La Salle 50 Tires

La Salle 50 uses 700-16 for every year in this 1937 through 1940 range. All available products tied to La Salle 50 fitment are built around a 16-inch rim diameter, and the selections include passenger-car bias-ply tires as well as several military or truck-style patterns in the same nominal size.

That makes the first step straightforward: confirm that your La Salle 50 still has 16-inch wheels and then decide which version of 700-16 suits the car’s purpose. A restored passenger car usually calls for a passenger-style tread and sidewall treatment, while a military or truck-pattern tire should be chosen only when that appearance or duty style is specifically desired.

On a La Salle 50, 700-16 is a numeric bias-ply size. The 700 portion refers to a nominal 7.00-inch section width, while the 16 identifies the wheel diameter in inches. In the products offered for La Salle 50, that size is consistently matched to 16-inch rims, with several examples also listing a recommended rim-width range of 4.50 to 5.50 inches.

That code is important because it tells you both the basic tire section and the wheel diameter the tire is meant to fit. If your La Salle 50 has replacement wheels or has been modified over the years, verify the actual wheel diameter and width before choosing among the available 700-16 passenger, whitewall, or specialty tread options.

La Salle 50 tire options in this fitment range are bias-ply products, and for a 700-16 bias-ply application like this, a tube is required. That applies across the passenger-style blackwall and whitewall offerings as well as the military or truck-style tires listed in the same size.

Tube use matters because collector cars that sit for long periods are especially sensitive to slow air loss, wheel condition, and mounting quality. When fitting tires to a La Salle 50, inspect the wheels carefully, use the correct tube and flap arrangement where appropriate, and have the assembly handled by a shop familiar with vintage bias-ply fitments.

A 1937 La Salle 50 uses 700-16, the same size carried through 1938, 1939, and 1940 in this model range. The tire should be matched to a 16-inch wheel, and several of the available products also specify a compatible rim-width range of 4.50 to 5.50 inches.

For a car of this age, the smartest check is to compare the wheel and any surviving original paperwork or restoration records before deciding on tread and sidewall style. Once the wheel size is confirmed, the real choice becomes whether your La Salle 50 should wear a blackwall, a wide whitewall, or a more specialized military or truck-pattern tire.

La Salle 50 tire options include both blackwall and wide whitewall sidewall styles in 700-16. The passenger-car offerings cover both looks, while the military and truck-oriented patterns are shown as blackwall tires.

That gives a restorer room to match the appearance of the car to its intended presentation. A formal or fully restored La Salle 50 often looks most at home on a period-style wide whitewall, while a blackwall can suit a more restrained restoration, a driver-quality car, or a utility-focused specialty build using the same basic wheel diameter.

La Salle 50 tires in 700-16 are offered by Lester, Avon, BFGoodrich, Firestone, Tornel, and STA. Those brands cover a mix of classic passenger-car bias-ply lines along with military and truck-style offerings that share the same nominal sizing.

Brand choice should be guided by the kind of La Salle 50 you are building rather than by name alone. If originality of appearance is the priority, compare the available sidewall styles and tread character; if the car is meant for a specialty look or utility-style presentation, the military and truck lines deserve separate consideration from the passenger-car tires.

La Salle 50 offerings in 700-16 span several tire 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. The main divide is between passenger-car bias-ply series meant to replicate period road-car appearance and specialty military or truck series built around more utility-oriented tread patterns and duty character.

That distinction matters more than the series name itself. A stock-appearing La Salle 50 generally belongs on one of the passenger classic bias-ply lines, with your choice of blackwall or wide whitewall, while the military and truck series make more sense only if the car’s intended look or use specifically calls for that more rugged visual style.

A stored La Salle 50 should be kept in a cool, dry, dark space away from direct sunlight, ozone sources, and large temperature swings. Bias-ply tires on pre-war cars are especially prone to flat-spotting if they sit in one position for long periods, and tube-type assemblies benefit from regular air-pressure checks even when the car is not being driven.

For long storage, roll the La Salle 50 occasionally or support it in a way that reduces constant load on the same contact patch. Clean tires with mild soap and water only, keep oils and solvents away from the rubber, and inspect the sidewalls and tread before the car goes back into service after any extended layup.

Tires on a La Salle 50 should be inspected before each drive and more thoroughly at regular intervals even if the car sees only light seasonal use. On a pre-war collector car with bias-ply, tube-type tires, the key checks are air pressure, sidewall cracking, tread separation signs, bead area condition, and any evidence that the wheel or tube may be affecting the assembly.

A quick walk-around catches most problems before they become expensive or dangerous. At least once or twice a year, have the La Salle 50 examined closely by a shop or specialist familiar with vintage wheels and bias-ply construction, especially if the car has been parked for months or driven only on short parade and show outings.

Tires on a La Salle 50 should be replaced when age, cracking, hardening, impact damage, sidewall deterioration, irregular wear, or any structural concern appears, even if the tread still looks deep. Collector-car tires often age out long before they wear out, and that is especially true on low-mileage pre-war cars that spend much of their lives parked.

The practical rule is to judge the entire assembly, not just the tread surface. If a La Salle 50 has been sitting on old tires of uncertain age, or if the tubes and wheels have not been evaluated in years, a specialist inspection is the right next step before any meaningful road use resumes.

The fitment range for La Salle 50 across 1937 to 1940 centers on 700-16, with modern replacement options offered in classic bias-ply passenger lines as well as some military and truck-style series. The available series names show the kind of replacement products offered today, but they do not by themselves establish the exact original brand or tread fitted to a specific La Salle 50 when new.

For a restoration that aims at high historical accuracy, use 700-16 as the starting point and then compare sidewall treatment, tread appearance, and period photos or marque references for your particular car. Factory literature, surviving examples, and La Salle specialists are the best guides when you want the finished car to look convincingly right at concours level.

Correct tire fitment can absolutely affect how a La Salle 50 is judged and how authentic it appears. Size, sidewall style, tread character, and the overall proportion of the tire on the wheel all contribute to whether the car reads as properly restored, especially on a late pre-war luxury automobile where visual balance matters.

A La Salle 50 wearing the right 700-16 size but the wrong sidewall or a utility-style tread can change the entire impression of the car. If the goal is show judging or maximum period credibility, compare your choice against marque-club guidance, restoration photos, and the specific presentation standard you want the car to meet.

La Salle 50 tire offerings include both blackwall and wide whitewall choices in 700-16. Either can be appropriate depending on the exact restoration direction, but on a stylish late-1930s American luxury car, the whitewall versus blackwall decision has a strong effect on period appearance and overall presence.

The right answer for a particular La Salle 50 comes from how the car is being restored rather than from size alone. Period photos, sales literature, and club references can help settle whether a restrained blackwall look or a wider whitewall better suits your body style, trim presentation, and intended level of authenticity.

A properly fitted, correctly inflated, and well-maintained 700-16 tire can be suitable for road use on a La Salle 50, but safety depends on far more than tread depth alone. Because these are bias-ply, tube-type fitments for a pre-war car, the condition of the wheel, tube, suspension, steering, and brakes all matters alongside the tire itself.

That means a road-ready La Salle 50 should be approached as a complete mechanical system rather than just a tire purchase. Before regular driving, make sure the car has been inspected at collector-car standards and remember that even good vintage-style tires are still serving a chassis designed in a very different motoring era.

Before driving a La Salle 50, check tire pressure, visible sidewall condition, tread condition, wheel security, and any sign of tube-related air loss. On a pre-war car, it is equally important to verify brakes, steering free play, wheel bearings, and whether the car has been sitting long enough for flat spots or age-related rubber issues to develop.

A short pre-drive inspection prevents most avoidable trouble. If the La Salle 50 has been stored for an extended period, begin with a cautious low-speed test rather than a long outing, and pay attention to vibration, pull, wandering, or heat buildup that could suggest the tires, tubes, wheels, or chassis need further attention.

A La Salle 50 on period-style 700-16 bias-ply tires should be driven at speeds appropriate to a late-1930s pre-war automobile, not to modern highway expectations. Even when the tires are in good condition, the handling feel, braking distances, and stability of the complete car reflect original-era design rather than contemporary passenger-car standards.

The practical approach is to drive a La Salle 50 conservatively and build speed only within the comfort zone of the car, the tires, and the road conditions. Smooth steering inputs, extra following distance, and modest cruising speeds do more to preserve safety and mechanical sympathy than trying to make a pre-war car behave like a modern sedan.