By Robert Emslie
Nostalgia ain’t what it used to be. At least that’s the take away so far this week what with the dissension caused by contemplation of modern interpretations of classic styling add-ons- the vinyl roof and T-tops. Keeping that divisive flame alive, today we want to know what modern car’s tires should get the full Cleveland.
White wall tires are like men’s neckties – and for those of you in the tech industry who are un familiar with the object of that correlation, this is to what I am referring. Anyway, like I was saying, both white walls and Fozzie the Bear’s sole adornment have varied in width over the years based on fashion dictates. The earliest whitewalls were as wide as a babuska’s ankles, and as white as North Dakota, while the last of the breed were more like a pinstripe in the witness protection program.
The point of white walls was as an expression of luxury and excess – after all only the rich could afford to pay someone to keep them clean. Like spats on shoes they added both pizzaz and a visual delimitation between the haves and the have-nots. Today however, white walls can be had even by those of us who watch the Apprentice and not just those who star in it. As such, we can weigh in on what modern cars would most benefit from the application of radial richness. So with that in mind, what current car do you think would be the most awesome with white walls?
Image source: [andersonrestorations.com]
Kamil Kaluski 
Jeff Glucker
The recent retro Thunderbird would have benefitted from whitewalls.
yes. (2002-2005 was the run of those, i believe) and sadly, as much as i loved my '96 4.6L black and tan… i want a retro-bird.. that engine can be warmed up to some fun numbers….
sadly they only cane auto as far as I can tell
Not just the T-bird. Any retro car that references the wide whitewall era could be visually improved, actually.
<img src="http://i227.photobucket.com/albums/dd206/wbgoldberg/pt/DSC03462.jpg" width=500>
<img src="http://www.ssrfanatic.com/forum/attachments/f4/106621d1307322032-i-have-whitewalls-rallye-wheels-hand-ssr-park-016.jpg" width=500>
<img src="http://www.ssrfanatic.com/forum/attachments/f6/39911d1193917959-1953-hhr-8hhrbdswfinal.jpg" width=500>
Not my favorite vehicle, but that HHR is well done.
The third photo? Are you joking? I can't tell. That looks horrendous to me, but I know there's different strokes for different something or other.
I really do like the look of the SSR, however.
Hey, now. I didn't say I'd drive it.
No, no, I don't mean that in an "OH GOD WHAT'S WRONG WITH YOU?" sense, but I couldn't tell if you were being sarcastic or if you loved it. I'm not loving it at all, but I didn't know how to respond.
I was serious but I'm not loving it. The cheesy portholes aside, the treatment is more authentic than the typical retrobox – I appreciate the effort that went into the wood, chrome and wheel trime. It comes pretty close to its mark.
You'd not catch me behind the wheel, though. That's not my bag, baby.
Unfortunately the lines of the painted-on chrome and wood don't match the actual sheetmetal creases.
I'd prefer the HHR's sheetmetal to follow the swept chrome stripe from the front fender back, instead of the rounded "box flares" they gave it. That would evoke my favorite Buicks.
At the end of the day, it doesn't matter. It's just a modern econobox masquerading. I've driven a couple of HHRs – the experience was pretty forgetable.
I will never forget. Driving that thing stinks
I am inclined to agree. The SSR and PT look silly, but the HHR actually pulls it off. Barely, but it does.
The HHR also had the advantage of being offered as a windowless van which evoked the old sedan-delivery look. Chrysler once showed a PT van – sadly they never produced it.
<img src="http://archive.cardesignnews.com/events/detroit2000/gallery/images/chrysler-ptcruiser430.jpg" width=400>
Ah, yeah, and the HHR in SS trim would be pretty damn trick.
Results may vary….
http://www.thunderbirdconcepts.com/whitewalls.htm
Those T'bird whitewalls only highlight the awful wheels Ford put on those retro birds. And what's with the $1,200 each tire price on that site? Are they serious?
Ford has a long tradition of awful wheels. Beyond that, their relative domestic success is bred from producing acceptable cars for the heart of the market, cars that are good but not great. The umpteenth special edition Mustang and Skaycog and Muthalovin's personal Nirvanas aside, I'd like to see them build AND SELL enthusiast vehicles in the country that got them where they are.
As evidence, I offer up the death of Mercury (a brand that never found its way in my lifetime) and the torrid state of affairs that is Lincoln. The current Cadillac may be a one model wonder … but at least they've got that model.
<img src="http://www.300cforums.com/forums/attachments/custom-wheels-tires/33532d1248723956-whitewalls-trend-setter-customs-moved-chrysler3.jpg">
/Obvious answer. Needs dog dishes though.
And get rid of that chrome crap on the B- and C-pillars. Add some baby Moons, or some full Moons.
yes. as well as adding an inch or two to the ride height. (for my personal tastes)…. also.. make it a magnum.
I found one of those in my travels as well.
<img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5099/5412977932_cf4cd64541_o.jpg">
That front clip doesn't work for me though.
i'll take it!.. love the blanked-out rear windows (they don't allow for any additional visibility anyways!) once again… a little bit more ride height and i'm sold!
yeah.. there's something not quite right about that… i wonder how the new charger's front clip would look on there in flat black…. hmmmmmmm….. (i like the protruding/"shark-nosed" grill… )
That looks unexpectedly awesome.
Apparently they're very popular on the Scion xB:
<img src="http://i44.tinypic.com/x21gk4.jpg" width="500">
<img src="http://alohaki.img.jugem.jp/20101213_1188966.jpg" width="500">
You see them with chrome smoothies on a number of PT Cruisers as well. Considering the median age of PT drivers seems to be around 75, that makes sense.
Cars with woody kits need whitewalls.
<img src="http://www.ptwoody.com/graphics/ford_flex_04.jpg" width=500>
<img src="http://carphotos.cardomain.com/ride_images/3/1602/4501/29004750217_large.jpg" width=500>
<img src="http://www.ptwoody.com/graphics/smart_car_03.jpg">
OK, maybe not that last one.
those wheels on that last one… they look WAY too large to be…. umm… "smart" as far as rolling stock goes.
GAH!
Actually… I think the wife would like it….
Well, as long as you're on a roll:
<img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5279/5913890468_cdbc0d62f4.jpg" width="400">
Whide whites were popular in an era when a 70-series tire was considered low profile. Modern cars now typically have such short sidewalls that there isn't much room to fit a whitewall.
At any rate, back in the golden era of whitewalls, if you wanted to show off your luxury and excess, you did it with a Cadillac. Fortunately, today's most excessive Cadillac also has tall sidewalls.
<img src="http://carphotomobil.com/cadillac/cadillac_presidential_limousine/gambar_mobil_cadillac_presidential_limousine_01.jpg" width=500>
Some years ago I saw a BMW Z3 that had been fitted with chrome wire wheels. Not the kind you see on lowriders, but some kind of variation on the ones on Jaguar E-Types, Ferrari Daytonas, etc.
The car was white with a red interior, and the wires just looked so "right" on that design. I'm thinking a nice narrow whitewall would have added to the nostalgic look as well.
I just saw a new Lucerne with a hideous Landau top. So why not white walls too?
Panther Love.
<img width=500 src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/a/a3/LTC3.png">
<img src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_FoXyvaPSnVk/S7D-z27jMUI/AAAAAAACr78/5m3ghUlPm6Y/s640/Cadillac-CTS-V-Sport-Wagon-1.jpg" widht=550>
Someone with skills, please photoshop some whitewalls on this, and that is my answer.
Here you go. One white NSX with white walls.
<img src="http://www.worldofhonda.com/nsx/pics/witsx08m.jpg">
Hey, this isn't what I ordered at all!
if you don't want it, i'll take it at a discounted price… since it was the wrong order and all…….
The levels of funny in that go up the longer you look at it! Well played.
I'm thinking the Weismann Roadster would benefit from wires, knockoffs, and whitewalls.
I'll concur with the vote for the LX Platform.
<img src="http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p223/fnkychkn/posting%20pics/springfest2009090.jpg" width="500">
E30, of course.
<img src="http://photos.linquist.net/2010/2010-11-05-Prickstine-on-the/IMG3824/1081436749_UdQFd-XL.jpg">
Trying to think outside the box here…
<img src="http://www.tanshanomi.com/temp/Jaguar-XJ-whitewalls.jpg">
Think further out of the box…..
<img src="http://www.motorcycle-usa.com/photogallerys/09_genuine_buddy_35.jpg" width="550">
Apparently, there are quite a few people who like driving 1980's Bungalow basements.
Anyone else getting a Summit Racing Coker Vintage Tires ad in the banner?
Hooray for targeted advertising!
(goes back to counting a very small pile of small bills)
I'm getting Stanley Tire & Automotive, but yea, same diff.
I added an AdSense block to Tanshanomi.com last September. At the rate it's going, I'll meet the minimum payment threshold ($100) in May, 2013.
On today's MQ, it's an ad for Rhino Records' deluxe re-issue of Richard & Linda Thompson's "Shoot Out The Lights" CD…..which is kinda awesome.
GMC s/c-uv ads for me…
Oh yes. I come here for the adds mostly, but stay for the comments.
I'm getting "MAN" shoes.
Not sure what that means.
As much as I sort of hate white walls a lot, I imagine most modern Buicks could pull them off.
I think the white wall has been replaced by the chrome/aluminum ring on black wheels. Sort of like this:
<img src="http://www.customwheelandtonneau.com/images/asa_ar1_blk_ci3_l.jpg"width=500>
Oddly enough… on my way back from lunch today, I saw a car I couldn't quite place sitting in a parking lot- slightly lowered, matte black paint, devoid of any badging, aftermarket grill and rocking some whitewalls. After careful studying during a red light, I realized it was a Ford 500 (or Mercury Montego even)…and it looked pretty good, all things considered.
This Golf doesn't look too bad with 'em, but I think the black paint helps.
http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs302…
Any of the new Bentleys but the new Mulsanne and Brooklands would look nice with some WW tyres.
<img src="http://a4.l3-images.myspacecdn.com/images02/126/c5c2422592ee43e884de33374d444153/l.jpg">
Oddly enough, I don't see whitewalls listed as an option.
<a href="http://www.delorean.com/newbuild.asp” target=”_blank”>http://www.delorean.com/newbuild.asp
So much wtf…
The Chinese People's Liberation Army missile trucks look absolutely stunning with wide whitewalls.
<img src="http://www.csmonitor.com/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/images/0806-wires-missile/8438915-1-eng-US/0806-wires-missile_full_600.jpg"width="500"/>