Origin of White Firewalls

I know it's very common for hot rods to have their firewalls painted white (or off white), regardless of the color of the car itself. It appears to span several generations of hot rods over many years....not just a short lived fad. I've always wondered the origins of this styling feature as I've seen it on early post-war cars through late '60s show cars. My best guess is that it was done by hot rodders to give a nice contrasting backdrop to show off their fancy motors, but that's purely a guess.

Can anyone with more knowledge of hot rodding history chime in and show me the light? How did white firewalls get started?

 

My understanding is some guys with big $$$$ had firewalls chrome plated, next best thing was white paint for contrast, little $.

 

Shows oil leaks in hurry.

 

It really brightens up a closed engine compartment to make the motor easier to see too.

 

We painted them white in our stock cars to keep some heat out of the interior.

 

3 colors for firewalls, black, car color or white. don't ask questions, just follow the rules.

 

In early days the rubber was natural rubber which is white. Natural rubber was somewhat slippery so carbon black was added to the tread area for added traction making it black and the sidewalls white. This is why you will see all white tires on very early cars.

 

also shows how anal someone is about cleanliness. Like white upholsted panels in the wheel wells.

 

OK, it was me, but fuck, now everyones copying me!

 

Amphicar-"Fire" walls, not "side" walls.

 

Thanks, y'all! So far it appears my initial guess was pretty close to the truth. I also like that it would show leaks early, too! I was on the fence about painting the firewall of my AV8, but before I gave it serious consideration, I wanted to know what kind of history might be behind it.

 

Like most trends, for no particular reason!
I think this had to with being "sanitary", a big deal then. It showed good workmanship
and implied good mechanicals as well. A "clean" build was the ultimate in the 60's, I don't know about the 50's.
2 cents

 

It's just another white accent, like whitewall tires, white running boards, upholstery, etc.

 

I'd say probably because it looks good. It might not have a deep, underlying meaning.

 

I had once heard it was started by old rally racers to be able to see in the engine area better...

 

That's what I would've thought, too, but I've seen it on older hot rods before whitewalls became all the rage. So it made me wonder!

That's quite possible, for sure! But so far the potential reasons I've heard here all seem to be pretty reasonable and I could imagine those same thoughts running through the head of a hot rodder back in the day.

 

Woah. . .

 

I'm pretty sure it's in the bible somewhere...

..."...and thy firewall shouldith be of white, and all will rejoice" -Enginebays 2:11

and of course:

..."Blessed is he who covereth his firewall with the vinyl of tucketh and rolleth. It is not for all men, but for he who embraceth the word of the bird..." - Showcars 5:17

 

While this is true, being an old rally racer myself - but it was done long before then. An 80+ year old guy I know says it was done for the same reason though on early race cars, to make it easier to see inside the engine compartment and work on problems and find oil leaks. I can tell you for a fact that it really helps reflect light when working with a flashlight under the hood in the dark at a race.
I think the Hot Rodders picked up on it then because it looked cool.

 

LOL! Thanks, Dreddy!

 

Shit that's funny!

 

Somebody ran out of body color paint, and had some white.

Bob

 

Excuse ME ! ............But I've NEVER Seen ant Whitewalls............Chrome Plate....Huh ?
They're NOT talkin' about "Whitewalls " ???
Ohhh,
"Never Mind !!! "




Smoked Up, In thja DREAT Smokey Mts. of Beautiful Tennessee . Say Goodnite, Gracie ....

 

Don...Weird you related that. My Great Uncle Bill came by when I was 15, (he was in his mid-80s then, it was 1957) and proceeded to point out kinds of 'tricks' I had on my channeled '30 'A' roadster...
The origin on the lakes of the term "hot rod" (he related it to Babbitt bearings) as well as the use of lamp black for a non-scratching polish of headlamp reflectors. (!)

But the one thing he told me that I made sure I did was the exact thing your senior friend told you. It made sense...and it worked!
My buds Ramsay and Wimpy then painted their fenderless coupes' firewalls white also...

 

I think we did it because it looked COOL.

 

Yes, I think it all started with race cars with aluminum firewalls, steel painted white was the nearest thing for the Hot Rodders. My '30 Roadster will have a white firewall. Bob

 

OK don't shoot me but I was thinking of painting my firewall ( and the entire engine compartment) grey or silver since my car will be maroon/grey(or silver) just to be different.

Am I going to be shunned for this?

 

It all started in the late 40's, early '50's on the streets of Southern California. We had white firewalls, white & black checkbroard firewalls and everything white behind the tires to make things standout. We also put white in the grille area of some cars to make the grille pop out.

CRUISER

 

Gray would look fine, check out all the production Sports Racers from 1950-1965, just about all them were gray inside the engine compartment. Bob

 

We used to paint the firewalls AND the frames white...with a brush no less!!!