Lotus Europa Community
Lotus Europa Forums => Classifieds Forums => FS/WTB: Europa Parts and Stuff => Topic started by: ivygreen on Saturday,May 10, 2025, 05:56:48 PM
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Does anyone happen to have one (or two) of these Minilites they’d be willing to sell? Cosmetic condition not terribly important. I have one (maybe two) that are too far gone to hold air.
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Why won’t they hold air? I have a couple of rear magnesium Minilites that came with inner tubes, because they wouldn’t hold air. Before I repainted them, I sealed the inner surfaces with a weld sealer. Now they don’t leak.
It was a Henkel product that I can’t find a link for right now. If you are interested, I think I have the bottle somewhere.
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Are they magnesium or Aluminum? Either way wash with a degreaser like Purple Power or one of Zep’s Industrial Degreasers , glass bead, wash with an acid based mag cleaner, wash with degreaser again. Dry the wheel in an oven to get all the moisture out. Prime with aircraft zinc chromate if mag, if aluminum wash with Alodine then zinc phosphate prime and paint. For paint I used Rustoleum high performance enamel. The rustoleum fillis the pin holes well. Did is to my American mags years ago and no leaks ,no peeling either. Used Gibbs penetrant on the exterior of the wheel . Just did some pitted Hilibrands and they are holding air.
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I appreciate the suggestions, gentlemen, but I fear all the careful prep and powder coat in the world won’t save me this time…
LOL
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Bondo then!
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:o
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Are those magnesium alloy? That might explain the degree of corrosion. If they are magnesium then perhaps you should seek advice before re-using them for a road car.
Just so you know, a new set of wheels is quite affordable, e.g.
https://johnbrownwheels.com/wheels/13-alloys?wheel_fitment=85
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Thanks, Gideon.
I actually have no intention of putting these wheels back on the road. I have another (expensive) wheel in mind, but I’m years away from worrying about those right now. I just need something to be able to roll it around, but my OCD won’t allow me to mount a non-matching set of wheels. I was hoping someone may have a couple of these lying around.
I don’t know if they’re magnesium or aluminum. I honestly haven’t had time to pay much attention to the car. We dragged it home, sat it on the parking pad, and that’s been about the extent of it.
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If you need real cheap rollers that hold air, people give away Spitfire steelies all the time on the Triumph forums. Sometimes even with sound tires on them!
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With that level of corrosion, they are magnesium. Do not use vintage magnesium wheels for anything. They are not even safe to hold the car up.
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Got it, JB. Thank you.
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If it happened to 1, I would not trust the other 3. Do yourself a favor and get new, really a couple hundred bucks vs an accident which would cost more or up your life insurance.