Graham 68 Series Tires

The Graham 68 Series uses 600-16 tires for the 1934 model year. Every tire listed for the Graham 68 Series in this fitment is built around a 16-inch rim diameter, and the available products are bias-ply designs. Within that size, there are multiple sidewall and tread choices, including blackwall, wide whitewall, double-whitewall, and specialty military-style patterns.

That means the first step is not choosing between several sizes, but making sure the car still has its proper 16-inch wheels and then selecting the style that matches your restoration or driving intent. A roadgoing pre-war passenger restoration usually calls for a passenger-style tread and sidewall appearance, while military or truck-style tread designs suit a more specialized look and use.

On a Graham 68 Series, 600-16 is a numeric bias-ply tire size. The 600 portion indicates a nominal 6.00-inch section width, while the 16 indicates the rim diameter in inches. It is an older American sizing convention commonly used on pre-war vehicles and is different from later alphanumeric and modern metric formats.

Reading the size correctly helps you avoid a common collector-car mistake: focusing only on overall appearance and missing the actual wheel requirement. For a Graham 68 Series, the size points you to a 16-inch wheel and a bias-ply construction family, so the next check is whether the selected tire's sidewall style and tread pattern suit the way the car is being restored and used.

The Graham 68 Series uses a 16-inch rim diameter in the available 1934 fitment. The listed 600-16 tires are built for 16-inch wheels, and many are paired with rim width recommendations in the 4.00 to 4.50 inch range, with some specialty patterns also fitting slightly wider applications. There is no separate wheel-diameter split within this model range.

Even with a single rim diameter, it is still smart to measure or confirm the wheel before fitting new tires, especially on a pre-war car that may have seen parts changes over the decades. If the wheels have been swapped at some point, appearance alone can be misleading, so verify the wheel stamping or direct measurement before settling on a tire choice.

Yes, the Graham 68 Series should be treated as a tube-type application with these 600-16 bias-ply tires. The available products are all bias-ply and belong to the pre-war numeric sizing era, where tube use is the normal expectation unless a tire is specifically built and marked for tubeless service. Nothing in the listed Graham 68 Series fitment suggests a modern tubeless conversion should be assumed.

For practical fitment, that means the condition of the wheel and the compatibility of the tube are just as important as the tire itself. On a collector car like the Graham 68 Series, proper tube installation, flap use where appropriate, and clean wheel surfaces all matter if you want stable inflation and reliable low-speed touring performance.

The 1934 Graham 68 Series uses one listed size: 600-16 on a 16-inch rim. Since there is no year-to-year size spread within this model group, confirmation is mainly about making sure the car still carries the correct wheel diameter rather than sorting through multiple factory size options. The broad choice is within the product types available in that single size.

A careful owner should inspect the actual wheels, check any surviving chassis or owner literature, and then decide what kind of tire best matches the car's purpose. If the Graham 68 Series is being restored for show, sidewall treatment and tread appearance may matter most; if it will be driven, load rating, inflation guidance, and intended road use deserve closer attention.

Graham 68 Series tires in 600-16 are offered in blackwall, wide whitewall, and double-whitewall styles. Blackwall choices are the most numerous, while whitewall and double-whitewall options give a more dressed appearance that many restorers associate with upscale pre-war presentation. All of these choices remain within the same basic size and bias-ply format.

The right sidewall style depends on how your Graham 68 Series is being restored and presented. A restrained touring or driver restoration may suit blackwalls, while a more formal or show-oriented car may benefit from a whitewall treatment that complements the car's trim and stance. Period photographs, club guidance, and surviving original examples are the best way to settle the cosmetic question.

Available Graham 68 Series tires in 600-16 come from BFGoodrich, Coker Classic, Avon, Firestone, Ford Script, Excelsior, Lester, Goodyear, STA, and Camac. Those brands cover a wide spread of period-style passenger tires as well as specialty military and truck-pattern offerings within the same basic size. That gives the Graham 68 Series buyer more choice in tread style and presentation than the single-size fitment might suggest.

Brand selection should follow the goal of the car rather than the badge alone. Some owners prioritize a recognizable period look, others want a certain sidewall treatment, and others need a more specialized tread for a specific build theme. Comparing rim-width guidance, load figures where listed, and sidewall appearance will usually narrow the field faster than brand preference by itself.

The Graham 68 Series has several tire series available in 600-16, including Silvertown Classic Bias Ply, Coker Classic Bias Ply, Firestone Classic Bias Ply, Turbospeed Mk4, Tourist Crossply, Traction Mileage, Goodyear Military NDT, Deluxe All-Weather, Firestone Classic Military, Firestone Military NDT, Military NDT, NATO CJ110, Firestone Classic Truck, Ford Script, Lester Classic Bias Ply, and Excelsior Bias Ply. These series differ mainly in visual style, tread character, and intended use, rather than in basic fitment size. Some are passenger-car styled, while others are clearly military or truck oriented.

That distinction matters because a Graham 68 Series restored as a pre-war passenger car will usually look and feel most natural on a passenger-type bias-ply series rather than an NDT or truck tread. When comparing options, think in terms of authenticity, steering feel, and intended use instead of assuming every 600-16 tire serves the same role simply because the size matches.

A Graham 68 Series should be stored in a cool, dry, dark space with the tires kept away from direct sunlight, electric motors, ozone sources, and prolonged moisture. Proper inflation matters during storage, because underinflated bias-ply tires can develop flat spotting and sidewall stress more readily than modern daily-driver tires. Clean floors and stable temperatures also help preserve both the rubber and the tubes.

For longer storage, move the Graham 68 Series occasionally or place it on supports that reduce constant load on one section of the tire. Many collector owners also use tire cradles and keep the car out of standing dampness. A few minutes of storage planning can add years to the useful life of a rarely driven pre-war tire set.

Tires on a Graham 68 Series should be inspected before every meaningful drive and given a more careful review at least seasonally, even if the car covers very few miles. Pre-war bias-ply tires and tube-type assemblies deserve close attention for air loss, sidewall cracking, tread separation, uneven wear, and any sign that the bead or tube may be compromised. Collector cars often age their tires out long before they wear them out.

A practical inspection routine should also include valve stems, wheel condition, and inflation pressure, because those items directly affect how the Graham 68 Series steers and rides. If the car has been sitting for months, the first inspection should happen before it rolls out of the garage, not after the drive begins. Specialist inspection is worthwhile if anything looks irregular.

Tires on a Graham 68 Series should be replaced when age, cracking, hardening, impact damage, cord exposure, persistent air loss, or structural changes appear, even if the tread still looks deep. Collector-car tires often retain good cosmetic tread while becoming less trustworthy internally with time and storage. Visible condition alone is not enough to judge a pre-war tire's roadworthiness.

That rule is especially important on a lightly used Graham 68 Series, where the car may travel only short distances and tempt an owner to keep old tires in service too long. Any tire of uncertain age should be reviewed carefully, and an older specialty or period-looking tire should not be trusted simply because it still looks presentable from a few feet away.

The Graham 68 Series is represented here with a single original-type fitment size, 600-16, but several different bias-ply tire series are offered within that size. Those include period-style passenger lines as well as more specialized military and truck-pattern products, which means the size itself is clear while the exact original tread and presentation may vary by restoration goal. The available series do not narrow the question to one exclusive original tire line.

For a truly accurate Graham 68 Series restoration, the best approach is to use surviving factory literature, period photographs, and marque-club guidance to determine the most appropriate tread style and sidewall treatment. Once that is established, the available 600-16 options make it easier to match the look without departing from the correct basic fitment.

Correct tire fitment can absolutely affect how a Graham 68 Series is judged and how seriously a restoration is taken. Size, sidewall treatment, tread pattern, and overall stance all contribute to whether the car presents as properly restored for its era. Even when the wheel diameter is correct, an obviously wrong sidewall style or specialty tread can change the character of the car.

For owners concerned with concours presentation or long-term collector value, the tire should be chosen as part of the restoration story, not as an afterthought. A Graham 68 Series with the right 600-16 fitment and an era-appropriate visual treatment will generally look more coherent and credible. Marque clubs and period reference material are the right tie-breakers when cosmetic choices are close.

Graham 68 Series tires in 600-16 are available in blackwall, wide whitewall, and double-whitewall form, and each creates a different restoration character. Blackwalls usually deliver a more restrained pre-war appearance, while wide whitewalls and double-whitewalls present a more decorative, upscale look. All three styles exist within the same size and bias-ply family, so the question is authenticity and presentation rather than fitment.

The best choice for a Graham 68 Series depends on the way the specific car is being restored and how it would have been equipped or presented in period. Factory literature, original photographs, and surviving unrestored cars can help settle whether a simple blackwall or a more formal whitewall treatment is the stronger historical match for your particular build.

A properly fitted new bias-ply tire in the correct 600-16 size can be suitable for public-road use on a Graham 68 Series when the rest of the car is mechanically sound and the tire matches the car's intended use. Safety depends on far more than size alone: wheel condition, tube installation, suspension health, brake performance, and correct inflation all matter on a pre-war automobile. Specialty tread choices may also behave differently from passenger-style tread designs.

A Graham 68 Series should be driven with the expectations appropriate to a 1934 car, not like a modern sedan. Before regular road use, make sure the whole chassis has been inspected and choose a tire style consistent with ordinary touring rather than appearance alone. Conservative speeds and frequent checks are part of safe operation with any pre-war bias-ply setup.

Before driving a Graham 68 Series, check tire inflation, sidewall condition, tread condition, valve stems, and any signs of age-related cracking or air loss. On a tube-type bias-ply setup, wheel integrity and secure mounting are just as important as the tire itself. Because the Graham 68 Series is a pre-war car, steering, brakes, and wheel bearings should also be treated as part of the tire-safety checklist.

That pre-drive inspection should be routine, especially if the Graham 68 Series has been parked for weeks or months between outings. Bias-ply tires can change feel noticeably when inflation is low, and a small issue in storage can become a larger one once the car is moving. A careful walk-around before departure is one of the simplest ways to protect both the car and its occupants.

A Graham 68 Series on correct-style bias-ply tires should be driven at moderate, sensible speeds that respect both the car's 1930s chassis design and the characteristics of period-type tires. Even with fresh tires, the overall vehicle remains a pre-war machine with different braking, steering, and stability limits than a modern car. The practical speed ceiling is set by the complete condition of the automobile, not the tire alone.

In use, that means allowing extra stopping distance, avoiding abrupt lane changes, and building speed gradually rather than pressing the car hard. A Graham 68 Series used for tours, local road driving, and show travel will generally be much happier than one asked to keep pace with modern high-speed traffic. The goal is confident, conservative motoring rather than maximum velocity.