Halibrand Magnesium 427 Wheels

[ERA Chas]

Originally Posted by patrickt

Mag Minilites? What were they on Village?

OH-I know! a website.

[ERA Chas]

Originally Posted by patrickt

What a bunch of pussies they are. A real football team loses in the last second because they can't even kick a PAT.

-And spends for the highest payed QB on planet Earth...

[Lew Ledyard]

Originally Posted by rodneym

OK, doubting Thomas's. It's aint over yet. I just got some answers from Richard @ Halibrand.

1. CSX289 (SAAC forum) wants 4 fronts w/ no gold coloring: Richard said this is not a problem. He will quote seperately when he gets the cost finalized...

I would prefer w/o gold coloring (i.e. polished/satin lip, natural colored centers) but coated with some sort of clear protection as well.

[ERA Chas]

Originally Posted by Lew Ledyard

I would prefer w/o gold coloring (i.e. polished/satin lip, natural colored centers) but coated with some sort of clear protection as well.

Duplicolor clear acrylic has held up well for 5 years, but be advised, heat will turn the as -cast centers to a gray under any clear. (See my gallery). And the acrylic can be removed with an acetone or lac thinner rag-powder is much tougher to remove. You can have them bead or walnut blasted every 5 years or so to get close to the original color again.

The key to remember is that they're an organic, living thing and the only constant is change.

[What'saCobra?]

April is OK. May gets tougher.

Want to switch cars and don't want to do it without Hali's on the car. Would like to switch before summer. Prefer wheels in stock to do it. Hate to go into the used market and pay a bigger hit for a perhaps less nice finish.

PS: also looking for an original style race seat to install. Any thoughts, anyone?

[rodneym]

Originally Posted by What'saCobra?

April is OK. May gets tougher.

Want to switch cars and don't want to do it without Hali's on the car. Would like to switch before summer. Prefer wheels in stock to do it. Hate to go into the used market and pay a bigger hit for a perhaps less nice finish.

PS: also looking for an original style race seat to install. Any thoughts, anyone?

Ok. Stay posted.
You can get the race style seat from Cobra Restorers. You'll probably have to modify (cut) the bottom frame. It's not a drop in replacement.

[rodneym]

Originally Posted by Lew Ledyard

I would prefer w/o gold coloring (i.e. polished/satin lip, natural colored centers) but coated with some sort of clear protection as well.

Lew,
Well, we know that Halibrand will take special requests (sorry, patrickt, no dual padded mags)
When the time comes we'll have to communicate your special needs. So far the requests seem like more of a 'delete' than an addition or special color. No Candy Apple Red requests....so far. Special requests may come with a special price, though

[RodKnock]

Originally Posted by ERA Chas

Duplicolor clear acrylic has held up well for 5 years, but be advised, heat will turn the as -cast centers to a gray under any clear. (See my gallery).

Instead of ERAChas, we should call you AdvisoryChas.

I saw where the Dow 7/dichromate coating saves the wheels from aging, although the lips are left natural and require some maintenance. Not a ton though since the modern casting process per M&A Castings' website states "WITH NEWER HIGH PURITY ALLOYS THAT ARE NOW AVAILABLE, CORROSION IS ALMOST NON-EXISTANT (sic)."

Read'em and weep.

Can organic brakes pads be used and do they prevent less of an issue in terms of corrosion?

[patrickt]

Originally Posted by RodKnock

Read'em and weep.

If I do it's because they can't spell the word "existent."

[RodKnock]

Originally Posted by patrickt

If I do it's because they can't spell the word "existent."

Oops I forgot the "(sic)."

[ERA Chas]

Originally Posted by RodKnock

Instead of ERAChas, we should call you AdvisoryChas.
"WITH NEWER HIGH PURITY ALLOYS THAT ARE NOW AVAILABLE, CORROSION IS ALMOST NON-EXISTANT (sic)."

Rod, read my lips: BULL$HIT!

Can organic brakes pads be used and do they prevent less of an issue in terms of corrosion?

Yes -but for those of us that drive faster than 40MPH on a lawn, they won't STOP.

[RodKnock]

Originally Posted by ERA Chas

Yes -but for those of us that drive faster than 40MPH on a lawn, they won't STOP.

Cool, then you're saying I should be OK with the organic brake pads. The only time I get close to 40mph is when I go out to dinner at our local oyster bar. No freeway involved. Phew!

I still want some magnesium Halibrands.

[ERA Chas]

Originally Posted by RodKnock

I still want some magnesium Halibrands.

Great-and I still want you and all to have them. I just want to myth-bust a lot of hype and BS which might disappoint some of you after spending $3+K.
Apparently, no other H owners care to share their experiences in these 10+ pages...

[RodKnock]

Chas, when you say myth-bust, your Halibrands were made in 1991, if I remember correctly, are you saying that manufacturing process and material used aren't any better at keeping corrosion away than your older generation Halibrand wheels?

[ERA Chas]

Originally Posted by rodneym

And when ERA Chas said, "They been on my car since 1991", well, actions speak louder than words. Please post those pics!

As promised: Photos are adjusted for white balance but not perfect. They're close.
Here's driver side front, right off the car. Note it's oxidized dull flat silver and the brown accent is brake dust. For reference, the outers on all these was last polished to high shine in October. The inners are done once a year (around now) and only to a fine 'brushed' finish then #1 steel wool, scratch free patina. The car is in the North East at sea level.

Next is the machined flat around the knock off-brake dust and porosity.

The wheel face showing dust and fine porosity. Remember, this section highly polished throughout the season:

More of the same:

Back of same wheel-brake dust is heaviest after a year, oxidation is medium dark gray. Note that the Duplicolor clear on the center section has dark dust deposits but this cleans easily with isopropyl on paper towels. See front finished pics:

Passenger front all finished. They retain a high polish and are coated with Vaseline to preserve the hard work through the winter at least. It will wipe off with a little heat from a heat gun and toilet paper. Virtually all except the finest porosity is removed.

A finished rear. On mine, these brake-dust less due to the inboards but are so deep they're still a big PIA to do. That's why I leave inners at a steel wool finish rather than polish.
It's important to remember these wheels are 19 years old and on the car all that time, not in a box in the basement.

I would like to find a shop that can take about a .003" cut on a lathe, front and back, but haven't found anybody I feel I can trust. It's not easy and needs a skilled operator.

[ERA Chas]

Originally Posted by RodKnock

Chas, when you say myth-bust, your Halibrands were made in 1991, if I remember correctly, are you saying that manufacturing process and material used aren't any better at keeping corrosion away than your older generation Halibrand wheels?

They may be-we just have no one with the experience to report as they aren't even made yet.

For years I saw Anson and ET mag dragster wheels and knew what they were about. Maybe Clayton would chime in here.

At the time, mine were made of 'improved alloy' mag too and the claims then were the same as now. But I bought them with the realistic expectation that they'd be a maintenance PIA unless I wanted them to 'turn'. I was right but still don't regret it. Left untouched, mine would now be a pile of salt in the garage.

I'm jus' sayin' that you newer guys should not be rudely surprised if your maintenance regimen consists of laying on the couch watching football games...

[rodneym]

ERA Chas,

Love those brake dust accents. Very stylish.

BTW, I saw on Jay Leno's sight that there's a new magnesium casting process which literally takes all of magnesiums 'negatives' and does away with them. They make all sorts of car parts with them. It wasn't M&A in the video but progress is being made on casting (and probably coating) magnesium parts.
But what's the point if they were perfect? A Cobra is what it is and you either love it or you don't. And we know what trouble you went through to get those brake dust accents just right.

[RodKnock]

Hey, if the magnesium wheels don't work out, then we could always buy a new Vette.

[rodneym]

Originally Posted by RodKnock

Hey, if the magnesium wheels don't work out, then we could always buy a new Vette.

So defeatist.

[RodKnock]

Shessh, I never said "When pigs fly" or something.

Anything is possible.

I just checked the Vegas oddsmakers and they have the mag Halibrand wheels being produced before I drive my car again as a 2-1 favorite.