Mercury Parklane Tires

Mercury Parklane uses two listed tire sizes across the 1959 and 1960 model years: 850-14 and 900-14. Both sizes fit 14-inch rims, but they are intended for different wheel width ranges. The 850-14 products are built for 5.50 to 6.00 inch rims, while the 900-14 products are built for 6.00 to 7.00 inch rims. Both available sizes are bias-ply tires in the Silvertown Classic Bias Ply family.

That means year alone does not settle the question on a Mercury Parklane. The most useful next step is to inspect the wheels already on the car, measure or verify their width, and compare that with any original paperwork, service information, or restoration records. If the car has been restored or modified over the years, the installed wheel width often tells you more than the model year badge.

On a Mercury Parklane, 850-14 is a traditional numeric bias-ply size. The 850 portion indicates a nominal section width of about 8.50 inches, and the 14 indicates the rim diameter in inches. For the available Mercury Parklane products, that size is paired with 14-inch rims in a 5.50 to 6.00 inch wheel width range. It is a period-correct late-fifties American sizing format rather than a modern metric one.

Understanding that code helps you avoid one of the most common collector-car mistakes, which is choosing by appearance alone. Two 14-inch tires can still be wrong for the wheel if their intended width range is different. On a Mercury Parklane, 850-14 is the narrower of the two listed sizes, so it belongs on cars carrying the corresponding wheel width and overall tire profile.

A 1959 Mercury Parklane has two tire sizes listed because the size split is tied to configuration rather than a simple year-to-year change. Both 850-14 and 900-14 were used in 1959, and both remain listed for 1960 as well. Since both sizes share the same 14-inch rim diameter and the same bias-ply construction type, the difference is best understood as a trim level or body style split rather than a wheel-diameter change.

For an owner or restorer, that means a 1959 Mercury Parklane should be identified by its specific setup before selecting tires. Original wheel width, surviving factory paperwork, period photos, and marque-club guidance can all help resolve which size belongs on a particular car. If the wheels are original, their width range is often the clearest practical clue.

Mercury Parklane tire listings here are all bias-ply numeric sizes, and the available size guidance for those products calls for tube-type fitment. Both 850-14 and 900-14 are traditional bias-ply tires rather than modern radials, and they are presented in a format where a tube is required. That applies across both listed model years and both listed sizes.

Tube choice matters just as much as tire choice on a collector car because the wrong tube can create heat, chafing, or sealing problems. When fitting Mercury Parklane tires, match the tube to the exact tire size and rim specification rather than reusing aged components. A fresh, properly matched tube is a routine part of a correct bias-ply installation.

A 1960 Mercury Parklane can use either 850-14 or 900-14, so confirmation starts with the actual wheels on the car. The 850-14 fits 14-inch rims in the 5.50 to 6.00 inch width range, while the 900-14 fits 14-inch rims in the 6.00 to 7.00 inch width range. Because both sizes appear in the same model year, the decision comes down to the specific configuration rather than the calendar year alone.

The best approach is to compare the car’s wheel width, any surviving tire placard or paperwork, and the visual proportions you are trying to preserve. A restored Mercury Parklane may no longer wear its original wheels, so measuring what is actually installed is important. If the car is intended for judged restoration, checking marque references before final selection is worth the extra effort.

Mercury Parklane tires are available in two sidewall styles within the listed products: a 2.25 inch whitewall and a 1.00 inch whitewall. Both styles are offered in 850-14 and 900-14, and both are BFGoodrich bias-ply tires in the Silvertown Classic Bias Ply series. That gives owners a choice between a broader late-fifties luxury look and a more restrained whitewall presentation without changing size.

Sidewall style has a strong effect on how a Mercury Parklane looks because the car’s period styling was designed around visible tire sidewalls and substantial brightwork. A wider whitewall usually reads as more formal and era-evocative, while the narrower whitewall can suit a cleaner, slightly later look. For restoration work, period photos of the specific car are often the best tie-breaker.

Mercury Parklane tire listings here are not marked as made-to-order items. The available products are standard bias-ply offerings in two sizes and two whitewall styles, all under one brand and one tire series. That means made-to-order status is not a factor separating one Mercury Parklane size from another within these listings.

The practical focus for a Mercury Parklane owner should stay on fitment and appearance rather than production status. Choosing correctly means matching the wheel width range, preserving the intended late-fifties stance, and deciding whether the car looks right with a 1.00 inch or 2.25 inch whitewall. Those factors will affect the result more than anything else on this page.

A Mercury Parklane should be stored in a cool, dry, dark space with the tires kept away from direct sunlight, electric motors, welders, ozone sources, solvents, and standing moisture. Because the car is a heavy full-size late-fifties automobile, tire sidewalls and contact patches benefit from stable inflation and from not carrying the same static load for months without movement. Clean floors and moderate temperatures are especially helpful for bias-ply collector tires.

If the Mercury Parklane will sit for extended periods, roll it occasionally or place it on stands in a way that protects the suspension and tires from continuous flat-spotting. Keep the tubes and valve stems in mind during storage as well, since aging tube-type assemblies deserve periodic checks. A few minutes of preventive storage care can preserve both appearance and service life.

Tires on a Mercury Parklane should be visually inspected before each drive and given a more careful inspection several times during the driving season. With a bias-ply collector tire, you want to look for sidewall cracking, tread separation signs, irregular wear, impact damage, valve stem issues, and any change in how the car sits or steers. Tube-type assemblies also deserve attention for pressure retention and mounting condition.

A Mercury Parklane that is driven only occasionally can still develop age-related issues even when tread looks very good. Collector cars often spend far more time parked than rolling, so inspection intervals should follow time and condition rather than mileage alone. If the car has been dormant for a long stretch, inspect the tires thoroughly before returning it to regular road use.

Tires on a Mercury Parklane should be replaced when age, cracking, hardening, deformation, impact damage, or any structural concern appears, even if the tread still looks usable. Tread depth is only one measure of condition, and on collector cars it is often the least important one because time and environment do more harm than miles. A bias-ply tire can look presentable yet still be unsuitable for continued road use.

The practical rule is to treat condition and age as primary replacement triggers on a Mercury Parklane. If the car develops vibration, wandering, repeated air loss, or visible sidewall deterioration, the tires deserve immediate evaluation. Owners who drive only to shows sometimes postpone replacement too long, but the safe decision point usually arrives well before the tread is worn out.

Mercury Parklane is associated here with two original-style numeric bias-ply sizes: 850-14 and 900-14. Both sizes appear for 1959 and 1960, and both are represented by BFGoodrich Silvertown Classic Bias Ply products with period-style whitewall options. That indicates more than one correct-type fitment path within the model’s production span rather than a single universal size for every Mercury Parklane.

For a restoration, the right choice comes from the specific car’s configuration, wheel width, and surviving evidence such as manuals, old photos, or original paperwork. Cars from the same model year can legitimately point to different tire sizes. If the goal is top-level authenticity, use the tire size, whitewall width, and overall stance that best match the individual Mercury Parklane being restored.

Correct tire fitment can absolutely affect how a Mercury Parklane is judged and how credible the restoration appears. On a late-fifties full-size car, tire width, sidewall profile, and whitewall presentation are highly visible, and judges or experienced enthusiasts will often notice when the proportions are off. Using one of the correct period-style bias-ply sizes and an era-appropriate whitewall helps preserve the car’s intended visual balance.

Value is influenced by overall authenticity, and tires are part of that impression even though they are wear items. A Mercury Parklane wearing the right diameter, section width, and sidewall style usually looks more convincing and complete. Marque clubs, restored sales literature, and period photography are useful references when deciding whether the narrower or wider whitewall better suits a particular car.

Mercury Parklane restoration tires are available here with either a 2.25 inch whitewall or a 1.00 inch whitewall. Both are period-appropriate bias-ply presentations for a car from 1959 to 1960, though they create noticeably different visual effects. The wider whitewall leans more toward the formal, upscale late-fifties look, while the narrower whitewall gives a cleaner and slightly less ornate appearance.

Correctness depends on the specific Mercury Parklane being restored and the appearance you are trying to match. If your goal is factory-style authenticity, compare the car to period photographs, brochures, and any surviving history tied to that exact automobile. If your goal is era-correct presentation rather than exact duplication, either available whitewall width can suit the car when paired with the proper size.

A properly fitted new bias-ply tire in the correct Mercury Parklane size can be suitable for public-road use when the rest of the car is in sound mechanical condition. The available tires are purpose-built collector-car bias plys in 14-inch sizes that match the Parklane’s period wheel format. Safety, however, depends on more than the tire alone, especially on a large late-fifties car with vintage steering, braking, suspension, and alignment characteristics.

Before regular road use, make sure the Mercury Parklane has the correct size, the proper wheel width, sound tubes, stable inflation, and a thorough mechanical inspection. Bias-ply tires also have different road manners than modern radials, so steering response and tracking will feel more period-correct than modern. Drive within the car’s mechanical limits and reassess the setup if it wanders, vibrates, or feels unsettled.

Before driving a Mercury Parklane, check tire inflation, visible sidewall condition, tread condition, valve stems, wheel fasteners, and any sign that a tube-type assembly has lost air or shifted on the rim. Confirm that all four tires are the same size and construction type, and make sure the wheel width is appropriate for the installed tire. Because the Parklane is a full-size collector car, steering and suspension condition also matter to how safely the tires perform.

A quick walkaround catches many of the issues that sideline rarely driven classics. If the Mercury Parklane has been parked for a long time, look closely for flat spotting, cracking, or age-related stiffness before heading onto faster roads. It is wise to start with a short local drive, then recheck pressures and general behavior once the car has had a chance to settle back into use.

A Mercury Parklane on original-style bias-ply tires should be driven at moderate, sensible speeds that respect both the tire construction and the car’s vintage chassis design. Even when the tire size is correct, a late-fifties full-size car on bias plys will not respond like the same car on modern radial rubber. Ride, tracking, braking feel, and lane stability all reflect period technology rather than contemporary highway expectations.

The practical approach is to build speed gradually and stay within the comfort zone of the car, the tires, and current road conditions. If the Mercury Parklane feels vague, pulls, or reacts strongly to road grooves, back off and inspect the setup rather than trying to drive through it. A properly sorted bias-ply car can be very enjoyable, but it rewards measured rather than aggressive use.