I am replacing wheels on my Lotus Elan and have acquired new magnesium 26R-style wheels. These are unpainted and have a polished rim. I was planning to spray the new wheels (after removing the WD40 currently on them). What is the best way to paint them?

In the past, when I have tried to "clear-coat" freshly media blasted magnesium with the usually available clear "rattle-can" coatings, I have experienced the magnesium turning a nauseous yellowish color.

This time, however, I followed Carroll Smith's advice and tried the "Zynolyte" brand. Zynolyte "clear" is just as good as the "Zynolyte Epoxy" colored paints that Smith touts.

The ORIGINAL magnesium wheels on my ORIGINAL 26R Lotus Elan look like they were made last week, bright and not even very glossy. I don't know what will happen under serious heat cycling from the brakes, but the Zynolyte works great as a preservative.

The identifying feature of magnesium as compared to aluminum for me has been the characteristic of magnesium to oxidize gray/black almost immediately upon cleaning - the ones I've experienced would even turn black WHILE I was naively washing a freshly glass-beaded wheel.

This last time, I mopped them with "Alumiprep #33" brightener and stabilized them with Alodine #1001 (Aircraft Spruce) before the Zynolyte clear coat. I did the same with a "control wheel" I painted with "Varithane Crystal" . . . . it turned yellow.

My tires are tubed but as to sealing a porous wheel, I think that I would call SASCO or some other of the clever tire folk and get their recommendation. I have heard that in the "olden days" use was made of ordinary office store rubber cement. If left to my own devices, I'd probably seal the inner surface with some paint product such as "REZ" permatizer, a Pittsburgh product which is super-adherent and stays flexible but I'd try to get expert advice first!