Magnesium Wheel Colo(u)r?

[Steve009]

So I got a good deal on a pair of American racing-ish 15x7 wheels that resemble those from the early 60s that many of the super stocks and AFX cars used. They are just aluminum Chinese made things so I not worried about playing with them a little. I’d like to make them look like old magnesium rims. I noticed a lot of the old magnesium wheels are completely dark grey (painted or powder coated). Bob Mosher seems to paint a lot of his this colour and they can also be seen on the Lee Smith 65 Plymouth. Any reason why they are all dark grey and not more light grey spokes and polished lips in like in the pics I attached?

Original finish

Dark grey painted...

 

[33 IMP]

The polished rim on a real magnesium wheel would last about 20 minutes after polishing (slight exaggeration). Mag corrodes fast. Most of the real magnesium stuff in tbe good old days had a coating for mag that was called Dow 7. Color depended on application, but was kinda gold/greenish/gray. There are powder coats that mimic dow 7 for aluminium . I'd check with @CudaChick1968 . Also, @POMONAMISSEL would be a real help, he has multiple sets of real magnesium wheels, knows a LOT more than me.

 

[Steve009]

The polished rim on a real magnesium wheel would last about 20 minutes after polishing (slight exaggeration). Mag corrodes fast. Most of the real magnesium stuff in tbe good old days had a coating for mag that was called Dow 7. Color depended on application, but was kinda gold/greenish/gray. There are powder coats that mimic dow 7 for aluminium . I'd check with @CudaChick1968 . Also, @POMONAMISSEL would be a real help, he has multiple sets of real magnesium wheels, knows a LOT more than me.

I had no idea they coated the magnesium wheels. Makes sense if they corroded so fast. Thanks for the insight. I may get them powder coated in that colour to mimic the old ones. Thanks!

 

[33 IMP]

I had no idea they coated the magnesium wheels. Makes sense if they corroded so fast. Thanks for the insight. I may get them powder coated in that colour to mimic the old ones. Thanks!

Top fuel blowers too, just about anything that was real mag got coated. You could google dow 7, some of the pics of old race car parts will show up (the hamb site).

 

[POMONAMISSEL]

these are all american racing equipment mag rims in oem finish , most have been blasted off .

not many with oem finish still on them . those golden set are very early americans , a romeo p design 'father of american mags' . that tommy grove ran at bonny salt flats on melrose missile 1 in 1962 .

 

[POMONAMISSEL]

there is a gent out there remaking mag american style 15x4's , his are dark green . real magnesium rims .

 

[Steve009]

there is a gent out there remaking mag american style 15x4's , his are dark green . real magnesium rims .

If it’s the shop I’m thinking of in NorCal then yes I’ve contacted him. Over $3k for a pair of front runners. Just not in the budget for me.

 

[POMONAMISSEL]

yes , they are costly , and he only makes them as hub mount types . the direct mounts are not being repo'd . not sure why . talked him him once about getting a half rim made for my broke one . there very rare rims , he wanted a ton of coin for his end of it . this rim that came apart at speed for tommy grove , there's a pic on a direct mount type american mag .

15x4

 

[Steve009]

yes , they are costly , and he only makes them as hub mount types . the direct mounts are not being repo'd . not sure why . talked him him once about getting a half rim made for my broke one . there very rare rims , he wanted a ton of coin for his end of it . this rim that came apart at speed for tommy grove , there's a pic on a direct mount type american mag . View attachment 792773 View attachment 792774 View attachment 792775 15x4 View attachment 792772

So is old magnesium not safe to use? Too brittle?

 

[POMONAMISSEL]

well . if you want to run the older ones , they need an x-ray of them . they can be crack'd up like a jigsaw puzzle . this early one was done by american racing equipment not by romeo p . american had a real tuff time pouring mag , mold shift , cool pours . all led to pour castings . those rims were very **** to cracking and use breakage , you could imagine the ride tommy had after that rim came apart . the tire had scuff marks on both sidewalls from bouncing off the inner fender well of that 62 savoy these rims and tires only are 7'' wide , hitting both sides . that must have upset that ride . he did make one pass at 165 mph . here is a pic of the last of the mags made by american , call trans ams only came in two bolt circles 4 3/4 n 4 1/2 . only size was 15x8's .

 

[33 IMP]

@POMONAMISSEL , i saw this willys at MATS this year. The fronts are spindle mount. What do you think they are: aluminum, original mag, or the repos you were talking about? Just curious , i really liked the shark nose, spindle mounts and piecrusts.

 

[POMONAMISSEL]

cool 38 willis , yes those are magnesium looking american's . they were made for many different spindles . as far as i know ''no one is repo'n those . the rears look old school too , does that thing have flared fenders on it ? here is pics of american racing equipment's 50th b day bash at wally parks museum in pomona calif at the drag strip . i was one of the display team , we all got american racing equipment jacket for are items put on display . very cool , met tv tommy ivo at the party . the 6st pic down has one of my tommy grove run rims n tires leaning against the wall under that display case . with the salt flats rubber still mounted on it . yes , firestove sport speed specials made for flat out runs . good up to 400 mph .

 

[33 IMP]

Thanks @POMONAMISSEL , i regret missing that event, i live about four miles from the museum. Very cool!
I dont recall if the fenders were flared, but the rear wheels looked like a matched set of straight spoke mag to the front. I dont know what engine, but it showed a white four speed knob. Neet car.

 

[POMONAMISSEL]

i've got two n a-half a40 austins . those will fill my gasser needs i think , i've just been collecting pieces n parts for them . even got the early chrysler hemis for them , blown of course , this pic is a 55 chrysler windsor 301 lower end with 55 331 hemi heads . i do believe i've got the rims covered . i have two altered projects as well , 27 t and a 32 austin-bantam bodies with tube chassis , again blown early hemis and american magnesium rims covered . i'm not just a hoarder or just a wheel collector . i have projects than life , but if you finish them before you die . well you did not have enought , right !!!!!!!!!!!!!!