Begin by rinsing the magnesium wheels with clean water to remove any dirt or debris Next, mix a solution of mild soap and water, and use a soft cloth to gently scrub the wheels Be sure to avoid using any harsh chemicals or abrasives, as these can damage the magnesium Once the wheels are clean, rinse them again with clean water to remove any soap residue Finally, dry the magnesium wheels with a soft towel to prevent water spots from forming Found this on a old thread. HRP
Depends on what you want them to look like when you are done. If you want them polished, might as well give them a light blasting with sand to remove the corrosion pits. You’ll be sanding the dickens out of them anyway to get a shine. If you want old looking gray wheels, do as HRP said, then wipe them liberally with Gibbs when they are dry. Give them a couple weeks and they will look great. Like they were well cared for instead of left to rot.
I had 4 of them in worse shape than yours , when I found them . Soap and water , then I bolted on the the rear axle flange , to spin them . Started with 600 grit , ended up with 1500 grit and polishing compound . They looked like polished chrome . Only issue where I live with never a day under 40% humidity , it was a constant battle to keep them polished . It was so bad if my dog pissed , 2 blocks from my garage , my wheels went green ! My suggestion is just wash them spotless and allow them to go natural gray , and enjoy them , there’s only one original mag 5 spoke . You have the holly grail .
As Unkl Ian said, Walnut Shell in the blast Cabinet. Cleans off all the oxidation and leaves them clean Gray. An air hose with Dry air after is all I ever do to them. You can also do it with the Tires on if your cabinet is big enough like mine. Walnut shell doesn't leave a mark on rubber.
@racer-x is the guy you should ask, he is always mentioning maintaining his mag wheels on his big thread following the evolution of his nitro coupe
Water on magnesium is the worst thing possible. It's like putting acid on them. That's what causes corrosion. Gentle sandblasting with glass bead works best to clean them for a uniform finish. If you like the dirty look they will turn dark gray all by themselves. The time it takes is determined by the humidity.
I have a friend that has had them on his 34 Ford coupe since I met him in 73. His wife used to do the polishing at shows in her short shorts and bikini top which got her in several magazines. Later in life the task was left to him. He does it about 4-5 times a year and occasionally hires a local polisher to do a pro job. He's tried every protective coating in the book but they only seem to slow down the inevitable.
Originally American magnesium torque thrust wheels came with polished rims and natural centers. Halibrand magnesium wheels came with a gold tinged DOW chemical treatment on them. Some of either came polished from the manufacturer at additional cost. I have been running a number of them for the last 50 years or so, and I clean them with WD40. If the dreaded white furries, come out; I use 0000 steel wool and WD40. Back in the day, a lot of guys also used diesel fuel on them.
Glass bead will clean the surface if you intend to paint them but if its pitted you need to polish it out.
Any corrosion (oxidation) needs to be totally removed from whatever substrate it’s on. White pocks on magnesium or rust on steel. You can either use a blasting to get down in those pits where it lives, or you can sand the whole surface down to the level of the bottom of the pits. Depends what you want the final finish to be. But it needs to be removed or it will keep growing.
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