Porta walls
 

Since I am having my front axle on my 40 coupe dropped I am figuring I am going to change my front tires from 205/75 to 195/75. The only ones I see are a whitewall. I like the idea of a white wall but my rears are 235/75/15.Like new. A 235/75 whitewall is over $200.00.So the question is has anyone had any luck with the Porta Walls as to where they look natural? If I try to sell my existing 235's I won't get anything for them and $210.00 is a tough pill to swallow.

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Just mount the new fronts with the white walls inboard, black walls out.

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My only experience with Portawalls was in the 1950's. Are they still around? My opinion.... I thought they were great. Couldn't tell from just a few feet away.

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If you get Portawalls, be sure to also get Curb Feelers, or you’ll wish you had.

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Shop around on the 195X75. You should be able to find them in blackwalls. Check a company called Tire Rack. Also check with your local tire shop.

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You can still buy whitewall tire paint. Don't know what it will end up looking like. Just an option. https://www.rangerpaint.com/products/white-sidewall

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I see the Porta Walls on evil bay. I was just thinking if I need to go with a white wall on the front it would be a shame to turn backward. That's why I was thinking about adding to the rear. I like the look of the whitewall. I just have a little trouble with the price. I would consider the Porta wall if they hug the tire well.

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https://external-content.duckduckgo....125&ipo=images
$15.00

Ranger Tire Paint provides the best method for creating a white sidewall. Capable of providing over three coats of paint for all four tires, the Ranger Tire Paint White Sidewalls can create that simple sidewall shine.
Specifications
Each Ranger Tire Paint can is half a pint, enough paint to coat four standard sized tires with a 3” whitewall three times.

Re: Porta walls
 

At Amazon > https://www.amazon.ca/Port-wall-Whit.../dp/B07T2VNR22


https://external-content.duckduckgo....36e49d053e8be0

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I think I made my mind up.

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In 1970 I couldn't afford real whitewalls so Porta Walls did the job. (Menomonie, WI)

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I had great results with "Tire Stickers" lettering. Picture is 7 y/o.They have whitewalls. The letters are a little tricky to install. Best with the tire off. The white walls may be harder. Some sort of crazy glue type adhesive. Not cheap either. https://www.tirestickers.com/shop/white-wall-tires/

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Joe: Never saw them before. Thanks for posting the info.

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I ran port o walls on this '49 a number of years ago. They looked pretty darn good, frankly. Never had any problems with them. I don't remember now where I got them though.

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I seem to remember there was a guy at one of the local filling stations that was a specialist at installing them when I was a kid. I vaguely remember him using a rubber hammer to "set" them under the bead during installation. His "porta-walls" always hugged the tire and never loosened up (unless you had a serious encounter with a curb). I wish I remembered more about it.

A guy I worked with in the early sixties had a '50 Merc with "porta-walls" that were attached to beauty rings (trim rings). I thought the "porta-walls" looked good, but the trim rings had this gaudy diamond pattern that turned me off. These had the advantage that if you damaged one, you could go to the FLAPS and get a replacement for $4.95.

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If I remember correctly, and this is going back a ways, inflate the tire just enough to seat the bead with the porta wall in place. Then use the rubber mallet to beat the porta wall enough to flatten it against the sidewall of the tire. This causes it to conform to the tire and really does make it look as if it is a "real" whitewall. Then air the tire up to the proper PSI. If done correctly they truly are convincing.

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We may have revived a "lost art" here!:cool:

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I was checking out the ads on AMAZON for these. Holy Cow! a hundred and thirty some bucks for a set! I'll bet we didn't pay more than $5 a pop for them probably at Western Auto or some such place. I must be getting old or something! :eek:

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Yep, Western Auto and JC Whitney. Here on the "left" coast I think they were about $10 for a set of four.

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I think someone told me portawalls don't work well on radials due to the sidewall flex difference.

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Could be that by the time radials became popular, the "secret" of installing them correctly had already been lost. We'll probably never know.

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Is that the same 40 Ford you had in the 70's that you posted earlier?

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ANSWER: Yes, it's the same 40 Ford. I bought it in 1963 for $400 and am lucky enough to still have it. Was originally Folkstone Gray.

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Good for you I see you have a 8BA in it. What did you do about the anti chatter rods? I am running a 59 engine in mine. Runs well but the rear main leaks. I have a good 8BA engine sitting in my shop I considered using. I would probably go with the earlier cam distributor and heads.

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When I was in high school I wanted whitewall tires, so I thought about painting the blackwalls already on my car. But before I did I tried my 'technique' on the spare. I used oil base white house paint and soon discovered the whitewall became a tanwall with cracks! Ha-Ha.

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Anteek29.. I like your 55. I miss mine. I sold mine so I could buy my 40 in 2018.

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Sid, I welded brackets to the 1950 Merc bellhousing and modified the OEM anti-chatter rods so they fit. Installing an 8BA in a 40 is not just a simple drop in and go. Lots of small details required. Read more here:
https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/...coupe.1060915/
and here:
https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=224274

To be HONEST , it would be a lot easier to rebuild your 59 engine rather than install an 8BA. You won't notice any big performance difference and you won't have the headaches of making tons of modifications and changes that arise.