I have been a car enthusiast for 60 years and have always admired white wall tyres in one way or another regardless of trends or fashion. And I must say that most Jaguar owners I have known feel that way about their Jaguar cars. Jaguars are not a fashion statement they are an artistic impression. When it comes to complementing a car with it's wheels and in a time of ever growing flavour of larger rims I really don't want to go there as they can up set the overall suspension on the comfort side. So I have always believed in maintaining the correct tyre profile that was originally designed for the cars smooth ride. So when guys say to me I am going to put larger rims on my classic, I say don't do that, try white walls or pin stripes first and they will give a somewhat impression that the wheels are larger. You see its the black rubber that recedes to the eye and leaves just the rim to be seen, but when you add a white wall or stripe it reduces that large black area and tends to add more diameter to the centre of the total diameter of the wheel.

 

I too am a fan of white walls but they are very hard to find in USA in name brand tires. Large rims are a fashion trend. In the 30s wheels were very large diameter, in the 40s 16" was the norm. Then 15" then in the 60s 14". Don't be worried about the latest trend, get what you like and enjoy it. Just don't throw away the original wheels, the next owner may prefer them.

 

At some point I think Ill be heading into 16” or 17” kent style wheels
https://www.imagewheels.co.uk/kent-billet-alloy-wheels/
or a set of BMW style 5’s and call it a day.

 

I agree completely with your assessment. In restoring a number of XJ V12 cars it was my practice to install new Michelin XOne whiteband tires, for the very reason you state: the white band diminishes the black bulk of the tire and gives the impression of a larger wheel:
A 1990 V12 Vanden Plas:

A 1992 V12 Vanden Plas:


Compare it to this, another 1992 V12 Vanden Plas:



And then, compare the period-correct narrow band tires on a 1966 Mk 2 3.8:


with this (both cars are 1966 model Mk 2):



For those who are tempted to cry "Anathema!", and for the record, EVERY Jaguar sent to Canada and the US up to the 1982 model year, regardless of model, was fitted with whitewall tires. The problem is that restorers often use whitewalls not correct to the period, generally much too "fat" in the white section. By 1965 the whitewalls had become white BAND tires, and it is the white band that gives the illusion that the wheels are bigger in diameter.

 

^

True but…



This might be a bit like leapers on the hood in that there may be no right answer, only personal preferences.

There are some views where the narrow band enhances the wheel width visually quite nicely others that can give the impression there is too little tire in those wheel well arches (although not nearly to the same extent as the bagged California Chevy Impala low riders).

The Michelin HydroEdge on that Regency Red VDP had a bit more aggressive look than the more gentile look of the X One’s. Perhaps this is one of the reasons why even Jaguar made the switch?

I also happen to think the ride height of individual cars and other details can make quite a difference visually. As an example, the Mark 2 without the full rear tire spats sports the white walls much more successfully than the car with the spats could.

IMHO

 

Next you'll tell me that this looks good too:

 

She certainly does look good, particularly in the rain! 🙂

Hopefully we’ll get a good four or five months before we know for sure what she’ll look like in the snow but my guess is spectacular…