RumblinRon
CCCUK Member
I'm getting the urge to white letter my tyres as done on older vehicles, but I'm not sure it would look right. Looks good on C3s but on C4s the wrong style ?
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White tyre lettering
- Thread starter RumblinRon
- Start date
James Vette
CCCUK Member
Not too keen on that idea. It's like the C3 doesn't work with white lined tyres but the C1 does in my opinion.
Chuffer
CCCUK Member
I think you will find Rumblinron is talking about white lettering not white walls / bands . However , DIY white lettering can look pants if using paint pens and not careful IMO .
Nassau65
CCCUK Member
Yes, if white lettering non white lettered be very careful. My own opinion is don’t do it. Perhaps if the black lettering is fairly large have a go if you’ve got a steady hand.
White lettered tires on a C4 is a no no in my opinion.
I also don’t like white lettered tire on a C2. ( C1 is again a non no ) prefer WSW to black walls.
Prefer white lettered tires on a C3, and like WSW to black walls on C3.
At the end of the day it’s all personal preference
A recently imported El-Camino had white lettered tyres turned inside for the blackwall look. We turned them around and the car looked so much better.
White lettered tires on a C4 is a no no in my opinion.
I also don’t like white lettered tire on a C2. ( C1 is again a non no ) prefer WSW to black walls.
Prefer white lettered tires on a C3, and like WSW to black walls on C3.
At the end of the day it’s all personal preference
A recently imported El-Camino had white lettered tyres turned inside for the blackwall look. We turned them around and the car looked so much better.
teamzr1
Supporting vendor
Back in the 1970s I did this on my 1974 and 77, thinking those smog pigs would go faster
I was not that smart as noted I also got married and then had both C3s longer then I had the wife
The hooker headers with side pipes though and red painted lettering did make the car run a bit faster
but for sure the side pipes blasted the hell out of eardrums !
Out of 12 Corvettes I owned, that 1977 was the only one that had an auto tranny as the wife was not too smart in shifting a manual
The '74 did go a lot faster once I dumped the wife and instead spent the money on stroking the engine and a hot CAM with double pumper
650 Holley carb !
Also being cool back then was to steal the ole ladies nail polish and then paint all the lightbulbs in the cabin area and dash,
it was like a tint, like hot red or blue. Chicks thought it was cool and sexy
I was not that smart as noted I also got married and then had both C3s longer then I had the wife
The hooker headers with side pipes though and red painted lettering did make the car run a bit faster
but for sure the side pipes blasted the hell out of eardrums !
Out of 12 Corvettes I owned, that 1977 was the only one that had an auto tranny as the wife was not too smart in shifting a manual
The '74 did go a lot faster once I dumped the wife and instead spent the money on stroking the engine and a hot CAM with double pumper
650 Holley carb !
Also being cool back then was to steal the ole ladies nail polish and then paint all the lightbulbs in the cabin area and dash,
it was like a tint, like hot red or blue. Chicks thought it was cool and sexy
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RumblinRon
CCCUK Member
Thanks guys.
I think the opinion is, stay with black sidewalls. Thinking about it, In the old days sidewalls were bigger and the letters comparitivley smaller, todays low profiles would not look the same. It's also occurred to me that keeping them smart with a pen would be another never ending job! (and a steady hand everytime). A rod for my own back !
I think the opinion is, stay with black sidewalls. Thinking about it, In the old days sidewalls were bigger and the letters comparitivley smaller, todays low profiles would not look the same. It's also occurred to me that keeping them smart with a pen would be another never ending job! (and a steady hand everytime). A rod for my own back !
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Mad4slalom
Well-known user
Beg to disagree there James. Tell me this c3 doesnt look very classy with the subtle white line rubber, I also like the chrome edges only on the horizontals of the fender vents.
Nassau65
CCCUK Member
I agree. While I do prefer the C3 with white lettered tyres, whitewall tyres also improve its look when fitted over plain blackwall tyres. I think it looks more aggressive with white lettered tyres and as you say very classy and toned down with whitewalls.
Chuffer
CCCUK Member
Your dad was probably worried you would use the Brillo pad on the bodywork too ! That`s only useful on a DeLorean .When I was little, my job was to clean the whitewalls with a Brillo pad on the cars dad had for sale. Can’t remember when I was allowed to wash the body of a car as well.
Even now he inspects my work after I clean a car, and always manages to find something I missed.
Nassau65
CCCUK Member
I did actually use a Brillo pad on a DeLorean once to balance out/blend something in. Looked pretty good when I finished.Your dad was probably worried you would use the Brillo pad on the bodywork too ! That`s only useful on a DeLorean .
Mr. Cricket
Committee Member
Have to agree, this one looks cracking. I gave up on RBL (raised brown letters) after putting BFG's on my now sold '72 and within days they were a shitty shade of brown and NOTHING I did improved them for more than 10 minutes - Bleche White, Raceglaze, thinners, petrol, brillo pads. I asked for my money back and was refused even though a lot of customers over the pond did get either refunds or replacement tyres, err tires. I looked into the reason why there seemed to be a definitive shift and it was around 2015 and changes in environmental rules on tyre manufacture. The effect is called Blooming and causes oils within the tyre to leach out and stain the letters. I went with redlines and so far so good
Mr. Cricket
Committee Member
Redlines were available in '69 followed by white stripes in '70 so I used some artist impression
the RWL's had me on tablets
Mad4slalom
Well-known user
Reminds me of an old colleague in the body work trade who’s 3 or 4 year old, after watching dad in the workshop took a piece of 40 grit to a perfectly good panel on a customers car !!Your dad was probably worried you would use the Brillo pad on the bodywork too ! That`s only useful on a DeLorean .
Mr. Cricket
Committee Member
I put these on late 2015 or just into 2016 and this was soon after. I at first could spend an hour on each tyre trying to get back to white only to find them tuning brown before my very eyes
Chuffer
CCCUK Member
Love the red or white pin stripes on the earlier C3`s , looks so period cool . I know I am biased but like the white lettering look on later C3 `s as well as on C2s . I am aware of the `browning off ` issues on some white lettering but thankfully not had that problem on mine . I do occasionaly use Bleche White to keep them `tarted up ` . 