Campy wheel color

First, I suggest NOT media-blasting magnesium wheels. Mag is a very reactive metal and will corrode within minutes in high-humidity areas unless quickly coated with zinc chromate. The wheels are already coated with this stuff from Campagnolo, so unless you are repairing/welding on a Campy, simply chemically-strip the exterior paint & start from there. The color is a flat silver, but is not listed in the 30-yr-old parts manuals by paint code. There is a silver paint listed but its apparently for the body; the wheels were colored by Campagnolo before arriving at DeTomaso. Campy/wheels div. has since been acquired by Technomagnesio of Italy.

Thanks Jack, I'll pass that along. I also received an email from a non memeber who was kind enough to provide the following.
"Ford TSB, Bulletin #11, Article 92.
Service Paint- Magnesium Wheels
Color: Argent Silver
Ditzler Part No. DX8555"

I'll give it a try and let everyone know how it works.

Hello Tom,
Did you ever obtain the paint and use it on your rims? If so, was it a match or ? Please update us.
Thank you,
Dave Adler

Hi Dave,
I just got my hands on a broken 7" wheel and will try the chemical strip that Jack suggested. I already have the PPG paint. Will let you know how it works. By the way.....just try to buy zinc chromate paint;it can't be done. The latest is acid etch primer and it's apparently safer to use. Ah yes, better living through chemistry!

I noticed that tmjones said that he has the PPG paint to refinish original Campy wheels. Do you have the PPG paint code #?

Thanks Paul

When I went through this last year I found that there is no current conversion for the paint code in the TSB. I searched the web high and low for alternate colors and found that Eastwood Light Argent Silver Rally wheel paint was a VERY close match, especially when coated with their Diamond Clear (satin finish). Another option is to take an original wheel that has not been repainted or stripped to your local body shop and let them mix the paint to match - Mike Drew did this with excellent results. I spent about $200 on stripper, Zinc Chromate Primer, Eastwood Silver Argent and Diamond Clear paint, and then invested countless hours annealling the wheels and doing all the dirty work. I think Mike paid $100/wheel to have the shop do his. I think I'd drop them off at a body shop if I had it to do over again. Something to think about.

quote:

Color: Argent Silver
Ditzler Part No. DX8555

This color in Ditzler is not readily available in my neck of the woods ..is crosses over to a dupont number thats a 2 stage paint argent and clear the hardner .. a 300.00 cost for a pint of paint , pint of hardner,pint of clear and some thinner ... just inquiring if this is the only route to take.

Ron

quote:

First, I suggest NOT media-blasting magnesium wheels. Mag is a very reactive metal and will corrode within minutes in high-humidity areas unless quickly coated with zinc chromate.

I was under the impression that soda blasting left a kinda protective coating when the blasting process was done? Steel wont flash rust after soda blasting...is what Ive been told?
Jeff