patina for newer aluminum wheels

I have a set of new circle racing kidney beans and a late set of halibrand aluminum wheels. Anyone have tips on how to make them look older/patina'd. Any tips or tricks will be appreciated. Before all the blasting starts my deuce started life as a high end street rod, stainless independent front end, sky high ride with air conditioning, every piece of billet that you could bolt on. Beautiful viper red paint with the ugliest set of flames you can imagine.I split, drilled and filled a set of original bones, drilled the dropped axle, lowered it dramatically and have been making the car as traditional as possible. I have done all the work in my 1 car garage myself.I love the look of halibrands but since I am not selling a kidney for a set of magnesium wheels I went with what I could afford.

 

ruh roh...

 

Easy off oven cleaner among other stuff can be used according to this older post I dug up about the subject.
They were being nice in this thread compared to some I use to see on subjects like this.

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=66950

 

The search function is your friend, lots of info on this, use the black button at the top.

 

My repeat contribution:

Run em into a curb or two. Use a prybar to mount/unmount the tires a few dozen times. Use a torch to cut off a lugnut, paint em, strip em, drive a few miles with a flat tire, drill em for moon discs, twice, use a socket 3 sizes too big on the lug nuts, strip the center cap screws or drill some and then strip them if they don't have them, have cats and dogs and an occasional drunk friend pee on them and then, use them as jack stands for a real heavy project car.
That's a start anyhow.

 

Constructive criticism at it's finest. Maybe I'll just coat the with some
Gibbs and leave them alone, who knows.
Thanks!

 

Graphite spray lube gives a fair approximation of oxidized magnesium.

 

I had an old set of mags that I soda blasted and they came out great. I'm not into the shiny polished stuff and wanted something a little darker.

This what they looked liked when I bought them. They had some rust stains and discoloration.


When I got them back from soda blasting I took some mothers aluminum polish and gave them a light coat, then wiped them down with a rag and a little WD40. It gave them a darker look. They came out great and have not required any upkeep since. Going on over two years now and they still look great.

 

Instead of ruining them, why not sell them and get what you think is appropriate.

 

post some pics. I would like to check out the de-streetrodification process. As far as the wheels. soda blast, oven cleaner or some type of acid should work or let one of my students try to polish them.

 

I would try some Scotchbrite, and maybe some Easy Off. You would have to experiment, but you would NOT be ruining them as they could always be polished back out.

 

Have them stolen, and buy them back from the scrap yard.

 

This is the best reply ever!!!!

 

Drive the car and don't touch them.

 

Greetings! Hate to give away a secret but saw a set of aluminum wheels that had been shot-blasted then powdercoated with titanium coating, looked exactly like magnesium wheels with Dow-7 coating. I very much understand what you are trying to do, the rest can eat bugs.

 

I ate roasted ants once. Not too bad.

 

My grampa used to eat chocolate covered ants,,,, or was that aunts?

 

I think I bought some wheels from you at the swap meet.

 

I have the same ones. They are patina'd naturally. Wanna trade?