• From: San Diego, CA
  • Registered: 2009-04-30
  • Posts: 1,640

Topic: White wall paint

Odd question, but I figure this would be the place to get an answer. Our team is struggling to find a readily available paint that will work well to paint whitewalls onto tires.

We first tried Rustoleum (from a quart can). It held up well but turned brown very quickly. Admittedly we did not clean the sidewalls of the tire first, and from what I have since read, we really should have cleaned the sidewall with paint thinner or mineral spirits first.

We then tried latex interior house paint then followed by oil-based Kilz, but both cracked as soon as the car moved.

I've read that Rustoleum plastic primer works, but I can't find it in a quart can. I want to brush it on, not spray it.

Any suggestions? If not, I'm thinking of giving the regular Rustoleum another chance after cleaning the sidewalls thoroughly.

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  • BoB
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Re: White wall paint

I think Speedcop painted the white walls on the caddy you might check what he used and how it held up.

Which rustoleum in a quart did you use.  Around here there seems to be 4 or 5 different types of paint they sell by the quart, some might work better than others.

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  • From: San Diego, CA
  • Registered: 2009-04-30
  • Posts: 1,640

Re: White wall paint

This stuff, just your typical oil based enamel:

http://www.rustoleum.com/cbgimages/products/RO_GLS_RYLBLU_QT_L.jpg

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Re: White wall paint

Did a quick search on their site.

You can search by surface you are going to paint on.  http://rustoleum.com/CBGProductFinder.asp?pfm=BBS

While they don't have rubber they do have vinyl which might sort of be similar.  In there it was mostly spray paint the only thing that looked different was countertop paint  http://rustoleum.com/CBGProduct.asp?pid=208

I'm guessing its a quart of paint in there.

on a side not do you think if you painted the car with this http://rustoleum.com/CBGProduct.asp?pid=103 the judges would let you use chalk to write out your punishment.  Figure it might be easier for teams who have to write things on their car alot easier.  Also might make retheming in the middle of the race easier.

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5 Reply by Serj (edited by Serj 2010-11-24 07:59 AM)

  • Serj
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  • From: Cincinnati, OH
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Re: White wall paint

Jeff also did the 'whitewalls' on the thunderbird. I think those were painted-over Fuzion ZRis?

Ever try Whie Shoe polish? It'd would be a little expensive quanity-wise but they use built-in brush applicator and probably will last longer than paint. you only need it to look sharp from about 20ft away anyway smile

  • JThw8
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  • From: Mullica Hill, NJ
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Re: White wall paint

Krylon Fusion for plastics has a little more flex to it and is good for painting tires too.

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  • From: San Diego, CA
  • Registered: 2009-04-30
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Re: White wall paint

I've heard good things about Krylon Fusion as well, but I'm in a time crunch and don't want to have to deal with the PITA factor of masking all of them for spray paint.

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  • From: Houston (Spring) Texas
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Re: White wall paint

spray the paint into a bowl, then brush it on
i've done this, bu only for small detail stuff.
you could try to turn the can upside down (dont shake it) and spray out the propellant, then cut the can

never tried that, but worth a shot.

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Re: White wall paint

We used Rustoleum and had the same problem you did - it turned brown rapidly, even after cleaning the tires with all sorts of stuff including a pressure washer and Castrol SuperClean. We tried some oil-based stuff, too, as I recall, and it turned brown and cracked badly.

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  • From: San Diego
  • Registered: 2009-08-13
  • Posts: 35

Re: White wall paint

Sounds like something best left until the very last minute in the parking lot...maybe in the dirt...

  • From: San Diego, CA
  • Registered: 2009-04-30
  • Posts: 1,640

Re: White wall paint

I suppose we could just do it at the track but I'd rather not.

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  • From: Shakopee, MN
  • Registered: 2009-10-05
  • Posts: 136

Re: White wall paint

Make you own but don't use paint, use a grinder.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xkcm3rh6 … mp;index=6

  • From: San Diego, CA
  • Registered: 2009-04-30
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Re: White wall paint

That only works to make standard white walls into wide white walls. And the last time I checked, azenis weren't white walls at all.

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  • From: Land Of Subarus, Colorado
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Re: White wall paint

How about a coat of white silicone caulk? The really sticky stuff.

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  • From: San Diego, CA
  • Registered: 2009-04-30
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Re: White wall paint

I would think that would be too difficult to spread.

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  • From: Land Of Subarus, Colorado
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Re: White wall paint

If it's possible to put a SHO engine in the back of a Metro, it's possible to spread white caulk on a tire.

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  • Serj
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Re: White wall paint

everyone ignored my white shoe polish comment, was it really that bad?

  • From: San Diego, CA
  • Registered: 2009-04-30
  • Posts: 1,640

Re: White wall paint

We thought about that but couldn't find white in a large tin. Maybe I'll give it another shot

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