[Dick Boneske]

There were several vendors in the '80's and '90's that applied redlines to black tires. I remember seeing them at POCI and GTOAA shows. Their appearance was as good as factory redlines. Does someone know of a vendor that still does this--or did the liability suits drive him out of business?

Our alternative is paying $165-200+ for redline tires from Diamondback or Coker that are equivalent in quality to $70 black or whitewall tires from major vendors.

There have been many postings about redline tires, but I've not seen any discussion on converting to redlines from black sidewalls. Any insight?

[6t7gto]

Dick,
someone posted about painting the whitewall red.
and it was holding up real good.

david

[mwritter]

I've got a set that I painted and they hold up fine, though I prefer the real thing. The hardest part is finding a tire in a size you like with a correct width whitewall. DB will put a redline on any tire - they are doing 17" and 18" Goodyear F1 GS-D3s for my '65.

If you're dead-set on painting them, there are instructions on classicalpontiac under the resto section.

[Dick Boneske]

My question was about converting a black tire to a redline. The vendor I referred to mounted the tire, machined a groove in the sidewall rubber, and installed a redline rubber insert in the groove. I don't know how much rubber he removed or how thick the insert was, but it looked as good as original redline Tiger Paws or Wide Ovals.

[mwritter]

The directions on classicalpontiac are for converting a blackwall. Diamondback galvanizes their redlines onto the tire. Not aware of anyone other than Coker doing anything similar.

[speedshopmike]

i'd not be happy in any way about having any rubber removed from a tire sidewall.
asmatt noted, if it wasn't cooked on it'd not stay put forever.
i've also had good luck painting tires in the past.
it sticks shockingly well...if you've ever gotten a car back from paint with overspray on the rubber, you know what i speak of.

thanks for the tip about classical posting a how-to; i wanna check that out.

[speedshopmike]

ui'd love a link to that section on classical; i cant find it on that site.
thanks in advance.

[speedshopmike]

never mind, found it.
http://www.classicalpontiac.com/restoration/8.html

[Dick Boneske]

Thank you. I bit the bullet and bought two 225X70R14 BF Goodrich Redlines from a local tire dealer. After they are mounted on my stock 6" GTO rims, I'll check for steering clearance. If they hit the frame, they will be mounted on the back and a pair of 215's put on the front.

The $200/per tire stings, but it does solve the problem.

[chief many horses]

I've used red "paint" sticks on thin lione white walls - works and lasts great and can't tell from orig. red-lines, they're the markers you see sold a swap meets sometimes in various colors - white-blue-red---, with the yellow paper wrapper around them. They are the exact marker used by GM in the 60's for marking bodies etc.. They go on easy but when they dry they're there to stay. Don't use them on glass, it's as if it gets in the pores and doesn't come off even with laquer thinner!

[speedshopmike]

chief, you gots brand name for the paint markers you like?
that's freaking brilliant; no tedious, awful masking needed; build a fixture to hold the marker and spin the mounted assembly.
ingenious.

[speedshopmike]

oh hell, i didnt read carefully what teh chief had to say.
they're not paint markers, they're parts-yard crayons.
but paint markers might be good, too...i'll try one and report in.

[chief many horses]

Speedshop--
Remember, they will only work that way if you are marking on the "whitewall", it won't work just marking on the black rubber tire, it turns the whitwall to a perfect colored fairly permanent red-line.

[mwritter]

Originally Posted by speedshopmike

oh hell, i didnt read carefully what teh chief had to say.
they're not paint markers, they're parts-yard crayons.
but paint markers might be good, too...i'll try one and report in.

I did a Michelin whitewall with a red paint pen from Testors for the matching spare in my '65 trunk. Came out pretty good, but it's just for looks, I'll never run on it. My other set I did with oil-based paint and a brush. It looks really good but up close, you can see that it has cracked with use.

[chief many horses]

Here's a picture of those "paint" sticks, They seem to last forever, I still have one from 1965-really, and it still works. They sort of crust over after a while and you just scrape the end with a knife or whatever and they're good as new. These are dated 1991 and they're as new----. "MARKAL B Paintstik marker", LA-CO Ind., inc. Elk Grove Ill. 60007.