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Posted: 3/6/2014 9:40:33 AM EDT
I have not even seen a narrow whitewall tire in years |
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Posted: 3/6/2014 9:44:01 AM EDT
[#1]
Back in the late 90s I bought General brand tires for my Caprice and they had whitewalls.
Since I wasn't a 50s gangster I had them installed with white in. |
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Posted: 3/6/2014 9:44:39 AM EDT
[#2]
They were called portawalls.
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Posted: 3/6/2014 9:44:56 AM EDT
[#3]
I have the same model harley. Mines got white walls.. that was the main thing that drew me to the bike originally. white walls are sick.
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Posted: 3/6/2014 9:46:07 AM EDT
[#4]
They made a short comeback but I think they were radials.
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Posted: 3/6/2014 9:49:04 AM EDT
[#5]
@ 1993, I had a 1977 Grand Marquis , Candy apple red with a white vinyl top and a red interior. Gangster tires. Mad Pimping. |
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Posted: 3/6/2014 9:49:09 AM EDT
[#6]
I remember (the original) whitewalls,, but I don't recall ever hearing them called "gangster whitewalls".
It must be a term which was invented later. |
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Posted: 3/6/2014 9:53:18 AM EDT
[#7]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
I remember (the original) whitewalls,, but I don't recall ever hearing them called "gangster whitewalls". It must be a term which was invented later. 
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Posted: 3/6/2014 9:56:06 AM EDT
[#8]
Little-known fact about white walls.
Tires were originally made from white rubber. Think of the Michelin Man... he's made from white tires, not black. Manufacturers later added vulcanized rubber for the tread, while keeping the white for the sidewalls. Nowadays the whitewall tires are simply painted on, as a throwback to the tires of old. |
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Posted: 3/6/2014 9:56:50 AM EDT
[#9]
Put these on last week for a guy. Straight gangsta!
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Posted: 3/6/2014 9:57:07 AM EDT
[#10]
Used to clean them on my father's custom '56 Coupe De Ville with a finger nail brush and bleach solution. This was in Encino back in the 60's |
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Posted: 3/6/2014 10:00:20 AM EDT
[#11]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
I remember (the original) whitewalls,, but I don't recall ever hearing them called "gangster whitewalls". It must be a term which was invented later. I believe the current term is "Old People Tires" |
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Posted: 3/6/2014 10:02:08 AM EDT
[#12]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
It was the real wide whitewalls not the regular size. The last official whitewalls I saw were on Caddys, the Vogues http://www.hobbycar.com/VogueNBrougham50.jpg http://images.fineartamerica.com/images-medium-large/1-cadillac-vogue-gold-stripe-tire-julie-niemela.jpg Quote HistoryQuoted:
Quoted:
I remember (the original) whitewalls,, but I don't recall ever hearing them called "gangster whitewalls". It must be a term which was invented later. http://www.hobbycar.com/VogueNBrougham50.jpg http://images.fineartamerica.com/images-medium-large/1-cadillac-vogue-gold-stripe-tire-julie-niemela.jpg Ahh, you have found the mythical 15 inch rim and tire. |
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Posted: 3/6/2014 10:05:16 AM EDT
[#13]
meh..don't care for them..I have raised white letters on the tires of my truck...don't care for the look.
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Posted: 3/6/2014 10:09:02 AM EDT
[#14]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
They were called portawalls. Those were added on between the tire & rim later and some flapped on the highway. |
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Posted: 3/6/2014 10:12:33 AM EDT
[#15]
They were big in the 70's.
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Posted: 3/6/2014 10:16:56 AM EDT
[#16]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
I believe the current term is "Old People Tires" Quote HistoryQuoted:
Quoted:
I remember (the original) whitewalls,, but I don't recall ever hearing them called "gangster whitewalls". It must be a term which was invented later. I believe the current term is "Old People Tires" Call it what you wish, but not everyone gets to be an "Old People." 
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Posted: 3/6/2014 10:17:46 AM EDT
[#17]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Those were added on between the tire & rim later and some flapped on the highway. Quote HistoryQuoted:
Quoted:
They were called portawalls. Those were added on between the tire & rim later and some flapped on the highway. had to take them off for any high speed driving lol |
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Posted: 3/6/2014 10:21:54 AM EDT
[#18]
I bought a set last year to go on a 1958 Ford Fairlane 500. It was restored to a 50's type look. Chrome steelies with baby moons, white diamond pleated seats, and a big set of fuzzy dice.
I will see if I can dig up a pic when I get home.
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Posted: 3/6/2014 10:23:20 AM EDT
[#19]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Little-known fact about white walls. Tires were originally made from white rubber. Think of the Michelin Man... he's made from white tires, not black. Manufacturers later added vulcanized rubber for the tread, while keeping the white for the sidewalls. Nowadays the whitewall tires are simply painted on, as a throwback to the tires of old. Could this be construed as being a racist thing? The vulcanized part is against the road, so, every time you drive, you are keeping 4 blacks down? |
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Posted: 3/6/2014 10:24:52 AM EDT
[#20]
I remember having to scrub whitewall tires with steel wool back in the day when I'd wash my parents' cars.
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Posted: 3/6/2014 10:27:02 AM EDT
[#21]
China=Gangsta
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Posted: 3/6/2014 10:27:56 AM EDT
[#22]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
They were big in the 70's. http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-QKU1mb3gnIU/TqrICaK4NFI/AAAAAAAAAPo/Uag-V7v-qfA/s1600/PMred.jpg  man...pimp my ride in overdrive.
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Posted: 3/6/2014 10:29:36 AM EDT
[#23]
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2fEWAc85ed8[/youtube]
ETA: !@*#&*(&!@ I can't post video anymore. This being responsible with my family budget thing is seriously impairing my ability to post crap people don't need to see on ARFCOM. |
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Posted: 3/6/2014 10:32:53 AM EDT
[#24]
My 34 Packard neighbors kids...
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Posted: 3/6/2014 11:00:49 AM EDT
[#25]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
My 34 Packard neighbors kids...
<a href="http://s17.photobucket.com/user/leondana/media/05df2b30.jpg.html" target="_blank">http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b96/leondana/05df2b30.jpg</a> All you need is the zoot suit and the Thompson |
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Posted: 3/6/2014 11:03:13 AM EDT
[#26]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
My 34 Packard neighbors kids...
<a href="http://s17.photobucket.com/user/leondana/media/05df2b30.jpg.html" target="_blank">http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b96/leondana/05df2b30.jpg</a> I knew a kid in high school who drove one of those ... at that time they were just "old cars." It was a very impressive automobile. ETA: I think his was later ... 1938 maybe. |
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Posted: 3/6/2014 11:03:42 AM EDT
[#27]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
They were big in the 70's. http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-QKU1mb3gnIU/TqrICaK4NFI/AAAAAAAAAPo/Uag-V7v-qfA/s1600/PMred.jpg |
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Posted: 3/6/2014 11:11:46 AM EDT
[#28]
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Posted: 3/6/2014 11:13:43 AM EDT
[#29]
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Posted: 3/6/2014 11:19:13 AM EDT
[#30]
Im 21 and have whitewalls on my '84 grand marquis
get@me ##$% |
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Posted: 3/6/2014 11:20:32 AM EDT
[#31]
Port-a-walls were the poor man's whitewall. We had curb feelers to keep from chewing them up on the curb.
Our parents hung coon tails from the radio antenna and said things like "23 Skidoo" to be cool. And danced the Charleston and Blackbottom. |
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Posted: 3/6/2014 11:24:00 AM EDT
[#32]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
I remember having to scrub whitewall tires with steel wool back in the day when I'd wash my parents' cars. This thread made me think about how we had a fingernail brush and some Comet cleanser in the wash bucket to do the whitewalls when washing cars. Also worked great for the RWL tires to show off your BF Goodrich Radial T/As.
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Posted: 3/6/2014 11:26:54 AM EDT
[#33]
For some odd reason I still can't stand that look on any of my vehicles so I just "blackwall" everything (white wall in) when getting new tires. Now, if I got some vintage sled.. oh yeah, would be ganster all the way...
--edit To be clear, OPs three pics would be, from top to bottom Oh hell yeah No Oh hell no 
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Posted: 3/6/2014 11:29:45 AM EDT
[#34]
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Posted: 3/6/2014 11:30:59 AM EDT
[#35]
Shit no curb feelers in this thread?
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Posted: 3/6/2014 11:33:16 AM EDT
[#36]
someone here in Phoenix has those things on a newer (2010'ish) vette.
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Posted: 3/6/2014 11:33:53 AM EDT
[#37]
Back in the days of their "Everything Automotive" catalog, I remember when JC Whitney sold whitewall "skins" and "whitewall" paint ("Give your plain tires the look of expensive whitewalls at a fraction of the cost!!!").
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Posted: 3/6/2014 11:38:39 AM EDT
[#38]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Caddy or Lincoln? Quote HistoryQuoted:
Quoted:
They were big in the 70's. http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-QKU1mb3gnIU/TqrICaK4NFI/AAAAAAAAAPo/Uag-V7v-qfA/s1600/PMred.jpg The photo is captioned. |
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Posted: 3/6/2014 11:42:29 AM EDT
[#39]
The top car in OP is fucking bad ass looking. What kind of car is it?
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Posted: 3/6/2014 11:43:41 AM EDT
[#40]
I left it at one.
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Posted: 3/6/2014 11:45:03 AM EDT
[#41]
Coker tires ftw
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Posted: 3/6/2014 11:48:49 AM EDT
[#42]
Remember them? People are still buying them for their classic cars.
Coker American Classics |
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Posted: 3/6/2014 11:52:37 AM EDT
[#43]
Bud Anderson's P-51 Mustang had hand painted whitewall tires.
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Posted: 3/6/2014 11:58:28 AM EDT
[#44]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
All you need is the zoot suit and the Thompson Quote HistoryQuoted:
Quoted:
My 34 Packard neighbors kids...
<a href="http://s17.photobucket.com/user/leondana/media/05df2b30.jpg.html" target="_blank">http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b96/leondana/05df2b30.jpg</a> All you need is the zoot suit and the Thompson And thus the terms "Gangster Walls" and "Gangster Tires" was born. Nice looking Packard, BTW. Any .45cal bullet holes found in it when you restored it? |
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Posted: 3/6/2014 12:00:27 PM EDT
[#45]
My first car, a '78 Mercury Marquis had them, but they were so dry rotted, you could take chunks off the sidewall with your fingernail. I wanted to replace them with more whitewalls and get baby moon hubcaps, but I couldn't afford either.
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Posted: 3/6/2014 12:04:14 PM EDT
[#46]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
This thread made me think about how we had a fingernail brush and some Comet cleanser in the wash bucket to do the whitewalls when washing cars. Also worked great for the RWL tires to show off your BF Goodrich Radial T/As. Quote HistoryQuoted:
Quoted:
I remember having to scrub whitewall tires with steel wool back in the day when I'd wash my parents' cars. This thread made me think about how we had a fingernail brush and some Comet cleanser in the wash bucket to do the whitewalls when washing cars. Also worked great for the RWL tires to show off your BF Goodrich Radial T/As. I hated washing white walls when Dad would make me wash the cars, I could never get them clean enough for him. And those were plain whitewalls, not gangster walls. I've never had whitewalls on any of my vehicles and I quit running RWL tires with the letters facing out, probably because of some deeply seated issues resulting from Dad scolding me (when I got off easy) about not getting those whitewalls clean enough. |
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Posted: 3/6/2014 12:08:02 PM EDT
[#47]
Gotta have the curb feelers to go with them
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Posted: 3/6/2014 12:09:56 PM EDT
[#48]
White wall tires are atrociously ugly.
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Posted: 3/6/2014 12:18:19 PM EDT
[#49]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
My 34 Packard neighbors kids...
<a href="http://s17.photobucket.com/user/leondana/media/05df2b30.jpg.html" target="_blank">http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b96/leondana/05df2b30.jpg</a> Nice Packard for sure Slug-O. You need to get yourself some year correct metal side mount covers, though it looks good w/o them. Club sedan (shortest four door), if I remember. Is that a Super Eight? Can't read the wheel caps with these eyes. Yes, driving through North Chicago/Waukegan IL in the 1970's, yes, there were a lot of Caddys and other cars with the wide whites, and wire (spoked) wheels. |
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Posted: 3/6/2014 3:35:45 PM EDT
[#50]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
My 34 Packard neighbors kids...
<a href="http://s17.photobucket.com/user/leondana/media/05df2b30.jpg.html" target="_blank">http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b96/leondana/05df2b30.jpg</a> Nice ride. That is the only proper place for white wall tires. |
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