Brake Fluid On Tires And Other Bad Ideas; Auto History: Speakeasy's: Big Bad GMC EV!

Why White Letter Tires Took Off

Jeff Dziekan 0:08

Yeah, well, you know, the trend of white letter tires gained significant momentum in the 60s and 70s, especially here in the U.S. of A. Muscle cars and street racing were becoming increasingly popular. White letter tires became synonymous with performance and style and coolness that we all had associated with high performance vehicles as well.

Raised Vs Painted Lettering

Jeff Dziekan 0:26

White lettering on tires comes in two primary types, raised and painted. Each type has a distinct characteristics in manufacturing process. Raised white lettering is created during the manufacturing process itself. The letters are raised above the tire surface and are part of an integral portion of that sidewall. White lettering is typically made from white rubber. Rubber is actually kind of a cream color to begin with. It's a compound that is molded into the tire. Raised letters are known for their durability since it's part of the tire itself. Painted white lettering improves or involves applying white paint to the tire after it has been manufactured. The paint is applied to a desired area of the sidewall. We used to do that with a chalk, a crayon, uh fingernail polish. We used to do all kinds of stuff like that. Yes, we did. Requires more maintenance though. Both types have their advantages and are chosen based on specific needs and preferences of the vehicle and their owner. Raised white lettering, uh being more durable, is often preferred as the regular use, and painted white letters allows you more customization, is popular among the car enthusiasts who frequently change the aesthetics of their

Molding, Paint, And Quality Control

Jeff Dziekan 1:27

vehicle. The manufacturing process of white letter tires includes ORWL, which is outlined raised white letters, is intricate and requires precise techniques to ensure durability and the clarity of the lettering. No font distortion there. The process varies depending on what letter is being raised. The white rubber compound is inserted into the mold along with black rubber, and it's used for the rest of the tire. So that they're just injecting a little bit portions at a time. During the vulcanization process, and Spock does knows that, uh, whereas the tire is heated and cured, curing the rubber, the white and black compounds fuse together. Painted white lettering is fully formed and cured in the area, the white lettering, and is applied thoroughly and cleaned and prepared. Specialized durable paint is then carefully applied to the designated areas. This process might be done by hand or with the help of automated machinery for consistency and precision. Both methods require careful quality control and ensure the lettering is not only aesthetically pleasing, but also to withstand the rigors of road use without fading or peeling.

Cleaning Tips, Decals, And Pricing

Jeff Dziekan 2:38

And regular cleaning is essential to get the dirt and all the buildup and keep it from yellowing. Using cleaners specifically designed for it is advisable because you can really tarnish it and mess it up. Avoid exposure to harsh chemicals and solvents, deteriorating the rubber. We used to use brake fluid to get our tires black.

Don Armstrong 2:55

Oh my god.

Jeff Dziekan 2:55

Oh yeah, that was back in the day. Uh for those seeking non-permanent solutions, temporary decals can be applied to the sidewall. There are actually companies out there, professional companies, that will design lettering and apply them to your tire. Uh while comparing all of these raised white letters, outline white letters, consider this. They are a little bit higher priced, even if when you buy it, you know, from the from the uh tire store, and then the raised white letters can be a little bit more money as well. The resurgence of vintage and retro styles and automotive design has been renewed interest in the white letter tiring. The ability to customize and personalize tires, white lettering, appears to be pretty advantageous for the consumer, and it's kind of unique and it makes a unique style statement for them. White lettering on tires is often associated with specific brands, influencing customer loyalty and preference. The trends indicate that while practical considerations are important, the aesthetics and brand-related aspects of the tire design significantly influence the customer's choice. And there you've got all kinds of things. You could create your own design, you can uh get on their website, and they'll send you the stickers themselves, and you can you can put Don Armstrong on the side of your tire. No, I don't want Don Armstrong. You can do that. No, no, we're good.

Don Armstrong 4:05

All right. Thank you, Jeffrey.

This Week In Auto History

Don Armstrong 4:12

Time now for Mr. Mars this week in auto history. Mr. Mars, it's all yours, sir.

Mike Marrs 4:19

Found a few things this week uh coming up that we thought were real interesting and thought we'd share them. Uh, for example, in 1925, the Going to the Sun Road moves forward. Now, this is a major construction project that uh went through Montana and into Glacier National Park. Now, the reason this was really important, not only was it carved out of the side of the mountains themselves, but this kind of helped establish the idea that the road, the scenery, the place to go could be the road itself, which inspired more people to get on instead of just going to a resort or something. Let's go travel across America as part of these roads. And there's a few of these out there, and this is one of them that kind of kicked that off. The second thing we found in 1934, Donald Healy wins the Alpine trial. Now, this was important because this guy created the Austin Healy eventually. So this is where he got his start. He worked through it. This is a picture of one of the cars going through the race course, uh, of course, much later and newer.

Jeff Dziekan 5:21

So it looks like Pike's Peak.

Mike Marrs 5:23

Almost, but it's an Austin People. No, it is not Pike's Peak, doesn't promise you that. So this is one of the primary uh automotive events of that era, and this has helped what launched his career into actually building cars as he got uh a little more prominent in the world. So the next one is in 1948. Now, this is the first Porsche that was completed in 1948. It was known as Porsche 356 number one.

Don Armstrong 5:51

You mean Porsche?

Mike Marrs 5:52

Porsche. Depends on where you're at. East Texas or West Texas. Anyway, so it was built in Australia, Austria, and carried a mid-mounted engine. Now, this would become one of the world's most respected performance car brands, and this hand-built prototype was the beginning of it. So this is where it kicked off, and they brought they actually built two. They built the convertible and they built an open. I mean, uh, they built the coupe and they built an open model. They didn't have convertibles, they were open cars.

Jeff Dziekan 6:24

It's like a Carrera type type.

Mike Marrs 6:27

Kind of the forefront to that, absolutely. So the fourth thing I wanted to bring up, and this one I thought was real interesting uh when I got into it a little bit further, 1955. Mercedes-Benz was headed for a victory at the 24 hours of Lamont. Unfortunately, there was a crash. Now, the cause of the crash was because of the Jaguar driver getting ready to make a pit. He pulled to the right side of the track in front of the Austin Healy driver who had to hit the brakes. Now, when he did that, he also swerved, and when he did, he pulled out in front of the Mercedes-Benz that was traveling at 125 miles per hour. Mercedes-Benz hits the car and was launched into the uh earth embankment that was right there, hit the top of it, launched over into the spectator area, and it disintegrated. Threw him out onto the track, which he died immediately. But the debris debris and the rest of the car that bounced through, literally bounced through the spectator area, killed 80 people, not to mention how many people were injured. And this is the most spectacular uh accident is from a uh death count that has happened in automotive history. And I thought this was kind of uh I didn't know it was that bad. I knew that there was a big wreck and it caused a lot of changes in the racing world because of it. Then in 1963, Ford's total performance campaign expanded. Now, this particular thing is important because Ford was doing going through their total performance strategy, and they were trying to link racing directly with car sales. Same thing, win on Sunday, sell on Monday type thing that uh became very popular back then with the NASCAR and the publicity that was all around that. But the philosophy also is kind of what led to the uh streetcar high performance market, the the muscle machines that came out and that were developed with the big engines and the small cars. This was the stepping stone that led into that up and through the 60s until it kind of crapped out in the 70s, unfortunately. But that was some of the things we found interesting in this week in automotive history.

Don Armstrong 8:39

Thank you, sir.

Mike Marrs 8:40

Howdy.

Don Armstrong 8:46

All right, thank you, Jeffrey.

Hidden Houston Speakeasies For Date Night

Don Armstrong 8:48

Time now for Mr. Mahr's driving destinations. Here we go. And this week, Mr. Mahr's hidden Houston Speakeasies. I'm ready. I'm all ears.

Mike Marrs 9:00

So for our younger audience that really is not familiar with the idea of the speakeasy, that came about because during Prohibition you had to go to a hidden bar. Sometimes it was special knocks on a certain door or something like that. Anyway, that were kind of hidden, and that's the reason they call the speakeasy because you had the speakeasy to get into it. So in Houston, we've got a few, and uh what they do is give you that little mystery, the little atmosphere, and and an easy place to have some conversation uh over some really nice cocktails in these hidden places. Downtown's hidden bookcase experience. Now, we're gonna start with Dander Downtown, then we're gonna slip behind a bookcase, literally, to get to Captain Fox Heart's Bad News and Bar Spirit Lodge, and also in um in the name in the hidden bar district. Now, this is one of the classic speakeasy setups in that you have to go through uh uh a hidden place. It's not widely known. Uh it is, but it's not. It's supposed to be hidden, it's supposed to be secretive. And but this place has a really nice balcony that you can set out there on and you have a nice view of downtown. It's really nice during the evening where the lights come up and everything. And uh they have some really great craft cocktails and a real nice food menu to go along with it. Now, from there, if you want something for more of a little more special occasion date, go to Bandista. Now, this is hidden literally behind the entrance within the hotel of the four seasons. Now it's only 20 seats in this speakeasy, so it's very uh very small, very uh exclusive, intimate exclusive, but it's got all the prohibition-inspired touches to it and with modern mixology. So the uh you can sit in there and you can uh kind of like sitting in a theater to watch what goes on, ordering the drinks from the bar, and you can actually pair it with dinner while you're downtown. It just creates a nice little venue to go and sneak off to, like is what you would want for speakeasy. Now, this other one here is one of Houston's kind of unusual date night concept is case chocolate. Now, it doesn't focus solely on drinks because it's got the cozy speakeasy style venue, but it also puts that with the artisan chocolates that are cute go with curated uh cocktails. Now, this is uh kind of creates a lot of conversation just because it's something different. You're sitting there talking, and uh it's not very far. It is downtown, but it's a really nice place to set at and get to. From there, you can go over to the River Oaks uh hotel where it's called a place called Fancies. Again, Prohibition era. The venue combines the art decal styling, live music, low lighting, and craft cocktails to give you that kind of hidden away, unique experience that you might find and expect to see in a speakeasy. Now it's hidden upstairs in a uh it's a hidden lounge upstairs, and it gives you that sense that you're going to a private party, not necessarily an open area bar. The uh if you're looking for something that's a little more old, if you will. Mafarless.

Don Armstrong 12:19

Marfrayless. Marfrayless, yes.

Mike Marrs 12:22

I do that. So you're familiar with it, Don?

Don Armstrong 12:26

Uh, yes, I am, and I'm not gonna tell you why.

Mike Marrs 12:29

Uh but a lot of people. Just please move on.

Don Armstrong 12:31

Don't run short of time. This is the place to do it.

Mike Marrs 12:35

Got lots of dim lighting, intimate booths, and uh it's great for a Houston date night. Uh, one other thing I would mention in a real hurry is the hidden bar in Rice Village. And uh the name kind of says it all. It's tucked away into a nice setting, intimate cocktails, and uh got dinner nearby. Just a nice place that you can go to to have a nice date night in someplace different.

Don Armstrong 12:56

And even though you didn't ask, I am going to tell you that Marfralis used to be back in the day the makeout bar in Houston. Thank you for asking. Hey, the in-wheel time car talk show is gonna continue right after this quick break. Stay with us. Thank

2026 GMC Sierra EV Denali Review

Don Armstrong 13:16

you very much. All right, time now for this hour's car review. Your old pal Don Armstrong had a chance to drive the 2026 GMC Sierra. Now, this is not just any old Sierra, this is the full-size uh EV Denali max range, and it comes in these trim levels elevation standard range, denali uh standard range, denali extended range, AT4 extended range, AT4 max range, and Denali Max range.

Mike Marrs 13:52

I need a drink.

Don Armstrong 13:53

And I'll tell you this, uh it will it shows on the dash anyway, that once it's got a full charge, it'll do 500 miles. Seats, well, um gosh, it depends on how you've got it loaded up, but this particular one here is seats five. Okay. Exterior changes, it was all new in 2024. Sharp looking body style reminds of the old Avalanche in some sort of way, if you look at it from the side. Attractive, unique grill with a solid panel in place of the open grill, like most uh trucks and SUVs have. Big open wheel wells with side marker lights embedded at the top of the you can see them up there at the top of the uh wheel wheel trim. Okay. Um short box is attractive. I really do like the short box. Uh, what could use improvement? That plasticky rear bumper. I think I'd take that off and put me a big chrome one up there from 1968. Well, you could do a roll pin. Interior highlights. Each trim gets its own unique upholstery, huge uh vertical mounted center screen there with a phone charger directly below it. Uh steering wheel controls are easy to understand and use. Uh as far as uh the sidesteps, they're folding and they are handy, I will tell you that. Uh as far as room, it's got a frunk up in the trunk up in the front there. It's small but handy. Uh the back seat folds up. Uh, what I liked about it, overall layout, extremely attractive. What could use improvement? Infotainment system does not have Apple CarPlay or Android Auto, and the instrument cluster is a little bit too small for me and my blind eyes. Uh, no shade for the sunroof. And I put on there in Texas?

Jeff Dziekan 15:42

Yeah.

Don Armstrong 15:43

No, it's got one of those auto dimming kind of roofs on it, which is cool, but man, it's gonna be 100 degrees here before too long. You do the math. Yeah. Engine, dual motor, 760 horsepower, torque 785 pound feet. Um four-wheel drive is standard. Toe rating 10,200 pounds, haul rating 1,500 pounds in the bed. Uh it gets a 478-mile range when I got it. It's 500, is what the uh folks at GM say. Um I got 2.0 miles per kilowatt hour. If you want to do the math on that, be my guest because I can't. We can call Katie, she'll do it for us. Um it uh gets uh 385 miles per charge according to the computer on the thing. Okay. What I liked about it, the range. So you don't have to stop every 10 minutes to get it recharged. What could use improvement? No, more of it. Just keep it coming. What I liked about it, uh independent rear suspension when it comes to ride and handling. What could use improvement? It feels heavy, because it is. 8,867 pounds is what it weighs. That's over four tons, folks. Yeah. Uh rear axle stealing steering, which you did a feature on last week, that is available, so you can get that as well, because it is big and trying to get it into grocery store parking lot space is challenging to say the least. Okay, so here's the pricing. Base trim price, $98,600. Prices tested, $103,715. Base model price. That's the cheapo version, starts at $62.4.

Mike Marrs 17:29

That's that's the cheap EV price?

Don Armstrong 17:32

Yeah, that's the cheap EV price.

Mike Marrs 17:34

Darn bad.

Don Armstrong 17:35

Competitors to the vehicle in base size and price. The F-150 Lightning starts at $49,780 for the 25 model because they stopped building it. Tesla Cybertruck starts at $71,985. You always wondered how much that costs? Yeah, $71,985. Rivian R1T, $70,990. All of those are trucks. Wow. Next week, going to review the Subaru Outback. We've had them before, but they've changed it up, so they gave me another one, a new one, and uh, we hope that you'll

The Real Story Behind EV Range

Don Armstrong 18:09

join us.

Jeff Dziekan 18:09

I have questions about your review. You said it lakes up 500 miles when you got a full charge. Didn't they have some things with Volkswagen about messing with the cafe standards and wrong mileage ratings? So, how you said there's a formula calculation to do that too. Well, you know, interesting.

Don Armstrong 18:24

And I will tell everybody this if you've not driven an EV or not familiar with them, that what they say it'll do, okay, it'll do that. Turn the air conditioning off, turn all the accessories off, and uh feather the throttle and then put it on cruise control at about 40 miles an hour, and then you'll be able to get close to the mileage that they state. Now, I've I've was privileged to find out about how they calculate mileage, and they do it on a test track, and they do it down at the bottom of the test track. Mars, you were there to witness it yourself. They were doing it up there at uh Chrysler when we went to that event up there, and uh, and that's what they do. They hit the cruise control button and around and around. Can you imagine having that job?

Jeff Dziekan 19:12

You do that on the road and you hit the cruise control button, and as soon as you get all those calculations set up and done, you got to stop for the stop sign.

Don Armstrong 19:18

Well, there's that. But I'm we're I think we're talking about freeway drive. Yeah, yeah.

Jeff Dziekan 19:22

I have more, but we're running out of time. Okay.

Don Armstrong 19:25

Well, uh that's it. I mean, it it was it was a great vehicle, and if you're into electrics and you're into trucks, this is something that you definitely want to look into because it um it's pretty darn nice. Because the GMC is a step above uh the Chevrolet. And I would imagine that they both come down the same assembly lineup in Arlington.

Jeff Dziekan 19:44

It looks like it's an off-road visual of the does look like it, but it's not. Yeah. Well, I barely look. Yeah.

Don Armstrong 19:51

Yeah. I I don't know. It could very well be a good off-roader. I haven't done any tests like that, but uh it's something to check out if

How To Reach Us

Don Armstrong 19:59

you're into it. Hey, if you'd like to get in touch with us, send us an email. The address is info at inwheeltime.com. We'll be right back.