For those who have been wanting some smoothie white clinchers, Lang's has a set on ebay.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/221167620609?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m142 3.l2649
Wonder who won these??
WOW!
$1815.00+$76.00 shipping. WOW
I thought they might go higher than that, since several folks are now wanting some badly. I bought a set of gray Firestones from Coker for my Coupelet, right after I first learned they were being discontinued. The price was almost as much as these. Mine are still in their wrappers; I hope they're good ones!
Has anybody tried using whitewall paint to make black tires white?
Neil
Neil, I wondered about that idea after seeing a photo some time ago (don't have it) of an early T with white tires with black tread.
Mike,
Are yours at your shop? Ahhhh, never mind...
Merry Christmas,
Rob
Erich;
I had a set of Firestone all whites with the regular tread.
That's over $460 per tire..... After posting pictures of my car in a couple other threads I now know why I've got several emails with folks wanting my tires. I even told one fellow to send me a new set of black Firestone nonskid and we would trade that would have been a mistake looks like I would need 2 sets instead of one to come out on the deal huh...WOW !
I'm glad he backed out....
Have heard ones will be available in the near future.......made in India........hopefully better quality.........
White ones that is......
If you consider that these whites may have been the only new pair of whites for sale in the world, then its not a bad price.
As was mentioned, the new gray ones are over 1400,plus tax and shipping also....
Did you peak inside the wrapper of your grays Mike? Do the wrappers act to preserve the tires?
Wonder if a forum member bought these whites..
Haven't I read here the white tires last about 300 miles? That's $7 per mile. You can charter a Learjet for $1/mile.
Well that is not true Ralph. I have about 3000 on the ribbed Universal white tires on my '12. I think they will go another 2500.
The smooth whites are probably good for 2000 miles.
Expensive but it just isnt cheap if you want to do a "correct" restoration which I imagine this guy must be doing...
If Royce is correct and they only last 2000 miles, that probably makes them the most expensive tires in the world...If you wish to replace them every two thousand miles and you drive the car on those tires, that is....
Another great pic Royce. Thank you. I have the one with you changing a tire and your dad on the running board "watching" you, saved as a favorite.
Merry Christmas
"If Royce is correct and they only last 2000 miles, that probably makes them the most expensive tires in the world...If you wish to replace them every two thousand miles and you drive the car on those tires, that is...."
Nah... I know guys who only get about 20 miles on a $600 set of Hoosier race tires. ;)
I had a set of all white smoothies on my 10. They didn't last 1000 miles. You could see fabric all around on the fronts when I changed them. Should have changed them sooner, actually.
I have been told personally by the owner of one of the major antique tire suppliers that white tires are coming back very soon
"The smooth whites are probably good for 2000 miles."
Looks like your probably is about as good as what I wrote, Royce. I should have stated, "Smoothies."
1,000 miles or less still makes them more expensive than chartering a Fearjet.
Geez, you guys are really making the buyer of these white tires feel good about his purchase...
A close friend of mine gave me such a deal on mine if I get 250 miles on them I can't complain.
Everyone is thinking as drivers. Perhaps the expensive white tires are going on a car that will sit in a museum and not get more than 10 miles per year.
Neil
I personally don't like the white or the black smoothies. I want tread on my tires.
Okay, I won the auction for these tires. The final price, tax and shipping was 1975.00
I just hope the tires are jet white and perfect. They are for the 1912 Torpedo I am currently restoring. I am doing a show quality car. That said , I will have two sets of wheels for the car. One with black tires for driving and the other set of wheels with these white tires for show.
I really like the looks of the whites, they are the original type tire used and I’m not that convinced someone will actually start producing them again. If they do, all the better. I will need two other sets for two other cars..
My dad was a stickler for originality and this was the only original element of the car that dad did not leave me. I have tried to make the car as close to an original representation as possible. In fact I still think of the cars as dad’s cars not mine and that dad might be watching my efforts with a critical eye. . I had a very talented and great dad who was consumed with this hobby for 70 of his 85 years so I have tried to do my best to do the best restoration possible.
In short, I knew I had to have the tires and this was the first opportunity for me to acquire them.
I have only one more wrapped brand new white rear, them l'm out to blacks too !
What I was trying to say above was the tires I saw were standard black, as indicted by the black tread (where the color wore off), but were merely colored/painted? white by some method. Looked pretty good for the most part and appeared to be white tires.
Greg s K,
Congratulations! Tires like that are tough to come by anymore. I, too, hope they start making good tires again, including all white in a variety of tread types. How else can poor folk like me continue to buy good second hand tires for cheap?
I saw those on eBad before they were mentioned here and was following them out of curiosity. I am gladdened that they are going onto a good and special car.
Drive carefully, and have a very Merry Christmas! W2
Greg -- Congratulations on getting those tires. I don't think that was a bad price, all things considered. I'm sure your Dad would be pleased.
Whites weren't cheap when they were readily available. Glad they will be put to good use.
Andy
Yes,good to know they will be put to use on what should be a great car..Good luck with the restoration !
A 2008 lang's catalog, listed then at $259.50ea.
Kerry -- They went up a bunch in the past couple of years. The last price I saw on them before they became unavailable at any price was $340. I can buy fat Michelins for my M-3 for half that.
p.s. -- And the Michelins will last 50,000 miles, not 2,000.
THe last advertised price,still on the site but only a limited of number of gray sets available. No whites.
http://www.cokertire.com/30x3-5-firestone-smooth-all-white.html
I saw a sample from one of our Australian suppliers of an all white 'non skid' tread pattern available early 2013! Unfortunately no smoothies or straight sided universals. I have just changed the white universals to black non skids. The mileage on the whites was poor. They semmed to be a bit soft?? Watch your suppliers in the new year to see when they come ito stock.
Stupid question, dont they still sell Firestone smooth white tires ?
No Firestone no longer makes these smooth white tires..That is why this tire sale generated much interest. This was a rare , new and unused set..