'72 LeSabre Posted March 18, 2019 Share Posted March 18, 2019 I have a 1947 Roadmaster Sedanette. It's time to buy a set of bias tires. The 1947 sales brochure shows the car with wide whitewalls. I'm assuming the car could have come with blackwalls. Does anyone know for sure? Thanks, Ashby Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jack Welch Posted March 18, 2019 Share Posted March 18, 2019 white walls were an option in the forties. There is no right or wrong. You can use either one. That Roadmaster is a very desirable model. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
91vert Posted March 18, 2019 Share Posted March 18, 2019 I agree with Jack as an option. In the book "70 Years or Buick" the '47 Roadmaster Sedanet 76-S is shown with whitewalls. Also states a cost of $2,131 and weighed 4,095 Pounds with 18,983 produced for domestic sales. Cal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marty Roth Posted March 18, 2019 Share Posted March 18, 2019 Whitewalls - Yes, in my opinion: The ROADMASTER, as a TOP-OF-THE-LINE Series Buick would very likely have been ordered, Floor-Planned, and delivered with several options, not the least of which were the white sidewall tires, in addition to a pushbutton radio, heater/defroster, day,night mirror, etc - at least in my opinion. I could understand the buyer of a 40 Series Special opting to save the cost of some of the options, especially if it were to be a dealer showroom price-leader, a traveling salesman's daily-driver, or a housewife's grocery-getter. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thriller Posted March 19, 2019 Share Posted March 19, 2019 I’m more or less with Marty on this one...optional yes, so ultimately you can decide and neither will be incorrect, but I’d expect the proportion of Roadmasters with whitewalls to be considerably higher than the proportion of Specials. Of course, this is not an era of expertise for me. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barney Eaton Posted March 19, 2019 Share Posted March 19, 2019 I think all vehicles should have WSW if they were available for the car.......I just like WSW. But.....while the catalogs might show the cars with WSW and also show them as being available, coming out of the war years, WSW were probably a luxury. I suspect the tire companies were selling all the black walls they could make and at whatever price they chose. I guess my view of history would be Yes they were available, and I would certainly have ordered them......I suspect there was limited availabity of white side walls in 1947. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jackofalltrades70 Posted March 19, 2019 Share Posted March 19, 2019 I think they look great on 47 Roadmasters 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gdmn852 Posted March 19, 2019 Share Posted March 19, 2019 Hello ,Coker and Diamond back both make wide white wall radial tires that look like bias ply you may want to check on them,I plan on getting a set for my 49 Super convertible they were factory equipment on that model.Gary Nice 47 Convertible by the way!! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gdmn852 Posted March 19, 2019 Share Posted March 19, 2019 Cars were hard to get after WW2 you had to put your name on a waiting list the demand was so high , dealers would load up cars with options for higher profits as they knew it would sell ,also to get around prices set by government regulators in early post war era so white wall may have been on car when delivered. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jackofalltrades70 Posted March 20, 2019 Share Posted March 20, 2019 My tires on the convertible are radials from diamondback Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gdmn852 Posted March 21, 2019 Share Posted March 21, 2019 Hello ,are they the bias ply looking radial? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gdmn852 Posted March 21, 2019 Share Posted March 21, 2019 Currently I am in the epic battle of the convertible top installation on my car,if I can ever get it on next project will be new tires. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
'72 LeSabre Posted March 21, 2019 Author Share Posted March 21, 2019 I appreciate everyone's input. Yes Marty, the car came with a radio, clock, and heater/defroster. I agree the ww's look better on the Roadmaster's, especially a nice car like Matt's convertible. I've got a set of ww's on my 1937 Roadmaster and they look great. My only issue with them is they started yellowing in less than 2 years. The car is stored inside. The tires were L's I got from U.T. (Not sure I can name the brand without getting moderated.) The 1947 is unrestored. The paint, chrome, interior, etc. are original. I plan to leave it this way. I was wondering if the ww's might be too bright on the car. That's why I'm considering blackwalls. Here it is. The dry rotted port-o-walls were on the car when I got it. Surprisingly the tubes hold air. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gdmn852 Posted March 21, 2019 Share Posted March 21, 2019 Those Sedanettes are , to me ,the ultimate in 1940,s style. I had a 52 Plymouth sedan really dressed it up when I put white walls on it.Hard to find original cars in decent shape,looks good!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jackofalltrades70 Posted March 21, 2019 Share Posted March 21, 2019 2 hours ago, gdmn852 said: Hello ,are they the bias ply looking radial? Yes. And they look really nice Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gdmn852 Posted March 21, 2019 Share Posted March 21, 2019 I agree ☝️!!And probably handle better!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jackofalltrades70 Posted March 22, 2019 Share Posted March 22, 2019 Wold of difference Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EmTee Posted March 22, 2019 Share Posted March 22, 2019 Well, I was firmly on the 'whitewall' side of the fence until I saw that photograph. Now, seeing the car I can really picture it with blackwalls. That said, it would really give the car a 'purposeful' look. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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