Fake Wide White-Walls?

[pitbulllady]

I visited a little museum yesterday that I recently found out(through the manager of the company that's financing my '61 Lark Cruiser)has a very impressive collection of classic and antique cars, all driveable, including a green '49 Studebaker Champion that is in excellent condition. I've known about the place for years, since it opened, and it's not far from where I live, but the sign out front says "Farm Museum", so I always just assumed they had things like tractors, plows, hay balers, etc. Little did I know that most of the building is full of these old cars(it really makes me smile to see a Stude parked next to another favorite car of mine, a '51 Hudson Hornet).

Anyway, I was commenting to the "currator" about the nice wide white-walls on the Stude, and my hopes to one day put a set like that on MY Champion, and he laughed and said, "Look closer-those aren't real; I mean, the TIRES are real, but the white-walls are stick-ons"! Sure enough, they were actually a sort of adhesive thing that was stuck on the outer surface of the tire, where a real white band would be! He told me what they were called, but I can't remember what it was. Anyone know what these things are called, and where they can be purchased, and better yet, will they work with radial tires? They looked really nice, and I'm sure they are a LOT cheaper than a set of real white-walls.

pitbulllady

[studegary]

Port-A-Walls is the name that you are probably trying to think of. They mount between the rim and the tire. I have had good luck using these with bias ply tires, but others have had problems with them on radial tires - probably due to the increased amount of sidewall flexing. Back in the 1950s, I used whitewall tire paint (a rubbery substance). I found this to be acceptable if redone once or twice per year.

Gary L.
Wappinger, NY

1959 DeLuxe pickup (restomod)

[studegary]

Port-A-Walls is the name that you are probably trying to think of. They mount between the rim and the tire. I have had good luck using these with bias ply tires, but others have had problems with them on radial tires - probably due to the increased amount of sidewall flexing. Back in the 1950s, I used whitewall tire paint (a rubbery substance). I found this to be acceptable if redone once or twice per year.

Gary L.
Wappinger, NY

1959 DeLuxe pickup (restomod)

[Guest]

sometimes you see them on ebay. they actually hook under the lip of the rim. they look good most of the time. i dont know of anyplace selling them though. jc whitney use to carry them but i dont think they do anymore.
good luck and if you find a place that sells them let me know.

Erin Hays
1961 Hawk
1962 Lark
1963 Wagonaire

[Guest]

sometimes you see them on ebay. they actually hook under the lip of the rim. they look good most of the time. i dont know of anyplace selling them though. jc whitney use to carry them but i dont think they do anymore.
good luck and if you find a place that sells them let me know.

Erin Hays
1961 Hawk
1962 Lark
1963 Wagonaire

[Dick Steinkamp]

http://www.lucasclassictires.com/

[Dick Steinkamp]

http://www.lucasclassictires.com/

[dcolliau]

Here is a link to white wall tire paint

http://www.mbzponton.org/valueadded/other/tirepaint.htm

I used this on the bullet hot rod. It works well.
Don

Don Colliau

[dcolliau]

Here is a link to white wall tire paint

http://www.mbzponton.org/valueadded/other/tirepaint.htm

I used this on the bullet hot rod. It works well.
Don

Don Colliau

[Dwain G.]

We installed so many of those things to doll up used cars (the sales manager called them 'flip-flops') back in the early sixties that I finally learned I could deflate a tire on the car, squirt soapy water around the rim, and knock those things in with a rubber hammer. No need to demount a wheel and break the bead.


Dwain G.

[Dwain G.]

We installed so many of those things to doll up used cars (the sales manager called them 'flip-flops') back in the early sixties that I finally learned I could deflate a tire on the car, squirt soapy water around the rim, and knock those things in with a rubber hammer. No need to demount a wheel and break the bead.


Dwain G.