Looking for tires for the '57.....went to Discount Tire and they say Michelin no longer makes a white wall; "only Cooper and they're $200-400 each."
Really? Anyone have recent experience in purchasing white wall tires? Regards, Dan
I recently asked the same question at my local Firestone dealer and got
the same answer. I was looking for replacement whitewall radials for my '73.
The volume is simply not enough for any major player to tool up and make
these any longer. Firestone quite making whitewalls years ago.
Sadly, whitewalls can only be had these days from the specialty manufacturers
that cater to the classic crowd (like us). Producers like Coker to name one.
That, of course, means they are EXPENSIVE.
Even more sad, many of these tires are now imported from China and the
quality is not what it used to be. Ask where they are made before you buy!
Mike
Try Diamond Back Tires in South Carolina at 1-888-922-1642, they might be of some help. EAM
Its not just a white wall, its anything in a 75 series. Even a 225 75 15 LT is not as common as it used to be.
I have still been finding them from smaller more rural tires dealers. They tend to be private labels from Cooper or Kelly. The more rural places even seem to stock a few in the 225 75 15 range. Got a set for my 80 last fall for just over $250 installed. They were only like 50,000 mile rated tires but in most cases our tires seem to die of old age rather than tread wear.
Quote from: TJ Hopland on November 19, 2011, 10:39:20 PM
Its not just a white wall, its anything in a 75 series. Even a 225 75 15 LT is not as common as it used to be.
I have still been finding them from smaller more rural tires dealers. They tend to be private labels from Cooper or Kelly. The more rural places even seem to stock a few in the 225 75 15 range. Got a set for my 80 last fall for just over $250 installed. They were only like 50,000 mile rated tires but in most cases our tires seem to die of old age rather than tread wear.
Agreed that these tires may last longer than we will. Attached is a web site I stumbled across while researching this topic: http://www.americanclassictires.com/ They claim they're made in the USA.
Anyone have any experience with them?
Doesn't Bridgestone still make Whitewalls?
My last ones were Bridgestone
Bruce. >:D
Dan, Diamondback tires has a special right now 60 bucks off a set of 4 235 75 15, 3 inch white wall. I have them on my 55 they have been fine and look great.
Here is the brand I have been seeing the last few years in those 'rural' places I mentioned. Seems like every small town shop or parts store I drive by is a Mastercraft dealer. They may not be as good as tires we once had but your only other option now days is to pay $200 each from a classic tire dealer for what may be a tire that came off the same line as these. In a 215-235 75 15 they should be in the $75 range.
http://www.mastercrafttires.com/html/products/tires_passenger.aspx?page=mastercraft_tires_passenger_AS_IV
There is a dealer locator on their website, 23 dealers within 20 miles of me. Thats likely about the same I would get if I looked for Goodyear or Firestone.
Mastercraft is a subsidiary of Cooper Tire of Findlay, Ohio. Cooper is the
4th largest manufacturer of tires in the U.S.
I don't personally know anything about their quality, but at least they are
made here.
What some firms like Diamondback do is purchase tire cores from other
manufacturers and bond the white wall (or red line or whatever you order)
to the black core. They claim it's a permanent addition to the tire. Where
they get their cores is anybody's guess.
Mike
Diamond back is claiming that they buy recent tires from known manufactureers and put the white band on them. I bought from them a set for my Brougham; they are Firestone. The set I bought for my de Ville were Uniroyal if I remember correctly. They are expensive, but in Europe, we tend to drive faster than in the US (even with old cars). I hear some complains about Coker tires; I would never buy them.
I put Diamondback radials on my 41 60S, 47 6267, 58 6267 over ten years ago. No troubles, great ride, etc. The raised ridge on the whitewall was about a $10 option, you might want to check that out. He buys the brand that best fits the application for the size he is installing the whitewall on. There have been some issues with black spots on the whitewall developing, mine are minor and of no worry to me. He will inform you which tire he sells is closest to your original equipment. For example, there was a jap tire that was closer to the width on my '41 and '47, but it was about $100 more per tire. I am not as fussy as some purists, I had to grind the skirts on the bench grinder of my '47 in one one inch spot. They are nice people, I would continue to buy from them.
I agree with the other members' comments about purchasing whitewalls from Diamondback Tire. They offer a double-stripe whitewall pattern that they vulcanize onto a Bridgestone radial. It is the closest pattern I could find to the triple-stripe that was originally installed on 1966 Cadillacs. See photo. The tires cost about $1000/set including UPS delivery to Texas. They only produce the tires when you place the order so it took them about 2 weeks. I have been driving on them for about a month and am very pleased with both the appearance and the handling. I looked into some Vogue tires but they were higher and come with the gold stripe. So if you are willing to install radials rather than bias ply, I think that Diamondback is the way to go.
Regards,
Paul Nesbitt
Paul,
Those tires look great. Is the dual ww in the wide/narrow configuration new? I looked at their site a few months ago and didn't see them. The option they give for wide inboard or outboard ring is something I haven't seen elsewhere, and I love that they are radials. The wide inner/narrow outer Diamondbacks will be the tires that go on my 70 Eldorado.
I agree that Diamondback is the best way to go. But if you are on a budget, the widest white I have found is a ---- Chinesse tire---- Yep, Since our Evironmenalist have shut down so much of our U.S. manufacturing and the cost of labor demanded by Unions have not helped... All we do now here in the U.S. is CONSUME...
Uh-Oh-- I got to get off my soap box and back to tires... Sorry---
I have been using Champiro 75 white wall tires on cars that are just "drivers" they are a 235-75-15 with a 1 1/4" white wall. Price is under 100 bucks each. I ust got a set of 225/75/15 Champiro tires for one of the uh-- other car brands I have...
Yes, I have a set of Cokers on one of the cars. It has a vibration at high speed. I have had the tires spin balanced a couple of times. The tire shop tells me the Cokers are not exactly waht they call a quality tire... But they sell them because guys like us want wide whites.
This is an excellent topic.
I have 3 different tire situations on my cars and would like to offer an additional choice...
My 76 Eldorado has a proper set of Firestone 501's with the 1.6 inch whitewall. They run great, and they look great. I don't even put 1000 miles a year on it, so they should remain good for many years.
My 60 convertible was purchased earlier this year and has a set of hardly used Diamond Back Classics on it. They ride beautifully and the whitewalls are nice and white.
My 80 Eldorado should also have a fairly wide whitewall on it, but I elected to go with a set of Vogues with the gold and white stripes. The car is black with a set if NOS wire caps and the Vogues, which are period correct dealer add-on's. Tyhey look great too.
Beware of the Chinese and other imported tires, specifically a brand called "Runway". I put a set on a 76 Eldo Cp I had for sale and they yellowed very quickly. You can't clean them because what discolors them is the black rubber and the chemicals bleeding through the back of the whitewall.
Our choices are limited, but hopefully someone will come up with what we need. There are great numbers of 60's and 70's cars, and they all need proper tires to look right.
Brian
This summer, I bought a set of Hankook white walls from my local GoodYear dealer. They were the Optimo H724 line.
www.hankooktireusa.com/
Quote from: dadscad on November 20, 2011, 07:05:41 PM
This summer, I bought a set of Hankook white walls from my local GoodYear dealer. They were the Optimo H724 line.
www.hankooktireusa.com/
I bought the Hankook Optimo H724s for my 68 Eldorado. They were around $100 each.
I really wanted the diamondback dual stripe radials (Below) but $1000 a set is just not in the budget right now. And I'd get them narrow strip on the outer ring just as the 67-70s came thru. The narrow band on the inner ring is for the 71-74 years.
(https://forums.cadillaclasalle.club/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Ffarm7.staticflickr.com%2F6145%2F5986545532_c810452307_b.jpg&hash=638be030cfa620cc254b70cbfdfbcd9181c61951)
Here is a recent pic of my 68 with the Hankooks installed.
(https://forums.cadillaclasalle.club/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Ffarm7.staticflickr.com%2F6119%2F6330098212_f614b9b3b8_b.jpg&hash=1279bfdc9def1ddd2e49a7b0c560495935164b8c)
Quote from: Aaron Hudacky on November 20, 2011, 01:22:08 PM
Paul,
Those tires look great. Is the dual ww in the wide/narrow configuration new? I looked at their site a few months ago and didn't see them. The option they give for wide inboard or outboard ring is something I haven't seen elsewhere, and I love that they are radials. The wide inner/narrow outer Diamondbacks will be the tires that go on my 70 Eldorado.
Aaron - here is the link to DiamondBack Tire's current catalog. Page 12 shows the DiamondBack II radial tire with choice of whitewall ring pattern. While the catalog states that they will use a Firestone tire, those were out of stock when I placed my order so mine are Bridgestones. I just noticed that other CLC members have had DiamondBack add whitewalls to Michelin tires - wish I would have thought to ask about that option but too late now. I hope that these will be the last set I ever need for this car.
http://www.dbtires.com/2011_catalog/2011catalog_Lo.pdf
Regards, Paul Nesbitt
I bought a set of American Classics P235/15 radials with 1.6 whitewalls from Lucas Tire in Springfield,Ohio for $123 per tire this summer. So far I can't complain. You can call or go to internet. Hope this helps.
We bought a set of wire wheels and American Classic White Walls from these folks. They're in Fallbrook, CA, so not far from where we are. Nice folks, good selection.
http://www.widewhitetires.com/americanclassic.html
I'm surprised that no one has mentioned Goodyear radial wide whites!(I've run a set for 7-8 yrs and over 30K miles)(their even offering bias ply wide whitewalls now!) The tires are Union Made.(USA)(yeah the same union guys who brought US ALL paid vacations, 40 hr work week, health care, pension plans, paid holidays, and many more benefits that we all take for granted). The reality is that outsourcing is being brought to us by companies trying to maximize profits using the "global economy excuse" to find the cheapest labor possible.(profits before people) As far as enviromental/EPA/OSHA,well,what could be more important them the air we breathe and the water we drink? I'm no tree hugger,but I am a 99%er....people before profits!
Are you sure they are still available? I couple years ago I asked a Goodyear dealer what was available and the best they could find for me was some recently out of production Regatta2's.