White wall tires

[ronford]

Todays online Hemmings Motor News reported that on
6 April 1934 Ford introduced white wall tires as an $11.25
option on all its cars.l

[1934]

That's very interesting. I wonder how many people shelled out the extra money for those white walls. Ford was a relatively inexpensive car at the time and it would be interesting to know how big the demand was. My preference is black walls but that's just me.
Doug.

[rotorwrench]

Henry Ford and Harvey Firestone were best of buds along with Tom Edison and a few others. Most all of Fords tire business was done through Firestone Tire & Rubber back in the early years. Henry and Harvey collaborated in several successful business dealings. They were always trying out stuff to see how well it would sell.

[Capt Kirk]

Originally Posted by rotorwrench

Henry Ford and Harvey Firestone were best of buds along with Tom Edison and a few others. Most all of Fords tire business was done through Firestone Tire & Rubber back in the early years. Henry and Harvey collaborated in several successful business dealings. They were always trying out stuff to see how well it would sell.

I'm just blown away by the wealth of knowledge here!! Not only can one find solutions to their respective problems but history is passed on.

[tony starr]

Don't forget about Henry's attempt to establish a permanent rubber plantation presence in Brazil...

--

[37 Coupe]

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Over the years I have heard car guys say that you never saw a Ford back in the day with whitewalls.Probably more true with Model A as a lot of them today wear whitewalls. I have all of the Loren Sorenson Ford books and I love one wide lens picture of a 1937 Ford showroom in one of his series,every Ford, sedans,
coupes open cars are wearing whitewall tires.

[tubman]

I saw a picture someplace of a Ford showroom in 1951. There were about 5 cars you could see, and they all had blackwalls, even a shiny new convertible that was the main subject of the picture.

[DavidG]

Utter nonsense! They had been an extra-cost option in the U.S. at least since the 1932 model year according to photographic and price list evidence in Ford's archives.

[rotorwrench]

Firestone was only one of the big tire manufacturers but he did have a patent for a tire & rim that could be removed as a unit from the wheel and I'm sure that is what attracted some manufacturers to his products in the very early years of automobiles. Titanium oxide helped stiffen the rubber some so many of the early tires were all white. They would get dirty and look funky fairly soon after being put into service. Carbon black was later introduced to the mix to further strengthen the rubber plus it had the added affect of making the tire not only last longer but also make it easier to keep in decent looking condition. The black tires were the cats meow for a very long time until folks started looking for something more dressy and distinctive in the 1920s.

All that Hemmings article stated was that Ford Motors was going to start adding the tires to a list of options (for a price) on that date. There had been white wall tires around a long time before that. Lincoln cars likely had them as standard equipment before 1934. They may have also been a dealer option well before 1934 on Ford cars. Painting the wheels to match the stripe and adding white wall tires was likely a common dealer option clear back to the model A days.

[rockfla]

@37 Coupe
I would suspect that It was Ford's attempt (Or the dealer at least) to dress up the cars for the public in the showroom......IMO the 36's and up (with the steel wheel and hubcap/or spyders) look good either black wall or with the whitewall tires....cars with standard wire wheels 35 and down look terrible with whitewall tires especially with Tacoma cream wheels (Sorry David). I prefer a black wall tire with the SS outer trim ring....IMO and my taste. BUT suffice it to say...yes whitewall tires were available and COULD be put on cars of the day.....I'll still argue they were the "exception" and not the "rule", just look at any photo back in the day of "anytown USA" and look at the cars on the street, whitewall tires are thin on the ground, very thin!!!!!

[Vic Piano]

In '47 My dad bought a new Ford Convertible that had been "dressed up" by the Ford Dealer. Among the options was a set of Sears-Roebuck white wall tires.

[flatford8]

Here's the boys, hanging out on a Sunday afternoon..... Mark

[51 MERC-CT]

Option or no option all my first cars back in the day had whitewalls that came in a can.

[32phil]

In 1954 my dad bought a new 54 Chevy, a blue two door with a white top, when the car came in the dealer called and said it was in but it had whitewall tires. The white walls were an extra $15, my Dad told him to take them off. I remember the car was different than the other 54's I saw as it had body colored wheels, with a silver stipe and black wall tires. Most 54's I saw had black wheels with black wall tires.
In 1963 my dad bought a new Fairlane 500 , a nice Green two door. The dealer called and said it was in but it had white wall tires. You guessed it ....an extra $15. I told my Dad to keep them. He did and the car looked good. It had body color wheels but no stripe. The white walls really set off the green wheels.

[wisbangman]

White Wall tires on Fords have been discussed for a long time. It is interesting, as you go through publications and books, and see actual Ford factory photos, that disprove some common, " old wives tails. " One such tail I've heard is " In the thirties, Ford would never put White walls on a ' standard, ' only on a ' deluxe. ' On the factory photo taken of a 39 standard, sedan delivery, 'you can see the inner white wall ' on page 112 of Lorin Sorensen's ' The Classy Ford V8, ' puts that one to bed ! There is a very interesting photo on page 37, of the same book, showing a 1933 Ford Roadster, given by Edsel Ford, to the leader of the 1933 Indy 500, after 400 miles. you can't get more ' factory ' than that! The car is equipped with Firestone Wide White Wall tires. Ironically on page 150, of the same book, there is a list of 1932-42 " Genuine Ford options and accessories. " According to this chart, the first year that White Walls are listed as an option, is 1935 ! So do you believe what you see, or what you read ? I believe what I see.

[rockfla]

Wisbangman
The 1933 roadster you speak of was "given" as a prize, which Ford Motor Company would want to put "it's best out there" for the general public to see so "naturally" they wanted it "dressed to the nines". We are talking the "average guy" here, the norm!!!! And your "other" other example of the 1939 Ford sedan delivery with white walls, as you move later into the 30's and into the 40's (obviously post WWII) white wall tires become more prevalent and perhaps the company that owned it is trying to make an "upscale" statement of their business. As I said in a previous post.....look at pictures of Main St USA in any town USA from 1930, through about 1936 and do the math, the ratio of black wall to white wall tires and you'll find that by and large the "average" guy didn't by whitewall tires!!! This discussion is all moot really, it your car, your money, do as you please but the fact is, white walls in the depression gave the "wrong" impression, the impression of wealth and not many wanted to give that impression!!!!

[DavidG]

rotorwrench,

With respect, they were not a dealer option in the 1932 model year, but a factory option and the archival documentation takes it beyond speculation. The statement in Hemmings is simply incorrect unless it was expanded to something like "....for the first time in the 1934 model year.", if that was indeed the case.

Robert,

Without question, WSW on 'everyman' cars were a rarity, unlike on the classic cars of the early thirties, but that is not the same thing as they did not exist or were only used on promotional vehicles.

I agree about whitewalls and light colored wheels such as Tacoma cream, but on dark colors they have their place, in my opinion. Double WSW until '39-'40 or you'll lose point in judging.

[AnthonyG]

I've got the original bill of sale on my '35 Tudor. Thought you'd get a kick out of seeing. Even at $12 was probably like a $500 option today.

[Anteek29]

Interesting history...but it all comes down to, "You either like them or you don't."

[Pomeroy41144]

Originally Posted by AnthonyG

I've got the original bill of sale on my '35 Tudor. Thought you'd get a kick out of seeing. Even at $12 was probably like a $500 option today.

$12 in 1935 dollars equals about $205 in 2017 dollars.