Bump Old thread......yep. Still relevant....yep. Would love to make my PS Engineering wheels a little darker too.
There's a coating out there, though I can't recall the name or brand, that gives a dusty goldish look. I've seen wheels and grilles with it. I believe you have to bake it on. Anyone know? Something like "Creote"? Edit: Cerakote is the name. Gun types seem to use it on their toys....
I remember seeing a display at the LARS that Real Wheels had a “Dow 7” coating available. (The original Dow 7 could only be used on magnesium not aluminum) maybe they can share the secret of their finish. It looks good in my opinion. http://realrodders.com/product/nos-dow-7/ I have American Rebel wheels on my Cyclone, if they would have been available in the Dow color I may have gone that route.
Here are a pair of aluminum 5 spokes - I polished the lips and painted the spokes in a custom blended greenish/gold to try to emulate DOW7 - added a matte clear to dull the shine down. I'm pretty happy with them.
Clean them up, tape them up and shoot'em up with Duplicolor hotrod primer, and then a flat clear coat... That should do the trick....
Guy I know had a set of slotted aluminum wheels shot blasted for texture then powdercoated in titanium, they looked amazing.
These are aluminum that the owner dabbed gun blueing on with a sponge, he said he wasn't happy and was going to redo them with a darker color to try for that elusive magnesium look.
this was shiny aluminum ran it thru the dish washer .came out looking like this. first thought was would this work on wheels
I have a friend that swears by soaking fresh bead blasted aluminum in cheap liquid dishwashing detergent, it does turn it a dark gray.
For a site that claims to be all about traditional hot rodding how do we end up with threads about fake shit. You will never capture the look. Everyone will know it's fake. Dont stop there put a fake moon tank on and some garlits fake injectors to complete the fake look. You will never be in the magnesium wheel club until you have mag wheels on the car. I guess it's a sign of our times like when all the little league or soccer teams get a trophy regardless of how they placed in the standings.
The world doesn't needs more fake hot rods. Do what I did work alot of overtime and save your money for the real thing. You can then stand by your car with pride knowing no one is thinking that car has fake ass wheels and is a posser. It's the harder road but worth it in the end.
I’ve been pruning and polishing my Detroit 71 series blower by hand. I picked up vintage Mooneyham Magnesium bearing support plate to mill down for the rear. I polished the outside exposed edge with a dirty old sock and can tell you the difference between aluminum is unbelievable! I also am sticking with the as cast finish on the inside webbing area. It is equally going to be the coolest finish of any part on my entire hotrod. Either surface beats AL. Don’t skimp on Mag Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
Dow 7 is Dow7. You can't fake it. It wasn't put there for the look it was put there to preserve the mag. As on blowers and wheels. It's a hard coating. Lippy
Jesus christ, you are precious. So all those amazing tribute hotrods and customs made of cars that no longer exist are fake ass posers too? Your version of the world sounds elitist and boring.
Everything being built from scratch today is fake. If you built a car to try to make it look like cars from the 50's or 60's, then you built a clone or a fake. Using period parts makes those parts real, but your car is still a fake. I don't get all this animosity, and elitist talk about how people are building their cars true to the era, so they're the real deal. They're not, so quit kidding yourself. You just built it, so it's not a 50's or 60's car; it's a 2020 car, faked to look like an old car. I'm sure we all love to build vintage cars, or we wouldn't be here posting about it. But I see no reason to belittle those who are trying to do it on a budget, and hoping to get as close as they can. Give them some credit for build their own cars, not beat them down because they can't afford period parts for every piece of it. Glad some guys can, but I wont beat anyone up who can't.
I have a friend that coated his Rocket wheels that had an as cast finish with paint from the ABC supply Co, It's tone is Weathered Wood and it's actually a darker grey color. I think it's available at Home Depot. He's got over 30,000 miles on his car with no problems. To see the wheels go to hopupmagazine.com and scroll down until you see D S 1932 Ford out takes. It's classified as Roof Accessory Spray Paint
I have used Rustoleum universal metallic flat soft iron. It is primer & paint in a good working spray can. It goes on streak free & when dry looks a lot like aged magnesium. I used it on real Halibrand 15 by 10 magnesium that I had cleaned. I did this to match paint on my aluminum front wheels. Paint is sold at Walmart & Lowes Building supply. Works for me..Jerry
If that’s what you’re busy thinking when looking at a hot rod which is the best that a person can afford, or the best they can build with their limited tools or talents, then you’re a dick! It’s sort of like me saying the same thing about using Hilborn EFI being fake poser but luckily I don’t do that... Basically, you were just being mean, I don’t know you so if you were just having a bad day you can just apologise for being mean. Or if that’s what you are actually like, well well...
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