I'm no fan

[RSTarga]

Ok the first picture is the original old finish on my fan, the second after blasting and chromate.
Looks pretty close to me.

[Ivan Fuller]

Don't know if you can get it - Have you tried "Alodine" ? I've had good results on magnesium parts. Don't recall trying on aluminium though it designed as surface treatment for for that
Anyway if everyone is clear coating for durability why not just tint the clear - or if that's too "even" dust on (air brush) a bit of yellow thinned with clear haphazardly before the clear. (I'd say any furniture refinisher from my day could do it in their sleep)

[70SATMan]

Mike, I'm not sure where the idea originated that Cosmoline was ever used on the fans. Cosmoline is a preservative that does not penetrate into the surface. Whatever is applied will wipe off; no matter how long it's on there.


Michael, most of the super low mileage engines I have/had (including the zero mile 2.2E) had a similar finish to the one on the '73 sales brochure below. (But I must say that particular fan has to be one of the ugliest on the planet.)

Would I ever try to duplicate this?

Not on your life.

But I believe there's some middle ground.

..

700 plus miles on this one:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/807244...7630169538658/

[gled49]

Here are a couple of pix. 1st is a fan I installed 30 years ago when I restored my 73S, the fan was new. 2nd is a fan I just restored and installed on my alternate engine in the same car. Gordon

[johns4949]

Rub some GIBBS on the magnesium. It penetrates, try it on some pieces to see how it looks first.

[Frank Beck]

Thanks.

Great photos and ideas. I will try them.

Safe to say by the latter contributors that a yellowish finish similar to original is indeed possible. The norm has become to "over restore" which unfortunately detracts from an original fan's intrinsic character.

Concours judges take note!

[beh911]

I agree. Gibbs with a soft bristle old tooth brush and a cloth wipe will do wonders to a mildly oxidized fan.

I respect the work going on out there to restore them but they come out too perfect imo. These things were imperfectly finished coming out of the factory.

[t6dpilot]

Frank, you might try the Alodine route. That is used to treat bare aircraft aluminum prior to paint. We use an acid etch called Alumiprep followed by a coating of Alodine. Gives the aluminum a mellow yellowish tint depending on how much you use. A qt. from a Aircraft Spruce is $26. Might be worth a try? Let me know if that works if you decide to try it.

[StephenAcworth]

ALODINE 1001 or 1201?

ALODINE 1201 is a nonflammable, chromic acid based, coating chemical that will produce a chrome conversion coating on aluminum and its alloys.
The coating formed by ALODINE 1201 is gold to tan in color and it becomes a part of the aluminum surface. This chrome conversion coating offers the best affordable substrate for both paint adhesion and corrosion resistance.

ALODINE 1001 An invisible coat to provide in-depth corrosion proofing to the brightened aluminum surface and act as a firm barrier against the elements and continued corrosion.

Frank, you might try the Alodine route. That is used to treat bare aircraft aluminum prior to paint. We use an acid etch called Alumiprep followed by a coating of Alodine. Gives the aluminum a mellow yellowish tint depending on how much you use. A qt. from a Aircraft Spruce is $26. Might be worth a try? Let me know if that works if you decide to try it.

[NTW]

I've never tried Alodine, but always found a fine grit soda blasting to clean it up followed by Tectyl 506 gives good results.