'67 Mann

I have checked the search on this topic and found some information but could really use a specific tire and brand to consider.

My goal is to have a smooth as possible side wall (without the oversized modern tire names and logos, etc) White Side Wall tire.

Basically the look of a bias-belted original tire with the advantages of a modern radial. The look is very important to me, to the point I may put Coker bias-belted repros on the car (1966 BB)

Intend on casual driving local only. No track time, high speed curves, etc. my daily driver is for that....

Thanks Guys..

62Jeff

I've purchased redlines for my 65, and whitewalls for my 62, from Diamondback tires. In my case, both had perfectly smooth sidewalls on the outside.

Diamondback bonds whatever sidewall you want, to whatever tire you want, so if you have a particular brand of tire you prefer, you can get that tire updated to have a smooth sidewall and red, gold, blue, white walls.

But, if you use them, be sure to specify a smooth sidewall, as not all of their tires naturally come that way.

Here's my 65 with Firestone Indy 500 tires, modified by Diamondback.


Here's my 62 with Eldorado tires, modified by Diamondback.

'67 Mann

So I 'order' the modern radial from Diamond Back which they 'modify'
to a smooth side wall for me ?

If that's the case then I am simply shopping for the tread of the tire
that I like and let Diamond Back 'resurface' the side walls ?

The closest radial tire that I have found that does not have modern wordy & designed sidewalls is a Cooper tire.

http://www.coopertire.com/html/produ...&artw=75&rd=15

thanks,

MikeM

That Cooper may be okay for your use but it's a radial and I don't know of any radial passenger tire that has the same cross-section("the look") as the oem tires on your car including the Cooper. I don't think the whitewall is in the correct location either for your car.

As far as I know, DiamondBack only applies stripes on the sidewall. Be it red, white or gold. They don't alter the basic tire.

I have a set of Coker bias ply gold lines on my '65 which takes the same tires as your car. They look close to right. They seem to drive pretty good considering they are bias ply construction. I don't race the car, drive it hard or otherwise drive on the ragged edge with it so the lesser performance of the tires compared to radials is of no consequence to me.

Some people don't like to drive on them. They either got a bad set or they've never driven on bias ply and don't know what to expect. I've driven a lot on bias ply. The Cokers met my expectations.

Ron Champe

I have a few friends that have built high end hot rods and for that smooth side wall look they "carefully" use a dual action sander with various grit sand paper to remove all letters and numbers. If you look at the many Ridler cars at Detroit Auto Rama they always smooth the side walls. You may also wish to contact a high end hot rod shop in your area to perform this task.

62Jeff

You have several options
1) Find a tire off the rack that has a sidewall that is close to where it is supposed to be, and buy it at your local tire store and you are done. No need to involve Diamondback at this point.

2) Find a tire you really like, and call Diamondback and ask them to put the sidewall you want, where you want it, on that tire

3) Call Diamondback and talk to them about the tires they normally stock, determine if you are happy with their in-stock choices, and if so, tell them to put the sidewall you want on there, where you want it.

In the case of my 65, I was happy with the Firestone Indy 500 tire they normally stocked, so I went with it (they stock something else now for the core of the redline).

In the case of my 62, I don't plan to drive the car very much, nor in seriously inclimate weather, so I didn't really ask about the tire brand they used. I blindly went with their base tire which is the Eldorado tire made by Cooper. I told them that I wanted a 1" wide whitewall in the correct location for a 62 vette. When the tires arrived the whitewall measured out to be placed in exactly the same location (relative to the rim) as the whitewalls on my old reproduction Goodrich Silvertown bias ply tires that I was retiring (no pun intended)

'67 Mann

Thank you... will look at Diamond Back as well as the other sources
you mentioned.

gilbybarr

I have had Coker goldline radials on the '65 for about 7 years now.....no problems.