Auburn Super Charged Tires
The Auburn Super Charged stands among the most dramatic American performance cars of the late prewar era, combining Art Deco styling with the added prestige of supercharged straight-eight power in its final 1936 season. Auburn built the Super Charged as a high-style, high-speed grand touring machine at a time when tire design still leaned heavily on bias-ply construction and period-correct proportions. Tire selection for Auburn Super Charged is less about sorting through many year-to-year changes and more about choosing the right construction, sidewall treatment, and intended use within one established fitment. Before selecting a tire, confirm that the car still carries its correct 16-inch wheels and that the intended tire style matches the restoration or driving goal.
Auburn Super Charged Tire Size Guide
Auburn Super Charged uses one tire size across its production span: 700-16 for 1936. This is a numeric bias-ply size, where 700 indicates a nominal section width of roughly 7.00 inches and 16 is the wheel diameter in inches. Available products for this size use a 16-inch rim, with several listings also showing a 4.50 to 5.50 inch rim-width range. Every listed option is bias ply, including classic passenger-car styles and heavier-duty military or truck patterns. A tube is required, and buyers should choose between blackwall, wide whitewall, or utility tread styles according to the car's restoration standard and intended road use.
Auburn Super Charged Tires by Year
The year listing shows which tire size applies to each Auburn Super Charged production year and is the quickest way to confirm fitment for a specific car. Auburn Super Charged uses a single 16-inch wheel fitment in this range, so the main decision is not year-to-year wheel diameter but the correct tire style and service type. These listings cover a short late prewar production window, so it is wise to verify the car against original vehicle paperwork or a marque specialist when authenticity matters.
1936 Auburn Super Charged
- 700-16
Best Auburn Super Charged Tires for Sale
Auburn Super Charged tire options include 10 products from 6 brands, all centered on the 700-16 size. Available choices span blackwall, wide whitewall, and specialty military or truck-style patterns, so confirm the intended use and 16-inch rim before selecting.
700-16 Products
These are the available products for 700-16.
Frequently Asked Questions
The FAQ below focuses on the single 700-16 fitment used on Auburn Super Charged, including what that size means, whether tubes are required, how bias-ply choices differ by intended use, and which products best suit restoration or careful road driving.
Size Basics & Fitment
Auburn Super Charged uses 700-16 tires for 1936. All listed products for Auburn Super Charged are built around a 16-inch rim, and the available choices include classic passenger-car bias-ply tires, wide whitewall versions, blackwall versions, and several heavier-duty military or truck-style patterns in the same nominal size.
That means the first fitment check on an Auburn Super Charged is the wheel itself: confirm that the car still has its correct 16-inch rims and has not been changed to something else during an older restoration. After that, the real choice is matching the tire style to the car’s purpose, whether that is period-correct show presentation, general collector driving, or a more utility-oriented tread pattern.
On Auburn Super Charged, 700-16 is a numeric bias-ply size. The 700 portion indicates a nominal section width of about 7.00 inches in period sizing language, while the 16 identifies the wheel diameter in inches. Every Auburn Super Charged product listed in this fitment uses bias-ply construction rather than radial construction.
For a buyer, that size code tells you both the wheel diameter and the period tire profile the car was built around. It is still important to compare the mounted wheels and the car’s restoration history, because a 16-inch rim is required and several listed tires also call for a 4.50 to 5.50 inch rim-width range for proper fit and shape.
Auburn Super Charged tires in this fitment are bias-ply tires in a period numeric size, and a tube is required. That applies across the 700-16 offerings listed here, including the passenger-car styles and the military or truck-pattern tires built in the same nominal size.
Tube selection matters just as much as tire selection on a collector car of this era because the tube, flap condition where applicable, and wheel surface all affect reliability. When fitting an Auburn Super Charged, inspect the inside of the rim carefully for rust, burrs, or old repairs so the tube is not damaged during installation or early use.
Buying the Right Tire
A 1936 Auburn Super Charged uses 700-16 tires on 16-inch wheels. Because there is only one listed fitment size for the model, the confirmation process is mainly about verifying the actual rim diameter on the car and making sure an earlier owner did not substitute a different wheel during restoration or long-term storage.
Once the wheel diameter is confirmed, compare the tire style to the way the car is being finished and driven. A wide whitewall gives a different visual result than a blackwall, and a military or truck-pattern tread serves a different purpose than a classic passenger-car bias-ply tire, even though each shares the same nominal 700-16 sizing.
Auburn Super Charged tires are available in both blackwall and wide whitewall sidewall styles within the 700-16 fitment. The product range includes blackwall bias-ply tires from several brands as well as wide whitewall versions intended for period-correct visual presentation on prewar American classics.
That choice affects appearance more than basic fitment, so the right answer depends on the restoration goal. A formal show-oriented Auburn Super Charged often calls for careful attention to sidewall treatment, while a more understated driver may suit a blackwall; period photos, marque literature, and judged-class rules are the best references for the final call.
Auburn Super Charged tire options in 700-16 come from Lester, Avon, BFGoodrich, Firestone, Tornel, and STA. Those brands cover several different series, including classic bias-ply passenger-car lines and utility-oriented military or truck-style offerings in the same basic size.
Brand choice should be weighed alongside tread pattern, sidewall style, and intended use rather than by name alone. An Auburn Super Charged restored for show presentation may point you toward a traditional-looking passenger-car tire, while a more specialized utility tread pattern may fit a very different use case even though the nominal size remains 700-16.
Auburn Super Charged tires in 700-16 appear in several series, including Lester Classic Bias Ply, Traction Mileage, Silvertown Classic Bias Ply, Firestone Classic Bias Ply, Firestone Classic Military, Tornel Classic Truck, and Military NDT. All are bias-ply tires, but they differ in sidewall styling, tread design, load and inflation characteristics where listed, and whether they are aimed at passenger-car use or military and truck service.
That means a series name is more than branding on an Auburn Super Charged. It helps identify whether the tire is intended to look right on a restored prewar performance car or whether it is built around a more utility-focused pattern, so comparing the series to the car’s visual standard and driving plan is just as important as matching the 700-16 size itself.
Maintenance & Longevity
Auburn Super Charged should be stored in a cool, dry, dark space with the tires kept away from direct sunlight, electric motors, ozone sources, and petroleum contamination. Proper inflation matters during storage, and a long-idle prewar car benefits from being moved periodically or supported in a way that reduces long-term flat spotting on its bias-ply tires.
Because Auburn Super Charged uses tube-type bias-ply tires, wheel condition and inflation retention deserve regular attention even when the car is not being driven much. If the car will sit for extended periods, inspect for sidewall cracking, changes in stance, and any sign that one tire is losing pressure faster than the rest before putting the car back into service.
Tires on an Auburn Super Charged should be inspected before every drive and more thoroughly at regular intervals during the driving season. On a prewar collector car with bias-ply, tube-type tires, inspection should include tread and sidewall condition, valve stems, inflation pressure, wheel integrity, and any signs of tube chafing, uneven wear, or casing distortion.
That routine matters because collector cars often spend more time parked than moving, and age-related issues can appear long before tread is worn out. A careful pre-drive walkaround on an Auburn Super Charged is especially worthwhile after storage, after the car has been trailered, or any time steering feel, ride height, or braking behavior changes from normal.
Auburn Super Charged tires should be replaced when age, cracking, casing deformation, repeated pressure loss, impact damage, or other structural concerns appear, even if the tread still looks usable. Collector-car tires can age out long before they wear out, and that is especially important on prewar bias-ply, tube-type fitments where the tire may see little mileage but many years of storage cycles.
The decision should be made on condition and age rather than tread depth alone. If an Auburn Super Charged has sat for years, shows sidewall checking, or carries older tires of uncertain history, a specialist inspection is the prudent next step before any real road use, because appearance alone is not a reliable measure of serviceability on vintage tires.
Restoration & Authenticity
Auburn Super Charged is listed here with the 700-16 size for 1936, and the available replacement products are all bias-ply tires. Several series and sidewall treatments are offered in that fitment, including classic passenger-car bias-ply lines and more specialized military or truck-oriented designs, but the fitment itself centers on 700-16 on a 16-inch rim.
For an authenticity-focused restoration, the exact original tread and sidewall treatment should be checked against factory literature, period photography, and Auburn marque references. The size itself is the first requirement, but judging standards often turn on visual details such as sidewall treatment and tread character as much as on the basic dimensional fitment.
Correct tire fitment can absolutely affect how an Auburn Super Charged is judged and how convincing the restoration appears. The right 700-16 sizing establishes the proper stance and proportion, while the wrong sidewall treatment or an obviously utility-focused tread can change the visual character of a late prewar performance car in ways experienced judges and marque enthusiasts will notice.
That does not mean every Auburn Super Charged needs the same finish, because touring drivers and preservation cars may be evaluated differently from top-level show restorations. Still, matching the size, sidewall style, and overall tire character to the car’s restoration goal is one of the simplest ways to support both authenticity and presentation value.
Auburn Super Charged tires are available here in blackwall and wide whitewall form, both within the correct 700-16 fitment. Either style can be visually plausible for a prewar American car depending on the exact restoration theme, but a wide whitewall gives a more formal and dramatic presentation while a blackwall produces a more restrained look.
The right answer comes from the specific car’s intended finish rather than from size alone. If the Auburn Super Charged is being restored for judged authenticity, compare period photos, sales literature, and class rules before choosing between blackwall and wide whitewall, because sidewall appearance is one of the most visible details on the completed car.
Safety & Road Use
Auburn Super Charged can be driven on public roads with properly fitted, correctly inflated, and mechanically appropriate bias-ply tires in the listed 700-16 size, but safe use depends on the whole car rather than the tire alone. Brakes, steering, suspension, wheel condition, and alignment all need to be in sound order on a powerful late prewar automobile before road use is taken seriously.
A buyer should think of tire choice as part of a complete operating system on an Auburn Super Charged. A classic passenger-car bias-ply tire is the most natural starting point for normal collector use, while utility-pattern military or truck tires in the same size may fit different purposes and can change the feel and appearance of the car.
Before driving an Auburn Super Charged, check cold inflation pressure, visible tire condition, valve stems, wheel fasteners, steering response, brake function, and whether the tires are seated evenly on the rims. Because the car uses tube-type bias-ply tires, it is also wise to look for signs of a slow leak, sidewall disturbance, or a tire that has developed a flat spot after storage.
That inspection should be paired with a short, cautious shakedown if the Auburn Super Charged has been parked for a while. Early miles are the time to feel for pull, vibration, unusual heat buildup, or wandering, all of which can point to pressure issues, wheel problems, or a need to revisit the tire and chassis setup before regular use.
Auburn Super Charged may have been a high-performance car in its day, but period-correct bias-ply tires should be treated with vintage-car judgment rather than modern performance expectations. The listed 700-16 tires preserve the proper size and character of the car, yet road speed should always reflect the limits of bias-ply construction, tube-type fitment, and the condition of the car’s entire chassis and braking system.
In practice, that means driving an Auburn Super Charged at conservative speeds that feel stable and well within the car’s mechanical comfort zone, especially on secondary roads, in warm weather, or after long storage. Smooth steering inputs, moderate cruising, and generous following distance are part of using a prewar collector car responsibly even when the tires are new.