Chrysler 70 Series Tires

Chrysler 70 Series fitments span four sizes across three production years in this listing. The 1927 Chrysler 70 Series uses either 30X6.00 or 6.00-18, the 1930 Chrysler 70 Series uses either 28X5.50 or 550-18, and the 1931 Chrysler 70 Series uses 550-18. The numeric sizes 6.00-18 and 550-18 both correspond to 18-inch rims, while the antique sizes 30X6.00 and 28X5.50 express overall tire diameter and section width rather than wheel diameter.

That means the correct choice depends on more than simply knowing you have a Chrysler 70 Series. Start with the model year, then compare the wheel itself and the size already fitted to the car. If the car has been restored or re-wheeled over the years, the mounted wheel may tell a different story than the body year alone, so use the year listing as a guide and verify the actual configuration before replacing tires.

On a Chrysler 70 Series, 30X6.00 is an antique diameter-by-section size. The first number, 30, is the tire's overall outside diameter in inches, and the second number, 6.00, is the nominal section width in inches. Unlike a modern or later numeric size, the wheel diameter is not built into that code, so 30X6.00 should never be read as a 30-inch wheel size.

That distinction matters because antique-era sizing can easily be misread by buyers who are more familiar with later rim-based sizes. If your Chrysler 70 Series is wearing an early-style tire marking, inspect the wheel and compare it carefully with the fitment year before deciding on a replacement. Antique sizes are a strong clue that the car sits in a transition period, and the wheel itself needs to be part of the verification process.

The 1930 Chrysler 70 Series has two listed tire sizes because both 28X5.50 and 550-18 appear for that model year. Those sizes do not represent the same coding system: 28X5.50 is an antique diameter-by-section format, while 550-18 is a later numeric bias-ply format tied to an 18-inch rim. That makes 1930 a transition-style year in which more than one fitment convention is associated with the same model name.

A 1930 Chrysler 70 Series owner should identify the exact wheel and the size already mounted before choosing a replacement. Restored cars, surviving original cars, and long-stored cars may not all be configured the same way after decades of service and repair. Looking at the tire marking, measuring the wheel, and checking period literature for the specific car will narrow the choice much faster than relying on the year alone.

The Chrysler 70 Series uses 18-inch rims on the numeric sizes listed here, including 6.00-18 and 550-18. Antique-format sizes such as 30X6.00 and 28X5.50 do not state the wheel diameter in the size code itself, so the rim diameter has to be confirmed from the actual wheel rather than inferred from the first number. In other words, a 30-inch or 28-inch figure in those early sizes refers to tire diameter, not wheel diameter.

That is why wheel verification is especially important on Chrysler 70 Series cars from this era. If your car wears a numeric size, the 18-inch rim callout is straightforward. If it wears an antique-format size, inspect the wheel and compare the car's configuration carefully before moving ahead, because misreading the size code is one of the easiest ways to end up with the wrong replacement tire.

A 1930 Chrysler 70 Series can use either 28X5.50 or 550-18, so confirmation starts with the car itself rather than the calendar year alone. Read the size molded on the existing tire if it is still legible, inspect the wheel, and compare whether the car is using an antique diameter-by-section size or a later numeric 18-inch fitment. That direct check is the fastest way to separate the two 1930 listings.

Once you know which coding system your Chrysler 70 Series carries, compare the wheel and tire combination against period references specific to your car. Cars of this age may have had wheels, tires, or complete running gear changed long ago, especially during older restorations. Matching the wheel, the current tire marking, and the car's exact year will produce a much more reliable answer than selecting by model name alone.

Current Chrysler 70 Series products in 550-18 are offered in several sidewall styles, including blackwall, wide whitewall, and double-whitewall. The listed brands in that size include Excelsior, Firestone, BFGoodrich, and Michelin, with blackwall choices appearing across multiple series and whitewall treatments offered on selected BFGoodrich and Firestone bias-ply tires. All of those are bias-ply constructions aimed at a period-correct appearance.

The right sidewall style depends on how your Chrysler 70 Series is being finished and the visual period you want the car to represent. A blackwall generally suits a more restrained early look, while whitewall and double-whitewall options create a more dressed appearance. If authenticity matters for restoration or judging, compare the sidewall treatment on your chosen tire with the way the specific car is being restored rather than choosing purely by style preference.

The listed Chrysler 70 Series products in 550-18 come from four brands: Excelsior, Firestone, BFGoodrich, and Michelin. Those products include Excelsior Comp H, Firestone Classic Bias Ply, BFGoodrich Silvertown Classic Bias Ply, and Michelin Double Rivet offerings. All currently listed products for this fitment are bias-ply tires intended for early collector car use.

Brand choice on a Chrysler 70 Series often comes down to the appearance you want, the sidewall style you need, and the series that best suits the character of the restoration. Some owners prioritize a plain blackwall look, while others want a whitewall or double-whitewall presentation. Once the size is confirmed, comparing the visual style and series character is usually more important than assuming every brand presents the same period impression.

The listed Chrysler 70 Series products in 550-18 include several series names: Excelsior Comp H, Firestone Classic Bias Ply, BFGoodrich Silvertown Classic Bias Ply, and Michelin Double Rivet. All are bias-ply constructions, but they represent different period-style product lines and visual treatments within that construction type. Some are offered as straightforward blackwalls, while others are available with wide whitewall or double-whitewall styling.

For a Chrysler 70 Series owner, the practical difference is usually presentation and restoration character rather than a switch in basic construction technology. A car restored for a conservative touring look may call for a blackwall series, while a more formal presentation may suit one of the whitewall options. After the correct size is settled, compare the series by sidewall appearance and overall period feel to keep the finished car visually coherent.

A Chrysler 70 Series should be stored in a cool, dry, dark space with clean tires, stable inflation, and as little exposure as possible to sunlight, ozone, and petroleum products. Cars from the late 1920s and early 1930s often spend long periods at rest, which can encourage flat spotting, sidewall stress, and age-related deterioration even when tread wear is minimal. Good storage conditions matter as much as mileage on a collector tire.

If the Chrysler 70 Series will sit for extended periods, move it occasionally or support it in a way that reduces constant load on one contact patch. Keep the tires away from electric motors, battery chargers, welders, and solvents, all of which can shorten rubber life. A thoughtful storage routine preserves both the usable life of the tires and the overall presentation of the car when it returns to the road or show field.

Tires on a Chrysler 70 Series should be inspected before every drive and more thoroughly at regular intervals during the season, even if the car covers very few miles. Collector cars often age their tires through time, storage conditions, and inactivity rather than through heavy road use. On an early Chrysler, that means the sidewalls, tread surface, valve area, and overall shape deserve attention every time the car is prepared for use.

A practical routine is to look for cracking, cuts, bulges, cord exposure, air loss, uneven wear, and signs that the tire has shifted or aged unevenly in storage. If the Chrysler 70 Series is used mostly for events, a pre-event check and a post-event walkaround are both worthwhile. Any irregularity on an older collector tire should be taken seriously, because deterioration can advance long before the tread appears worn out.

Tires on a Chrysler 70 Series should be replaced when age, cracking, hardening, deformation, repeated air loss, or structural concerns appear, even if the tread still looks serviceable. Early collector tires can become unsafe from time and environment alone, especially on cars that are driven infrequently and stored for long periods. Tread depth is only one part of the picture on a low-mileage vintage car.

The safest approach is to treat condition and age as the deciding factors rather than waiting for visible tread wear. If a Chrysler 70 Series has spent years parked, recently emerged from long-term storage, or shows sidewall aging, have the tires evaluated before further use. Replacement intervals on collector cars are often governed by rubber condition, not mileage, and that is especially true for pre-war-era fitments.

The Chrysler 70 Series is associated here with 30X6.00 and 6.00-18 in 1927, 28X5.50 and 550-18 in 1930, and 550-18 in 1931. The available replacement products shown for current supply are all bias-ply offerings, including series such as Comp H, Firestone Classic Bias Ply, Silvertown Classic Bias Ply, and Double Rivet in 550-18. Because more than one size convention appears across the model run, original fitment should be matched to the exact year and the specific car's configuration.

For restoration work, the important point is not to assume one tire style fits every Chrysler 70 Series in the run. A car restored to its period appearance should have its tire size and sidewall treatment checked against the exact year and the way the vehicle is being presented. Marque literature, original photographs, and surviving unrestored examples are especially useful when authenticity matters for serious restoration or judging.

Correct tire fitment can absolutely affect how a Chrysler 70 Series is judged and perceived, because tire size, profile, sidewall treatment, and overall stance all contribute to whether the car looks historically coherent. A Chrysler from this era can appear noticeably wrong if it carries the incorrect height, width, or sidewall style, even when the rest of the restoration is carefully done. Judges and knowledgeable enthusiasts tend to notice that quickly.

For owners concerned with value, the right tire helps the Chrysler 70 Series sit properly and reinforces the period character of the restoration. That does not mean every car must be restored to the same visual standard, but it does mean that tire choice should support the intended presentation of the car. If the vehicle is being built for concours, marque club input and period reference material are well worth consulting before final selection.

Chrysler 70 Series tires in the currently listed 550-18 size are available as blackwall, wide whitewall, and double-whitewall products. All three are period-flavored bias-ply options, but they create different visual effects on the finished car. Blackwall generally gives a more restrained early appearance, while whitewall treatments create a more formal and more visually prominent presentation.

The correct sidewall style for a Chrysler 70 Series restoration depends on the exact year, the restoration goal, and how closely the owner wants to follow period presentation. A touring restoration may look most convincing on blackwalls, while a higher-trim or more formal presentation may suit one of the whitewall treatments. If the car is being judged, period photos and marque-specific guidance should drive the final decision rather than personal preference alone.

Bias-ply tires in the listed Chrysler 70 Series sizes can be suitable for public-road use when they are the correct size, properly fitted, in sound condition, and mounted on wheels that are equally sound. That said, a late-1920s or early-1930s Chrysler remains an early motorcar with braking, steering, suspension, and road manners very different from modern traffic expectations. Tire condition is only one part of the car's overall roadworthiness.

A Chrysler 70 Series headed onto public roads should be treated as a vintage machine, not as a modern daily driver. Keep speeds conservative, leave extra braking distance, and make sure the whole car has been inspected, not just the tires. Even the right reproduction tire cannot compensate for worn wheels, tired steering components, weak brakes, or long-stored mechanical systems on a car of this age.

Before driving a Chrysler 70 Series, check tire inflation, visible condition, valve stems, wheel attachment, and any signs of cracking, bulging, or air loss. On a pre-war car, it is just as important to check the wheel itself for damage or distortion, since an early tire and wheel work as a closely matched system. A quick walkaround can reveal problems that are easy to miss when the car has been standing for weeks or months.

Also pay attention to the rest of the car before moving off in a Chrysler 70 Series. Brakes, steering free play, fluid levels, and general mechanical condition deserve the same attention as the tires because all of them affect safe operation. A careful pre-drive inspection is part of the normal rhythm of owning an early collector car, and it is one of the best ways to prevent a small issue from becoming a roadside problem.

A Chrysler 70 Series should be driven at conservative speeds that respect both the bias-ply tire design and the capabilities of an early-1930s automobile. Even when the tire size is correct and the condition is good, the car's steering, braking, suspension, and overall stability remain those of its period. That means comfortable touring pace is more appropriate than sustained high-speed road use.

In practice, the right speed for a Chrysler 70 Series is the speed that keeps the car composed, leaves room for braking, and matches the conditions of the road and traffic around it. Vintage bias-ply tires generally reward smooth inputs and moderate pace rather than aggressive cornering or rapid cruising. Owners who treat the car as a historic touring machine rather than a modern highway car usually get the safest and most enjoyable results.