Sure, you’ve seen these iconic Mugen wheels in their stock size, but how ’bout rebarreled and widened for a larger tire footprint?
Mugen CF-48’s A.K.A. fan clutch wheels, are some of the most iconic Honda wheels of all time. But, with only so many sizes, today’s modern-day tuner needs to stand out in the crowd. Thanks to Izanami Wheel and their expert rebarelling technique, they’ve widened a 14×6 Mugen CF48 up to 14×8 and the results speak for themselves.
Check out this beautiful example of craftsmanship and engineering below.
This set was a restructured one-piece wheel, keeping its one-piece look intact. It incorporates a specially designed outer rim for this particular customization and uses our own specially developed method of construction. Preserving the original visual balance of the wheel through safe assembly methods is of high importance on this customization.
CF-48’s, if you didn’t already know, where a period correct wheel made by Mugen and offered as an option from their catalog for a variety of Honda makes and models of the time that fit their particular size and offset. Offered as small as 12×4.5 all the way up to 15×6, they were obviously made before a time when thin side walls mattered.
Bred from racing and steeped in Honda heritage, despite their looks, they are some of the most sought after wheels from Honda heads in the know.
That being said, widening this wheel a full two inches really adds some depth and character to a once purely functional wheel. As its front face design shows, although I haven’t come across any evidence that these wheels actually keep brake temps that much cooler by dissipating heat faster, I’m presuming that’s the idea. So it’s quite ironic that this widened wheel, with its polished lips, will probably be more for show than go.
Widened, multi-piece wheels have gotten a bad rap as of late and rightfully so. Earlier last month I blogged about some poor chap in Canada who sunk thousands into a set of widened wheels only to have his car wrecked because of poor wheel workmanship.
Badly made three-piece wheels results in wrecked Honda Prelude at 62 MPH
Izanami custom wheels, however, are first and foremost “Made in Japan” a country synonymous with quality aftermarket work. As per their website, they use wheel widening techniques handed down over the decades, methods used when automated wheel making wasn’t even a thing.
You can read through their wheel widening process on their website linked above and it’s quite extensive. Only the choicest and best aluminum is used in the outer rims and their techniques are par excellence.
So, I have full confidence that these Mugen CF-48’s are as good as new.
What do you think about these widened CF-48’s? Do you think it’s a bold choice for a custom wheel? Let me know in the comments below.
