Brake Fluid On Tires And Other Bad Ideas; Auto History: Speakeasy's: Big Bad GMC EV!
In Wheel Time Podcast: Your Go-To Automotive Talk Show
Brake Fluid On Tires And Other Bad Ideas; Auto History: Speakeasy's: Big Bad GMC EV!In Wheel Time Podcast: Your Go-To Automotive Talk Show · Jun 10, 2026
These are regular tires, but the sidewall has white letters instead of just black rubber. They became popular on American performance cars because they look sporty and “period-correct.”
This is when the white letters are actually built into the tire while it’s being made. Since it’s part of the tire, it usually lasts longer than letters that are just painted on.
Here, the white letters are added with paint after the tire is made. That can let you customize the look, but the paint can wear off sooner than letters that are molded into the tire.
ORWL is a specific way the raised white letters are made on a tire. It’s about getting the letter shape crisp and consistent while the tire is being molded.
Brake fluid is a chemical used inside the braking system. It’s not safe or intended for tires—using it can harm the rubber and make the tire look worse over time.
The sidewall is the part of the tire on the outside that you can see when you look at the wheel. It’s the area where people put things like lettering or decals.
Glacier National Park is a famous national park in Montana with big mountains and scenic drives. The host mentions it because the Going-to-the-Sun Road runs through that area.
The Alpine trial was an early car race/event where drivers had to handle difficult roads. The host brings it up because a win there helped Donald Healey’s career take off.
The Porsche 356 was Porsche’s first real sports car. The “number one” is an early example completed in 1948, and it’s important because it’s where Porsche’s sports-car story really starts.
Term
open
Here, “open” means the car is open to the air—more like an open-top roadster than a fully enclosed coupe. That changes how the car feels and how it’s built compared with a roofed car.
Place
24hoursofLamont
This is referring to the 24-hour endurance race at Le Mans. It’s a huge race where cars run for a full day, and big accidents there are remembered in racing history.
This phrase means companies try to use race wins to sell cars to regular customers. The idea is that if you win on the track, people will want to buy the brand’s cars the next day.
A dual-motor setup uses two electric motors to drive the vehicle—typically one per axle. This can improve traction and allow more responsive torque delivery compared with a single-motor layout.
Tow rating is the maximum weight the car is allowed to tow. It’s limited by how strong the drivetrain and brakes are, and how well the vehicle can stay stable.
The Ford F-150 Lightning is a pickup truck that runs on electricity instead of gas. Here they’re talking about what it costs to start, and comparing it to other electric trucks.
When they say “mileage” for an EV, they mean how far it’s supposed to drive on a full battery. They’re talking about why the official number can differ from real-world results.
Cruise control is what lets the car keep a steady speed for you. In this segment they’re describing how using it (and driving gently) can help you get closer to the EV’s advertised range.
They’re talking about where the cars are made in Arlington. The point is that the GMC and Chevrolet EVs might be built in the same place, so they could be more similar than you’d expect.
White-letter tire styling gets a deep dive, from raised vs painted lettering to how vulcanization fuses the white and black compounds—plus a warning about “We used to use brake fluid to get our tires black.” The show then swings into auto history (the Going-to-the-Sun Road, Donald Healey’s 1934 Alpine trial win, and the Porsche 356 “number one”), and wraps with Houston speakeasy culture and a practical review of the 2026 GMC Sierra EV, including range, power, towing, and infotainment limits.
White letters on a tire sidewall look like a small detail, but they carry decades of meaning. That bold ring of text became a calling card of 1960s and 1970s muscle cars, street racing, and the idea that performance should look like performance. We break down why the trend exploded, why it’s showing up again in today’s vintage and retro builds, and how branding and aesthetics can steer a tire choice just as much as the practical stuff.
We also get specific about how white letter tires are actually made. Raised white lettering is built into the tire during manufacturing, using white rubber that’s molded and cured with the rest of the sidewall for long-term durability. Painted white lettering is applied after the tire is cured, which opens the door for customization but usually demands more maintenance. From smart cleaning habits to avoiding harsh chemicals, we talk about what keeps letters bright, what makes them yellow, and the modern options like temporary decals or having a pro apply custom sidewall designs.
Then we take a fun left turn through automotive history, from the Going-to-the-Sun Road and early road-trip culture to landmark moments tied to Healey, Porsche, Le Mans, and Ford’s “win on Sunday, sell on Monday” era. We follow that with Houston driving destinations featuring hidden speakeasies, and wrap with Don’s drive of the 2026 GMC Sierra EV Denali Max Range, including range expectations, tech choices, weight, and what EV mileage testing really means on the road.
If you like practical car talk mixed with history and real-world opinions, subscribe, share this with a friend, and leave us a review with your take: raised white letters, painted letters, or no letters at all?
Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.
---- ----- Want more In Wheel Time car talk any time?
In Wheel Time is now available on Audacy!
Just go to Audacy.com/InWheelTime where ever you are. ----- ----- Be sure to subscribe on your favorite podcast provider for the next episode of In Wheel Time Podcast and check out our live multiplatform broadcast every Saturday, 10a - 12nCT simulcasting on Audacy, YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, Twitch and InWheelTime.com.
In Wheel Time Podcast can be heard on you mobile device from providers such as:
Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music Podcast, Spotify, SiriusXM Podcast, iHeartRadio podcast, TuneIn + Alexa, Podcast Addict, Castro, Castbox, YouTube Podcast and more on your mobile device.
Follow InWheelTime.com for the latest updates!
Twitter: https://twitter.com/InWheelTime
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/inwheeltime/
https://www.youtube.com/inwheeltime
https://www.Facebook.com/InWheelTime
For more information about In Wheel Time Podcast, email us at
