Fake wide whites??

[Jims50chrysler]

I was at a swap meet last weekend and noticed a set of what appeared to be fake wide whites they looked to be 2.25" wide and I suppose they somehow lock on between the bead of the tire and the rim.

has anyone else seen them or used them?

Jim

[loveoldiron]

ive heard of them, from what ive heard they dont work well with radial tires. i heard they tend to make the tire leak. thats all i know.

[Kustom52Mopar]

I've seen 'em around at swap meets and E-Bay and such. I've never used them but from what I hear they aren't worth it. Can cause a vibration, dry out and fold out or just won't fir right. oldiron is right, they can cause a air leak less you have tubes.

[BobT-47P15]

They don't work so great with radials......but OK with bias ply tires.

Radials flex a lot.

I used them back in the late 1950s--early 60s.

Back then the guy at the corner filling station would let me do all my own

work installing them. Used their jack, lug wrench and tire changer....no

big deal then. As long as they weren't busy.

[BobT-47P15]

At a swap meet in Kansas City a couple years ago, I saw these.....from when

narrow whitewalls were coming into vogue.

Actually were like a trim ring......didn't have to put between tire and wheel.

Some even came with fancywork.....

Or a red outer additional ring.......

[BobT-47P15]

Here are two varieties I still have at home. I think they're both 14".

[Norm's Coupe]

I've never used them. However as mentioned they were popular back in the 50's and 60's on the bias tires. Don't know anything about putting them on radials. That said, those things will lift up like wings at highway speeds. They aren't hard to find if you want a new set. Coker Tire sells them new. Their real name is "Porta Walls".

[David Maxwell]

They are unused. I'd have to check the box, but I believe I have 5 in the set. Can't remember what I paid for them, but I'll let them go for at least 1/2 of that price plus shipping. I ended up buying a set of Diamondback Wide White Radials.

[Fireball]

flaff flaff flaff My buddy flaff used to have a flaff flaff flaff set of these flaff flaffs, but got eventually flaff rid of them, cause they flaff flaff fl.....

They work well in the garage but not on the road

[Normspeed]

I think they're a neat period accessory and ok for local driving but I've heard they don't like freeway speeds much.

[JIPJOBXX]

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I both a set of Port-A-Walls a few years ago and they work really good. The only thing I would suggest if you are going to use them I would get some spray glue and when you match them up to your black wall use the glue as they tend to squish out when you fill the tire up with air. Kind of fun to point our as it a part of automotive history. Jon:cool:

[Frank Blackstone]

When I took a tire in to have new tires mounted I thought nothing about the porta walls I had been running for years. They did good for me but I didn't drive that fast on 20 year old tires. The guys were all under 40 years old and had never even heard of porta wall. The owner walked around for an hour showing them to everyone. I guess I do know some stuff just by virtue of having lived so long.

[Jims50chrysler]

I think I will Pass on the Porta walls as I plan on doing alot of highway driving and don't want to take a chance that these things are going to make funny noises at highway speed.

The Idea was good,I haven't heard anything negative about how they look and I am sure they are alot cheaper than wide whites.

Jim