Coker Tires

[Harvie C.]

I am restoring a '65 Corvette and ordered my tires from Coker Tire Co. The tire size is 775-15 with a one inch whitewall. After washing them the whitewall has a grainy look and feel to them. Is this the way they are suppose to be or do I have seconds?

[Bob R.]

Re: Coker Tires

I have a set of coker reproduction tires on my 63 they are 670 15. The quality on these tires is not very good. I didn't notice any problems on the white walls but wait until you try to balance the tires. You need to have a friend with a balancing machine because most retail stores don't want to bother with them, it's a chore.

[Harvie C.]

Re: Coker Tires

Bob I noticed it did take alot of weight to balance them. I want to use the correct tires, but these don't look that good.

[Donald B.]

Re: Coker Tires

I have a set of dual red lines on my Mustang - no complaints - BUT - Coker does not have the best reputation.

[Larry S.]

Re: Coker Tires

Harvie, I'd try to send them back and if successful then order a set from Diamond Back.

[Bob H.]

Re: Coker Tires

They have just stopped producing the Coker Red Line Tires (others?) and say the BF's are back ordered 6 weeks. Trouble ahead?

[Edward S.]

Re: Coker Tires

Harvie,
If you run into continued problems with the white walls, you may want to look at Goldlines ( don't know what color your car is?). When I was finished with the judging process I wanted to go from Bias Plys to Firestone w/w and had a real problem such as your having now, only I also was sent tires that had black spots on the white wall in addition to the grain. I gave up the ship and bought Kelly Radials and have been very happy with the way they look and ride. Good luck.

[Wayne M.]

Re: Coker Tires

.....and ordered my tires from Coker Tire Co. The tire size is 775-15 with a one inch whitewall. After washing them the whitewall has a grainy look and feel to them. ...

Harvie -- I checked a set of four 7.75-15 Firestone Deluxe Champion repro [ie. DOT] that I bought from someone about 4 years ago, although I don't know what supplier he got them from. The whitewall is rougher to the touch than the black rubber. Maybe this is a function of the current or past production process; ie do they grind away the top layer to expose the white rubber underneath ?

I also examined an old 7.75-15 DOT tire (thumbnail below); probably around 1966 manufacture, as the whitewall is closer to 0.83" wide. U. S. Royal, but not "Laredo"; marked 'Super Low Profile' on the back. Here too, the whitewall is slightly rougher than the smooth black rubber, but not by much; ie. you cant 'see' the roughness with an oblique light.