Rodney wrote:
>Assuming a set of real vintage magnesium wheels
>were in good condition (no cracks) and you would
>like them for your Tiger, would you buy them or
>stay away from them at all costs?
Hmm. A question: Does Magnafluxing work on magnesium? Or is there another
technology that serves the purpose? And, I presume, that not finding cracks
and not having metal fatigue are two different things. I guess the answer
depends on with how much brio you drive your Tiger. As we're driving Tigers,
and not Volvos while wearing padded suits and helmets, we are all risk-takers,
just to varying degrees. I recall when some nay-sayed aluminum wheels as being
too prone to breakage for street use.
The closest I got -- as I understand it -- was back in 1994, looking at a new
set of Campagnolos, purported to be mag. Well, they had that funny yellowish
look and were feather-light, but I didn't set one on fire which would have
been the real test. :^) The distributor could not answer my questions about
offset so they sent me a wheel to try (IIRC it was an Alfa-Romeo application).
It bolted up fine, but the center hole on the wheel was too small and I has
too chicken to have it machined out, so I sent the wheel back for a refund; I
never got as far as an accurate offset measurement -- and prior to this I was
running on a set of Mustang II alloys with altogether the wrong offset
(scraped _top_ of front fender lip!). That wheel sure was pretty though, and
I'd trust my life to anything made by Campagnolo, as I certainly did in my
bicycle-racing days.
Through the Mazda Miata (my other car) community, I've become really cognizant
to the impact of unsprung weight on performance (I now know I ruined the
handling of my sporterized Toyota pickup by bolting what were effectively boat
anchors to each corner). Now, I won't order either wheels or tires without
knowing the weight up front. These days, there are lightweight forged aluminum
wheels, but for a vintage application I could see magnesium. I recall that
Tech-Del still makes the original MiniLite mag wheel, even if the aluminum
MaxiLite version is probably much more popular.
None of which answers Rodney's question. Mag is "riskier" than aluminum, old
is riskier than new. Both at the same time might put a purchase
beyond-the-Pale for many of us. Me? For show only, or "mellow" street
driving...hmmm. Maybe. Instead, maybe we could convince one of the makers of
Halibrand-replica wheels for the Cobra market to make some up in a size,
offset and bolt pattern for our cars. Like that will happen...
Gary wrote:
> All of this talk about DPO "Despised previous owners"
> brings up an interesting point. Every time you modify a
> Tiger you will be a DPO. What to do, What to do?
My first reaction was "Previous Owner? Not bloody likely, I'm not selling!"
OTOH, I might eventually die someday...
I've tried not to "cut the car" and make all changes reversible. However, some
restorer in 2055 ("Thank you for calling Zagar and Evans Motors") or so might
grumble about having to remove the bright silver powdercoat from the front
crossmember and A-arms, filling in the holes where the rollbar mounted, and
refitting the rear drum brakes (I kept them, along with the 260 and the
top-loader, etc.). Oh, and making the exhaust pass-throughs _smaller_, and
removing the glovebox door.
Anyway, it's your car, dowhatchuwannado, and if nothing else you're adding to
what someday -- if not already -- will be the car's "colorful history" and
give the DFO something to talk about.
Lawrence R. Wright
9418 Dubarry Avenue
Seabrook, MD 20706
Phone: (301) 577-6574
wrightsinseabrook@msn.com
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