Graham 35 Tires

The Graham 35 uses two listed tire sizes for 1928: 31X6.20 and 650-19. The important distinction is that 31X6.20 is an antique diameter-by-section size, while 650-19 is a numeric balloon-tire size built for a 19-inch rim. Available products are shown for 650-19 with a 19-inch rim diameter, while 31X6.20 requires the buyer to identify the correct wheel and application before matching a tire.

That means a Graham 35 owner should not choose by year alone. The practical approach is to read the size on the tire if an original-style casing is still present, then confirm the wheel diameter on the car itself and compare it against period references for the specific configuration.

On a Graham 35, 31X6.20 is an antique diameter-by-section size. The 31 refers to the tire's approximate overall outside diameter in inches, and the 6.20 refers to its nominal section width. Unlike a modern size, that first number is not the wheel diameter, so the rim size cannot be read directly from the code.

That distinction matters because modern buyers often assume the first number names the wheel. With a Graham 35, 31X6.20 should be treated as an older sizing language that requires you to verify the actual wheel and compare the car's present configuration before selecting a replacement.

A 1928 Graham 35 can show two tire sizes because the model appears with two different fitment formats in the same year: 31X6.20 and 650-19. That is not a simple brand difference or a styling choice within one wheel size. It points to a configuration split within the model year, with one setup using an antique-style larger tire designation and the other using a 19-inch balloon-tire format.

For an owner, the takeaway is that year alone is not enough to choose a tire. Check the wheel diameter on the car, inspect any existing tire markings, and use that information to match the correct configuration before deciding between the antique-format and balloon-format fitments.

The Graham 35 uses a confirmed 19-inch rim with the 650-19 tire size. The 31X6.20 size does not reveal rim diameter in the size code, because its leading number names outside diameter rather than wheel diameter. That means the Graham 35 can appear with a clearly identified 19-inch wheel in one fitment and a separate antique-format fitment that requires direct wheel verification.

The practical step is to measure the wheel or confirm the stamped or known rim size before selecting a tire. On cars from this era, that check is more reliable than assuming one tire format automatically matches another, even when both are listed for the same model year.

The correct way to confirm tire size on a 1928 Graham 35 is to identify which of the two listed fitments the car actually uses: 31X6.20 or 650-19. A Graham 35 with 650-19 tires uses 19-inch rims, while 31X6.20 is an antique-size marking whose wheel diameter must be confirmed separately. Existing tire sidewalls, wheel measurements, and marque references all help narrow the car to the right setup.

Start with the wheel because it eliminates the most common mistake. Once the rim size is known, compare the sidewall style and general tire profile you want for the car's restoration goals, then select the size that matches the wheel and the specific configuration rather than relying on the model name alone.

For the Graham 35 in 650-19, available sidewall styles include blackwall and wide whitewall. Those choices appear across several bias-ply offerings, including Firestone and Lester products. The presence of both styles gives owners a choice between a more restrained period look and a more decorative whitewall presentation.

A restoration-minded owner should match sidewall style to the character of the particular car and how it will be presented. If authenticity matters for shows or judging, compare the chosen sidewall treatment with period photos, surviving examples, and club guidance for the specific Graham 35 configuration.

Current Graham 35 tire offerings in 650-19 come from Firestone, Lester, and Excelsior. Within those brands, the listed series include Firestone Classic Bias Ply, Firestone Balloon, Lester Classic Bias Ply, and Excelsior Comp H. All of the available products in that size are bias-ply tires built around period-style appearance and construction.

Brand choice usually comes down to the look you want, the sidewall style you prefer, and whether you are aiming for a more general period-correct replacement or a specific series presentation. Once the correct size is established, those details become the useful comparison points for narrowing the right tire.

The Graham 35 listings in 650-19 include several distinct series: Firestone Classic Bias Ply, Firestone Balloon, Lester Classic Bias Ply, and Excelsior Comp H. All are bias-ply tires, but the series names separate them by family and presentation rather than by modern radial-versus-bias construction differences. Firestone Balloon stands apart as the most explicitly balloon-era series name in the group, while the classic bias-ply and Comp H lines represent other period-style approaches.

For a buyer, that means the series choice should follow the car's intended look and restoration direction after the size is settled. Owners seeking a strong late-1920s balloon-tire character may focus differently than owners who simply want an appropriate blackwall or whitewall bias-ply replacement within the correct size.

A Graham 35 should be stored in a cool, dark, dry space with the tires kept away from direct sunlight, ozone sources, and large swings in temperature. Clean floors, moderate inflation, and minimizing long static loading all help preserve the shape of period-style bias-ply tires. If the car will sit for extended periods, moving it slightly from time to time or supporting it appropriately can reduce flat-spotting stress.

Collector cars benefit from a routine rather than occasional attention. Tire covers, a clean garage environment, and regular visual checks for cracking, distortion, or sidewall fatigue are especially worthwhile on a Graham 35 because low annual mileage can hide age-related deterioration.

Tires on a Graham 35 should be inspected before every drive and more thoroughly at regular intervals throughout the year. On a late-1920s collector car running bias-ply tires, the key checks are air pressure, sidewall condition, bead area, tread separation signs, and any cuts or bulges. Cars that sit for long periods deserve especially close attention because age and storage conditions can affect the tire as much as mileage does.

A practical habit is to include the tires in every pre-drive walkaround. If the Graham 35 is used only for shows, tours, or occasional outings, a seasonal inspection by a shop familiar with vintage tires adds another layer of confidence before the car returns to the road.

A Graham 35 tire should be replaced when age, cracking, hardening, casing distortion, repeated air loss, or any structural concern appears, even if the tread still looks usable. Collector-car tires often age out before they wear out, and that is especially true on lightly driven vintage cars. Tread depth alone is not a reliable measure of continued serviceability on a Graham 35.

The safest approach is to treat age and condition as the real decision points. If there is any doubt about the casing, sidewall integrity, or long-term storage history, a vintage-tire specialist should inspect the tire before further driving, particularly on a car intended for regular touring rather than static display.

The Graham 35 appears with two period-appropriate size paths for 1928: 31X6.20 and 650-19. Within 650-19, available series include Firestone Balloon, Firestone Classic Bias Ply, Lester Classic Bias Ply, and Excelsior Comp H, all of them reflecting period-style bias-ply construction. That tells you the car belongs to a transition-era tire environment rather than a single modernized replacement pattern.

For a precise restoration, the most useful next step is matching the car's wheel size and visual evidence to marque references, photos, and club knowledge. That will help separate what is broadly era-correct for a Graham 35 from what is most correct for one particular 1928 example.

Correct tire fitment can affect both presentation and judging on a Graham 35 because tire size, profile, sidewall treatment, and overall stance strongly influence how an early car looks. A Graham 35 wearing the wrong format or wheel-size combination can appear visually off even before a judge checks details. On collector cars from the late 1920s, tires are part of the car's authenticity rather than a purely consumable item.

Owners pursuing serious restoration standards should treat tires as part of the historical package. Matching the proper size family, sidewall style, and period construction approach to the specific car will usually support stronger show presentation and a more credible restoration overall.

Graham 35 offerings in 650-19 include both blackwall and wide whitewall sidewall styles. Either can suit a late-1920s restoration depending on the exact appearance you want and the way the car is being finished. Because both are available in period-style bias-ply form, the choice is more about historical presentation than about modern construction differences.

The best match comes from studying the specific car's trim level, body style, and restoration goal. Owners building a formal show presentation may prefer one sidewall treatment, while owners preserving a plainer touring character may choose the other to keep the Graham 35 visually consistent with its intended period look.

Properly selected and correctly installed period-style tires can be suitable for limited public-road use on a Graham 35, provided the car itself is mechanically sound. The available Graham 35 products in 650-19 are bias-ply tires, which suit the era but also preserve the handling character and limitations of a late-1920s automobile. Safety depends on tire condition, wheel condition, tube and flap condition where required, and the overall mechanical state of the car.

A Graham 35 should be driven with the expectations appropriate to a vintage car, not to modern traffic capability. Conservative speeds, generous braking distance, and regular inspections matter just as much as choosing the right size because the tire is only one part of safe operation.

Before driving a Graham 35, check tire pressure, visible sidewall condition, tread integrity, wheel security, and any signs of air loss or casing deformation. Because the model appears with two very different size formats, it is also wise to confirm that all four tires actually match the wheel setup on the car. A quick walkaround can catch mismatched sizes, aging sidewalls, and low inflation before they become a road problem.

The tire check should sit inside a larger vintage-car inspection that includes brakes, steering, wheel bearings, and suspension. On a Graham 35, a few minutes spent inspecting the tires before each outing can prevent using an aged or incorrect fitment on a car whose road manners already demand careful, attentive driving.

A Graham 35 should be driven at moderate, conservative speeds that respect both the car's age and the character of bias-ply vintage-style tires. Even with correct replacements, a late-1920s car does not deliver the directional stability, braking performance, or emergency response of a modern vehicle. Tire safety is tied to the entire chassis and driveline, not just the casing itself.

In practice, owners should choose speeds that leave a generous margin for braking, steering correction, and road surface changes. Tour use, secondary-road driving, and other measured operation are far more appropriate for a Graham 35 than sustained high-speed running in modern traffic conditions.