Mag star color

[TLea]

I know this has been talked about many times but what are we calling the Magstar color used on the early magstars? It almost looks cast-iron to me

[Bob Gaines]

I know this has been talked about many times but what are we calling the Magstar color used on the early magstars? It almost looks cast-iron to me

Tim ,I have found that the cast iron spray can paint like cast blast is very similar to NOS early light color wheels. Later wheels are different.

[TLea]

Thank you Bob

[JD]

Early marketing shot at Shelby American LA Airport facility, I think Jan of '67...

[TLea]

Great shots JD

[rmarble57]

I was thinking they were just left natural aluminum finish?

[JD]

I was thinking they were just left natural aluminum finish?

Randy, I'm inclined to agree with you, for what that;s worth.

Perhaps much like the intake finish discussion going on in another thread, the lighting and the brightness of the machined top edges and the chrome outer rim make the raw rough casting surface look a bit darker and being partially in the shadow areas compounds the visual contrast ??

Some other images, the center one is a photo from back in the day, early car original wheel with a few years of dirt etc., on the recessed areas.

[Bob Gaines]

The original and NOS ones that I have had appeared to have had a coating of some kind which I assumed was to help with corrasion. With that said however you achieve the dull look as long as you get it right more power to you.

[68krrrr]

Interesting topic as I just ordered and received a set of mag stars from Paradise wheels I asked him specifically about the color and he mentioned they were dark charcoal not black, I received them yesterday and they look black to me. I also spotted this 67 GT500 a few weeks ago in Las Vegas at Barrett Jackson & it immediately caught my eye and I thought the wheels look weird in a more natural color.

[JD]

It seems that someone who also got new wheels with the dark gray was able to remove it with solvent.  You might as Paradise if that will work and what they would suggest using if you want the recessed areas bare or repainted to a "color" you prefer.

The recessed areas on the B-J cars' wheels you posted look way too bright to me.

Others have also said as Bob G did above that there was a "clear-ish" coating on the cast aluminum center to help deter corrosion/oxidation/dirt adhering.

[Bob Gaines]

The bare aluminum magstar wheel center is too light in color when compared to other known original or NOS centers. I have found clear coat over the entire tenspoke wheel but have not noticed a clear coat on Mag star wheels . At least on the many over the years that I have seen and had. The Magstar centers had some kind of paint or coating that made them look different (slightly darker )then a bare aluminum center.

[JD]

Bob, so you're thinking the top surface machining if the 5 sets of "twin spokes" occurred after the "coating material" was applied?

[George Schalk]

Pictured is an n.o.s. MagStar wheel that had never been cleaned or touched up and was still in the box.  Notice the center has the very light gray appearance and is defiantly not bare aluminum.  The backside of the wheel center is clearly not painted and has a bare aluminum appearance. 

As Bob mentioned, I find that a cast iron color paint, applied in a very light coat, replicates the appearance of the original wheel centers.  The center should never be painted black or even a dark gray.

I have a number of original unrestored wheels that have the same appearance, with the gray centers, as the n.o.s. wheel pictured. 

[papa scoops]

i have a set of over the counter magstars from a shelby dealer, back in 68, they have a natural look, no clear and are like the cast iron look in the photos. these have been on my 68 since new, not exposed to outdoors much so not faded, the color may have changed over the years, but still looks like original photo. id go with light cast grey ith a flatner mixed in. scoops

[rmarble57]

My Example