What car looks good with whitewalls? Post a pic to show

[Pfeil]

It's what you are putting them on that counts. That also goes for what you leave alone or put on the roof.

[Steve9]

Happy to carry the torch for you, keiser31. This car was factory ordered with 6 www tires and painted a lighter shade of green. I think the Palm Green poly works better.

[Marty Roth]

2 hours ago, prewarnut said:

   I think this should do....

 

Ruxton had some of the most exotic paint schemes of the early 1930s

 

I believe the first one I saw was in a barn in LaPlace, Louisiana in 1976.

It belonged to wholesale oil distributor Henry Martin, grandfather of my late friend Kim Martin who was my navigator on my first Glidden Tour at Colorado Springs in 1990.

The Ruxton in Mr Martin's collection had, I believe, from top-downward, eight (8) banded progressively darker shades of blue.

For performed restoration work on his grandfather's cars, Kim was given a 1962 Chrysler 300 convertible,

and the 1922 Auburn Beauty Six Sport Touring - the prototype which was built at the Logansport Body Works.

After being shown unrestored at the A-C-D Reunion, Kim and I restored the Auburn and the next A-C-D Reunion it attended some years later, it was awarded "Best in Class" and other major commendations - not bad for being restored in our two home garages. Kim Martin's Auburn has been on display on the 2nd floor of the A-C-D Museum in Auburn, Indiana for many years now, surrounded by flowers, and its story.

[1937McBuick]

I think they look best on solid colored dark cars.    If too much of the body and fenders are too light to not provide enough contrast ......I feel black walls work better in those cases.    And as mentioned in a different thread,  too many colors tends to get too busy(for me).

 

Just my opinion,   to each his own....

ps, I'm not prejudice or biased,  even if mine isn't black but very very dark blue.

[M1842]

I like my 55 Special with the white walls.  This was after replacing smaller dry rotted steel belted radials with original size bias plys which raised the car's stance by about 2".

 

Mark

Edited November 23, 2022 by M1842 (see edit history)

[KLF]

I think my 31 Chrysler looks pretty good with the whites. So does the 31 Studebaker in the background

Ken

[Glen Andrews]

22 hours ago, EmTee said:

I do like it better with the blackwalls, but it's beautiful either way...

Thanks for the compliment EmTee; I got the whitewalls just for fun, just to give the truck some wow or pop factor, and I got some trim rings too; and as I said the white walls are mainly for local car shows. Thirty years ago when I pulled this truck out of the shed it didn't have any tires, just wheels! Forgot to mention it's a 1938 Chevrolet. There are a lot of beautiful cars pictured in this thread, white walls give them a different look; enjoy your vehicles everybody.

[John_Mereness]

[John_Mereness]

[ckowner]

White walls and side mounts were both my choice and expensive options in the day

[zepher]

Darker colors on a car do look better with white walls.

It also depends on the wheels.

Wires tend to look much better with white walls than artillery wheels do.

My Rickenbacker has black wall tires while my Pierce Arrow has WWs.

 

[60FlatTop]

I couldn't think of my Buick without whitewalls.

 

[1957Birdman]

Most early T-Birds came with white walls. In the 50's black wall tire cars were usually the plain jane ones.

Lew Bachman

1957 Thunderbird

[Matt Harwood]

31 minutes ago, 1957Birdman said:

Most early T-Birds came with white walls. In the 50's black wall tire cars were usually the plain jane ones.

Lew Bachman

1957 Thunderbird

 

I do think the early 'Birds are pretty, but this one we had just looked badass on blackwalls:

 

[Ed Luddy]

1 hour ago, Matt Harwood said:

 

I do think the early 'Birds are pretty, but this one we had just looked badass on blackwalls:

 

Yes!  A 57 with this wheel package, blackwalls and body colour rims with base center caps gives it a great look. Black over red helps!
!

[Paul Dobbin]

Thanks to all the whitewall owners, I love them all.   For those who posted with and without,  I like all the with phot;s better.

[chistech]

I had a set of black walls that tried on my 32 olds before I was finished with its restoration and thought the car looked terrible, definitely too black. It seems even Oldsmobile thought so too as here’s a factory photo of a black DCR with whitewalls. Both the factory photo car and my car are 17” artillery wheels which was mentioned in another post as not looking as good with whitewalls but the artillery wheels on the 32 Olds are more attractive than the wires were. (My opinion) The factory photo car has black painted wheels and my own has the factory optioned varnished wheels. The factory car also has a black roof and interior which was standard but my car had the optional tan whipcord roof and in. So black roof goes with black painted wheels where the tan roof goes better with the tan/brown wheels. It seems even the person who ordered my car originally thought so too. In another thread about what convertible cars look better with the roofs down, the 32 Oldsmobile DCR definitely looks better with the roof up. At least that’s how I feel and my wife, and she’s always right!😂

I was able to find a picture of a black, wire wheeled DCR with whitewalls. What’s your opinion on the wires over the artillery wheels?

Edited November 24, 2022 by chistech (see edit history)

[31 LaSalle]

2 hours ago, chistech said:

I had a set of black walls that tried on my 32 olds before I was finished with its restoration and thought the car looked terrible, definitely too black. It seems even Oldsmobile thought so too as here’s a factory photo of a black DCR with whitewalls. Both the factory photo car and my car are 17” artillery wheels which was mentioned in another post as not looking as good with whitewalls but the artillery wheels on the 32 Olds are more attractive than the wires were. (My opinion) The factory photo car has black painted wheels and my own has the factory optioned varnished wheels. The factory car also has a black roof and interior which was standard but my car had the optional tan whipcord roof and in. So black roof goes with black painted wheels where the tan roof goes better with the tan/brown wheels. It seems even the person who ordered my car originally thought so too. In another thread about what convertible cars look better with the roofs down, the 32 Oldsmobile DCR definitely looks better with the roof up. At least that’s how I feel and my wife, and she’s always right!😂

I was able to find a picture of a black, wire wheeled DCR with whitewalls. What’s your opinion on the wires over the artillery wheels?

your picture of black car with whitewalls suits the car very well  

photos of my coupe with its sister car don't carry the white walls as well 

due to the cars being so light colored

I intend to paint the brake drums black as suggested by other members of the forum to tone it down a bit

If that doesn't work I could  turn the tyres round to the blackwall also suggested by forum member

[41 Su8]

I like my Special Coupe with the black walls.             John

[60FlatTop]

Here is John McFarlane in 1958 with his Springfield Silver Ghost all decked out American style with whitewalls. That was about the time I first got interested in cars. Most of the periodicals and books at the time were British under the name of Veteran and Vintage cars. Most cars featured had blackwall tires and I was conditioned to look at blackwall as British, whitewalls American. That is pretty much my take today if I was walking through a show. Even after 60 years first impressions stick.

 

Picture courtesy of John Utz, past editor of the Flying Lady.

Edited November 24, 2022 by 60FlatTop (see edit history)

[31 LaSalle]

7 minutes ago, 60FlatTop said:

Here is John McFarlane in 1958 with his Springfield Silver Ghost all decked out American style with whitewalls. That was about the time I first got interested in cars. Most of the periodicals and books at the time were British under the name of Veteran and Vintage cars. Most cars featured had blackwall tires and I was conditioned to look at blackwall as British, whitewalls American. That is pretty much my take today if I was walking through a show. Even after 60 years first impressions stick.

 

Picture courtesy of John Utz, past editor of the Flying Lady.

Totally agree with your thoughts 

when I was younger and saw a car with white walls my first thought was american 

[60FlatTop]

18 minutes ago, 31 LaSalle said:

with white walls my first thought was american 

When I image the British at home I always see them in a sweater. There's a connection.

[Walt G]

14 hours ago, zepher said:

Darker colors on a car do look better with white walls.

It also depends on the wheels.

I agree completely. Will add that it depends upon the color of the wheels as well , they should be complimentary to the color of the car and fenders.

[31 LaSalle]

2 hours ago, 41 Su8 said:

I like my Special Coupe with the black walls.             John

so do I

[Gunsmoke]

I think of whitewalls on a car as analogous to women wearing lipstick. Women are by and large beautiful and confident without the lipstick and understand the impracticality of wearing it all the time, smudging, not great for lips, color can clash with clothes, etc. So most women I dare say use it primarily when "stepping out", and are glad to wash it off at night (along with other cosmetics) and to return to their natural beauty.

 

IMHO, WW's do the same thing for cars, great for "stepping out", i.e. going to car shows, a Sunday ice cream, "mine is nicer than yours" events like the golf club. But just like women, owners who use their car for daily driving or more practical purposes, likely wish they had an easily exchangeable set of each. I think all real car aficionados would agree WW's are window dressing, and most cars they get put on are beautiful without them.  Much like we get accustomed to seeing women with lipstick (sometimes over-done), we get used to seeing showy cars with WW's (often not suitable), and both become part of our expectation. 

 

And I agree with someone above who observed this phenomena is largely a case of American marketing ("affluence" or bragging), it is not a common practice anywhere in Europe, where most car manufacturers never bought in.

 

Personally, I prefer women and cars au natural!

[Tph479]

1932 Packard 900. My late friend Art made the switchero to black walls. Only difference in the car is the blackwalls, rims painted black, grill insert painted body color and frame painted black. Otherwise the car is the same, besides not rolling on marshmellows.

[Gunsmoke]

Tph479, I agree your friend's car looks so much better in blackwalls and the black rims. As lovely as the BW's and wheels look, they are not competing with the stunning lines of the car itself. The old WW's were yelling "look  at us"!  

Edited November 24, 2022 by Gunsmoke (see edit history)

[DFeeney]

Attached is my 1928 Plymouth.  I like it better with white walls.  From what I've seen most of the new white walls start to look like roasted marshmellows after about 5 years.

[Tph479]

Another 1932 Packard 900. The before and after. I also don’t think this car would look good with side mounts. It would interrupt the flow of this lines.  I also switched it to wire wheels, which makes the car look lighter. My opinion is the blackwalls on this car make it look longer and lower and probably more authentic to how it looked during period. Whitewalls and sidemounts work on other cars, I just don’t think they work on this particular car. This car has its original paint and interior and was in single family ownership until 2019.

 

I ordered the new blackwall tires for his car during my first jab of getting chemo pumped into me.  Only had two jabs a couple of years ago and things are fine now. The guy sitting next to me looked at me and asked, did you just order tires? I said yes, what else am I supposed to do sitting here? Every time I look at this car I just smile and think to myself everything is going to be ok.

 
 

[Soupiov]

[Gunsmoke]

Tph479, I agree the black 1932 Packard 900 looks so much stronger and appropriate with the blackwalls, and that a side-mount would not improve the look. The chromed spare tire cover offers a nice balance to the chrome rad shell. Lovely car all by itself, doesn't need any accessorizing.

[JACK M]

13 hours ago, chistech said:

I gotta drift here a bit and apologize.

This bike, I recall a dealer when I was a kid that used a trike with a tow hitch, but never in my life have seen one with those rear wheels on a two wheeler that look like they would fold down and lift the rear bike tire from the ground. Makes alot of sense to me.

 

[Pfeil]

19 hours ago, chistech said:

I had a set of black walls that tried on my 32 olds before I was finished with its restoration and thought the car looked terrible, definitely too black. It seems even Oldsmobile thought so too as here’s a factory photo of a black DCR with whitewalls. Both the factory photo car and my car are 17” artillery wheels which was mentioned in another post as not looking as good with whitewalls but the artillery wheels on the 32 Olds are more attractive than the wires were. (My opinion) The factory photo car has black painted wheels and my own has the factory optioned varnished wheels. The factory car also has a black roof and interior which was standard but my car had the optional tan whipcord roof and in. So black roof goes with black painted wheels where the tan roof goes better with the tan/brown wheels. It seems even the person who ordered my car originally thought so too. In another thread about what convertible cars look better with the roofs down, the 32 Oldsmobile DCR definitely looks better with the roof up. At least that’s how I feel and my wife, and she’s always right!😂

I was able to find a picture of a black, wire wheeled DCR with whitewalls. What’s your opinion on the wires over the artillery wheels?

Wires Please

Edited November 25, 2022 by Pfeil (see edit history)

[chistech]

5 minutes ago, Pfeil said:

Wires Please

32 chevy only offered wires plus I believe it was an 18” wheel that made the sidewalls much narrower than my 17” wheels which are a bigger, wider tire. A 32 chevy with white walls would have a narrower band of white and I believe not as attractive. The Oldsmobile wire wheel hubcap was also large in diameter and mainly a flat pan. The chevy has a much smaller diameter and attractive cap. The Olds wood wheel hubcap, was larger in diameter than the wire, but also it had a wide rounded edge which reduced to a scallop then flared out to a domed center with painted accents both at the scallop and center face.

 

2 hours ago, JACK M said:

 

The combination in many Olds owners opinion made it a more attractive wheel. When it comes to wheels, the hubcaps matter as they complete the look. 

[chistech]

2 hours ago, JACK M said:

 

How that system worked is the mechanics would ride to the customer on the bike. Hitch the motorcycle to the rear bumper. Lift the rear of the bike up, then drive the car to the shop to work on it. Then the mechanic would return the car to the customer towing the bike, which he would then unhook after lowering  the wheels, and ride the bike back to the shop. 

Edited November 24, 2022 by chistech (see edit history)

[auburnal]

I love whitewalls on most jazz age cars even this old Hudson special  from the south side looks better I think with a garter on and some lipstick !!

[JACK M]

19 hours ago, chistech said:

How that system worked is the mechanics would ride to the customer on the bike. Hitch the motorcycle to the rear bumper. Lift the rear of the bike up, then drive the car to the shop to work on it. Then the mechanic would return the car to the customer towing the bike, which he would then unhook after lowering  the wheels, and ride the bike back to the shop. 

Right, the ones that I remember were Servicars, which are trikes.

Never seen a get up like this with the fold up wheels on a two-wheeler.

I like to learn about new/old things.

A close friend deals in early and antique HD stuff and could probably build a towable Servicar out of his huge stash of HD parts.

I sent him this picture to see what he says.

[Pfeil]

In my opinion a mistake some owners make is choosing the width of the W/W that is out of a cars time period. Of course, Black wall tires are always appropriate in time because they were always available (I think) from the factory.

Examples

 

 

OK>   OK>>

NG>

 

Same hold true with a car from the 60's but in the reverse

 

 

OK>OK>  

 

      <NG

 

 

 

 

Incorrect       correct 

 

 

Correct  by 1958 the wide whites start getting narrower>

Nothing worse seeing a 1958+ car with the super whites 

 

 

 

  

Edited December 5, 2022 by Pfeil (see edit history)

[60FlatTop]

On 11/24/2022 at 10:05 AM, Gunsmoke said:

I think of whitewalls on a car as analogous to women wearing lipstick.

 

 

Yep, tall, slim wife with no lipstick; short, curvy car with whitewalls. I get it.

 

But she does have those white sneakers.

[Gunsmoke]

Stunning on both counts 60Flattop!