[DeTomaso] Original Magnesium Wheel Failures?

MikeLDrew at aol.com MikeLDrew at aol.com
Tue Mar 6 19:18:59 EST 2012


In a message dated 3/6/12 16 00 2, lashdeep at yahoo.com writes:


> How many instances of original magnesium wheel failures are out there?
> 
> I'm interested as I've discussed the annealing process that I've heard 
> about with some Ferrari and Lambo restorers. Many of them have not performed 
> this even when prepping vintage race cars.
> 
> How many times has this happened in a high speed or high stress driving 
> situation?
> 

You will hear people speak of the dangers of such things with Pantera 
wheels.   Yet you will look high and low and probably never find a single 
instance of a genuine failure.   I have one that developed a crack (apparently as 
the result of hitting a pothole or curb) and would leak air.   But as for 
wheels blowing apart and flinging their cars over cliffs in a burning fireball 
of death and destruction?   Never happened--at least not as far as I know.

Yes, you can do things to preserve the original wheels; annealing them etc. 
is probably a good idea.   But probably less than 1% of the Pantera wheels 
out there have had this treatment, and the other 99% seem to be hanging in 
there just fine.

Your wheels (GT5-S) are much newer and were produced using much more modern 
techniques, so are even less likely to suffer.

I'd be more concerned about the chassis ripping apart where the lower 
suspension mounts to it, a very real possibility with a GT5-S unless suitable 
modifications have been made.   THAT is something to lie awake worrying about, 
until it's dealt with....

Mike


More information about the DeTomaso mailing list