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SAAC Forum => SAAC Forum Discussion Area => Topic started by: pmustang on August 21, 2018, 05:08:28 PM

Title: Magnesium wheels
Post by: pmustang on August 21, 2018, 05:08:28 PM
Hello folks

Recently bought a 67 fastback that I believe has four American racing 14 inch magnesium wheels

The back of the hub mounting area is hollow and they are very light

Five spoke TTD style. Black centers with a bare metal lip

Are these worth anything?

Trying to determine if selling the car with them or without them makes sence

Back of rim on bead area says in raised cast letters, Made in USA and 6x14. Also there are oval metal inserts for behind the wheel nuts. They fit in an oval recess

Title: Re: Magnesium wheels
Post by: acman63 on August 21, 2018, 05:36:29 PM
Shelby used 15 x 7  and 15 x 8  TTD  real magnesium wheels,  Ive never seen any 14 inch wheels.  Im guessing they are aluminum wheels  you might post a picture of them
Title: Re: Magnesium wheels
Post by: gt350hr on August 21, 2018, 05:42:02 PM
    Those don't match any American Racing wheel details from back in the day. They never had metal inserts in the lug nut area. Sounds like an ET wheel , they had oval shaped inserts called "Uni lugs" . A picture would help me help you.
   Randy
Title: Re: Magnesium wheels
Post by: gt350hr on August 21, 2018, 05:45:21 PM
Quote from: acman63 on August 21, 2018, 05:36:29 PM
Shelby used 15 x 7  and 15 x 8  TTD  real magnesium wheels,  Ive never seen any 14 inch wheels.  Im guessing they are aluminum wheels  you might post a picture of them

    Jim ,
       American "did" make 14x6 magnesium wheels too. The kicker is NONE of their mag wheels had any lettering on them No made in USA or anything else but an occasional date code.
     Randy
Title: Re: Magnesium wheels
Post by: pmustang on August 22, 2018, 04:05:56 AM
Sorry guys

Really struggling with my photo host website last night

Here is a rear photo which I managed to upload this

https://imgur.com/a/4sRCxxw

The nut inserts are oval and chrome, they fit in an oval recess
Title: Re: Magnesium wheels
Post by: pmustang on August 22, 2018, 04:13:18 AM
And a poor front from day of purchase

https://imgur.com/a/YqVdMQV
Title: Re: Magnesium wheels
Post by: 98SVT - was 06GT on August 22, 2018, 04:31:07 AM
Unilug wheels  made to fit many bolt patterns. They are aluminum. Magnesium gets to be a much darker gray almost slate color from exposure. Mag also gets brittle from age and wheels are prone to cracking.
Title: Re: Magnesium wheels
Post by: J_Speegle on August 22, 2018, 04:47:54 AM
Quote from: 98SVT - was 06GT on August 22, 2018, 04:31:07 AM
................. Magnesium gets to be a much darker gray almost slate color from exposure. Mag also gets brittle from age and wheels are prone to cracking.

And porous. Like you had a nail in the tire that leaked all the time.  Plus oxidize quickly
Title: Re: Magnesium wheels
Post by: kjspeed on August 22, 2018, 09:43:17 AM
Easy test; pour a few drop of vinegar on the backside of a rim. If there is a reaction it's magnesium, otherwise it's aluminum.
Title: Re: Magnesium wheels
Post by: gt350hr on August 22, 2018, 10:22:07 AM
  Not magnesium from the picture. ET uni-lug as I suspected.
Title: Re: Magnesium wheels
Post by: pmustang on August 22, 2018, 02:33:00 PM
Thank you gents

So much knowledge

Cheers. Peter
Title: Re: Magnesium wheels
Post by: 98SVT - was 06GT on August 22, 2018, 11:56:45 PM
Quote from: J_Speegle on August 22, 2018, 04:47:54 AM
And porous. Like you had a nail in the tire that leaked all the time.  Plus oxidize quickly
It was hard to tell which leaked faster a Goodyear race tire or the wheel. I was detailing 5R001 and sprayed some cleaner on the wheels and watched all the bubbles coming from where the spoke met the rim. We checked them all and found 3 bad wheels with 1 or 2 cracked spokes per wheel. The car had just come back from Monterey where it popped the motor. Good thing it wasn't able to run the whole race.
Title: Re: Magnesium wheels
Post by: gt350hr on August 23, 2018, 11:07:20 AM
 +1 The wheels often had a green paint on the inside to "seal" up the porosity when they were NEW. Magnesium wheels do not "age" well. Unless carefully inspected/X rayed they are a "time bomb" if used in a racing situation.