Diamondback Triple Whitewall Tires

[48Super]

I've finally decided to bite the bullet and buy a set of the Diamondback triple whitewall tires for my '65 GS. I really like the original look of that design. On their website, Diamondback shows a similar whitewall style as a Cadillac specialty option, but no reference to Riviera application. Has anyone recently ordered these tires, if so, how did you go about doing it. I assume the correct size needed is 225-75/15. Thanks for your help.

[awk409ak]

48Super,

Let me just say, I did not order what you are looking for, but did order redlines from them last year.  Actual I ended up ordering two sets.  The first set I ad some issues not related to the tires, but I was able to return them with no problems at all, and then reordered a different style redline.  Great people to work with.  I think I was working with Bill the owner.

 

Art

[msdminc]

Mike aka 48Super, that is a shot of my tires in my garage.  They are really wonderful tires, look good, easy to take care of and drive great.  They are radials so they are not OEM Bias Ply.  The 225/75-15 is what I ordered and what you see in that picture on a 65 Riviera.

 

Rock On

 

gord

[Matt Harwood]

They can make any whitewall you want, so if you have the specs on the Riviera version, they can make it. If the existing version is close enough, then simply tell the guy from whom you're ordering them what size tires you want and what whitewall type you're looking for. He'll probably give you a few options to choose from in terms of tire brand. I love Diamondback and have been immensely satisfied with their tires for years now. Just bought a set of redlines from them two weeks ago and they look awesome. I also use them on three of my own cars, including my 1941 Buick with wide whites.

[48Super]

1 hour ago, msdminc said:

Mike aka 48Super, that is a shot of my tires in my garage.  They are really wonderful tires, look good, easy to take care of and drive great.  They are radials so they are not OEM Bias Ply.  The 225/75-15 is what I ordered and what you see in that picture on a 65 Riviera. 

 

Rock On

 

gord

When you ordered these tires, did you have to specify the white wall width and spacing or did you just go with the version they show for Cadillac? The tires really do look great!

[msdminc]

I didn't specify an ww width. I just got the Cadillac ones. 

 

Rock On

 

gord

[48Super]

Thanks for the input everyone.  I'm looking forward to getting these tires in the near future. I've tried hard to keep my car as original looking as possible and I think these tires will really add something to the appearance. Its only money, if I don't spend it , my kid will get it!

[Turbinator]

Gents, Diamond Back supplied the American Classic Radial bias look in a 7.10 R 15 for my 63. I specified the 1” ww on the tire. I mounted the tires on TruSpoke stainless wires and nipple chrome wheels. I made the center cap assembly.

 

[telriv]

They, Diamondback, knows just about ANY combo you can come up with.  They are VERY KNOWLEDGEABLE on ALL vehicles, even foriegn stuff.  So just call them & get their recommendations & whatever options they may have.  You would be surprised at what is available.

[jsgun]

Saving this info. I have aftermarket aluminum wheels, and the triple whitewall would look perfect with them.

[NC1968Riviera]

My 68 Riviera with DB Triple stripe whitewall tires.

Rest assured, these whitewalls stay white and are easy to clean. Soap & water. I am very happy with these tires. 

Edited June 1, 2022 by NC1968Riviera (see edit history)

[MotiveLensPhoto]

For those who have bought Diamondbacks, how long did it take to get them? I need a set but I don't want to get the car out until the snow is 100% gone for the year and i don't have room to store them until then.

[Bloo]

When I ordered a single tire from them they said it would take about 2 weeks, I ordered it on June 3, it shipped on UPS June 18, arrived June 25. They are in SC, I am in WA.

 

I imagine it could vary a lot depending on stock. I would call and ask.

.

[NC1968Riviera]

14 hours ago, Golden73 said:

For those who have bought Diamondbacks, how long did it take to get them? I need a set but I don't want to get the car out until the snow is 100% gone for the year and i don't have room to store them until then.

I bought mine over 2 years ago. It took <2 weeks for them to arrive on my front porch. I am just up the interstate from them in North Carolina. 🙂

Edited February 25, 2021 by NC1968Riviera (see edit history)

[MY64RIVIERA]

I just placed my order for 4 Sumitomo HTRZ5 (new to their catalog) 1-3/4 white wall tires 245/45/18 & 255/45/18.  Can't wait to get them.  They told me 2 to 2 1/2 weeks.  They will be going on my 64 paired with new Torq Thrust II's from American Racing.  Love the stock look, but also want to have some different options.  

[Seafoam65]

I still have the original triple whitewall spare tire my car came with when it was built. The width of the

stripes looks like what Diamondback did on Gordon's Riviera. What is different however is that on the original tires,

the whitewall part is recessed while the two black stripes are raised up. In the pictures of the Diamondback tires 

it looks like the whitewall portion is raised and the black stripe portions are recessed. In the next post is a photo of the original 1965 Firestone triple white wall tire

Edited February 25, 2021 by Seafoam65 (see edit history)

[Seafoam65]

[48Super]

Well, I took the plunge and and ordered a set for my '65 today. Really looking forward to getting them on the car. I'll post pictures once they are installed.

[TheTaxMan]

The triple white wall looks great.  I'm trying to determine what to put on my 71.  It does have red pinstriping over Platinum Mist so I'm contemplating if the redlines might work well.

[RivNut]

I’ve seen videos in which a narrow whitewall was made into a wide white.  Apparently the white part of the sidewall is fairly large and covers most of the side of the tire. The video shows a guy with a grinder actually grinding black off of a narrow white to enlarge it to a full early 50s era wide white. My reason for relating this is to ask if anyone would think it’s possible to cut away a couple of grooves in a narrow white to expose the underneath white making the tires look like the one that Winston pictured.

[1965rivgs]

6 hours ago, Seafoam65 said:

Winston,

  Is this the tire you are associating with your `65 or is this a random pic from the net?

Tom

[Seafoam65]

Tom, that is a photo of my original Firestone spare tire.

[1965rivgs]

39 minutes ago, Seafoam65 said:

Tom, that is a photo of my original Firestone spare tire.

Thanks,

 

Tom

[48Super]

I got my new Diamondback triple stripe tires recently and had them mounted today. I am VERY pleased with the appearance of these tires.  When I ordered the tires, the guy at Diamondback told me that they are made using their Auburn brand tires which they make themselves here in the US. They really pack the tires well to protect the whitewalls and they arrived in perfect condition. The icing on the cake will be a new set of stainless acorn lug nuts I've ordered from Mitch Romanowsky, My Riviera is happy!

[MotiveLensPhoto]

40 minutes ago, 48Super said:

I got my new Diamondback triple stripe tires recently and had them mounted today. I am VERY pleased with the appearance of these tires.  When I ordered the tires, the guy at Diamondback told me that they are made using their Auburn brand tires which they make themselves here in the US. They really pack the tires well to protect the whitewalls and they arrived in perfect condition. The icing on the cake will be a new set of stainless acorn lug nuts I've ordered from Mitch Romanowsky, My Riviera is happy!

Look good. Keep us posted on how they drive.

[TKRIV]

Beautiful GS.

Now that we are taking about whitewalls, what is the best and easiest way to keep them clean

and to bring them back to life when they go yellow.

 

[RivNut]

Westley’s Bleach White, SOS pads, lacquer thinner. Take your pick.

[telriv]

ALSO 220 grit wet r dry sandpaper.

[NC1968Riviera]

12 hours ago, TKRIV said:

Beautiful GS.

Now that we are taking about whitewalls, what is the best and easiest way to keep them clean

and to bring them back to life when they go yellow.

 

The Diamond Back Whitewalls clean up great with Simple Green or just soap and water and a scrub brush. I have had mine for almost 3 years and have had no problem keeping them clean using the methods above.

[RivNut]

I'll soon be selling my Roadmaster Wagon.  I put new tires on it three years ago - turned the white sidewall in when I mounted them on some Buick Rally wheels.  I'll put the tires on the original wheels before I sell it.  We'll see how well the white sidewall cleans up after having been on the inside for three years and have never been touched - unless you count driving across the spray at the car wash.  

 

I like the Westley's Bleach White.  If you spray the entire tire, the dirt that's accumulated in the pores of the black part of the rubber also comes loose and give the tire a new rubber look.  I am not a fan of "tire shine" just clean black rubber.  

Edited March 24, 2021 by RivNut (see edit history)

[NC1968Riviera]

I saw some older Coker BF Goodrich Silverton triple stripe whitewall radial tires on a 1965 Cadillac DeVille this past weekend. 

 

I was very interested in seeing these tires because the advertising materials for the 1968 Riviera had triple stripe whitewalls on the cars in the pictures.

 

These Coker reproduction tires are much closer to the original triple strip whitewalls than the Diamond Back tires are. (I don't know the brand used in 1968). 

The BF Goodrich stripes are recessed into the tire sidewalls, like the originals, where as the Diamond Back stripes are laid down on top of the sidewall, thus, they are raised above the surface of the sidewall.

 

The downsides for the Coker tires is the price ($336 each), the size (900-15 i.e. P235/75-15 equivalent) and the fact that they are bias ply tires.

The Diamond Backs are true radial tires and a bit cheaper, despite having a bit wider center stripe, which is why I went with them for my Riviera.

 

1965 Cadillac DeVille convertible with BF Goodrich Silverton triple stripe whitewall tires.

[cudaman]

Diamondback will create a custom stripe treatment per your specifications.  I sent them measurements that allowed them to put dual white stripes on a set of 255/60/15 BF Goodrich Radial TA's for my 1971 Plymouth GTX.  According to the 1971 build sheet, the car originally came with dual white stripe G78-14 bias ply tires.

[MotiveLensPhoto]

I ordered that tire for mine. Really happy with them.

[RivNut]

One thing that you do not know about Coker Tires is how old they are.  7 years is about as old as you want your tires to be. Bias plus are different than radials.  For more info, just Google it.

[60FlatTop]

Westley's or the new Black Magic, a plastic scrub brush, #800 grit folded in thirds, and jack stands. This is about a 2012 pre-stroke and heat attackpicture.

 

Yesterday I mounted up my new Coker 8.00X15 biased 3" tires to replace the 2011 set. Purchased through Summitt Racing, the Cokers appear to have been manufactured in 10/21.

[Seafoam65]

I have personally pleaded with Coker to make the correct triple whitewall tires

for the Rivieras and they turned me down flat. They don't believe there is a big

enough market for them. The problem with the Diamondback Radials is that at

a BCA meet you will get hammered for them, enough points lost to cost you a Gold

Award in points judging. Meanwhile, Coker offers all the weird tires that were used on the 60's T-Birds

[jframe]

18 hours ago, Seafoam65 said:

I have personally pleaded with Coker to make the correct triple whitewall tires

for the Rivieras and they turned me down flat. They don't believe there is a big

enough market for them. The problem with the Diamondback Radials is that at

a BCA meet you will get hammered for them, enough points lost to cost you a Gold

Award in points judging. Meanwhile, Coker offers all the weird tires that were used on the 60's T-Birds

I talked to them at a Chattanooga cruise in that they sponsor a couple months back, and they told me basically the same thing. I think they should do it anyway. If Diamondback will do it, why can't Coker?

[MotiveLensPhoto]

On 6/1/2022 at 7:07 PM, Seafoam65 said:

I have personally pleaded with Coker to make the correct triple whitewall tires

for the Rivieras and they turned me down flat. They don't believe there is a big

enough market for them. The problem with the Diamondback Radials is that at

a BCA meet you will get hammered for them, enough points lost to cost you a Gold

Award in points judging. Meanwhile, Coker offers all the weird tires that were used on the 60's T-Birds

I'm told Diamondback will make them to order with the striping widths and spacing you request. You'll pay a premium of course, but there you are.

[atencioee]

Looking at all the posts here, I think I'm an odd ball!! As far as I know, 64s are said to run 225 or 215 tires. I think I've seen posts where some have even mentioned 235s. I've been rolling on 205s (205/75R15), which I really like...seems to give it a "low" look. 

[RivNut]

In 1964, bias ply tires were what you got. On the Riviera, the 7.10 x 15 was the standard tire; the 7.60 x 15 was the optional “oversized” tire.  The 7.10 x 15 tire came on 5.5” rims; the 7.60 x 15  tire came on 6” rims.  In today’s radial tires, the 7.10 x 15 converts to 215/75R15, and the 7.60 x 15 converts to 225/75R15.  Rim width is measured inside the bead of the rim.  Usually about 1/2” is the width of the beads themselves.  
 

in 1965, the tires were 8.45 x 15”.  They were no bigger than the 7.60 x 15, the industry changed the way they measured tires.  There is a complete chart of original tire sizes and their modern equivalents on the ROA’s website.