Updated Magnesium Halibrand thread

[Got the Bug]

Originally Posted by RodKnock

Darn, then I wasted all that money on the 482, when a 390 looks pretty much the same.

You and the 10 guys at breakfast know the difference. Good for braggin' rights though. :

Originally Posted by RodKnock

IMHO, it's just cool to have them. They patina and they're lighter. Oh well, I'll just have to wait until Halibrand starts making them again in a few months/years/decades.

If Hallibrand manufactures the wheels again, what would the cost be for a set? About $2,000?

[RodKnock]

Doug, when they were last offered for sale by Halibrand, I think the prices were $765/ea for the fronts and $795/ea for the rears or $3,120 total.

Shoot, 1 out of a 1,000 people probably realize that I really don't have chrome paint and that it's actually an aluminum body.

[Got the Bug]

Originally Posted by RodKnock

Doug, when they were last offered for sale by Halibrand, I think the prices were $765/ea for the fronts and $795/ea for the rears or $3,120 total.

I guess I could have gone back and re-read the thread.
So, basically the same price that the guy in Redwood City was asking for a set of 4.

[Larry N Johnson]

Originally Posted by Got the Bug

I guess I could have gone back and re-read the thread.
So, basically the same price that the guy in Redwood City was asking for a set of 4.

The Redwood City price is fair (actually very good) for 6-pin setups.

[elric]

Rodknock's prices are correct. I bought a set 2 yrs ago and that was the cost.

[RodKnock]

Unfortunately, Halibrand is not making them and the seller in Redwood City doesn't have any more of them. I wish the person who bought the last four sets...wouldn't have.

Oink, oink.

[Got the Bug]

Originally Posted by RodKnock

Unfortunately, Halibrand is not making them and the seller in Redwood City doesn't have any more of them. I wish the person who bought the last four sets...wouldn't have.

Oink, oink.

Snooze you lose.

[RodKnock]

Originally Posted by Got the Bug

Snooze you lose.

Who would have thunk that in this economy someone has $12,500 to spend on wheels. Yes, I know. My alarm didn't go off.

[Larry N Johnson]

I have a set of used Mag 427 S/C "Cobra II"
will sell for what I have in them.
They fort Vintage or Trigo adapers as used on SPF's and other 5-lug setups. (Jag)

[rokndad]

Originally Posted by Larry N Johnson

I have a set of used Mag 427 S/C "Cobra II"
will sell for what I have in them.
They fort Vintage or Trigo adapers as used on SPF's and other 5-lug setups. (Jag)

Not quite sure what you're saying here. Are they 6-pin wheels with adapters for a 5-lug hub?

[Larry N Johnson]

Originally Posted by rokndad

Not quite sure what you're saying here. Are they 6-pin wheels with adapters for a 5-lug hub?

5-pin wheels.
They will fit 5-lug to 5-pin adapters for Ford, Chev, and Jag patterns.

[rokndad]

Originally Posted by Larry N Johnson

5-pin wheels.
They will fit 5-lug to 5-pin adapters for Ford, Chev, and Jag patterns.

Rats! I need 6-pin. Thx.

[RodKnock]

The seller in Redwood City, who sold the NOS sets of magnesium Halibrand wheels also has what appears to be four (4) sets of used and/or aged magnesium Halibrands for Cobras on eBay. I have no affiliation with the seller/sale of these items:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/HALIB...1%7C240%3A1318

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/HALIB...1%7C240%3A1318

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/HALIB...1%7C240%3A1318

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/HALIB...1%7C240%3A1318

Caveat emptor, always. Good luck.

[RodKnock]

The seller has sold all magnesium Halibrand wheels that were on the eBay to one buyer.

Please PM or email me if you know where I can get a set. Thank you.

[4pipes]

Originally Posted by RodKnock

The seller has sold all magnesium Halibrand wheels that were on the eBay to one buyer.

Please PM or email me if you know where I can get a set. Thank you.

Stewart had a set of NOS mags a year or two ago, maybe he still has them.

[RodKnock]

When we spoke a couple months back, Stewart said he was out, but that he would order a couple sets for inventory. However, I'm assuming he may having the same problem that I'm having getting a set, but I'll shoot him an email anyway. Thanks for the reminder.

[RodKnock]

Originally Posted by Lew Ledyard

Since we have a new dedicated wheel/tire forum, I thought that I would revise/update this thread.

Many people would like to have new sets of magnesium wheels for their Cobras. They are significantly lighter than the currently available aluminum wheels. In addition, some of us feel that the magnesium wheels look better than the currently available aluminum wheels. Although the mag wheels are more pricey, some folks have spared no other expense in the build of their car. Two possible sources for the production of these wheels have been identified: Halibrand (The New Halibrand) (not sure exactly who that is now) and M&A Castings (High Performance Magnesium and Aluminum Castings - M & A Castings). According to M&A Castings, the quality of the magnesium and the coatings used today is much better than what was originally used, so corrosion is less of a factor.

Halibrand said that they occasionally make batches of their Cobra II (427 S/C) wheels in magnesium. Such batches are usually made in runs of 100 wheels per size. The wheels are 6 pin knock-offs in sizes of 15X8 (f) and 15X10 (r). See Elric's gallery for photos. The prices are $765 (f) and $795 (r). I do not know what the offset/backspacing is, but I believe it is the same as the Trigos.

I have also spoken with M&A Castings about producing these wheels. They have a great reputation and produce beautiful wheels. M&A said that they do not have molds already made, but that they could make them for about $12,000-15,000 per size and then after that, each wheel would be about $700. I have spoken with Ted at M&A quite a bit. He said that the quality of magnesium that M&A uses is much better than what was used in the original wheels. (I have not spoken to Halibrand about the quality of their materials.) Ted also said that he can apply a variety of protective finishes/coatings to produce a light gold finish, a black finish or a natural finish.

While I think that M&A would make terrific wheels, that price might be a little too steep for some of us. Therefore, it might make the most sense to convince Halibrand to run another batch of 50 sets. While we probably won't be able to get 50 confirmed pre-orders, we may be able to demonstrate that there is enough firm interest to convince Halibrand or M&A to produce a set. So far, the following has said that they would like a set:

Lew
Rodknock
Xracerbob
Cobra (Walter from Switzerland)
CSX3183
Brettco

I am sure that there are others, so please add yourself to the list. If any of the manufacturers (KMS, ERA, Shelby, SPF, etc.) are interested in offering this option to their customers, please also chime in. Nothing like a volume buyer to get a producer's interest.

I will ask both Halibrand and M&A to take a look at this post to help them determine the interest level.

Besides me, is there anyone out there that still wants a set and would be willing to purchase in the near future? I'm assuming that much of the demand has dwindled with the recent sale of some leftover sets in California.

[Rick Parker]

These are very nice wheels if someone is looking for a light track wheel. 6 pin OEM pattern
http://www.clubcobra.com/classifieds...p?product=2234

[RodKnock]

Originally Posted by Rick Parker

These are very nice wheels if someone is looking for a light track wheel. 6 pin OEM pattern
http://www.clubcobra.com/classifieds...p?product=2234

Thanks Rick, but I really would like to get some magnesium wheels in 15".

Halibrand has not responded to a couple emails that I've sent, yet, but I did speak with M&A Castings and they would be very interested in producing them again, but they would need to make a new pattern, since they cannot use the Halibrand patterns. I'm not a "metallurgy" kinda guy, but as I understood it, a new magnesium wheel would be a better wheel than mag wheels made in the past.

It didn't sound like a hard and fast number, but if there was a 15-set commitment, M&A would make another run. Unfortunately, I think much of the demand has been satiated, at least here on CC.

[xracerbob]

RodKnock-

When I spoke with Ted at M&A a year or more ago, the pattern cost was about $9,000 each (one for the front, one for the rear). Amortizing that cost over 15 sets= $1200/set plus the wheels. Then there is the issue of who owns the patterns. If Ted retains ownership of the patterns, maybe this could become a more reasonable proposition. I would bet M&A is willing to be a little more flexible these days since everybodys business is hurting. Particularly so in Pinconning, MI.