History of the White Wall Tyre

For most of us, the standard tyre is black and always has been. But for those of you with good enough memories (or old enough to remember!), you might remember a time when there was a tyre that had white stripes and was known as the white wall tyre…

White wall tyres

Picture this: it’s the 1940s and a black Cadillac has just cruised past you. Does it have plain, black rubber tyres? No; it has sophisticated and stylish black tyres with white stripes, setting it apart from the rest and giving it a touch of luxury.

This is exactly what tyre manufacturers aimed to achieve. They wanted to do things a little differently and start making a statement with their tyres. So in the 1920s, the white wall tyre was created to offer an alternative to all the other bog standard, black tyre vehicles on the road.

The History

When the first automobile was invented, it’s tyres were made from natural rubber. Chemicals were then added to make them tougher and more durable. A white substance, zinc oxide, was added to increase traction and it also gave the tyre a white appearance. However, it soon came to light that using zinc oxide was not the best option in the long-run and did not improve the tyres longevity.

So, a solution to this problem was to start adding carbon black to increase the life of the tyre. Using carbon black left the white inside and outside walls exposed, which in turn came to be known as the white wall tyre, or occasionally the white sidewall tyres (WSW).

Lifespan

The popularity of white wall tyres escalated throughout the 20s and 30s, continuing into the 40s and 50s, until the high maintenance duties and higher prices began to take the shine off their once attractive appeal. Following this, the black tyre became increasingly popular, as it was far easier to keep clean and was now considered as the ‘premium tyre’. However, the white tyre still retained it’s style and class for the more luxurious car.

Present day

Now in the 2000s, the white tyre is a rarity, however they are still manufactured for those vintage cars that are present on the roads. They can also now be fitted to the contemporary car, but it’s always important to remember that their intended use is primarily for the classic autos to make them look better, rather than to offer a better driving performance. Therefore, if you are running long journeys at high speeds, the white wall tyre is probably not the best option for you, pick a performance tyre instead.

Auto Exhausts and Tyres

For modern day vehicles, Auto Exhausts and Tyres can see to all your tyre problems. Whether it’s new branded tyres you’re after, or a simple repair or fitting, please do not hesitate to contact our friendly team to help your car stay safe on the roads.