Black wall or whitewall, you pick the next tires for this car!

[Jkalplus1]

I am on the fence, I like both options. I thought of tossing a coin to decide, but a poll seems more fun!
As you can see, the wheel arches look a bit weird because of the too short 175\75 continentals presently fitted.
The car is a euro 1964 with power steering, kinder seat and hardtop. The whitewall option was not selected on the data sheet.
Thanks for voting!
Jerome

[Louis]

It's a euro spec car....Black wall tires !!  IMO

[Tomnistuff]

Jerome,
I couldn't find a Parchment colored car with the tires I'm looking for but here's a dark blue.  When mine goes back on the road, it will be shod with these.
This photo may be copyrighted, but I can't find any indication.  It pops up every time one Googles 230SL. 
Tom Kizer

[Jkalplus1]

Gents, I hear you both! The cheap vredestein tires would be closest to what was on the car according to the data sheet, and I am trying hard to make it as correct as I can, but what looks good also matters, I like the look of whitewalls too, and since my car was likely a woman's car (power steering + kinder seat + hardtop) registered in Cologne, I have the impression it was used more as a city car than a man's sportster, thus I don't think the Coker Phoenixs would be too much away from the spirit of what this car was born as. And for the life of me I cannot find a single picture of an original Firestone phoenix without whitewalls (original tires for this car).
That's why you choose for me. I trust the process!
Tom, nice tires, I think Garry has those as well. I do not know if they are made in 185/14 though.

[KevinC]

When our cars were produced, they didn't list the aspect ratio. I BELIEVE that our tires were originally 185/78-14 . The closest size available today is actually a 195/75/14.

http://www.discounttire.com/dtcs/infoTireMath.do

[Jkalplus1]

Kevin, IIRC from redaing the tire threads in here, I seem to remember 78 was the US spec, and it was 80 for metric.
Jerome

[KevinC]

Okay...makes sense. So what size modern tire will you go with?

[garymand]

Here he is in big boy shoes.  Girly car?  Yeah I took the kids to the park a few times...  I've always called it a Jump seat.  Eurospec.  Always in process.  right now, 225/50 16 and a little rough around the edges and tight in the corners.

[Tomnistuff]

Diamond Back sells wide whitewalls on other people's tires.
I think I got the link from the Pagoda SL Group forum but I can't remember where.
I've never bought anything from them but plan to when my Pagoda is ready.  No reason to let them age in the garage.
They do sell 185/75R14 with wide whitewalls.

http://www.dbtires.com/2013_catalog/2013_DBTiresCatalog_Web_Hi.pdf

Tom Kizer

[Jkalplus1]

185HR14, either the Vredesrein Sprints or the Coker Phoenix.

[stickandrudderman]

Whilst I like white wall tyres, they don't stay white for very long so I prefer black for that reason only.

[Cees Klumper]

There's good products to bring the white back. Not sure about how widely they are available in europe, but in the US it's a common thing. Spray on, no scrubbing and voila.

[Jkalplus1]

I use fine grit wet sandpaper and it works really well. Touch it up with Mr clean magic eraser...

[Flyair]

My personal view is that a tyre with white wall looks vintage no mater how modern their thread is. The best example of it are the budget tyres Maxxis with white wall that can be had for about 80 Euro (100$) in Poland, and probably cheaper elsewhere.
On the other side, black wall tyres must have the vintage thread to match the general vintage look of cars like ours. Here a good example are Vredestein and Michelin tyres.

As a side remark, I find it quite amazing that Vredestein asks about 130$ per black wall tyre, while the exactly same tyre with white wall is sold at around 450$.piece which makes the tiny white stuff a quite expensive add-on ...

I am with Stick... his pragmatism is disarming, but his reasoning's irrefutable    

[Garry]

There is whitewall then there is WHITEWALL.

I am finding that using Mineral Turpentine on a cloth has worked really well keeping them clean.

[Jkalplus1]

Garry and Tom, you made me seriously consider a third option with your "gansta" WWs.  They really look nice, and I think would really compliment a white car with dark blue second color. Reminiscent of the first Corvettes all white with wide WWs...but the poll will decide.

[Tomnistuff]

Everyone seems to have their favorite technique for keeping or making whitewalls white.  That includes Diamond Back tires.  They have an extensive write-up in their website catalog about what makes whitewalls change color and how they recommend cleaning them.  I'm one of those people who know nothing about keeping or making them white, but I like them when they are.

Tom Kizer

[KevinC]

Here are some pics of some "early" 230SL's with wider whitewalls. Two are from MB brochures...