I have a pair of 2 nos 14" vintage american straight spokes the only odd thing is the spokes don't match colorwise. One is very light colored the other looks very much darker. I tried at first to clean both wheels to match them up to look like the lighter one. It did a bit but not much really. Now I`d like to just darken both evenly. Not interested in painting the spokes. Does Gibbs penetrating oil darken cast aluminum wheels slightly??? anything else anyone suggest from experience what works, not interested in conjecture.
Remember grandmas cast iron frying pans,,she used lard or oil to season them,,it also darken them when heated. I'm not suggesting coating them with lard but mixing just a touch of black tinting color or paint with motor oil will change the color,,setting them in front of a torpedo heater will help cure the finish. Call it conjecture if you like. HRP
They are an identically cast and machined matched pair both aluminum 'for sure'. Even the boxes are marked identically. They are mid 60's I believe?? cast and machined before american started to "recess the lug area". cast in the back american racing torq thrust A14x6 0 offset ect. it just seems from reading another post on a vette site similar light dark issue maybe american had some treatment they used to coat/protect their wheels maybe one didn't get done as well or at all? If it worked for grandma than it ain't 'conjecture' LOL
http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/...highlight=dow+coating&nojs=1#goto_threadtools There are some good ideas in this thread, worth a look.
I use "NAPA" brand cast iron spray paint on all my American five spokes .. They look great and original ....Larry
My buddy has always been a big Torque Thrust guy, he's had them on everything he's owned since the 60's........but he always wondered why the old straight spokes had a gold tent to them.........years ago we asked an American sales rep. at the NSRA Nats. if he knew if they were alodined or what to achive that look, he told us on the early wheels they shot pinned them with steal and the metal would leave an iron residue on the spokes that would rust and stain the wheels over the years.......now that could have been BS....... But? Conjecture or maybe a little history.
You could try aluminum black . . . pretty common with gunsmiths to touch up spots that are otherwise painted or anodized. It doesn't turn instantly black . . . you could do a light coat on anything alumium and it will only darken it a little. It depends on how much you use and how long you let it sit on the part
Have you considered glass beading both wheels to see how the spokes then match up? If you decide to darken the spokes, experiment first on the back side. How far off are they? Once on the car, you can't see the left and right at the same time. How do they match up with the spoke color of the rear wheels?
ZEP Machenery Cleaner will turn aluminum dark, makes it look tarnished. You can buy it at Home Depot.
if there not to far off in color we used air craft oil and it darkend the parts up just enough so they matched really nice.
You might want to visit a local anodizing shop. They might be able to mask off all of the wheel, other than the spokes and just color them. There are a variety of colors available...like at this place: http://www.electropolishingsystems.com/aa2.htm
aircraft oil interesting! any particular brand or weight? after a quik internet read it has some unique additives. these pair are not too far off really noticeable when side by side, still noticeable when seperated, just less. pics added
Tape up the brightwork and use a can Dupli-Color "Hot Rod Grey" primer on the spokes.... Then seal the primer with a can of flat clear...
Like Tyler said above , there's a couple product's like aluminum black (I use one at work every day to darken light fixtures etc.) can leave it all black or go with a nice "high/low" finish then hit it with a "music instrument clear" lacquer in what ever flat or gloss you like to lock it in ,
Just curious, are they going on the same side of the car? If not, do you really think anyone but you will know? I had a friend who had two completely different brand wheels although similar style on either side of his car, 2 on one side 2 on the other, and no one ever noticed! KK
Yes they are going on fronts only.... opposite sides, chrome reverse on rear (when I find a pair!!) that is another reason I posted the pics they aren't bad, but enough to notice. or am I the only one that sees it.
Nice find my friend...I use nickel or stainless steel paint to replicate the look of old American gold tone spokes....Once you start getting brake dust on these they will blend...MHO G
My Dad used to do this with hub caps. Drove me freakin' crazy!! LOL I am almost OCD about those kind of details.
blast em and seal em, if that dont work for equal color cause the metal or casting or whatever. re-blast and paint em the correct grey
I once bought a '68 GMC truck with chrome spoke wheels. Took me almost 6 months before I noticed that the left side wheels were slightly different from the right side. Nobody else ever noticed.
You (and us) are the only one who will ever know, especially on opposit sides of the car. i used to be in the aftermarket wheel buisiness, and we sold some "low cost" wheels. When people would notice a blemish I would set the wheel on the ground 5 feet away. If you can't see it from there, nobody else will either.
I'm not sure this would work on aluminum but what I use it to age ferrous metals, copper, brass is gun blue.
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