71 240Z. Looking for white letter tires.

[rubrbulits]

I just ordered a set of BRE Datsun Le Mans-style Wheels from Brock Racing Enterprises. They are the 15x6 with 3mm offset. Since I'm putting my car together in the BRE "style", I would really like the tires to be Goodyears with raised white lettering. I can google images of these tires to find them, but when I try to find them through a distributor in specific sizes, all I can find are black walls only. Also, whats a good size tire for these rims. I'm thinking 205 60r15. BTW, this car is stock. Except for a header and 1" drop Tokiko spring kit. Any suggestions?

[Zedyone_kenobi]

205/60/15's are going to be iffy on lowered car with stock bodywork, I had that size, only on a 15x7 panasport, and it was rubbing on the front end. I also have tokiko springs and struts so our similarities are very close.. these are the LeMans style with 195/60/15, which are a great size tire for your car. I just upgraded to 205/55/15 which are not rubbing on my Tokiko lowered car. The reason I switched is I wanted a summer tire versus an all season. I got the S drives from Yokohama.

I had not attached my BRE centercaps at this point. I actually think the LeMans look better without centercaps like the 71 Champion 240Z. They look meaner.

[rubrbulits]

! This picture of your car is what I have for a desktop on my computer. I designed my car from this pic! Our cars are almost twins with only slight differences. Mine is a bright metallic silver with the BRE spook air dam. I chose to go without spoiler for my own reasons. And soon my new wheels to finish it off. Thanks for the info. I think I will go with the 195 60 15's. I just hope I can find white letter tires.

[Zedyone_kenobi]

Of course you must post pictures of you most attractive car!!!!!

I just checked out your gallery, and WOW, what a nice paint job, I am definitely jealous. Mine is 15 years old. And I absolutely LOVE your ducted spoiler. I may have to get one. Arne told me to get a Ducted one, but I was stubborn!

If I was a betting man, I would bet this is the look you are trying for... ask me how I know! ;)

This is when I tried a BRE sticker LOLLOL

Edited August 26, 2012 by Zedyone_kenobi

[rubrbulits]

EXACTLY! A daily driver with some BRE style. I will try to add some recent pics to my gallery tomorrow. It's going together nicely. I took it in yesterday to have a new exhaust from header to tail pipe made. They noticed a small fuel leak at the gas tank near the sending unit. I was sent home. This Tuesday I go back and try again after I think I fixed the problem. It's always something.

[Carl Beck]

I ran Goodyear Eagle GT's with raised white letters on my Z for decades. The last time I bought new tires - about five years ago - I looked high and low for any 14" tire with white letters - - could find NONE. Personally my Z with plain black walls - now looks dull to me - like something is missing.

Good luck with your search..

FWIW,

Carl B.

[5thhorsemann]

I too am a big fan of the raised white lettering look, brings me back to the day when they still made real cars, not the plastic computers with motors they build today.

But if I may offer a bit of advice, don't buy tires for the look, buy them for the performance. Get the best tire to suit your driving "style" and area weather conditions.

Then, go to your local tire supplier or Tire Rack on line and buy a white tire paint pen (yellow is also available) and paint the lettering on the best tire choice. I got my tire paint from the local Harley dealer for ~ $12.00, I had to go around the car with two coats the first time to get the coverage but once done it proved to be brilliant white and very durable. It also helps that you can touch up the lettering if you scuff it on a curb or pot hole. It also works on the white lettering and white walls for touch ups.

[Walter Moore]

I had never heard of "tire paint". That is an interesting idea.

I looked around on the internet last night after reading this thread and the only tires that I could find with white lettering were B.F.Goodrich T/A radials, and http://www.cokertire.com/ who sells tires with both the T/A logo and a Firestone logo. The Firestone tire style may predate the 240Z by a few years.

The way that tire companies made the raised white letters wasn't paint by the way. They are literally just like a whitewall tire. There is a thin layer of white "rubber" material molded into one sidewall. After the molding process they send the tire into a grinding machine (literally called a white sidewall grinder) to remove the outer black layer and expose the white materal underneath. At one time some companies would put the white materal into all tires of a particular size, and just not grind the tires that were ordered as blackwalls. Today since the white letters are out of style I doubt that anyone does that.

I have always heard, but have seen no factual evidence to support it, that whitewall tires, and tires with raised white letters were weaker than tires made without the whitewall material inside. Certainly the sidewall with the white material is thicker, which may degrade its heat dissipation capability. The white letter tires are also likely to be slightly heaver than a tire that does not contain the extra decorative material. I suspect that as the whitewall/ white lettering went out of style, the tire companies have nearly all decided to save a few $ per tire and just skip the whole process.

Personally, I have never cared for raised white letters on tires, but if you want them you might checkout the ones I listed above.

[5thhorsemann]

.............Yeilded this....

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Tyreart-Tyre-Marker-Paint-Pen-WHITE-colour-lettering-highlighter-/290762861604?hash=item43b2d12c24&item=290762861604&pt=UK_Motorcycle_Parts&vxp=mtr

And everything Walter states RE the molded white lettering is correct, I will add that the white rubber is a very soft compound as well and is easily damaged.

But it is laid over the carcase and is not part of the functional workings of the tire itself, If you neglect the tire pressure (or even run the pressure low for comfort or drivability) and get into a hard corner, you could grind the black overlam off. Just one more reason to go with the paint.

Edited August 26, 2012 by 5thhorsemann

[rubrbulits]

I've heard of white letter paint. My only issue is, even with a steady hand, will the tires look good, or look like I painted the letters myself. Thanks for the advice. I think I will look for some examples online. This would definately make things less complicated.

[Walter Moore]

Most tires have raised black letters. I believe that 5thhorsemann is suggesting that you highlight the existing lettering, not create your own. You could mask the edges of the lettering if necessary to produce a clean edge.

[Zedyone_kenobi]

I would wager that if you took your time the letters would look fantastic. But you would need to find a tire with a thick raised lettering on the sidewall. Perhaps the Firestone Wide Oval, which is available in good 15" sizes still. From 5 feet away nobody is going to notice anything remotely not perfect. These are tires, not fine crystal. Even new tires have non perfect edges.