Tire seekers:
Just about a year ago I promised the list that I
would write a review of the red-line radials being
"re-manufactured" and sold by the Diamond Back
Company of South Carolina. Forgive my tardiness but
here goes:
Background: There's no doubt in my mind that nothing
looks better on a TR6 than a set of redline tires.
It's always been one of the most distinguishable and
unique features of the car. And when the redlines on
"Trevor" were about to completely wear out last year
there was never any chance that I'd consider having
anything else on the car. But there was a problem.
Problem: The rock hard, narrow profile, Michelins on
our cars rely on 35 year old technology and the
performance is not much better than the tires on my
bicycle. Cornering, stopping, and ride quality on
dry and wet (sometimes you're caught in it) roads is
greatly compromised when compared to a modern tire of
today.
Goal: Find a wider profile but same height, modern
tire with relatively good performance features. They
had to have a raised 3/8" wide, true rubber redline
built into the tire, not cut in and painted later.
And they had to be fairly reasonable in price.
Solution: Diamond Back. They remanufacture wide
white, redline, and even gold line tires for classic
cars. No, these are not brand new tires but they are
not your father's old "recaps" either. The
technology has progressed far beyond those days.
Depending on the size you order you'll get either
Michelin XW4s or Goodyear Eagles as the original
casing. With my stock rims I decided to go with size
205-70-15 tires (Michelins). They match up as close
to the original 185-15s as possible. The other close
fitting option is the 215-65-15 (Goodyears), but
they're a little too wide for my taste.
note: If you want brand new tires, they also carry a
minor brand name tire that goes through the same
process to add the redlines as the others. You get
new but you don't get Michelin or Goodyear underneath.
Price: $79/each plus shipping ($60 UPS to my door).
Results: They look and ride great. What a
difference! The performance improvements were evident
immediately. Stopping distance decreased, cornering
was better, and I no longer grab the wheel for dear
life if I have to drive on wet pavement. I put 3000
miles on my set last year and can report no troubles
at all. They're wearing nicely and the redline looks
good as new. And they're a big hit at car shows,
especially when people see the original "Michelin"
trademark on the sidewall and wonder when the company
started making that size in a redline.
If you're faced with the prospect of buying new tires
and do not want to give up the redline look this
option may be for you.
Contact: Diamond Back; 707 North Murray Avenue,
Anderson, South Carolina 29625 for more information.
Telephone toll-free 888-922-1642. Their web page is
www.widewhitewalltires.com. It's pretty primitive
but worth a look.
I'm sure they can tell you more and answer any
questions you may have.
Joe Merone
South Burlington, VT
CF 18928
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