Blackwall Radial Tires for Classic Cars: What’s Actually Available and Where to Find Them
The “unobtainium” label gets thrown around a lot for blackwall radials, and for Dunlop it’s largely accurate. For Michelin it isn’t. The Michelin X has been available in vintage blackwall sizes through specialty retailers for years, and a few other options have filled the gap depending on what era and type of car you’re fitting.
Before getting into sourcing, though, it helps to be clear on what we’re actually talking about, because bias-look radials and true blackwall radials get conflated constantly.
Bias-look versus true blackwall radial: not the same tire
A bias-look radial is a modern radial tire engineered to mimic the proportions of a vintage bias-ply — the balloon sidewall, the tall narrow tread, often a piecrust shoulder. Coker’s American Classic line is the dominant example in the US. They look like old bias tires. They handle like modern ones.
A true blackwall radial is just a radial tire with a plain black sidewall. No whitewall stripe, no redline, no raised lettering. Most modern tires already fit that description. The challenge for classic car owners is finding a blackwall radial in a vintage size — something like 600R16 or 670R15 — without those exaggerated bias-ply proportions.
Both are radials. The difference is the sidewall profile and how the tire sits on the car.
Michelin X: not actually unobtainium
The Michelin X is the tire most classic car people think of here. It’s a genuine vintage-era radial, the same basic design that equipped European sports cars from the 1950s through the 1970s. And it’s still being sold.
Coker Tire stocks the Michelin X TT in 550R16 blackwall. Universal Tire carries the 725SR13 Michelin X in blackwall. Eclectic Tire Company is another source for the 725R13. Lucas Classic Tires runs one of the most comprehensive Michelin vintage catalogs in the US, with fitments from the 1920s into the early 2000s.
Stock fluctuates. Some sizes go on backorder for months at a stretch. But calling these tires unobtainium oversells the difficulty. If you’re flexible on size and willing to work with a specialist, Michelin X tires are findable.
Coker’s own blackwall radial lines
Coker makes blackwall radials under two separate product lines, and they serve different needs.
The American Classic bias-look radial gives you the tall, rounded profile of a vintage bias tire with modern radial construction inside. Blackwall versions are available in sizes including 560R15, 670R15, 710R15, and 800R14. If your car originally wore bias tires and you want that proportional look, this is the obvious call — but if you already own a set of bias-look tires, you probably know all this.
The Coker Classic Radial is a separate line with a more conventional radial profile: lower sidewall, less of the bias-ply balloon. Available in vintage sizes like 550R16, 600R16, and 650R16 in blackwall. These also show up on Universal Tire’s site at varying price points. Worth a look if you want the vintage sizing without the vintage proportions.
Vredestein Sprint Classic: the option people overlook
Vredestein is a Dutch manufacturer that has been making tires since 1908. Their Sprint Classic line covers modern metric sizes — 165HR15, 185/70HR15, 205/70VR15, and several others — with a period-correct blackwall appearance and both DOT and ECE approval.
For British sports cars, classic Alfa Romeos, early Porsches, and similar European vehicles, these are a genuine option. The Sprint Classic is a true modern radial that handles noticeably better than a bias-ply while keeping the clean black sidewall. Coker stocks several sizes; Universal Tire carries the 205/70VR15 in blackwall.
Not many people bring up Vredestein in these conversations. They should.
Dunlop: the real unobtainium
For vintage Dunlop blackwall radials in car sizes, the picture narrows fast. Lucas Classic Tires stocks tires with Dunlop tread patterns, but these are reproductions of very early antique sizes — not modern radials for a postwar sports car.
Coker’s vintage European section lists some Dunlop-branded options, but availability is inconsistent and sizes are limited. If Dunlop branding matters for a concours restoration, you’re looking at a longer search. Getting on a waitlist at Coker is the practical move. NOS vintage Dunlops occasionally surface on eBay, but condition varies and the risk is real.
Where to shop
A few retailers actually specialize in this rather than just listing it:
- Coker Tire (cokertire.com) — broadest selection in one place. Stocks Michelin, Vredestein, American Classic, and their own Coker Classic Radial line.
- Universal Tire (universaltire.com) — strong inventory across brands. Worth checking when a size is out of stock at Coker.
- Lucas Classic Tires (lucasclassictires.com) — deep Michelin catalog with a focus on British and European classics.
- Eclectic Tire Company (eclectictirecompany.com) — smaller, but sometimes has Michelin X sizes others don’t carry.
- Performance Plus Tire (performanceplustire.com) — carries Lucas Classic tires and other hard-to-find blackwall sizes.
Call before ordering if a specific size is critical. These retailers often know what’s incoming before their websites update.