaido) 3,500 yen nationwide uniform of the advance payment

14×7 +12….not bad. Actually, pretty damned perfect for me.

More pictures:

They’re old. They’re used. They’re not perfect. I am likely looking at a full refurb on them. It wasn’t an easy decision because this money was earmarked for power upgrades.

Then I got an email from a wise friend as I was wobbling back and forth on the fence trying to make this decision:

There will always be (a ’99 cylinder) head. There will always be megasquirt. Rare wheels don’t come up very often. And that’s still a heck of a price.

Note that he said “rare”. I’ve yet to do any real research into these wheels. I’d like to get a general sense of how common they are. What I do know is that they are SSR’s….and they are Watanabes. Apparently SSR made/owned Watanabe wheels for a short period of time.

Centers are magnesium and lips are aluminum, I think.

I also know that every example of this particular SSR Watanabe RS8 that I can find online has nowhere near this much lip. So I’m curious about that. I wonder if they’ll really be 7″ wide ET12 when I measure them. I’ve seen examples of these wheels re-lipped to be wider while retaining the old, narrow measurement stickers on the inner barrel.

Bottom line: I’m excited to get these things and mess with them. And the K7′s will eventually get stacked in the corner of the garage so that I can use the RS3′s on the track some day.

Now I need to sell a whole lot more keychains to fund the power project I was about to embark on…