Magnesium wheels on the Fly.......would you paint em?

[Roothawg]

When I was cruising through the Garlits museum I noticed that they had painted most of the mag wheels to keep the corrosion down. Would you do this on the fly?
I thought about it but I am afraid it might take away from the patina of the car. Gimme your thoughts.

[Sam F.]

i like real "mags" polished,but as we all know its a mother to keep them glorious,,,but i personally would rather see them oxidized than painted

[Roothawg]

Yeah, me too but..............

They were originally a golden translucent tint when new.
I thought about watering down some gold in the clear just for a hint or maybe some gold pearl in clear?

[Roothawg]

oops

[Unkl Ian]

I've heard that moisture will wick in through any minor chips and corrode under the paint.Not a problem in a museum.

[Roothawg]

bttt

[carkiller]

I seen the wheels and they fit the car. My opinon NO PAINT. Cal

[Radshit]

I concur with Cal......

[superbell]

I personaly prefer "SEARS WEATHER BEATER" it covers in one coat...

[pikesan99]

Roothawg,

That car is fucking great as-is. I have it as my wall paper on my computer at the Nissan Proving Ground in AZ. I get positive comments on it all the time.

Please send another picture with the "dragon fly" painted on. A photo you like would be perfect.

Thank you!
Please send to Pikesan99@hotmail.com

[Mai Ki-Ki]

Not worth the effort IMHO...The 'Fly' Is one of the koolest/and most unique kars I've seen in ages.....

Get that thing flying and your done! IMHO....fiddle with details if yah wanna fiddel otherwise I'd say its done!

MAIKI

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crazy.gif

[gettingreasy]

I'd do that washed gold, to make them look new again. If it chips and starts to corrode you can always paint em again. Patina is cool but your car doesn't look like it's 40 years old, it looks lik a couple years old so your wheels should to(think just rolled outta a time machine).
-Jesse

[JimC]

Root, Doc Parsons from Tulsa built a "period" T. Drives it everywhere.
I'll post a pic here, if I can find one.
A bit of history, he started gathering parts in 1958 while he was racing Sprints.
Any way, he had trouble with his wheels holding air. So he painted, then powder coated.
P{c here, if it works.

[JimC]

Another?

[Roothawg]

ok...majority rules.....

[Rocky]

I think I'd powder coat 'em to seal out Oxygen and seal in air pressure. I'd prolly do them in meduim gray metallic.

[L B]

I like em kinda patina'd and dark..........I got magnesium 5 spokes on my car and would'nt have em any other way. If ya got mag , leave em mag.......Show your colors Bro !

[Roothawg]

Can't powdercoat magnesium Rocky.

[38Chevy454]

Root, if you want a finish that is gold color and not paint, then you could put a chromate conversion coating on the wheels. That is most likely what the factory had on them to give them the gold color. Chromate does not add any thickness like paint would, and will not chip, although it can be scratched. It is a very thin layer that has corrosion inhibiting properties. Chromate is what makes the gold color on old cadmium plated bolts. The cad is silver color, the chromate is what makes it gold. The chromate is something that you would have to have done at a plating shop, it is not available at your local store. Chromate is just a dip process, so you could even do it with your tires mounted, although it might be hard to keep it submerged!

PM or e-mail me if you want more details on the chromate and how it works. I think it would definitely give a unique appearance. BTW there are also clear chromate (not as good for corrosion protection) and olive drab and black chromate as well. I think the yellow/gold color would be a good choice.

[Roothawg]

Tried it...that's why the rear wheels are so dark.
My dad is a chemist (retired) so we made up a Dow 7 conversion coating. The problem was it just turned it gray. Can't figure out why. Maybe it is the porousity of the material. We did dads wheels with the same batch and they are gold. Things that make you go hmmmmmmmm?

[stealthcruiser]

root
know anyone who does aircraft structural repair?
give them a piece of magnesium and let them try the alodine process on it,(acid etch,smut-go,alodine),thats a chromic conversion process they speak of.
i have never done any magnesium,but have done lots of aluminum,to include carb bodies,(which may be pot metal or zinc),but it works well ,gives a nice gold color like a new carb body.

[Roothawg]

Yeah me.......

[SamIyam]

When I was an aircraft mechanic we had that stuff too... I don't think it would work on the magnesium unless you had them bead blasted... and bead blasting would just screw up any of the original texture the wheels had... I kinda like the old dark grey look that they can be... use WD-40 on them after cleaning them with laquer thinner... it may take a few coates, but after a couple of applications they will be a consistant color and will be preserved.
Sam.

[SamIyam]

Oh yea... as far as matching your car... I'd polish them... that would match the paint really well.
Sam.

[CURIOUS RASH]

<font color="green"> Alodine will not work on Magnesium and will most likely screw up your alodine!

Don't even ask me how I know.

Root,

Put down the crack pipe and move on to something else. Those wheels are perfect as they are.

LOVE, RASHY </font>

[Roothawg]

Mag won't hold a polish for very long. I will just leave em..... it was just a thought, that's all.

[stealthcruiser]

thanks for the clarification rash,as i have never tried it on any magnesium.
what happens when ya'try it?
i wanna' know how you know!

[four-thirteen]

Root, I wouldn't worry about oxidization on your wheels. My heap has 12 spokes on it and has sat outside under a tarp the whole summer. The only thing that has happened to them is they got a few white spots on them that wiped right off. The only protective coating they've got is a thin coat of grease that was on them when I got them. Dave

[CURIOUS RASH]

<font color="green"> Well,

The MAG will turn black and you will not likely get it off.

Also, as in my case, the aluminum you alodine afterwards will streak.:(

Still living that one down and it was over 5 years ago. </font>

[fatassbuick]

I would probably polish them and let them turn back to oxidized. It took 30 years for them to get into the condition they're in now. You'll get 'em looking like that in 30 more if you don't like the shiny look.

[SimonSez]

Have you checked out http://www.finishing.com ??

They have quite a few posts on Magnesium finishing treatments. Some of them are quite techy, but your Dad might get something out of them.

[rickyracer1962]

hey root, my dad had a pair of polished 15X10 magnesium torque thrust mags, he polished them up, cleaned them with wax&amp;grease remover and painted them with dupont clear. held up pretty well, sold the car after a couple of years, but the rims still looked good.

[SamIyam]

I think the upkeep on the polished magnesium has a lot to do with where you live... I hear the guys out in Arizina have it easy... out here, you have to polish them on a monthly basis... which ain' tbad...
Also Root', did you get a chance to work out an "anti rotation" bar for the rear end yet?
Sam.

[Roothawg]

I doubt I ever will worry about the anti-rotation bar. The worst thing that could happen would be that the car would just lose power. I have a double driveshaft loop on frt and rear so it would just stop moving. Plus if I ever shear all 4, 5/8" bolts and the 2 , 1/2" alignment pins, and the 1/4" saddles we have bigger problems. The bolts are 180,000 ksi shear bolts.

[SamIyam]

Do you have a pic of how it is fastened in there?
Sam.