I was lucky and was able to buy a set of the purportedly good aftermarket Legendary Mag 500s, and they are not perfect and I am fighting rust and pitting even though the car is always stored indoors. The advice above is all good. Keep them clean, keep them dry, and coat them with something that will protect the surface from being directly exposed to the ambient moist air, and you are doing the best you can.
When/if mine get pitted and bother me at 10’, I will hunt down a local shop to re-chrome them. I had fantastic luck with a local young fellow who ceramic coated my stock cast iron manifolds, so I think the future may be boutiques.
Modern chrome plating is not the plating of old and I am personally often disappointed with it. That said, keeping a car under a carport is better than leaving it uncovered but will not prevent moisture from accumulating in and on parts of it. That happens not just from rain or humidity but can also occur as a result of condensation due to temperature fluctuations (and can happen in unheated storage as well). In fact, the best thing to do with cars that endure those conditions is to drive them often so that the airflow over and through the body panels will dry out that moisture and prevent rusting from the inside out. That said, one very effective and cheap prevention for the problem you describe with your wheels is to wash them with carwash soap; rinse and dry it; clean the rust off and polish it with a good quality chrome/metal polish (autosol or flitz) and then apply two coats of good quality car wax (like Meguiar’s paste wax). Repeat the process every month or two. The goal is to put and maintain a barrier between moisture/oxygen and the surface of the metal.
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If you could see chrome under a microscope you would see a sea of holes, even on triple plating.
Many of the products just protect the surface. Once that surface has been compromised what’s below isn’t protected.
If you want to seal the holes then you need a real sealant that’s going to protect what’s underneath the chrome.
The Loctite is a sealant that wicks meaning once it enters the hole it continues to spread and will cover areas under the chrome and seal up the hole. This method will last much longer between applications. (about a year)
None of those products mentioned above are capable of wicking. They are great for a topical application though.
When we had hundreds of planes outside in the grass this methods was used to keep struts from rusting.
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I am going to try this on a pitted license frame. Just wanted to clarify that you used this Loctite 290 thread locker?
Yes, for the last 50 years. A little bid goes a long way. If your doing a license frame I would use a Q tip to apply a thin layer. Let it dry over night. You should see a light white film that will wipe off.
Then apply your wax or polish.
Could you post a picture of the frame your going to work on?
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Thank you! Think it will work on the chrome parts of this?
Hi!
I leave a fan fun running at the back (or front )of the car 24/7 when it s park in the garage,since then i didn’T had and rust on the disc brake.
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Yes it will work. First you need to polish the pits smooth with one of the products mentioned.
You might also want to try https://www.big45metalcleaner.com/ It’s inexpensive and it has a long shelf live.
Alloy Magnum 500 wheels wouldn’t rust and would be lighter.
I wish Legendary’s version of the 1969-70 styled steel wheels looked as authentic.
Legendary Wheels LW50-50757A Legendary Wheels Magnum 500 - 15x7 - 5x4.75 - 4.25 BS - Gloss Black/Machined
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Felis_Fidelis,
Did you know Ford did an ad for dealers called…..
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WAY COOL. Love all that old dealer and performance advertisement.
I want my framed version!
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