Restored gearbox housing after water blasting

Magnesium Pickling

Old magnesium housings back to the original, slightly mottled factory finish — in house

Returning old magnesium housings to their original, slightly mottled factory finish is our speciality — pickled in our own workshop, not polished to a shine, but exactly the way the gearbox once left the factory.

What we do

Pickling of magnesium housings is done in our own workshop — from oil-soaked old housing to factory-correct surface. The housing is water-blasted first so the pickle can work evenly; afterwards it shows the slightly mottled, matte appearance it once left the factory with.

That may sound like cosmetics, but it is substance care: the pickle removes oxide layers, reveals any corrosion hiding underneath, and does not change dimensions — bearing seats and sealing faces stay untouched.

What it gives you

Originality experts can see
no gloss, but the true factory finish — a difference in concours judging.
An honest assessment
cracks and corrosion pockets hidden under old layers become visible on the pickled surface.
Dimensional stability
no mechanical removal — the housing stays geometrically as it was.

Together with our partners

Plating, powder coating and painting are organised with proven partners, and the part comes back to you finished — while water blasting and magnesium pickling remain in-house as core competence. One contact for the complete surface chain.

From the workshop

Common questions

01 What exactly is pickling?

Pickling is a chemical surface treatment. The part is immersed in a pickling solution that removes oxide layers and contamination and restores the metal's characteristic surface — no mechanical removal, no change to the dimensions.

02 Why does an original magnesium housing look mottled?

Magnesium reacts unevenly with air — even at the factory, these housings had that slightly mottled, matte appearance. A uniformly bright-blasted housing therefore reads as "over-restored" to any expert. Pickling restores exactly the original look.

03 Why is pickling better than blasting for magnesium?

Blasting with solid grit compacts and smooths the surface and leaves embedded residue. A pickled housing keeps its original texture, its dimensions, and stays free of grit — important for bearing seats and sealing faces.

04 Which cars is this worthwhile for?

Wherever originality counts — concours restorations, collector cars and documented matching-numbers builds of classic Porsches with magnesium housings, such as 901 and 915 gearboxes.

05 Can this be combined with a rebuild?

That is the normal case. The gearbox is stripped, the housing water-blasted and pickled, all parts inspected and reconditioned — the result is a gearbox that is factory-correct technically and visually, with a test-bench run.

Inquiry

What is on your bench?

Gearbox type and a few lines about your request — that is all we need for a first assessment. A photo helps but is not required. The answer comes from the machinist, not from sales.

Send inquiry

Reply usually within 24 hours — from the managing director himself, no ticket system, no call centre. We call back on request.

or directly: 06628 9159093 · info@antriebstechnik-schmidt.de