White wall tire (tyre) options

[Mnmunky]

Hi everyone.

I wanted to see what experiences people have had with different systems of creating the white wall tire look.

I’ve read in many places that the white wall tire inserts can be a nightmare. Yet people like Portawall seem to have been in business for many a year:
https://portawallshop.com/

The advantage is that you can add these to any tire and are certainly the least expensive option (short of buying a tin of emulsion!).

Have you successfully fitted and used these? Are there any tricks to bring successful?

Next up are the companies that make the tires from existing. I guess they buy tires, rough up the face and then pour white rubber directly into the face of the tire.

I assume this is the process, though I’m sure this is a gross simplification.

One such company is Calli wheel and tire.
https://callitw.com/22575R15-Calli-Whitewall_p_341...0kQAvD_BwE

They seem cheaper than the main ‘fully built’ options, with more performance rated tires (radials that will work in the wet - not specifically ‘sticky’ race tires) and more options of width, wall size and white wall size.

Are they as good as the fully built for longevity? Has anyone used this or a similar service?

Lastly (as far as I’m aware - let me know if there are other options) there are the pre made classics by the likes of Coker.
https://www.cokertire.com/

These can be eye wateringly expensive and typically not the best in wet weather. The bias ply versions look the part, if you are going for originality and other than the old challenge of keeping them clean, aren’t going to give you as much trouble as people claim the inserts give.

I’ve searched on here through threads over the past couple or three years and couldn’t find any up to date opinions.

Thoughts?

Thanks

[obus]

https://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/detail.php?id=2481848
Not cheap either
_________________
July 1959 Mango Standard Bus aka Obus L346 L347 https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=256592&highlight=
June 1973 Pumpkin Orange Thing aka Othing L30H
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=711775&highlight=
1960 Paprika Red Karmann Ghia Convertible aka Schatze L452 built 5/20/60
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=...highlight=
66 21 window bus built 8/31/65 https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=777273

[Ian Godfrey]

BF Goodrich have 2 Whitewall Radials in165R15.
one has a 3/4" stripe, nice on a later car?
one has a 2 1/2" stripe, more a classic early car look
Blockley also does a 155HR15 narrow whitewall.

[bhartwell59]

[kingkarmann]

[SBusch]

I got these, reasonably cheap and look good. The only issue I've had is that two of the four whitewalls (front r and back l) turned sort of brownish, which apparently is a common thing, something to do with the oils in the tire.

https://www.performanceplustire.com/tires-for-sale...165-80-15/

[Ian Godfrey]

yep, the oils in the black section can leach into the white rubber.
Interestingly, Blockleys claim to have fixed that.

['40's guy]

I have a lot of experience with Portawall inserts. I had them on my bus and '69 Ghia for years as I was too cheap to spring for genuine wide whitewalls. I would not recommend them. They interfere with the bead of the tire so you have to install inner tubes, which adds to the expense. Also, the Portawalls make a fair amount of squeaky noise because they're not as flexible as the tire and they rub against the sidewall where the tire bulges out at the bottom. Which brings us to the main issue; that rubbing eventually cuts a big old groove in the sidewall of the tire, which is a safety concern, to say the least. That said, they did look nice and I never had an issue with them wrinkling or flying off like I've heard they are notorious for. Here is a picture of my 1969 coupe on Portawalls:

I had always heard that they were really made for stiffer bias-ply tires and not really suitable for radials.

[blue72beetle]

Tires are expensive. White walls even more so.

Coker Wide: $247 ea
https://www.cokertire.com/tires/165r15-coker-classic-2-1-4-whitewall.html

BFG Narrow: $241 ea
https://www.cokertire.com/tires/165r15-bf-goodrich-3-4-whitewall.html

BFG Wide: $305 ea
https://www.cokertire.com/tires/165r15-bf-goodrich-2-1-4-whitewall.html

Autobahn Wide: $289 ea
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/detail.php?id=2481848
The Bias-look but actually radial is kinda neat.

I found this trim ring and portawall combo but they're in Germany and I don't think they ship to the US.
https://www.ravus.de/produkte/komplettes-set/6/kom...5&c=10
_________________
-Andy-
-1970 Ghia-
-1971 Bus 1776 Microsquirt EFI-

[Mnmunky]

Oooh, those Vitor tires look good - though the mention of the discoloration is concerning. I guess it’s the old adage of you get what you pay for?

Continuing the research, has turned up side wall stickers.

All of the reviews and YouTube videos I’ve watched about them, seems to suggest that they are, cheap and look kind of cheap…

https://www.tirestickers.com/shop/white-wall-tires/

I’ve also seen a few ‘good ol’ guys’ (which I’m one, but not skilled like they are), cutting into the side wall of their tires on ‘42 Fords, and buffing down to the white lower level of their tires…

Not sure I’m man enough to risk that… that said, the Callitires seem to be my preferred option so far. There, they seem to rough out the sidewall and bond strips of white (zinc Oxide) rubber and then heat to vulcanize. The downside compared to Coker, is you have a seam. But at roughly half the price, with a greater selection of sizes, might be the answer.

Thanks for the experiences so far. When I finish and pull the trigger, I’ll update on how the Callitires perform (or whatever route I end up taking).

[ghiamanjc]

I bought these about 3 months ago. Had the local Tire store put them on and they look great. Work just fine. One has puckered so need to fix that but otherwise very happy.

https://www.cip1.ca/acc-c10-6725/

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[Mnmunky]

Ghiamanjc, those look great! How do you fix the crinkled one?

One step closer for me to pull the trigger on white walls.

Just need to find some tires I can justify buying!

[Mnmunky]

So I happened across a discount code for the place selling Kontio white walls at the cheapest price I could find on line.

Kontio are made in Nokia in Finland and they promise to be pretty good quality radials for the money.

I was strongly considering Calli tyres, where the white walls are added after the tires had been molded, but the price and reviews of these (by guys running some seriously heavy tin on them - 57 Chevys and the like) seemed pretty solid.

As this is my summer fun cruiser, I’m not going to be going after new track records or high speed runs. Just hoping that they don’t turn brown after a year.

For the price though (for new tires) I’m hoping they work out ok. That’s 4 tires for the price of 2 1/2 Cokers..

[ghiamanjc]

I haven't tried to fix the pucker yet. My plan is to use Gorilla glue and perhaps some heat. Open to suggestions from Sambanistas....
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[Starbucket]

[Mnmunky]

It would be really interesting to hear how you fix them Ghiamanjc. Useful for others looking for whitewalls in future.

My cost conscious White walls turned up today. Way more bling that I expected!

These are from Jegs. Packing is a good idea.

Will unwrap them at the garage that is going to fit them to the new rims. Hopefully have some time to do that this week.

[simon varley]

[Mnmunky]

Thanks Simon.

I wish you had posted this before Thursday… that’s when I took the wheels and tires off to the tire place for the two to be ‘introduced’.

Looks like I was lucky and had a bead - so didn’t need inner tubes, but I was wondering about how to get the blue off. It’s currently in place until I finish messing with the car before summer.

Other than power washing, how have others managed to remove the blue on their tires? Is there an easy way?

[Starbucket]

[Mnmunky]

Thank you. I’ll give that a go. Great tip!

I’m looking forward to getting them on the car next and getting it a little more drivable, ready for summer.