Magnesium Minilite resto

[Thorp]

Hi all,

Ive just picked up a set of Mag Minilites (5.5 x 10). I want to have them restored for show; are there any companies that people can recommend?

There is a place in Wiltshire that I found on the net which isn’t too far away, but grateful for any advice. Obviously they will need crack testing etc.

http://www.tpcs-magnesium-refurbs.co.uk/


Thanks

[mini_surfari]

Steve at TPCS I've found to be a great bloke,

I've not had any wheels done, but he's some suspension parts for me.

Worth giving him a call and discussing.

[Rusty old S]

As soon as you magnesium. Crack testing etc be prepared to put your hands into deep pockets. I tap with a spanner and if they ring all good for me, lightly bead blast spray with a rattle can , drive on

[Peter Laidler]

You're right Rusty. Mind you, if you just want them for show, there are several good and easy to use off the shelf NDT type crack testing kits suitable for the home rebuilder.

['S'-type]

I've heard good things about Ian Jemison near York. Be interesting to know if Mark knows anything about them.

[Peter Laidler]

Talking of mag alloy wheels. Glassurit-Beck, a big paint firm based here with a large training school attached used to refurbish Navy helicopter wheels that were made from magnesium for lightness. They also painted Concorde wheels too I saw some real tatty wheels being repainted - along with a tatty set I got on my car that I binned PDQ. The rejects were sent back with a condemnation certificate, The ex MG works paint chief told me that they were made from water soluble material. Certainly salt water soluble by the look of them!

[InnoCooperExport]

I've heard good things about Ian Jemison near York. Be interesting to know if Mark knows anything about them.

My brother lives around the corner from them and has recommended them to me before. Apparently he gets a lot of business from posh car makers like Mclaren.

That said their main thing seems to be Alloys, so maybe they won't do Mags? It is quite specialist and different from aluminium.

[Thorp]

Thanks all, will take a look. I didn’t pay much for the wheels but would be nice to do something with them.

They’re obviously originals with Stewart and Arden sticker on them (presumably they were a distributor in period?) and still have Dunlop wheel weights on etc. 3 are very good and could respond to a light blast and rattle can treatment, but one was obviously sitting bottom of the pile in a shed and has been festering. It would be ok for show, but it might be cheaper to find another to complete the set rather than repair for the road.

I presume the 5.5 x 10 size was common for rally cars in period.

[Rusty old S]

If one has festered use as spare . You will find an odd 5.5 but some have slightly different offsets ( the spacer bit inside) as you say 5.5 for rally, 6in for race, and the much rarer and wanted 4.5. Which do not need arches. Be aware there are tubed and later tubeless types the small square raised section where the valve protrudes So you can fit a nut type valve stem

[Thorp]

These are tubeless; old valves are still fitted, which I presume dates that to early/mid 70’s.

I will try and post a pic

[Thorp]

8BA851FF-65B3-4865-9D28-6270ADCCF7CF.jpeg

[mk1]

UGH! That inner wheel well look pretty terrible! If the corrosion isn't too deep then it may be useable, but if it goes to any real depth, it is only really any good as paperweights.

Ian Jemmison is an EXPERT. When it comes to repairing wheels, he can repair damaged edges, straighten bent wheels & restore pretty much anything, that is in a far worse condition that you would think possible. BUT if a Mag wheel is badly corroded it's dead & there is nothing anyone can do about it. I am sending a couple of Cosmic RW10S's for him to sort very soon & have used him before.

[Thorp]

Yes, it’s a shame that one is so bad; the others are very good.

I spoke to Ian earlier; very helpful. Will get them blasted and see what’s left of this one afterwards.... he’s happy to have a go at it. Pricing wise seemed very reasonable.

[Thorp]

One more question on these for those Minilite experts, I took some measurements of the wheels and they seem
to be the 2/D345 (10RCC) version when compared to the chart on the main website.

Does anyone know, were the 5.5 wheel options basically the same casting, with the inner hub face machined to different thicknesses to give different inset?

[Thorp]

Chart

[mk1]

It is, the different offsets are invariably achieved by machining different amounts off the inner hub area.

[Thorp]

Thanks Mark. So presumably these are suitable for Cooper with narrower track and therefore less inset.

I did think the hub looked incredibly thick.....

So for running these on an S, I could machine approx 1/4 inch off the face to make them in line with with 10RC wheel.

The wheels are now with Ian Jemison so will see what he can do with them.

[mk1]

Yes, that would make sense. Never done it myself though.

[Polarsilver]

Thorp, my 6 inch version Minilite rims have "made in england" & other stamped manufacturing numbers on the inner hub face ..so it could be worth checking for any original info located in this area of each wheel before you start to machine off any material .

maybe i just got lost reading all the other good stuff on the main site .. but i could not find that Minilite spec list you have posted. can you give me the link please .

[mk1]

http://mk1-performance-conversions.co.uk/minilite.htm

It can be found here:

http://mk1-performance-conversions.co.u ... rchive.htm