Portawalls question

[michel88]

I had porta-walls on my '52 Ford back in 1960 and they looked pretty good. I was lucky that a friend who worked in a gas station knew about using the rubber hammer method of installing them.  They stayed flat to the tire and stayed that way for a couple years at least.  Having "white walls" made the car look much sharper in my eyes.

[Guest]

Hey James,

                           I just ignore the insults and pissed off "advice" when it starts to go this way.

You asked a good question and I'm sure lots of members here would like to know of any cost saving alternatives for their classics.

I'll share my experience with you.

I have used the red line portowalls on several of my vintage Corvettes without problem. I like the period correct red line look for the cars from that era but I've never been comfortable with Coker's quality of tire. If used for a static display they are OK but for regular driving or to expect any high mileage out of them, not too good. Even worse here in the desert. Plus they are very expensive.

I used to work at a Goodyear plant where we manufactured tires so I have a reasonable background when offering my opinion on this subject. Today I usually try to run BF Goodrich tires on all my cars and trucks. I feel they're the best quality tire for the dollar spent. Tires are made with extreme heat and it's that same extreme heat that will take them apart. The California desert temperatures are very hard on tires so lifespan and speed range (translated as heat range) are real issues along with quality. I think the BFG tires meet all those qualifications, only trouble is, they don't offer a red line tire for my use. I decided the answer was to run the BF Goodrich Radial T/A black wall and add the red portowall. They look terrific and offer absolutely no adverse effects. Yes, they tuck under the bead with approx. an inch of black showing, then about a three quarter inch red stripe, then another approx. 3/4 inch of black. They are soft and pliable, lay flat, never flap in the wind or buckle when sitting, they do not discolor and they balance up just fine. Plus they are very cost effective at right around $100 for a set of four. I run these cars at speed and never had an issue. In fact nobody even knows they are a portowalls until I point it out. People are usually pleasantly surprised and ask several questions about them re: installation and reliability. In fact a few others I've talked with have now added these to their own muscle car era vehicles. As mentioned by another poster, curbs might ruin them, but that would go for any whitewall or raised white letter tire as well, wouldn't it? They install easily and I would NEVER put any type of glue or bonding substance behind them as they are clearly not designed to be installed that way.

In all fairness I have not used the super wide white portowalls at 3 inches or larger so I can't comment on their reliability. But there are many white wall portowalls at 1 inch, 1.5 inch and 2 inch that should perform without trouble. In my experience the portowalls have given me exactly what I wanted. A top quality, safe tire with the look I want.

I say grab a set that suits your car and give them a try.

Greg

[real61ss]

Im late to this discussion bur Ive had plenty of experience with Port A Walls when i was a teenager working at the local Texaco station in the early 60's. 

I wouldnt put them on a wheel borrow!

Wore my thumbs out trying to push them down on the rim and get the puckers out only to have them pucker up on the opposite side of the wheel.

Edited August 1, 2018 by real61ss (see edit history)

[gregleck]

Late to this thread but wanted to relay my own experience.

 

Bought a replica.  Has 3-1/2 inch whitewall radial tires.  Looks great.  Did not even realize they were port-a-walls until I went to buy new tires.

 

I put 6,000 miles on these tires, at speeds up to 80 mph.

 

No wrinkling, no grooves in the radial tires, no flapping, no problems.

 

 I do not know the brand, or who installed them, but whoever did it did it right.

 

Do they get dirty?  Of course.  Just clean them when needed.

[Ray kolvites]

Does anybody sell a 4” port a wall , white wall insert for tires

[SC38dls]

Just read this amusing thread. Dave Kindig has come up with some newer type whitewall, check with his shop in Salt Lake UT for the four inch type. I’m not sure they will be cost effective.

comment just for fun on a 4 year old question in this thread;

Bernie - the “before the war” stuff is because the conflicts since WW2 have not been declared wars. Politicians are the only ones that get to tell you getting shot or shot at by enemy forces is a war or not. They get that right because they don’t have to have it happen to them. I was in the army in 67-68 and spent 6 months at the old Walter Reed hell hole. Even if you were not in the US armed service in the 60’s and watched any TV you knew we were in a war. But politicians were probably too busy making money by giving speeches on how they wanted the war they wouldn’t declare a war to stop to watch tv. I did get to see a lot of prewar cars after WR as they sent me to Germany for the rest of my tour. So I guess that made it worth it. Sure it did, I think. 
dave s 

Edited February 6, 2022 by SC38dls (see edit history)

[60FlatTop]

I was around the conflict from '67-'71. The general attitude of the working man may be captured in this picture of the New Jersey departing from a Man The Rails Salute welcoming her to the Tonkin Gulf Yacht Club. As we parted the after gunner's mates added their salute. Set the tone for the next 60 years.

 

[hook]

I've seen them used in the fifties on Snow tires. I've also seen them flung of, ripping off a fender skirt when the user spun the wheels on ice.

Not me, I was too young to drive.

[Paul Dobbin]

On 7/31/2018 at 10:47 AM, AntiqueCraftsman said:

 

What kind of portawalls did you use?   The man in the video says there are two kinds, soft and hard.  He said not to use the hard ones.    If the portawalls cut into your tires it sure sound like you were using the hard ones.  It's not likely that soft ones would cut into tires.   So based on what the man in the video said you may have gotten the wrong portawalls to begin with.

   I used the soft ones.   Why?   Because my vw was made before Radial tires where readily available and the original style bias plys rode like a wagpn

   with hard rubber tires.   Adding thr rasials make a VW drive like a high performance German sports car.   The Joy of Driving, known as

   "Fahrvuegen" in German.   l like Whitewalls and tried the Portawalls and was not happy oy Joyful.