Old Fashioned Tire Black

Vette66AirCoupe · 12-29-04, 07:32 PM

I'm thinking that C1 and C2 guys probably do this more than others so my apologies if this question is considered to be in the wrong place. I recently bought a set of Cragar SS mags for my '60. I had the old tires taken off the steel wheels and had them mounted on the Cragars with the whitewalls on the inside. I headed out to Pep Boys for some Tire Black. The guy looked at me like I was from another planet when I told him I needed tire black that was actually BLACK. An old timer behind the counter told me he knew what I was talking about and that the last can he bought came from Western Auto. Off I went. "Nope, never heard of it, don't carry it. We sell spray paint??" Sheeesh I feel old!

Where can I get some real Tire Black and if it's no longer on this planet can someone offer me a "Plan B".

These are fairly wide whitewalls and they are going to be obvious as hell!

I'mAVettehead · 12-30-04, 08:40 AM

I found a can at a truck stop a couple of years ago. Have not seen it since. Good Luck.

skids · 12-30-04, 12:00 PM

Try millertire.com They have exactly what you are looking for.

Vette66AirCoupe · 12-30-04, 01:46 PM

I placed an order for a quart of this stuff with Miller Tire Co. Thanks Skids. I've come to the conclusion that Tire Black is damn near extinct. I called several stores including a few that always have the old stuff and several said "Oh sure, I remember that stuff but we don't carry it anymore." A quart will last me 3-4 lifetimes considering the 50-50 mix ratio. Another satisfied user of the Corvette Action Center! God I love this place!

67HEAVEN · 12-30-04, 02:23 PM

Way to go, skids.

67HEAVEN · 12-30-04, 02:25 PM

Here's the product.

Go to www.millertire.com and then choose TIRES, Repairs/Supplies from the left-column menu.

BarryK · 12-30-04, 04:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vette66AirCoupe

I placed an order for a quart of this stuff with Miller Tire Co. Thanks Skids. I've come to the conclusion that Tire Black is damn near extinct. I called several stores including a few that always have the old stuff and several said "Oh sure, I remember that stuff but we don't carry it anymore." A quart will last me 3-4 lifetimes considering the 50-50 mix ratio. Another satisfied user of the Corvette Action Center! God I love this place!

Hi Terry

Happy Holidays.

Always nice when you can get something answered that quickly isn't it!

Anytime you have that '60 out for a spin and want to show off your new wheels just swing on by.

See you next week at the club meeting if you are going to be there.

Barry

SPANISHVETTS · 12-30-04, 04:17 PM

Don´t forget to order your spats

and Zoot suit

skids · 12-30-04, 07:39 PM

Glad I could help. After about an hour of searching I remembered who had the stuff. Hope it works!

c4cruiser · 12-30-04, 07:53 PM

The last can I had of Tire Black was when it came in a 1 pint paint can. The plastic bottles are new technology! I remember using a lot of that stuff.

vette · 12-31-04, 06:04 AM

I am getting old. I have not seen tire black in so many years I forgot all about it.

JonM · 12-31-04, 06:12 AM

You must have been one of the rich kids...we used brake fluid.

Ken · 12-31-04, 04:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JonM

You must have been one of the rich kids...we used brake fluid.

I can just see the people wincing as they read that Jon, but I remember that (using brake fluid) quite clearly myself. Trouble is, it caused the tires (rubber) to dry out and crack, leading to money being spent on more tires. Of course, we used junkyard tires, but ...

Vanity Plate Bob · 12-31-04, 09:52 PM

Years ago it was said that all of the rubber in a tire is white when they begin the process. ?

Ken · 12-31-04, 09:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vanity Plate Bob

Years ago it was said that all of the rubber in a tire is white when they begin the process. ?

Yep. "Carbon black" is mainly what gives the tire its black color. I worked with that stuff in the refinery and hated it! Everything in the vicinity of it gets black.