White Tires No Longer Available

[Guest Mochet]

Word has it that Coker is no longer selling white or gray tires. Since they supply most other dealers, the supply may end. There were recent problems with yellowing and cracks, I heard. These tires are made in Vietnam, I believe.

Phil

[Paul Dobbin]

A friend has a set on his Model T that have discolored so much they appear to be beige. To bad, because he already gave away his old white ones before

the color change.

He says Coker Tire knows why they changed, but as yet offered no solution.

Edited December 7, 2011 by Paul Dobbin
spelling (see edit history)

[Guest Mochet]

Apparently, no white or gray tires will be available in the future... maybe. Here is a link to a discussion on the Model T Forum.

Phil

[Guest EMF-Owner]

This is very sad for me. I have been running White 30 X 3.5's on my Model T since I finished restoring it in 1998. I am just getting to the point of needing another set. I can not image putting black tires on it. The White tires really set it off and make it look much closer to original than a black one ever could. I was also planning on putting white tires on my E-M-F. Someone has got to step up and make these. It could be done 100 years ago. I have the original tires on my 1912 Rauch & Lang, They are Motz Cushion Rubber tires and they are white. Not grey, but white. I just bought enough rubber to put white rubber tires on my Dads 1909 Sears. It also had white, or slightly gray tires originally. White is much closer to correct than black. Come on tire people! We need to have the ability to keep these cars as original as possible. Black tires on a car that should not have them changes the look drastically. I wish I could figure out how to make these in my garage. Hmm. Maybe I will start looking into this.

[Guest Mochet]

The modern white and gray tires were all made in Vietnam. There are a few manufacturers that do pre-war clincher tires in the USA, but I'm not sure why they don't make other colors. I'll bet it's due to the headaches involved as any blemish, discoloration or mark ruins them. Does anyone know Coker well enough to call for the details?

Phil

[jeff_a]

Even my 1928 Peerless is shown in sales brochures as having all-white tires. I'd love to get a set someday! They're 6.00 x 20 if someone's trying to get rid of some.

[1937-44]

Considering the quality of my last set of wide whites they haven't probably been making them for a couple of years. The wide whites should have been called wide yellows as you can't keep them white if you ever do get them white.

For what they charge hopefully they will correct the problem and go back to making solid white tires and decent wide whites as many cars look better with them.

[Durant Mike]

Corky Coker is a friend of the AACA, maybe a member and has many old cars in his stable too. If it's financially possible without going in the red for every tire, I'm sure he will step up to the plate and get these made somewhere. Many of his cars are brass era and I'm sure that he will fill the niche if possible. For all we know he's working on it now.

[Guest Rob McDonald]

C'mon, guys, the original "white" tires never stayed white longer than the first time it rained and Father had to drive the family to church in The Machine, along what passed for roads in those days. The old-style tires yellowed and cracked at an alarming rate, which is why we rarely see period photos of them, from more than a year or two after 1915, when black tires finally became available.

If you're going for an accurate restoration, rather than just gathering judging points, grab the in-stock Coker tires now, before they go and wreck the formula with non-yellowing stuff.

[AHa]

I sure would like to find a set of worn out cracked white 30x3s for a project I'm working on

1900 blacksmith made North Carolina rolling history