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Topic: White Letter Tires

in Forum: C3 Car Care

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White Letter Tires (1/24)
1/23/17 9:15pm

Pappy's Toy
Former Member
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WILLIAMSTOWN, KY - USA

Vette(s):
Silver Anniversary 1978, L82?, 4-speed

Joined: 12/5/2002
Posts: 131

The white letters on my Goodrich Radial T/A's are now yellow. Any tricks on turning them white again?

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Pappy's Toy

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Re: White Letter Tires (2/24)
1/23/17 10:18pm

manchestershark

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Equinunk, PA - USA

Vette(s):
1972 conv, 4-speed, 350, 200hp, numbers match, rally wheels, war bonnett yellow w/white top. good condition, nice driver.

Joined: 10/31/2007
Posts: 2387

WESTLEY'S Bleach Whyte. Follow label directions. Good stuff!

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Re: White Letter Tires (3/24)
1/23/17 10:41pm

F4Gary

Gold Member
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Grapevine, TX - USA

Vette(s):
1972 LT-1 convertible with factory air.

Joined: 8/26/2006
Posts: 1409

manchestershark said: WESTLEY'S Bleach Whyte. Follow label directions. Good stuff!

Ditto. Or sandpaper.

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Re: White Letter Tires (4/24)
1/24/17 2:16pm

Pappy's Toy
Former Member
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WILLIAMSTOWN, KY - USA

Vette(s):
Silver Anniversary 1978, L82?, 4-speed

Joined: 12/5/2002
Posts: 131

Manchestershark and F4 Gary

Thanks for the input, I will give it a try.

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Pappy's Toy

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Re: White Letter Tires (5/24)
1/24/17 6:36pm

Redwoman
Former Member
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Bellingham, MA - USA

Vette(s):
1980 loaded red on red. 68,000 original miles. Second owner. Well documented with all original paperwork. NCRS Founders Award 9/27/14. NCRS Top Flight 10/12/14.

Joined: 6/23/2014
Posts: 175

I have been using Westley Bleach White for 40 years. I spray all the tires first and let it soak in; Then I wash the entire car and when I give it a final rinse I rise the tires. Then I spray all the tires again and use a brush to scrub the letters. Rinse the tires again and rinse car. If you are using armor all or anything to make tires shine will cause the letters to turn brown. I don't put anything on my letters and they stay a lot cleaner.

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Re: White Letter Tires (6/24)
1/24/17 7:50pm

manchestershark

In my opinion, tire shine is detrimental to rubber tires. Collects grime and degrades the tire.

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Re: White Letter Tires (7/24)
1/25/17 12:26am

F4Gary

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Grapevine, TX - USA

Vette(s):
1972 LT-1 convertible with factory air.

Joined: 8/26/2006
Posts: 1409

Armor All is terrible. Haven't bought it in years.

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Re: White Letter Tires (8/24)
1/25/17 4:17pm

Pappy's Toy
Former Member
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WILLIAMSTOWN, KY - USA

Vette(s):
Silver Anniversary 1978, L82?, 4-speed

Joined: 12/5/2002
Posts: 131

I've been using Formula 2001 Foam Tire Shine. I guess that maybe that is what is turning my letters yellow. What do other members use to shine your tires?

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Pappy's Toy

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Re: White Letter Tires (9/24)
1/26/17 2:03pm

DarinM
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Caddo Mills, TX - USA

Vette(s):
1980 Black on Black 4speed 383 Stroker 17x9 rear, 17x8 front with 255-50R-17 Nitto tires OBX Stainless Steel sidepipes DeWitts radiator with dual electric fans

Joined: 9/15/2015
Posts: 38

Scrub brush and some ajax powder and water is what i grew up using that still works !

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Re: White Letter Tires (10/24)
1/26/17 5:31pm

Pappy's Toy
Former Member
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WILLIAMSTOWN, KY - USA

Vette(s):
Silver Anniversary 1978, L82?, 4-speed

Joined: 12/5/2002
Posts: 131

I grew up using Comet. I guess I will go back to that.

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Pappy's Toy

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Re: White Letter Tires (11/24)
1/27/17 7:17pm

73shark
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Overland Park, KS - USA

Vette(s):
1973 Orange Metallic Coupe (orig owner), L82, 4 spd (WR), PS, (A/C & PW (I installed from wrecked 73)), leather, AM/FM Stereo, ran with '65 FI unit earlier & will again some day.

Joined: 7/9/2003
Posts: 866

Bleche-White works well as do SOS or Brillo pads.

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1973 L-82 4 spd

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Re: White Letter Tires (12/24)
1/27/17 9:09pm

Pappy's Toy
Former Member
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WILLIAMSTOWN, KY - USA

Vette(s):
Silver Anniversary 1978, L82?, 4-speed

Joined: 12/5/2002
Posts: 131

I do have some Brillo Pads around; but I will have to wait until it warms up a bit. It seems that winter has decided to return to Kentucky.

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Pappy's Toy

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Re: White Letter Tires (13/24)
1/30/17 10:47am

vettejack

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Titusville, FL - USA

Vette(s):
1977 Coupe (White), 2006 Convertible (Victory Red). NCM Life Member #2221.

Joined: 12/19/2007
Posts: 154

DarinM said: Scrub brush and some ajax powder and water is what i grew up using that still works !

Ditto on what Darin says...this is the only method I use as well. Letters stay white for months (depending on your C3 driving habits).

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Re: White Letter Tires (14/24)
1/30/17 12:53pm

Pappy's Toy
Former Member
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WILLIAMSTOWN, KY - USA

Vette(s):
Silver Anniversary 1978, L82?, 4-speed

Joined: 12/5/2002
Posts: 131

vettejack, thanks for the follow up. Right now I'm looking at snow, so as soon as it warms up a bit, I will dig out the cleanser and a scrub brush.

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Pappy's Toy

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Re: White Letter Tires (15/24)
1/30/17 3:49pm

Once you get them clean, Bleche White is by far the easiest way to keep them that way.

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1973 L-82 4 spd

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Re: White Letter Tires (16/24)
2/19/17 3:30pm

Pappy's Toy
Former Member
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WILLIAMSTOWN, KY - USA

Vette(s):
Silver Anniversary 1978, L82?, 4-speed

Joined: 12/5/2002
Posts: 131

Well yesterday was finally warm enough to wash the car and gave me a chance to work on the "yellow letter" tires. I used Bleche Wite, Armor All Tire and Wheel cleaner, Comet and Brillo Pads (plus a lot of elbow grease). I still have a ways to go; but the change is significant.

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Re: White Letter Tires (17/24)
2/19/17 9:21pm

F4Gary

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Grapevine, TX - USA

Vette(s):
1972 LT-1 convertible with factory air.

Joined: 8/26/2006
Posts: 1409

Meguire's Endurance tire shine is pretty good stuff. Blocks UV which is what turns tires brown. It's a gel and you put it on with a tire sponge.

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Re: White Letter Tires (18/24)
2/20/17 8:52pm

DaveM

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Flanders, NJ - USA

Vette(s):
1982 Black, ZZ4, Hooker Side Pipes, 3.55 Rear, Rebuilt & upgraded 700R4, All new suspension, brakes, & new Charcoal interior.

Joined: 1/27/2004
Posts: 2552

I use Soft Scrub, has bleach in it and its not real abrasive, put on with scrub brush let it soak in and then rinse. works great.

Dave

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Dave's '82

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Re: White Letter Tires (19/24)
10/19/20 3:14pm

StevieRayZorback
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Springdale, AR - USA

Vette(s):
1976 Coupe, Dark Metalic Green, 16,000 miles and others too many to mention!

Joined: 10/19/2020
Posts: 1

I know this is an old thread but it's my first time logging in and EXACTLY the info I was looking for. Thanks all!

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Re: White Letter Tires (20/24)
10/19/20 10:58pm

johnu
Standard Member
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Scottsdale, AZ - USA

Vette(s):
1981 Corvette Two-Tone Claret color, 4 spd, C7 Vert

Joined: 5/23/2007
Posts: 614

I’ve used all of the mentioned products including sandpaper...... they quickly return to yellow.

I have not resorted to white paint markers yet which many claim to be the answer.

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Only 32 years together

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Re: White Letter Tires (21/24)
10/20/20 5:12pm

Norsky

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Burke, VT - USA

Vette(s):
SOLD - "The Toy" - '70 Convertible
SOLD - "The Beast" - '90 ZR-1 (#682)
SOLD - "Betty" - '28 Ford Model A Tudor
Still have - "BLKBRRD" - '78 Pontiac Trans Am

Joined: 1/23/2002
Posts: 7191

manchestershark said: WESTLEY'S Bleche Wite. Follow label directions. Good stuff!

I also use the Mequiar's tire gel. Been happy with both products.

|UPDATED|10/20/2020 2:12:53 PM (AZT)|/UPDATED|

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Jim Olson

"The Toys"...!!! Save the Wave!

Where I've been in a Corvette...!!!

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Re: White Letter Tires (22/24)
10/20/20 6:37pm

F4Gary

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Grapevine, TX - USA

Vette(s):
1972 LT-1 convertible with factory air.

Joined: 8/26/2006
Posts: 1409

I quit using the Meguiar's gel and went to 303 Protectant. Way less messy, easier to apply, and leaves a nice satin finish. I don't like super shiney tires.

|UPDATED|10/20/2020 3:37:29 PM (AZT)|/UPDATED|

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Re: White Letter Tires (23/24)
6/29/21 11:07am

peterr991
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Joined: 5/31/2021
Posts: 4

I also use scrub brush and some ajax powder. Works fine.

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Re: White Letter Tires (24/24)
6/30/21 4:40am

Kentvetteuk
Limited Member
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, - France

Vette(s):
1978 L48 Auto. Red with Oyster Leather interior. Owned since 1990.

Joined: 8/21/2002
Posts: 85

For long time now I have used Meguires "Endurance" - just a little, applied with a clean cloth It gives a little shine, but not too much.

To keep the white letters clean I use White Spirit, which you guys in the US call "mineral spirits" I think. I go over each letter individually, using a clean section of cloth each time. It's non abrasive and non corrosive, keeps them really white and I find I only need to do them perhaps a couple of times a year. Between that I just wipe the tyres down after each run out.

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Stephen J Irons
Corvette Club France

CCCUK Lifetime Member
Corvettes of Southern California
NCM Family Member
Red Corvettes Have More Fun!

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