i heard a company was reproducing smooth magnesium wheels (Halibrand style) with early bolt patterns, does anyone have info on this, or where i can look into them?
Real rodders wheels reproduces these in aluminum. Don't know of any magnesium repops being made. The Aluminum ones look pretty authentic though.
I would like to see those Real Rodders wheels painted with a faux touch to look like weathered magnesium much like the look on Bobby's real Mag Indy wheels...
I asked this question yesterday too in a different thread. The real rodders didn't appear to have an actual foundry for magnesium lined up. This other place does - they are not cheap! Ray Franklin [[email protected]] http://www.vintageeng.com/MagWheelsProduct.html Hi Josh, Availability is custom order. # months out. Cost is $ 950 each plain, add $ 150 for the gold finish. Thanks, Ray
Wow!!! We are talking a lot of money here!!!! I think if it ever came to it I would have to scuff up some Studebabaker hubcaps, paint them a magnesium grey color and put a knock off in the center. I know.....very very polish of me. Hahahahahahah!!!!!
If you want to play, you gotta pay. I'd think originals in the narrow sizes could go for that much if they're nice condition. I know I wouldn't sell some of mine for $950 (but some I would ).
I've never seen a can of mag paint. Maybe I should do some research before I start flappin' my gums, huh?
Well if you haven't seen mag paint then I am sure you haven't seen the paint that turns your 350 4 bolt into a 59a Flathead equipped with and Edmunds intake topped off with large logo 97's. It's pretty amazing stuff. There's also a paint that takes your '91 Geo Metro and turns it into a '32 Roadster but I haven't been able to find that one yet. Pretty elusive. Yeah, I'm aware that if you want to play you have to pay. But at that price I'd probably hold off and save for the originals. Definitely a cool wheel.
I'm going to L@@K into that paint... Thank God for the internet so you can learn something new every day.
Just ran across this thread... I know I'm a bit late to the party, but hey, at least I didn't start a new thread. So is anyone actually ordering these 18"-ers or already running them?? I have to agree with the comment that "you have to pay if you want to play" and you're not going to get originals for $950 a piece. I would like to hear more on these!
Hard anodizing has a closer match to the grey/olive of Maganesium. Or do like Kerry and Root and use Dow7 coating. Check the Drag on Fly or Kerry's Pontiac
as far as paint or coatings, maybe try these guys www.kgcoatings.com they are right down the street from our shop. they have all kinds of coatings guns, to automotive uses. supposedly rock hard and easy to apply by yourself. supposed to be harder if you let it air dry vs. baking it. they have done some gun stuff for us and it seems to hold up very well..
Hey guys, I wanted to bump this up with a question and some news... First the question: Let's say you wanted Halibrand smoothie wheel for a car that would REALLY be driven a lot. There seems to be some downfalls with OLD magnesium wheels in terms of corrosion, cracking, and history of mis-treatment (being that they were really intended for racing and were somewhat "disposable"). What kind of risk are you taking by using original magnesium wheels on something driven A LOT? If you could have an accurate replica made from magnesium (like the vintage engineering ones) would you avoid for the same reasons and leave them for the race track? I see a few newer builds running these reproduction magnesium wheels on the street and I wonder about it... Now the news: Chatted with Pat from Real Rodders via email this morning. He said their wheels are just like the Halibrands with the ribs on the back and everything. AND! He said that he could do them in 18" for $800-$1000 per wheel in magnesium if he could get 12 pairs pre-paid. I asked if he could do them in Aluminum and 18", but haven't heard back yet. Not sure how close the shrinkage rate is for magnesium vs. aluminum, but it may not be as simple as using the same patterns to make the same wheel from two different materials. Anyone know if they DO indeed use the same patterns for both materials? Was there a thread already covering this?
Okay, I just talked to Pat O'Brien at Real Rodders. Here's the scoop... First off, no problem with the newer magnesium wheels for a regularly driven car and the price is VERY close between the materials, so the price isn't that much different. In terms of size and what Real Rodders will make, they will make 18" smoothies in magnesium or aluminum for basically the same price, but realistically didn't think anyone would actually choose the aluminum over the magnesium. The 18" wheel would have to have that "as-cast" finish in either material, and they have to get a commitment of 12 people interested in purchasing. No money to start the process, but just a exchange of information to solidify that the customer is truly interested. They are going to have their standard 16" on display at GNRS. He said they are VERY close to the original Halibrands. Looking forward to taking a closer look.
As far as making aluminum wheels "look" like magnesium....... It's not THAT hard. I have several sets of both American and Halibrand real Mag. wheels. Interesting about the exact mixture of material in the mix for making the wheels. Out of all of my many sets, the "normal" if you want to call it that, is like others have said, like a medium dark grey primer. Though I have one set of 8.00" x 15.00" Halibrands that have never been polished (full as cast surface), that look like well walked on..."concrete"...as in a greyish or off white color. So there is no perfect color. My Fish/Halibrand wheels, are painted a medium grey primer...and I took a piece of Scotchbrite and lightly scuffed up various places to change the color a little. It has fooled people..! Mike
This is what I came up with. Being on a racers budget, I picked up a big name speedshops $86.00 per rim, then had them heavily sandblasted to give a cast appearance. I found that VHT's "nu-cast" both in high heat, and very high temp, are an outstanding alternative to the mag look. They have a it of a gold tinge when the sun hits them: With the rim, sandblast and paint, I have $105.00 in each wheel. I realize its not the real deal, and if I had the money, I'd be buying a vintage set. But, these'll do for the time being until that lotto ticket is a winner...
oh man oh man oh man oh man oh man oh man oh man oh man i want those! but i can't do $1000 per. that's crazy talk right there. i had jason at early wheel make me some smoothie steel wheels and i'm even going to powder coat them with a mag finish so i can pretend they're halibrand smoothies until i'm rich and famous enough to afford the real thing. boo.
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