Whitewall vs Blackwall

Richard Vyse

Richard Vyse

Let me start by saying, "I'm not picking on anyone's car and only using Mark's Lifeliner as an example".

Just looking at these pictures one realizes the only way to go is with a whitewall tire yet we see time and time again blackwalls. Does it not look better with the whitewalls?

Richard

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Blackwall tires were common on ambulances - they were work vehicles back in the day, and the whitewall tire was simply a luxury that was not necessary.

Nowadays, they are show cars - so the whitewalls make it look nicer!
 
Blackwall tires were common on ambulances - they were work vehicles back in the day, and the whitewall tire was simply a luxury that was not necessary.

Nowadays, they are show cars - so the whitewalls make it look nicer!
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I agree. Blackwall tires make it look like a work vehicle and whitewall make it look classy. That's just my opinion.
 
I would say most of the people that ran the cars out of funeral homes were image was a factor used everything they could to bring up that image. where the private companies were ever dollar extra spent was one out of the owners pocket would not. that being said the white wall tires offered today do not meet the standards of the 70's. the tires are better "maybe" they do not look like yesterdays at all. so we have the choice of spending the big bucks with one of the company's like Diamond our use what is out there and pretend it's OK or go to black which is the same. here is what the tires off the 72 CB looked like in 72 man they are sharp. but find one today. you can have diamond cut them into a 700 x15 tire made in china. that is the correct size and width and the proper load rating for about 75 bucks a tire plus the tire price and 25 bucks each shipping or go the rout you did for some 70 bucks a tire. my winning lotto ticket hasn't blown in the open garage door yet. I'll go like you did.
 

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Vote whitewall. One thing to be glad about is the year you have in this regard. My '51 & '52 need wide white$$$$ :eek:

(but then again Richard you want yours to be a working rig when called upon so you could get away w/ blackwalls :rolleyes:)
 
Joe Melanson said:
Vote whitewall. One thing to be glad about is the year you have in this regard. My '51 & '52 need wide white$$$$ :eek:

(but then again Richard you want yours to be a working rig when called upon so you could get away w/ blackwalls :rolleyes:)
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The tire place put a couple blackwalls on the front of my Lifeliner for a few days while the rest of my whitewall tires arrived. I can tell you it was not a pretty site.

Richard
 
Whitewalls !

Something about them just gives the entire vehicle a fresh, clean look (assuming the whitewalls are CLEAN, of course!)

I think every single ambulance I bought that came directly out of service had blackwall tires; actually light truck tires, which held up better under the weight / driving conditions. I've also heard many stories of how the "lighter" steel belted whitewall radials blew out in the rear, due to the heat generated under the fender skirts.

Two weeks ago, our '73 Superior Crown received a new set of Kelly Navigator Gold XL whitewalls (identical to what we have on the two Miller-Meteors.) We had to go with a narrower whitewall, but those 20 year old Arrivas were making me nervous. They still looked and rode well, but those would be famous last words as I'm looking at a shredded rear quarter panel...
 
we need a old wheel balancer we can use to trim the WW to what we need. just like turning a wooden bowl to cut the black off. then one could put on a set of the raised white letters that are of the right load range and still have the WW they wanted. some one get the machine and I'll turn the tires out here to specks.
 
Gotta have white walls.
You can still get any size you want from Diamond Back Classics but it will cost you!!
I found out last fall that the one inch whitewall on 14 inch tires are no longer factory available, (I must have bought one of the last sets:rolleyes: so I will have to pay double the price at Diamondback for tires when my 85 Superior FWD needs them again.:(

Of course my 49 has wide white whitewalls 4 or 4 and half inch on 16 inch tires from Diamondback. Not even going to say what they costed me!!
 
Of course my 49 has wide white whitewalls 4 or 4 and half inch on 16 inch tires from Diamondback. Not even going to say what they costed me!!
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You don't have to say the actual price just say "OUCH!!". I just priced them for my '52 and then I need another set for my '51 National. But man, do they look good.
 
B&W

I agree that whitewalls look better (and appropriate) for the 60's and up pro-cars (especially hearses and limos), however if I was restoring an original fire department owned ambulance of the 40's and 50's I would definately use blackwalls as Steve-L said it has more of the era correct work or municipal look. Our (X-Fallbrook Fire Dept) 1954 Henney-Packard Senior Ambulance will have New HD 8 Ply 750 X 16 (Blackwall) Michliens on it when finished. MM
 
Our town must have been wealth, since all the old ambulances prior to the First Aid Squad taking over the service had whitewall tires. The fire trucks even were loaded with gold leaf lettering and striping all over them.. Looked very classy.
 
What about todays funeral cars and Limousines? All of the factory photos I've seen of the 2006 & newer DTS based hearses have narrow whitewalls. But I don't see them shown available anywhere. The DTS has a standard P235R17 tire.
 
When i got my 67, it had blackwalls on it, as shown in the 2010 PCS Calender, it drove me crazy, it just didn't look right. I couldn't stand the blackwalls, I think it just looks right with whitewalls.:my2cents:

Before and after new whitewalls. Looks like 2 different coaches.

Josh
 

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talk about a controversial thread...It's like asking who made the best procar chassis in say 1949, Cadillac or Packard.
Blackwalls on my "economy" Studebaker, the way it came from South Bend, and used by the police/fire dept who ordered it. And, "the other Ambulet" also was delivered with blackwalls, as indicated in the picture and article about that car in the latest issue of Turning Wheels, the Studebaker Club magazine.
But that owner has decided to go with whitewalls, for reasons only he can explain...
 
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