Essex Super 6 Tires

Essex Super 6 uses four sizes across the 1928-1931 span covered here: 29X4.95 and 5.00-20 for 1928-1929, 29X5.00 and 500-19 for 1930, and 500-19 alone for 1931. The earlier 1928-1929 sizes are tied to 20-inch rims, while the later 1930-1931 numeric size uses a 19-inch rim. The 1930 antique-style 29X5.00 application also corresponds to a 19-inch rim.

That means year alone is not always enough, especially on a 1930 Essex Super 6. Start by confirming the actual wheel diameter on the car, then match the tire size format to that wheel. If the car has been restored, modified, or had wheels exchanged over the years, the wheel itself is a more reliable guide than assumptions based only on model year.

On an Essex Super 6, 29X4.95 is an antique diameter-by-section size rather than a modern wheel-first size. The 29 identifies the tire's approximate outside diameter in inches, and 4.95 identifies the nominal section width. It does not mean the tire fits a 29-inch wheel; the matching application uses a 20-inch rim.

That distinction matters because antique sizes can be misread by modern buyers who expect the last number to be the wheel diameter. If you are working with an early Essex Super 6, always verify the rim size separately before choosing between antique and numeric codes. On period bias-ply applications like this, inner tubes are part of the correct setup.

Essex Super 6 uses both 20-inch and 19-inch rim diameters across these years. The 1928 and 1929 sizes correspond to 20-inch wheels, while 1930 introduces 19-inch applications and 1931 continues with 19-inch fitment. Antique-style sizes such as 29X4.95 and 29X5.00 describe overall tire diameter and section width, so the rim diameter has to be confirmed separately.

This is the key fitment checkpoint on Essex Super 6 because the production run crosses a real wheel-size change. Measure the wheel or confirm the stamped rim specification before selecting a tire. That step matters even more on restored cars, where replacement wheels or mixed components can place a later rim on an earlier chassis.

Essex Super 6 applications in the sizes listed here are bias-ply types, including both antique diameter-by-section and numeric bias-ply formats. Those period-style constructions are tube-type applications, so inner tubes are required. That applies to the 20-inch early sizes as well as the later 19-inch 500-19 fitment.

Using the correct tube matters for air retention, safe mounting, and proper bead seating on vintage wheels. Tube selection should match both the tire size and the wheel diameter rather than being treated as a generic accessory. If the wheels have been refinished or the car has sat for a long time, inspect the rim condition carefully before fitting new tubes and tires.

A 1930 Essex Super 6 is the most important year to verify carefully because two sizes are listed: 29X5.00 and 500-19. Both correspond to 19-inch fitment, but they represent different sizing conventions from the same transition period. One is an antique diameter-by-section code and the other is a numeric bias-ply code.

Begin with the wheel diameter, then compare the tire currently on the car, any surviving factory or restoration paperwork, and the visual proportions you are trying to preserve. If the car is being restored for authenticity, the original wheel and trim configuration should guide the final choice. If the car already wears replacement wheels, treat the actual hardware on the car as the deciding factor.

The current Essex Super 6 product listings in 500-19 include tires from Excelsior and Firestone. Those products are both blackwall bias-ply tires, but they belong to different series: Excelsior Comp H and Firestone Dirt Track. The Firestone listing is a ribbed front design intended for a specialized use case.

Brand choice should come after size and wheel diameter are confirmed, not before. Once you know the car needs 500-19 on a 19-inch rim, the next step is deciding whether you want a general period-style bias-ply presentation or a more specialized tread style. For earlier Essex Super 6 sizes, focus first on matching the size format and wheel diameter correctly.

The currently listed Essex Super 6 products in 500-19 are blackwall tires. No alternate sidewall style appears in the available products for that size here. That keeps the visible presentation period-appropriate for a late 1920s to early 1930s car using utility-minded bias-ply construction.

If sidewall appearance is important to your restoration, confirm the correct size first and then compare the available product styling within that fitment. For many Essex Super 6 owners, blackwall is a natural visual match for the era and the car's original market position. Show-level authenticity should still be checked against period photos, marque literature, or club guidance for the specific body style.

The available Essex Super 6 products in 500-19 include two different series: Excelsior Comp H and Firestone Dirt Track. Both are bias-ply blackwall tires on 19-inch rims, but they are not the same type of application. Comp H is a standard vintage-style series, while Dirt Track Ribbed Front is a specialized tread pattern associated with front-use racing applications.

That distinction means series choice should reflect how the car will actually be used and presented. A standard collector-car restoration usually calls for a conventional period-style tire, while a specialized racing-oriented look or historic competition build may point in a different direction. Keep the tire's intended role aligned with the car's setup, not just the nominal size on the sidewall.

An Essex Super 6 should be stored in a cool, dry, dark space away from direct sunlight, electric motors, ozone sources, solvents, and wide temperature swings. Keep the tires clean and inflated appropriately for storage, and avoid leaving the car on damp concrete if possible. Long periods of static load can flat-spot vintage bias-ply tires more easily than modern radial designs.

For longer storage, move the Essex Super 6 slightly from time to time or support the car in a way that reduces constant weight on one contact patch. If the car remains assembled on its tires, inspect for cracking, sidewall distortion, and tube-related air loss before it goes back into service. Collector cars age their tires by time and environment as much as by mileage.

Tires on an Essex Super 6 should be inspected before each drive and more thoroughly at regular intervals even if the car is rarely used. Check air retention, sidewall cracking, tread separation, bead area condition, valve stems, and uneven wear. On tube-type vintage tires, any gradual loss of pressure deserves prompt attention rather than being dismissed as normal old-car behavior.

A pre-drive inspection is especially important on a pre-war car because long idle periods often hide issues that do not appear until the tire is loaded and rolling. Include the wheels in that inspection, since rim corrosion, bent flanges, and rough surfaces can damage both tubes and casings. Any vibration, pull, or visible sidewall change should be evaluated before further driving.

An Essex Super 6 may need tire replacement long before the tread appears worn out, because age, storage history, repeated deflation, and casing condition matter more on collector cars than mileage alone. Replace tires that show cracking, hardening, cord exposure, deformation, chronic pressure loss, or any sign of separation. Tread depth by itself is not a dependable measure of serviceability on vintage tires.

That is particularly true for pre-war applications, where the materials and operating expectations are very different from those of modern daily-driver tires. If an older tire's age is uncertain, err on the side of caution and have it evaluated by a vintage tire specialist. The same standard applies even more strongly to any period tire that has spent decades mounted, stored, or repeatedly heat-cycled.

Essex Super 6 uses more than one period size across 1928-1931, including 29X4.95, 5.00-20, 29X5.00, and 500-19. That tells you there was not a single one-size answer across the full production span covered here. The correct original-style tire depends on the specific year and, in transition years, the wheel and configuration on the individual car.

For restoration work, treat the year listing as the starting point and then verify the actual car against factory literature, period photographs, or marque-club guidance. This matters most on 1930 cars, where the fitment language straddles two sizing conventions. Preserving the proper wheel diameter and tire profile will usually have more visual impact than chasing a name or series first.

Correct tire fitment can absolutely affect how an Essex Super 6 is judged and how convincingly it presents as a restoration. Judges and knowledgeable enthusiasts notice whether the wheel diameter, tire profile, sidewall appearance, and overall stance match the period. A car wearing the wrong rim diameter or an obviously mismatched tire proportion can lose authenticity even if the size will physically mount.

For a touring car or local driver, practical fit may be enough, but a show-focused Essex Super 6 benefits from closer attention to year-correct proportions. Marque clubs, period sales material, and original photos are often the best references for final presentation details. Getting the tire format right is part of getting the car's visual character right.

The currently listed Essex Super 6 products in 500-19 are blackwall tires, which align naturally with the practical late 1920s and early 1930s character of the model. Blackwall also suits many restorations that aim for a straightforward factory-era appearance rather than a later custom look. Sidewall presentation should still be considered alongside wheel size and tire profile, because all three shape the stance of the car.

If your Essex Super 6 is being restored for authenticity, use period images and marque guidance to confirm whether the specific body style and trim level support the look you want. Sidewall style should never be chosen in isolation from the correct size. A correct blackwall on the wrong wheel diameter will still look less convincing than a properly proportioned tire and rim package.

A properly fitted Essex Super 6 tire can be suitable for public-road use within the limits of a pre-war collector car, provided the tire, tube, wheel, and chassis are all in sound condition. The available 500-19 products are bias-ply designs, so their driving behavior will be different from modern radial tires. Steering feel, braking distances, and response to road crown will all reflect period construction.

Safe road use depends on the whole car, not just the tire size on the sidewall. Before regular driving, confirm wheel condition, inflation, alignment, brake performance, and the absence of cracking or separation in the tires themselves. A careful shakedown at moderate speed is wiser than assuming a freshly mounted vintage-style tire makes the car road-ready by itself.

Before driving an Essex Super 6, check tire pressure, visible sidewall condition, tread integrity, valve stems, and whether all wheels are securely mounted and free of obvious rim damage. Also confirm that the tire size matches the wheel diameter on the car, especially if the car falls in the 1928-1931 transition period between 20-inch and 19-inch fitments. Any mismatch there is a stop-and-correct issue, not a minor detail.

A short pre-drive routine also ought to include brakes, steering free play, wheel bearing feel, and suspension condition, because a pre-war car asks more from the driver and the hardware than a modern vehicle does. If the Essex Super 6 has been sitting, roll it slowly and listen for thumps, rubbing, or tube-related pressure loss. Catching those problems in the driveway is far better than discovering them on the road.

An Essex Super 6 on period-style bias-ply tires should be driven at moderate, mechanically sympathetic speeds that respect both the age of the car and the design of the tires. Even when the size and fitment are correct, these are not modern high-speed touring tires. Heat buildup, braking capability, steering precision, and road surface sensitivity all become more important as speed rises.

The right pace is the one that keeps the car composed, the tires cool, and the driver comfortably ahead of traffic conditions rather than trying to match modern highway behavior. For many collector cars of this era, secondary roads and shorter runs are a better match than sustained high-speed travel. If the car's restoration age, wheel condition, or tire age is uncertain, reduce speed further and inspect more often.