indecision

[rolliejoe]

black or white walls?

[aero3113]

I like the white walls, here is a pic of my 50 Plymouth.

[JerseyHarold]

Whitewalls look better with full wheel covers, in my opinion.

[pflaming]

Try luxury rings and paint the center of the caps red. Use this combo with the black walls. As is I like the white walls. To my eye the car needs a subltle base and the white walls do that, even better with full hubcaps. Just my opinion. I might even paint the hubs a darker green with the luxary rings. Again, it your car and it looks absolutely great with the restored patina.

[greg g]

I'm partial to black walls on two doors, just me I guess, but trim rings would spice them up a bit.

[Reg Evans]

Thumbs up for the white walls.

[teardrop puller]

I like the WWW, here in front of Yoli's in Veracruz, Mexico

kai

[Niel Hoback]

Whitewalls without question.

[Norm's Coupe]

black or white walls?

I could give you my opinion on which I would like the best. But.........that's my opinion, just as whatever the others said is their opinion. All of which are correct because that's what they wanted and like the best. But.....in the end, it's your car. So.........you should forget what everyone else said looks best and only go with what your own opinion on the subject is. Believe me, you'll be happier with that opinion, because that's the only one that counts on your car.

[PatS....]

Whitewalls!!!

[pflaming]

I think we all agree with what Norm wrote. I like to hear what others say because I may not have noticed that or whatever so I like choices and I get them by asking for other's opinions. For example I kindof like a modern wide wheel and tire on the Pilot-house truck but that does not look 'old school'. I may have both and switch from time to time and that is what is great about wheels, they bolt on and off!

Sure would like to have a '51 like yours, always liked that flat hood as opposed to the 'pointed' one on the 49/50 but that again is my taste.

[RobertKB]

Whitewalls. However, I think most people are now used to seeing these cars with whitewalls. When they were new probably about 90% of cars had blackwalls. Just personal preference as has been stated. I have both whitewalls and beauty rings on my '48.

[Rodney Bullock]

I used to think www were the way to go however after seeing Greg's car The black walls can be very interesting:) I am a 50's kid so white wall tires are traditional for me.

[RobertKB]

rolliejoe, I sure like your coupe. It looks like a nice survivor and I have always liked that green on the early '50's Plymouths. Whitewalls or no whitewalls, your car will look good.

[JerseyHarold]

FWIW, I don't think whitewalls were available on new Plymouths in the early fifties due to the Korean war.

[Plymouthy Adams]

the POC has a mentioned to what JerseyHarold just stated..I cannot remember but have that printed out for reference at home..

WWW or black wall is a personal thing...I like white wall..however there is a limit to width...I think for your car 3 inch was the available for that era...it had shrunk to 2 11/16 by 54...and went slimmer and slimmer from then..

[pflaming]

I cannot document this but I always thought whitewalls were not practical until the country roads became paved. Large hubcaps were easier to clean. If memory serves me correct, MOPAR made large hubcaps popular because of their wheel design which kept them on much better. Am I correct on this?

I don't recall any particular restriction because of the Korean War, do remember alot of them during WWII. Dad's new 52 Ford Victoria had whitewalls but we could buy hubcaps fast enough.

[1949 p-15]

I like the White Walls. I have them on my Coupe with rings and Baby Moon Hubcaps.

[Flatie46]

I think it looks good either way, can't really say one way or anthor.I like the survivor look also.

[rolliejoe]

Thanks for the input all.

I really can't decide as both ways look good. I like the ideas of putting red back on the caps for the black or beauty rings for the white.

Took 1 coil out of each spring yesterday, still can't decide.

[Norm's Coupe]

Ok, I'll give my opinion on both subjects.

As for the wheels and tires, do what someone else mentioned. Have one set of wide whites and one set of black walls. Now, if you get up in the morning and say you want one or the other, just switch.

As for lowering the cars, there's a simple solution to that problem too. Put air bags on the car. If you get up in the morning and decide you want the car lowered or raised, just push a button.

Those solutions solves both problems and takes away any indecision's you may have.

Take it from me, you can drive yourself nuts on wheels and tires. I know, I've been down that road. I'm on my third set of wheels and tires (counting the ones that came with the car). Plus, I now have another set of wheels in the shed to paint and put skinny whitewall radials on. But.........over the years, I've decided I've worked on the wheels enough. So........the extra set of wheels still sit in the shed awaiting cleaning and paint. Have decided to leave them where they are until I can borrow some soap and water to clean the wheels, a hand to hold the paint can, and to borrow a can of paint (like Pa Kettle and needing nails and a hammer to fix his barn). :D In the meantime, I'll get other things done that are more important than more wheels and tires for my coupe. And, if I don't have anything else to do on my coupe that day, I can sit in the lawn chair and think about when I'll get around to those wheels, someday.

[pflaming]

The attachments show how I painted my caps. Your centers are a bit different. I took a good quality ink eraser to 'rough' up the area I wanted to paint. Then I did several light coats, at least four.

I got some good chrome cleaner/polish and polished my caps six times to get them really shiny, then I painted the centers. Suggestions only. You may want to paint the wheels the same color as the visor. Nice thing about caps, rings, WSW's is that they can come off.

Have you done anything to the hood other than a light cleaning? If youi lightly wet sand it with an 800 grit you may find color, I sure did. Truck went from a repainted white/blue to a dark blue. My mistake was that I used 200 and 400 grit, it was too severe, took off too much too fast. The hood originally was ALL RED! Others have seen these pics before but they may be new to you. Fun to watch others going through their evolution. Great fun!

Edited April 10, 2017 by pflaming

[BobT-47P15]

If I were going to use blackwalls, I would leave the wheels the light green

they are now. Gives a good contrast between tire and wheel, in addition

to the fact that is the original color and they match the car.

Or, if you do use whitewalls, then you could go with a darker color like

the visor. The narrow trim rings are for sale new from various sources.

Oh, yes, do paint the red part.

One more opinon.......

[Plymouthy Adams]

As I am now home, the white wall tires were not available for the 51 year however they were for 49, 50...the 52 was not mentioned for tires...

[Howard Tarnoff]

That is exactly what I did for three years Norm, I sat and thought about what I wanted and it had to be different. I posted a photo at the thread on hubcaps.

People either love them or hate them, I try to stand about 15 feet from the car and listen and it runs about 70/30 I guess.

As to the tires I would advise that anyone looking at WWW spend the extra 12 bucks a tire and go with Diamond Back Classics. I was on the cheap and went with Cokers and I got to be honest and say I made a big mistake, the tires are junk IMHO. We have ordered a set of DBC and will put them on when I get back to Massachusetts at the end of the month.

At the end of the day all of this is personal taste unless you are going for AACA, then it is another story...the choice is already made.

Ok' date=' I'll give my opinion on both subjects.

As for the wheels and tires, do what someone else mentioned. Have one set of wide whites and one set of black walls. Now, if you get up in the morning and say you want one or the other, just switch.

As for lowering the cars, there's a simple solution to that problem too. Put air bags on the car. If you get up in the morning and decide you want the car lowered or raised, just push a button.

Those solutions solves both problems and takes away any indecision's you may have.

Take it from me, you can drive yourself nuts on wheels and tires. I know, I've been down that road. I'm on my third set of wheels and tires (counting the ones that came with the car). Plus, I now have another set of wheels in the shed to paint and put skinny whitewall radials on. But.........over the years, I've decided I've worked on the wheels enough. So........the extra set of wheels still sit in the shed awaiting cleaning and paint. Have decided to leave them where they are until I can borrow some soap and water to clean the wheels, a hand to hold the paint can, and to borrow a can of paint (like Pa Kettle and needing nails and a hammer to fix his barn). :D In the meantime, I'll get other things done that are more important than more wheels and tires for my coupe. And, if I don't have anything else to do on my coupe that day, I can sit in the lawn chair and think about when I'll get around to those wheels, someday.[/quote']