8 replies to this topic

[padraig.hart]

I've got a set of 10" magnesium Minilites that I was given years ago. Covered in paint. Looking crappy.

I e-mailed a few photos to Minilite, who reckon they're legit.

The question is whether it's worth restoring them. I'll have to have the paint stripped to see if they're any good underneath......not sure if I'm going to have to have them X-rayed for cracks (whaddya reckon?)....and then budget for a refurb on top of that.

If it worked out about the same as (maybe a little more than) a regular set of minilite-type alloys then I'd be very tempted. Failing that they're doorstops (or classic show rally car props...)

What would a set of magnesium minilites be worth?

Would they be practical to use ?

Any thoughts, peeps ?

Oh, by the way - were they always silver, or were there gold-painted versions (kinda fancy the gold...) ??

Edited by padraig.hart, 08 July 2009 - 01:31 PM.

[kez_19]

i know that if you shouldn't have them shot blasted because magnesium wheels can catch fire with shot blasting but other than that it should be a good idea to restore them

michael

[padraig.hart]

Hadn't actually thought of that. Clive Brown (of Minilite) said that often the magnesium, being so reactive, breaks down over the years, and especially with the chemical stripping processes. They may even come apart in chunks! I figured better to keep away from the chemicals - and thought about bead blasting. Maybe it's hard to find bead-blasters (are they all shot-type blasters usually??).

A couple of years ago when I was getting alloys redone for my Spitfire, the wheel guys were reluctant to even talk about them - not worth the bother, they said. Maybe that was because my budget was tight, but I kinda thought "Hey, if they're Minilites, the "Real Thing", then they must be worth doing up."
Now, having been in contact with Minilite and finding out that they really are Mg Minilites, but really quite fragile I'm worried....

[GraemeC]

Without extensive x-raying and crack testing I would be very wary about using them on the road - they are just too susceptible to breaking up over if they are of any age. For a show car they are great though.
I beleive their value has dropped considerably because no-one wants to take the risk of using them.

[padraig.hart]

Just noticed this:
http://cgi.ebay.co.u...em=120447263186 (Item No.120447263186)

Currently at over £300!

Maybe mine are worth refurbing after all ???

[Deathrow]

Or maybe just sell them as is?

If you refurb them you risk them breaking up by the sounds of it.

Your call, sounds a risky business to me though if they are worth £300ish on eBay.

[padraig.hart]

I don't believe it! The Minilites on Ebay finished up at £560 !!

At that rate I could have two sets of lookalikes and tyres!

I gotta say, I'm tempted to get rid of mine and supplement the rebuild, although I wouldn't like to offend the friend of my brother who gave them to him to go to a good home....

Would be cool though, to have a 60s rally car with authentic 60s rally wheels.....

Course, could start to strip them and render them worthless.......

Decisions, decisions....

[mk1mark]

The life expectancy for a Mag minilite when they were used by the works cars was 12 months MAX. After this they were thrown away because they considered them totally compromised. So a 40+ year old set are hardly within their use by date.

To get them crack tested, x-rayed & restored by Minilite will cost well in excess of the £500 and odd you have seen a set go on ebay for recently.

No serious competition user will touch a s/h set with a barge pole, the market is exclusivley from "Works car" replica enthusiasts & people with more money than sense.

The most sensible thing you can do with your set (assuming they aren't too badly pitted, cracked or otherwise obviously knackered) is to ebay them to one of the above groups of people & buy a decent set of wheels & tyres with your profit.

[padraig.hart]

The most sensible thing you can do with your set (assuming they aren't too badly pitted, cracked or otherwise obviously knackered) is to ebay them to one of the above groups of people & buy a decent set of wheels & tyres with your profit.

There speaketh the Voice of Wisdom (which co-incidentally is exactly what the wife said!)

Ho Hum, I suppose I'd better tidy them up for a photoshoot....