Early OEM FPS Alloys - What are they made of?

[Mike Self]

1 hour ago, Conserv said:

I believe the early OEM alloys were introduced in early 1971, roughly with the introduction of the touring models.

I agree with you on that...but I thought (and I seem to recall, but my memory may be faulty) someone from BMW Classic's predecessor--so this was awhile ago--that those alloys were first offered with the 2002ti--but not for the 1600ti, which came out earlier, mid-1967.  

 

The context of my discussion with the BMW Classic folks centered around whether those alloys would be correct for my '69, and was told no, that they were introduced in (IIRC late) 1970, initially for the 2002ti, but later for most anything you wanted to put 'em on.  Very few cars came to the US with the wheels installed from the factory (I only remember seeing one or two) and all the ones I saw were on tii's.  In fact, they're a lot more common now than they were 40 years ago.  It took me over 20 years of looking to find a set.  

 

mike

[edgefinder]

17 hours ago, stephers said:

Cerakote , I think, is the way to go on wheels      Better than powder for longevity and nicer looking than paint     I have done both ways, paint or powder coat, myself, in my own shop but the next set I do , I am going to try doing them with Cerakote air dry 

 

Thanks, Rick

I'm also going with Cerakote, air dryed by the shop heater for a month. Not a fan of powder coat, its too thick and hides corrosion and cracks

[Luis]

On 12/14/2022 at 3:22 PM, Conserv said:

Yes, Billy,

 

The design is largely copied from an earlier Cromodora design, a design that was executed in… magnesium alloy. 

 

 

 

...and a design first introduced in the Fiat Dino and winning a design award in 1966.

[billy g]

6 hours ago, JohnS said:

If you want to get a good match to the original color, I would take one of the wheels into Powder Coat It and have them suggest the best match.  I did that with the air filter housing from my tii and they matched it perfectly.  They're in Santa Cruz on the frontage road off of 41st Ave.  That is, if you insist on powder coating the wheels.  I normally go with paint for wheels myself.  Like Mike said 🙂

Thanks, John.  I wasn't aware of Powder Coat It, which is odd since I'm in and around that area quite often.  I'll keep them in mind.  That being said, the discussion here has convinced me not to powder coat the wheels.  They actually cleaned up really nice and I'm tempted to throw on my CN36's and run as-is.

[billy g]

4 hours ago, Luis said:

...and a design first introduced in the Fiat Dino and winning a design award in 1966.

That's really interesting because when I took my wheels to the local tire shop today, first thing the owner said when he saw them was "are those for a Fiat?".

[Luis]

18 hours ago, Luis said:

...and a design first introduced in the Fiat Dino and winning a design award in 1966.

At the risk of veering into off-topic territory, here is the reference for the award:

Wheel design award  Halfway down the page

[Conserv]

2 hours ago, Luis said:

At the risk of veering into off-topic territory, here is the reference for the award:

Wheel design award  Halfway down the page

Bellissimo!

 

 

[Mike Self]

 

1 hour ago, Conserv said:

Wheel design award  Halfway down the page

This is the design...look familiar?  A similar wheel was used on Mazda 626's back in the early 80s...unfortunately both the Mazda and Fiat wheel bolt spacing is 4x98...

 

 

 

 

Many years ago I missed out on a set of Chromadora wheels that were on a burned 2002 in a local, but out in the country, salvage yard.  Two of the tires were burned but the wheels were fine:  $25 each.  I came back two days later with the $$ and they were gone.  Rats.

 

mike

 

[Blue 02]

On 12/15/2022 at 2:23 PM, edgefinder said:

I'm also going with Cerakote, air dryed by the shop heater for a month. Not a fan of powder coat, its too thick and hides corrosion and cracks

I am getting a set a FPS wheels vapor blasted to clean them up from 50 years of use and looking for a color for them.  What Cerakote color are you for your wheels?

 

Thanks - Rich 

[stephers]

Be careful about getting them vapor blasted, the Cerekote site says that NOT to glass bead parts as it leaves it to smooth and vapor blasting is even smoother       They say that the Cerekote won't grip to the metal, they recommend leaving it at 100grit garnet  which is what most sand blasting places carry.        I am going to try a color called   Cobalt which is a silver with a tinge of blue to it.      Have to wait and see how it turns out, also had to but a detail spray gun with a .8 tip, not the usual size.

 

Thanks, Rick

[SydneyTii]

What I notice between the older and later wheels is the early seem to be a brighter silver with the later slightly darker, it seems to show when you take a photo, in that the early seem to reflect much more light so you need to get a better angle to take your shot, where as the darker seem to highlight the  nice contours from all angles…. Or maybe I’m just a crap photographer…. My wife who is a photographer just rolls her eyes at my pictures tbh she isnt wrong🙄😜

[Blue 02]

On 1/12/2023 at 10:16 PM, stephers said:

Be careful about getting them vapor blasted, the Cerekote site says that NOT to glass bead parts as it leaves it to smooth and vapor blasting is even smoother       They say that the Cerekote won't grip to the metal, they recommend leaving it at 100grit garnet  which is what most sand blasting places carry.        I am going to try a color called   Cobalt which is a silver with a tinge of blue to it.      Have to wait and see how it turns out, also had to but a detail spray gun with a .8 tip, not the usual size.

 

Thanks, Rick

Thank you.  The guy doing the vapor blasting also does Cerekote too.  I'm trying to get the color the older wheels came with (set is from 1972) as some pope think the newer FPS alloys were more "silver".

[stephers]

That I don't have to worry about on these wheels, they are a set of "fake" 3 piece basket weave style wheels so there really isn't any thing to keep to original, I think that this particular silver with a blue tinge will go well with my son's 71 2002 which will be Riveria eventually .    I will post up some pictures when I am done with them probably early next month        and we can do a comparism test  with other silvers to see how they look

 

Thanks, Rick

[Blue 02]

Different question on early FPS alloys - am I reading the markings inside the wheel for manufacture/cast date right - this wheel was made in 12/72?

[jibarnes]

4 hours ago, Blue 02 said:

Different question on early FPS alloys - am I reading the markings inside the wheel for manufacture/cast date right - this wheel was made in 12/72?

I would think November?

Mine are stamped 2/72