Eye-catching black and whites

[Junkman]

[Junkman]

Count the number of white wall tyres in this pic:

 

 

In 1939, scientists and engineers at Chicago’s Armour Institute of Technology designed and built a massive new vehicle intended for use in Antarctic exploration.

The Antarctic Snow Cruiser measured 55 feet long, weighed more than 37 tons fully loaded, and rolled on four smooth 10-foot-tall tires designed to retract

and allow part of the vehicle to scoot across crevasses.

The Institute loaned the $150,000 machine to the U.S. government for its upcoming Antarctic expedition headed by Rear Admiral Richard Byrd, and had the Snow Cruiser

driven from Chicago to Boston (at a top speed of 30 mph) to be loaded on the ship the North Star.

 

In the pic above, the snow cruiser passes through traffic and onlookers before halting for the night in Framingham, Massachusetts, on November 12, 1939.

Traffic was snarled for 20 miles in a tailback that involved 70,000 automobiles. Note the two spare tires visible in the rear compartment of the cruiser.

[Junkman]

 

On the docks in Boston in November of 1939.

Again, note how popular* white wall tyres were in reality.

[Junkman]

Here are a few pics from Chicago in the late Thirties, further debunking the white wall tyre myth:

 

 

 

[mercrocker]

Reminds me of these beasts....LARC amphibians, made by Le Tourneau (and others).    Two of these big boys still survive in the remains of Pounds Scrapyard at Portsmouth and can be seen from the M275 into the city.     

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Definitely no whitewalls (hey Junkman - maybe they turned 'em all back to front!)

 

 

 

[Junkman]

[Junkman]

Looks like some Airflow Mopar @ Piccadilly (1947):

 

[Junkman]

Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy stayed at Stan's Sister's inn during their visit of England in 1952.

Here they help* Stan's brother in law Bill Healey in the kitchen:

 

[Junkman]

Signposting for the 1948 Olympics.

 

[Junkman]

OMGSNOKAOZ

 

[Junkman]

Killer smog.

 

[STUNO]

Whitewall tyres were about in the 30's, but the ordinary motorist did not usually fit them. They were more "up-market" than most could afford. They really came in during the 50's.

The airflow Mopar at Picadilly just looks a bit wrong somehow, but given the angle and the fact I haven't seen one for a long time it is quite possible i am very wrong.

Also that coupe that is vertical down the side of the house. Has anyone noticed the wheels are a most unusual design , something I have not seen before.

[mercrocker]

Maybe tricks of the light....The coupe looks like its wearing period-correct Kelsey-Hayes wires.   There could be something unusual about the Airflow - if I remember the Canadian ones had De Soto bodies and Chrysler fronts or something.   Given the Dominion market status back then odds on its a Canuck......

[Junkman]

Those wheels are bog standard Ford wheels, mounted to millions and more millions of them.

 

 

 

Whitewalls were much less popular even in 1950s America, than most people think.

 

 

 

 

In fact, whitewall tyres are a product of the imagination of 1970s restorers.

[Junkman]

The hairdresser however did have whitewalls put on his car, of course:

 

[mercrocker]

My barber has whitewalls on his '58, too.

[STUNO]

I will bow to your knowledge of wheels junkman. It is a trick of light and old multi-copied photography.

 

And yes, whitewalls were a hairdressers and other posers accessory.

[forddeliveryboy]

[Junkman]

MOAR 1950s mediocre whitewall content.

 

[Junkman]

[Junkman]

[Junkman]

[mercrocker]

tmp_24967-alfa_romeo_giulia_1300gtc619407762.jpg

 

Phwoarrrr...GTC.  Would.   

[forddeliveryboy]

[forddeliveryboy]

[forddeliveryboy]

[forddeliveryboy]

[forddeliveryboy]

[forddeliveryboy]

[forddeliveryboy]