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Customs White walls or Black walls?

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by BJR, Feb 3, 2026 at 8:20 AM.

  1. 52HardTop
    Joined: Jun 21, 2007
    Posts: 1,117

    52HardTop
    Member

    No brainer on this one....
     
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  2. rusty1
    Joined: Nov 25, 2004
    Posts: 13,142

    rusty1
    Member

    Grey spoke Americans with blackwalls,...or WWW's with what you have
     
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  3. lcfman
    Joined: Sep 1, 2009
    Posts: 459

    lcfman
    Member
    from tn

    For that car with the Olds spinners whitewall’s look the best.
     
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  4. TagMan
    Joined: Dec 12, 2002
    Posts: 6,368

    TagMan
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    100 people, 100 different thoughts. Do what makes you happy, you're the one paying for it.
     
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  5. 63Biscuit
    Joined: Mar 7, 2007
    Posts: 844

    63Biscuit
    ALLIANCE MEMBER
    from Hudson, WI

    Just so long as we see you at BTT50's this year with whitewalls, you can do whatever you want! LOL
     
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  6. BJR
    Joined: Mar 11, 2005
    Posts: 11,446

    BJR
    Member

    I'll be there, but may take my 49 Buick and leave the Olds at home.
     
  7. It depends on what tire you're looking at. Regular radial then white wall, bias looking radial (Auburn Deluxe) then you can go either.
     
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  8. 29Sleeper
    Joined: Oct 25, 2023
    Posts: 582

    29Sleeper
    Member
    from SoCal

    Since you are getting new tires anyway grab a can of black spray paint and coat the white walls on one side of the car. Take a couple snaps and compare to see what you like best.
    I suspect white walls but be careful what you buy there has been a lot of threads on white walls turning brown and creating warranty claims and costs.
     
    BJR likes this.
  9. twenty8
    Joined: Apr 8, 2021
    Posts: 3,794

    twenty8
    Member

    Moriarity and BJR like this.
  10. krylon32
    Joined: Jan 29, 2006
    Posts: 11,044

    krylon32
    ALLIANCE MEMBER
    from Nebraska

    Back in 2002 when I built the 2004 NSRA giveaway 30/31 roadster pickup I did WW tires and some commented it wasn't a hot rod with WW's. I was of a mind plain BW tires would have killed the theme of the car and I still think the same 22 years later. Your car looks *****in with WW tires. Don't ruin it with plain Jane tires.
     
    Last edited: Feb 4, 2026 at 1:57 AM
    Moriarity, i.rant, BJR and 1 other person like this.
  11. Kustomline54
    Joined: Aug 15, 2009
    Posts: 559

    Kustomline54
    Member

  12. I gotta say if given the choice I'd go ww
     
    BJR likes this.
  13. Buy WWs

    if for some reason you don’t like em, turn em around :)
     
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  14. Mr48chev
    Joined: Dec 28, 2007
    Posts: 36,086

    Mr48chev
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    Pinners, narrow white walls match the 1962/1963 era when you bought the then new hot lick on the new cars pinner white walls. Some of the old die hards stuck with wide whtes but they were more on the line of what you see on this 61 rather than the Gangsta white walls that you see now but were already
    obsolete by car guy standards. Screenshot (2574).png Screenshot (2571).png

    If you look at 62/64 (time period) custom car photos A lot of the fresh customs had pinners on them .
     
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  15. Steves46
    Joined: Sep 23, 2008
    Posts: 570

    Steves46
    Member
    from Florida

    WWs all the way!
     
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  16. flat 39
    Joined: Dec 31, 2007
    Posts: 282

    flat 39
    Member

    That car deservers WW.
     
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  17. Scott Younker
    Joined: Feb 3, 2022
    Posts: 353

    Scott Younker
    Member

    To me it all depends on era and style of build. Did the era of the car come factory with www, thinner whitewalls or blackwalls? This rod deserves www along with its slight custom vibe. That being said it’s your car, do what your gut tells you. Nice looking car!
     
    BJR likes this.
  18. RodStRace
    Joined: Dec 7, 2007
    Posts: 9,348

    RodStRace
    Member

    The pics were a thousand words. Black walls looks like back of the used car lot where the price is the only thing written on the windshield. White walls look like front row.
     
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  19. 49ratfink
    Joined: Feb 8, 2004
    Posts: 25,357

    49ratfink
    Member
    from California

    I like a smaller whitewall, like 2". these were cut into white letter tires, or maybe a smaller whitewall tire.
    with hubcaps you need whitewalls.

    Copy of 1949 GREEN 4DR SEDAN  (41).JPG
     
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  20. 19Fordy
    Joined: May 17, 2003
    Posts: 8,382

    19Fordy
    Member

    Without a doubt......... white walls.
     
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  21. 63401nailhead
    Joined: Apr 4, 2008
    Posts: 308

    63401nailhead
    Member

    100% wide white walls on that car
     
  22. jnaki
    Joined: Jan 1, 2015
    Posts: 11,507

    jnaki

    upload_2026-2-5_6-13-45.png
    Hello,

    When my brother got his 1951 Oldsmobile two door sedan, it was pale yellow with white wall tires.
    upload_2026-2-5_6-14-30.png The tires looked great, but it went along with the flipper hubcaps he immediately put on them. The idea of whitewall tires was a no brainer for the 50s-60s teenager. But, it will depend on what wheels or hubcaps go on the hot rod sedan.
    upload_2026-2-5_6-15-32.png Thanks, @themoose
    After a couple of months, he got thinner white wall tires and new Moon Discs all around. Now, his car stood out everywhere. With the Moon Discs, it look fast just sitting there on our driveway. But, by the spring/summer of 1957, he had his Oldsmobile sedan painted a lime green.
    upload_2026-2-5_6-17-7.png
    Something was up and we stopped work on our old Model A Coupe. Then both vehicles got sold to close friends and now a new 1958 Impala sat in the driveway… with stock whitewall tires.

    Jnaki
    upload_2026-2-5_6-18-50.png It was the stock narrower whitewall tires. But, they looked not racy enough with the full hubcaps that came with the new sedan.
    upload_2026-2-5_6-19-23.png
    At the drags, obviously the hubcaps were gone and it ran without any wheel covers.
    upload_2026-2-5_7-18-0.png
    1957-58 on the left and 1959 on the right. The tires changed to blackwalls with a set of Bruce Slicks for timed runs only. Then it was silver rims to this version as I was a teenager in high school under the small hubcaps and trim rings.

    upload_2026-2-5_7-18-54.png Now, everyone in our teenage group had blackwalls. There was no going back to white. Too much upkeep and it did not look like a hot rod or drag racer. So, it was blackwalls on every teenage car. If it had whitewalls, it was mommy's car or someone bought a new car from the dealers just down the street.

    Whitewalls did not look good with the hubcap arrangement, so they were turned inside out. Then we all got blackwalls straight from the local hot rod tire shop in Bixby Knolls. That lasted until after high school when there was enough money to buy a set of pristine Buick Skylark Wire Wheels for the Impala.
    upload_2026-2-5_7-22-41.png Thanks, @themoose
    White walls just did not go with the 1958 Impala and/or any wheels we put on them. So, the final look after the Skylark Wire Wheels was black Buick rims with blackwall tires. The new teenager who bought the 58 Impala was overjoyed with his new purchase and it looked like this:
    upload_2026-2-5_7-24-19.png Now, it had the look of all business and rather intimidating... as it should. No whitewalls in sight… black on black on black… yet, still fast… 300+ hp and a C&O stick hydro… YRMV

    Note:
    upload_2026-2-5_7-29-50.png Whitewalls on our 327 powered 1940 Ford Sedan Delivery? We think it was an appropriate look with all blackwalls and chrome trim rings on black painted rims. And, yes, we did not have enough money for all 5 Spoke American Racing Equipment mag wheels...
     
    Last edited: Feb 5, 2026 at 9:32 AM
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  23. 1971BB427
    Joined: Mar 6, 2010
    Posts: 9,878

    1971BB427
    Member
    from Oregon

    I almost always choose blackwall tires, with very few exceptions. But your car looks great with the whitewall tires and I'd stay with whitewalls.
    Print out a picture of your car and then color the whitewall tires with a black felt pen. Put that next to a picture as it is now, and see which you like better.
     
    BJR likes this.
  24. chopolds
    Joined: Oct 22, 2001
    Posts: 6,337

    chopolds
    Member
    from howell, nj

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