What was the width of white walls in 1962?
-
-
It really depended on the company making the tire - they were all a little different. '62 was the last year for Studebaker to use the wider whitewall and they had been getting smaller over the years. In fact, there is some evidence that toward the end of the model year a 'whitewall' order would have been the 1" variety that you would see all the time in '63.
Photo from the day:
Tire currently on my '62 Daytona - 2 1/8 inches wide.
-
1962 Tires were not narrow white walls like 1963 to '66, or the fat wide whitewalls that roll onto the tire shoulder like a 1940's or early 1950's to '55 tires were, about 1 1/4 inch wide with a raised protector rub strip.
These look very correct, could be New Coker Tires.
Last edited by StudeRich; 07-14-2025, 04:54 PM.StudeRich
Second Generation Stude Driver,
Proud '54 Starliner Owner
SDC Member Since 1967Comment
-
My mother bought a new 1961 Hawk and the whitewalls on it were 1-3/4” wide. U S Royal Safety 8’s as I recall.Comment
-
I suppose that it comes from living through that era but the wrong size WW really jump out at you.Don Wilson, Centralia, WA
40 Champion 4 door*
50 Champion 2 door*
53 Commander K Auto*
53 Commander K overdrive*
55 President Speedster
62 GT 4Speed*
63 Avanti R1*
64 Champ 1/2 ton
* Formerly ownedComment
-
Beautiful car in #2. Thank you all.Comment
-
1962 was the year that the tire companies reduced the whitewalls to the (current) 1-inch width. I believe GM went with the narrower widths from day one, while the other makes either made the transition in the middle of the year or waited until the 1963 models. I have owned a 62 Chevy since early 1963; when I bought it, it still had the original tires. It still has the original spare, which has the modern 1-inch white wall.
The early 62 Studes had the wider ~2" white walls. The later cars may have had the narrower 1" widths.Skip LackieComment
-
I saw them as they came into the Dealership in '62 and Never saw One with narrow whitewalls.
What I did see, were a few very early '63's that had U.S. Royal narrow white walls that were right at the rim, with NO black in between, of course most after, had the black at the Rim and looked MUCH better.
-
-
I have one of the Firestone tires that was originally mounted on my father's 1962 GT that he bought new in the spring of 1962 , I think he took possession of the car in May and the white wall measures 2 inches. I have the wheel and tire in the trunk of my 62 GT used as more of a conversation piece than anything else. The tire holds air but I don't know that I would want to drive very far on it.Comment
Comment