Billboard letters

[moore_rb]

White Plasti-Dip.

For as easily as that stuff peels of of other surfaces; amazingly, it is damn-near impossible to peel off of clean rubber...

scrub your tires with a stiff brush and an abrasive cleaner from the supermarket (Comet, Bon-Ami, etc), rinse well, dry them off, apply your stencils, and hit them with several light coats of the Plasti-Dip until you achieve the desired level of "whiteness" that you are looking for...

And then come back here and post pics :-)

[Antny]

Thanks, rb!

[Rjw289]

My Tredwear letters have turned a dirty brown color after about 2 years. Was informed by Tredwear to wash the tires and lettering at least every 4 months or so to prevent this brown discoloring. I had not been washing the tires as the car never sees rain and never gets dirty, except dusty. I washed very well and the brownish color went away.

[KevinW]

Originally Posted by RedHawk

Highly reccomend no matter what period correct says.
Oh the tires are Avons which are fantastic. Took em to the track and they were nice and sticky for a DOT tire. Only thing next is to get a red vinly wrap over front rear fenders because they kick up everything.

Can't see the pics on about half of the attachment posts on this thread. Do I need to get a Flickr account or ....?

[Midcont]

Originally Posted by Antny

Anyone paint their letters on? I don't want stickers, so I got a paint stencil kit for mine. What paint have you used with success?

I wanted to paint letters on and did a lot of research on the paint. I experimented with white plasti dip (I use black on trim frequently with great success) and it didn't work for me. For one, I put it on one of my truck tires to see what happened with some miles. I didn't prep the truck tire except a slight cleaning but it was a medium tan color after a week and brown after two or three weeks. For two, I don't know that you can peel up a template and not take the plasti dip with it. I couldn't.
I wound up with Ranger but ran into another issue. The template kit wants you to clean the tire thoroughly with mineral spirits to remove all the oil possible. The paint wants you to leave it as is. I barely experimented with getting one template sticker to adhere and gave up on it.
I went with the treadwear letters and it was the right move. I was worried they'd look stuck on and I wanted that vintage painted on look.
I'm really happy with how they turned out. They don't look stuck on until you get right up to them, even from the side profile. The glue they give you works. They aren't going anywhere and they take on a slightly worn look with road wear that works.
My tip for treadwear is to cut all the nipples on the face of the tire, to clean 3X with mineral sprits and to work from the center out on each letter. Use a picture of a billboard to work off of because its freehand. Note, as others here have done, I also cut some of the letters vertically to more closely match the look of the painted on letters. Use scotch tape to hold them in place while you glue and apply.

If anybody wants to go stencils, I have the whole kit in 2" ready to go and I'll sell you for half price, just PM me.

[GLS-BDR226]

Originally Posted by Rjw289

My Tredwear letters have turned a dirty brown color after about 2 years. Was informed by Tredwear to wash the tires and lettering at least every 4 months or so to prevent this brown discoloring. I had not been washing the tires as the car never sees rain and never gets dirty, except dusty. I washed very well and the brownish color went away.

Mine too have turned brown. I tried cleaning with SOS pads, soap, etc, but didn't help. What did you use? Thanks.

[moore_rb]

Originally Posted by Midcont

I don't know that you can peel up a template and not take the plasti dip with it. I couldn't.

You have to run around the edge of the letters with a razor blade after the plasti-dip dries, and before lifting the stencil off.

as to the issue of white lettering turning brown: even molded-in white letters, and whitewall stripes, etc, can turn brown with age... Even Tredwear letters can have this happen-

I have always used Comet on a stiff brush to clean my tires, and since it has bleach in it, it has helped to keep the letters white on some tires, but on others, the letters would turn brown, and nothing would prevent it. (the Cooper Cobras I currently have, for example- The letters are already brown, and the tires are barely 90 days old)

I've speculated that maybe the brown staining is from some chemical leaching into the letters from the black native tire rubber? maybe some black rubber compounds are more likely to stain the white letters than others? JAT...

[Rjw289]

I actually do not remember what I used to clean them with. However you can call Tredwear as they recommended it. Oddly enough, they said once clean and dry to apply "clear Chapstick" for protection. Has worked thus far. Tredwear also stated to clean tires every few months even if not dirty to have this brownish color appear less.

[Antny]

Finally got my new Mickey Thompson S/T's delivered, and will be doing the Goodyear stencil/paint thing this weekend. Hopefully it goes well. If not, I'll go the Tredwear route.

Anyone have a link to the large (2"?) Goodyear Eagle lettering kit on the Tredwear site? Every time I enter their site, I spend an hour searching, to no avail. What am I doing wrong?

[James Stern]

Try Westley's Bleach White

[Archrms]

I had trouble finding them on the website also. Turns out Tredwear removed the billboard lettering while they work out a licensing deal with Goodyear. They are still available, but you have to call to order them according to the rep I spoke with.

[Antny]

Went ahead with Plan A; sprayed-on lettering. I couldnt find Plasti-dip in white, but I did find a Rustoleum spray-on rubber seal product for gutters, etc, so I'm giving it a try. Here we go....

[moore_rb]

They look nice so far !

[Kit Coyle]

I think that looks pretty authentic. The real billboards had a rather sloppy
sprayed on logo so you can be less neat and still be in the ballpark. Even
though these are actually 1980 vintage stock car racing tires they do look
the business on a Cobra. Did you sand the Mickey Thompson logos off your
ST sidewalls before you applied the paint? And where did you get the stencils?

[Antny]

Thanks, yeah I belt-sanded the M/T raised lettering off the tires first. I got the stencils from Raceline. They may have been old stock....they were sticky, but not very. Which is ok, as you said; there's a bit of sloppiness to the originals, so. That said, the letters are quite sharp, perhaps owing to the thick rubbery paint I used. Doing the rear tires tonight.

[satnu]

Originally Posted by Antny

Thanks, yeah I belt-sanded the M/T raised lettering off the tires first. I got the stencils from Raceline. They may have been old stock....they were sticky, but not very. Which is ok, as you said; there's a bit of sloppiness to the originals, so. That said, the letters are quite sharp, perhaps owing to the thick rubbery paint I used. Doing the rear tires tonight.

Any updates? How'd rears turn out? Pics?

Thanks

[Antny]

Sorry, I forgot to post. They turned out great, I think. The "white" has yellowed a bit, but I like it. No cracking nor peeling yet, but I've only driven on these for about 500 miles so far. So far so good though!

[-SS454-]

Originally Posted by Antny

Sorry, I forgot to post. They turned out great, I think. The "white" has yellowed a bit, but I like it. No cracking nor peeling yet, but I've only driven on these for about 500 miles so far. So far so good though!

I just got my Avon's and want to paint on some white letters. Would you have got with a different paint or maybe a primer so it wouldn't yellow so quickly?

[Island Cobra]

It's Feb 14, 2018....How do they look now?

[FUNFER2]

Also would like a update.
The sticker type look nice too.