Coker tire vs painting ur own white walls on a radial tire

Comm6

I am debating on weather to get coker tires or radials and paint the white walls. Anyone tried painting the whitewalls. I like the look of the coker tires but as far as durability goes I beleive the radial is much better and dependable. I have h78 15s on it now great tread but dryrotted out and starting to crack.

raidmagic

There is a company that will whitewall any tire you want. I'm having a hard time finding the website but when I do I will post the link.

Comm6

Thanks.

Nevada Hudson

Ask Walt about Coker tires.

ESSX28-1

There's a poster on this forum offering that service. I think it's HudsonDave - try: http://www.fatwhitewalls.com/

Comm6

Will do.

ski4life65

http://www.dbtires.com/

Comm6

Thanks will check them out

Park_W

I have Diamondbacks (dbtires) on both my Hudsons, and am enjoying smooth and troublefree driving, unlike my experience with Cokers.

raidmagic

Ski4life65, that's the place I was thinking of thanks for the link.

Uncle Josh

I put used radials on my 49 and painted them with latex house paint. Gotta redo about every 6 mo but they look good. Alternate, Lucas sells porta-walls, which hook under the rim.

I didn't like the way the radials rode around town so went for a set of Goodyear WW Supercushions.

I painted whitewalls the first time in '52 on my old 35 olds.

Comm6

Im gonna go ahead and paint them I got some 225/70/15 brand new tires baught some paint off ebay will post pics as to how it turns out.

[Deleted User]

The packaged "white wall tire paint" on ebay ect... is just rubberized roof sealer that has a flexing agent. "henry's roof sealer" is probably the best product. My buddy bought a comparable product from lowes that is pretty much the same stuff however he did not prep appropriately and the the stuff just flapped off. I would grind before painting... if you don't know what I'm talking about just youtube "make your own whitewalls or tire grinding".

Comm6

Now can you grind any tire or does it have to be a spcific one? Do all tires have the white after the,black?

Browniepetersen

I am kinda funny when it comes to tires. I grew up working in my dad's tire shop and I saw just about every thing tried once or twice. We would buy the rubberized white paint and clean up whitewalls with MEK and paint them and the looked good and lasted about one season. Grinding or buffing a sidewall is never a good idea when it comes to safety. The sidewall is where most tires fail and any material or surface brake in the sidewall reduces the two ply sidewall to less than specs often resulting in failure. Just save a few extra bucks and buy the whitewalls. I too am on a fixed income, but tires are one place where I draw the line. Safety is more important and when you consider the stress on the sidewall of a SBR tire at 70 mph it is not worth the gamble; and never a good idea...

[Deleted User]

Very good advice Browniepetersen. You havent really experienced life until you blow out a tire at 70 MPH on the front wheel. Expecially when meeting another car or truck. Thats one experience I dont want again.

Comm6

Yes I Agree thanks for the info... Paint it is even if I have to keep repainting them.

Glowplug

As a youngster, new tires much less whitewall tires were out of the question. I remember my buddy getting a can of white wash paint out and painting that on his tires with a rag. There was no attempt at making the edge even, the tire was painted from rim to tread edge. When finished he was so happy with himself he his grin went from ear to ear! Even then, to me appearences were in the eye of the beholder and to me the view was always filtered by my eyes. Uncle Josh has shown his handi work before shall we get a peek at yours?

Comm6

I have not got around to it will start next week but I did stumble on this posting... This is how I will get that smooth look hopefully then clean it up with bleach wait 24hrs then clean it with thinner and then one coat of paint wait 24hrs than a second heavy coat as per the instructions on the paint I purchased on ebay.

http://www.fordmuscleforums.com/wheel-tire-articles/487794-smooth-tire-sidewalls.html

Comm6

Will post pics as to how it goes on in stages... Just hope it works these are brand new tires not used so im crossing my fingers.

Comm6

HERE WE GO THIS IS THE FIRST COAT WILL BE DOING THE SECOND COAT IN A COUPLE OF HRS.

Comm6

THE INSIDE OF THE TIRE WILL BE COVERED BY THE RIM AND THE CHROME RING

Comm6

I hope not... I'm hoping to get at least two years out of them Rick. I purchased the paint from eBay that offers 1 year warranty so its worth a shot for the 30 dollars I paid. Here are some pics I took the night before will also be posting pics of the finished product mounted let me know what u think.

Comm6

I was kinda scared in the begining as these are brand new tires but they r turning out better than anticipated.

Glowplug

Thanks for the update. Old Skool white walls kool. Takes me back to my teen years.

Comm6

Well the paint only works for about 25 miles or so lol. Has anyone ever tried grinding the tire sidewall? I've seen it done on YouTube just scared to try especially on brand new tires. I'm just going to stop being frugal and buy some real radial white walls, any help greatley appreciated thanks.

RL Chilton

Thanks for the update, Comm6. I was wondering how your project turned out. Please keep us updated on your decision. I've been on the fence about what to buy for some time and it's time for me to do something about it, too.

Browniepetersen

We would put the tires on a grinder (dad had a tire recapping business) and grind off the black. Problem is that once you grind down the surface you cannot get the smooth surface back on the tires so when they get dirty--you cannot get them clean. Not a good way to go. I need tires for my 54--I expect that means Firestones from Coker...

[Deleted User]

I bought 3 3/8 stripe - 4,000 lb load Toyo whitewalls from a great guy in Florida. I don't have his name handy but Dr. Doug Wildrick knows who he is. Google Wildrick Restorations.

The tires look amazing and don't squat. Price wasn't bad (much less than my wife's Acadia).

RL Chilton

SodakHudson-

How much did a set of 4 run you?

PAULARGETYPE

BACK IN THE LATE 60'S THERE WAS A GUY WHO WOULD GO THE LOCAL CAR AUCTION AND CUT SIDE WALLS SO THEY ALL MATCHED IT WAS DONE ALL THE TIME BUT I WOULD NOT TRUST A CUT SIDE WALL TIRE ON A CAR THAT I WOULD DRIVE AT HIWAY SPEED I WORK TO HARD MAKING MY CARS LOOK GOOD TO BE SITTING IN A DITCH WITH THE CAR ALL BANGED UP SHAME ON ANY ONE WHO WOULD DO IT PUTTING YOUR FAMILY AT RISK FOR VA FEW $ I SPEND THE MONEY AND BOUGHT COKER TIRES