I don't know if this is the right section to post this, so I don't mind if it is moved to the right section. I was wondering if there are any good white lettered tires that are available for 16" rims. I have a set of $5 tires on 15" rims and am getting a new set of tires soon. I want to upgrade to a set of 16" Formula rims, but I want white lettered tires. I was told that white lettered tires are not available for 16" rims, but over the weekend I saw a Formula 350 with white lettered tires on it. Can anybody help me out here?

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1975 Firebird - Pontiac 350, TH350, 27k original miles, rustbucket, ongoing resto project

1992 Firebird - 305 TBI, 700R4, sport appearance package, t-tops, flaming red, 84k miles, soon to be modified

 

I'm sure some tire company makes them, they just aren't very common. Not alot of room for letters, depending on what size you go with. IMO I don't like the look on 16's.


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350 with stealth intake, holley carb, 470 lift cam. 700r4 with .5 boost valve, vette servo, tci lock-up kit, B&M megashifter. Richmond 3.73 gears, powertrax locker, timkin bearings, synthetic lube. Custom 3 inch single into 2 2.5 pipes. 1 1/2 drop springs, 1 5/16 solid front sway bar, 1 inch rear bar, custom subframe connectors, custom LCA relocation brackets. Kobel ground FX, currant red metallic paint. Lots of other stuff...
82camaro

 

The white-letter "look" is out of fashion these days. So there are very few tires made that way. Additionally, alot of the companies that make quality tires (I'm talking about Michelin, Pirelli, Bridgestone, etc. not Pep Boys, Kelly, Cooper) don't use white rubber in any performance tires, because it's weaker and adds weight without contributing to the tire's structure. The reason tires are black is because the rubber requires carbon to vulcnanize (harden) so basically the white rubber is in the same class of things as chrome trim: extra weight, totally useless.

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"So many Mustangs, so little time..."
ICON Motorsports

 

The white lettered look does seem to be out on most new cars, but I think it still looks damn good on most older cars, including third gen Camaros and Firebirds. I think that I'm going to to stick with my 15" rims and drop a set of Firestone Firehawks with raised white letters on them. I've got a set of Firehawks on my 75 Firebird, so I figured I'd stick with what works. Thanks for the info fellas.

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1975 Firebird - Pontiac 350, TH350, 27k original miles, rustbucket, ongoing resto project

1992 Firebird - 305 TBI, 700R4, sport appearance package, t-tops, flaming red, 84k miles, soon to be modified

 

Awhile back I saw an advertisment for a pen to color the letters on your tires. JC Whitney comes to mind for something like that, but I can't remember where I saw it. If you aquired one of those you could have any tire you wanted with raised white letters.

 

What about B.F Goodrich Radial TA's?
They might have the white lettering in 16" but I'm not sure.

 

Radial TA's are blackwall in the 245/16's. On 15's the white letters look OK.

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350 with stealth intake, holley carb, 470 lift cam. 700r4 with .5 boost valve, vette servo, tci lock-up kit, B&M megashifter. Richmond 3.73 gears, powertrax locker, timkin bearings, synthetic lube. Custom 3 inch single into 2 2.5 pipes. 1 1/2 drop springs, 1 5/16 solid front sway bar, 1 inch rear bar, custom subframe connectors, custom LCA relocation brackets. Kobel ground FX, currant red metallic paint. Lots of other stuff...
82camaro