Blackwalls on my 54?

boothguy

Finally got my coupe back from the paint shop 15 months past the promise date and among the surprises they painted the tires as a bonus. Not a big loss, they were old but with plenty of tread left. Anyway I'm wondering what the car would look like with blackwalls (sorry hudsondave but I'm feeling extra thrifty these days). A lot of them must have been sold new with blackwall tires, anybody have pix. Thanks

bob ward

If they are old tyres, no matter how much tread is on them, personally I would not use them. Maybe for pottering around town while getting the car sorted, apart from that no.



Back to the whitewall question, to me the whitewalls definitely look better, even if they are not a wide white wall.

Lee ODell

Beautiful color combination. I guess I like it because that is the same color combination my Dad's new 51 Hornet was. Actually, I can't remember what the original color was. Mom didn't like the original color so Dad had it repained. Imagine today, buying a new car and then have it repainted another color. Mom wanted the color combination reversed but when Dad picked it up it was like yours. I think it looked better that way.



Anyway, for the tires. Buy white wall tires. Mount blackwall out. See how you like it. If you don't like black walls, you don't have to buy more tires, just switch. Look at the post for Hudson race cars. They have black walls.



I think your car looks better with white walls. However, my son is a black wall lover. But what ever you pick, I hope they are radial tires.



It's whatever makes you happy that counts. Lee

Aaron D. IL

I picked up blackwalls recently for my stepdown and they don't looks bad esp if your rims have a trim ring or something like that. I didn't have the money for wide white radials when I bought them plus the ones I did have had been discontinued so I couldn't replace them. I've been told also that when the cars were new they were not all running whitewalls and in some sense wide whites were going out of style. Therefor you are still period ccorrect if you use the blackwalls. In the immediate post-war period many cars did not have them because of shortages of things after the war.

I also agree that radials are a big improvement most noticeably in cornering.

Browniepetersen

I thought the one had black walls but when it showed up here there is a black stripe between the rim and the tire? Check the lineup of stepdowns in the back ground. There is a set of blackwalls there? (photos from the Boston National. Go figure? Anyway, this is close since it is hard to find a stepdown with blackwalls. I say go white and reverse but I also understand cost as an issue.

Lee ODell

Brownie, there are three Hudsons in the background by the trees that have black walls. Lee

dougson

I am using blackwalls on my '54 coupe, rims are red with half moons covering the center.

boothguy

Its hard to find a modern radial whitewall in a 215/75/15= that size seems to be made for SUVs and small trucks with either white letters or blackwall. Costco has Michelin X bws for $98- I'm sure it would look better with Diamondbacks but for half the price its tempting, but I'd like to get a preview if any one has a picture.

53jetman

Here's a couple of pics of Herb Thomas '54 which has blackwalls. Don't know if this will help or not.