Blue Coating on Whitewalls - When Removed?

[Bob B.]

Hi all,

When whitewall or white letter tires were new, the white was coated usually with a blue coating. I assume that this was removed during dealer prep, however, I wonder if dealers would actually go to the effort of taking out the spare?

In other words, should we leave the color on the spare tire?

Thanks,

Bob

[Bill I.]

Re: Blue Coating on Whitewalls - When Removed?

Bob, I think if it's there, leave it on. Bill.

[Ken A.]

Re: Blue Coating on Whitewalls - When Removed?

It should be on the spare and you can get some of the coating (bring a pint jar) from a tire recapper.

[Joe W.]

Re: Blue Coating on Whitewalls - When Removed?

Greetings!

Unfortunately for me, been there, done that.
Way back when, after I bought my bone stock, Sunflower Yellow 72',
I was anxious to get her cleaned up. When I lowered the spare tire tub,
I noticed what I thought was a blueish green mold all over the raised white
letters on the very original Firestone Wide-track Oval spare.

Obviously now not knowing any better, I took Wesley's Bleach White and
proceeded to scrub it off. A year later, after joining the Lakeshore
Corvette Club in Holland,MI I became friends with Patrick Hulst.

I learned a lot about the C3 car from the Doc's - Patrick Hulst, Tom Phares
and Mik Rak. All were stunned when they heard what I did.

During my first NCRS chapter judging for the car in the Summer of 2000
which, was sponsored by the Lakeshore Corvette Club, I told the judges what
I did when I cleaned the spare and they about had a heart attack.

I would have earned several more points for it.
However, I still scored over 97 and got a Top Flight.

Until the day I die, I will never live that one down.
Just ask Patrick.

[Patrick H.]

Re: Blue Coating on Whitewalls - When Removed?

Until the day I die, I will never live that one down.
Just ask Patrick.

You've got that one right.
I almost posted the story on this thread, but I usually leave you as "unidentified."

You know any tire recap places in GR that might have the dye as noted above?

Patrick

PS - good to see you here.

[Bob B.]

Re: Blue Coating on Whitewalls - When Removed?

Hi all,

Thanks for the info. That's what I suspected.

The stuff is polyvinyl alcohol and I got some tire place to just send me a quart. However, any chemical supply company can supply it as powder that you mix with water and add food coloring.

Now my next question: How was it applied? Tires that I see with the color on them don't look streaked. I tried a brush and got brush marks. Was it sprayed closely so that it isn't all over the rest of the tire.

Thanks,

Bob

[Brian M.]

Re: Blue Coating on Whitewalls - When Removed?

Try a foam brush.

[Mark P.]

Re: Blue Coating on Whitewalls - When Removed?

Hi all,

When whitewall or white letter tires were new, the white was coated usually with a blue coating. I assume that this was removed during dealer prep, however, I wonder if dealers would actually go to the effort of taking out the spare?

In other words, should we leave the color on the spare tire?

Thanks,

Bob

Bob Just a heads up on the spare tire color..i worked for a chevy dealer 1965 to 1970 preping cars we never cleaned the blue off of the spare tire

[Perry M.]

Re: Blue Coating on Whitewalls - When Removed?

The spare Firestone Champion Deluxe that came original with my '63 coupe still has the coating on the whitewall. However, I believe it is a pale green color, not blue. It's been awhile since I've looked at it so I think I will get it out and DUST it off. I will report back later.

[Don L.]

Re: Blue Coating on Whitewalls - When Removed?

Perry, anything new on this yet? I found this issue to be very interesting, and am looking to experiment on how/what to do to present a tire with the new-tire film on the white stripe. Could the color be tire manufacturer or year specific?

[Bob B.]

Re: Blue Coating on Whitewalls - When Removed?

Hi all,

The only time I have seen green instead of blue was on an original 1950s Firestone Nylon Champion wide whitewall that used a tube (so not a Corvette tire). I was thinking maybe green was used earlier, but maybe that was what Firestone used. Be interesting to see what others say about original tires.

Bob

[Michael H.]

Re: Blue Coating on Whitewalls - When Removed?

The spare Firestone Champion Deluxe that came original with my '63 coupe still has the coating on the whitewall. However, I believe it is a pale green color, not blue. It's been awhile since I've looked at it so I think I will get it out and DUST it off. I will report back later.

I agree. The coating that Firestone used in 63-64 was green. I had a few NOS Firestones over the years.

The color on my new 64 with B F Goodrich Silvertowns was blue.

[Steve G.]

Re: Blue Coating on Whitewalls - When Removed?

How about the tire stickers on the tread were they left on the spare ? Should leave them on my new Coker spare tire?

[Michael H.]

Re: Blue Coating on Whitewalls - When Removed?

How about the tire stickers on the tread were they left on the spare ? Should leave them on my new Coker spare tire?

Steve,

I'm pretty sure the stickers were used on service tires but not tires installed at the Corvette assembly plant.

[Perry M.]

Re: Blue Coating on Whitewalls - When Removed?

No sticker on my spare tire.