Pierce Arrow 8 Cyl. Tires
Pierce Arrow 8 Cyl. represents the final chapter of one of America's great luxury automobile names, built in 1935 as the marque was nearing the end of its production life. These were substantial, prestige-class cars known for refined engineering, distinctive presence, and the kind of road manners buyers expected from a premier prewar automobile. Tire selection is still important because a large luxury car from this era depends on the correct overall profile, load-carrying ability, and period-appropriate construction to look and drive as intended. Before choosing a tire for Pierce Arrow 8 Cyl., first confirm that the car is using its correct 17-inch wheels and then match the tire accordingly.
Pierce Arrow 8 Cyl. Tire Size Guide
Pierce Arrow 8 Cyl. uses one tire size across the covered production span: 700-17 for 1935. This is a numeric bias-ply size, where 700 indicates a nominal 7.00-inch section width and 17 indicates a 17-inch rim diameter. Available products for this size include Firestone and Ensign bias-ply tires on 17-inch rims, with listed rim widths of 3.5 to 4.0 inches or 4 inches depending on the product. A tube is required. Sidewall choices include blackwall, wide whitewall, and double-whitewall, which gives restorers room to match the car's intended appearance.
Pierce Arrow 8 Cyl. Tires by Year
The year listing breaks Pierce Arrow 8 Cyl. tire fitment down by production year so you can match the car to the correct size before comparing products. Pierce Arrow 8 Cyl. uses a single 700-17 fitment for 1935, making the main checks the wheel's 17-inch diameter and the sidewall style you want. These listings cover a short prewar production run, so it is wise to confirm the car against original vehicle literature or a marque specialist.
1935 Pierce Arrow 8 Cyl.
- 700-17
Best Pierce Arrow 8 Cyl. Tires for Sale
Available Pierce Arrow 8 Cyl. tires include 4 products from 2 brands in 700-17. Blackwall, wide whitewall, and double-whitewall options are offered, so confirm the correct size and 17-inch rim diameter before selecting.
700-17 Products
These are the available products for 700-17.
Frequently Asked Questions
The FAQ below focuses on the practical questions Pierce Arrow 8 Cyl. owners face: what 700-17 means, whether tubes are required, which brands and sidewall styles are available, and how to care for a low-use prewar luxury car on bias-ply tires.
Size Basics & Fitment
Pierce Arrow 8 Cyl. uses 700-17 for 1935. All available products for this application are bias-ply tires built for 17-inch rims, with listed rim widths of either 4 inches or a 3.5-to-4.0-inch range depending on the tire. Current choices include blackwall, wide whitewall, and double-whitewall versions.
That means the key fitment checks are straightforward but still important on a prewar car: confirm the wheel is actually 17 inches in diameter and compare rim width before settling on a tire. If the car has had wheel changes during its life, verify the wheel itself rather than relying only on age or appearance.
On a Pierce Arrow 8 Cyl., 700-17 is a numeric bias-ply size. The 700 indicates a nominal 7.00-inch section width, and the 17 indicates the rim diameter in inches. It is a period-correct prewar sizing format, not a modern metric radial size.
Understanding that code helps you avoid confusing a vintage numeric size with a later alphanumeric or metric tire. It also tells you that overall profile, casing shape, and road feel will reflect traditional bias-ply construction, so the correct replacement should preserve both the stance and character expected of a 1935 Pierce Arrow 8 Cyl.
Yes, the Pierce Arrow 8 Cyl. fitment shown here uses bias-ply tires in a 700-17 numeric vintage size, and a tube is required. That is consistent with the construction type offered for this application and with the wheel and tire practices common to prewar luxury automobiles.
When replacing tires, treat the tube and flap arrangement as part of the complete assembly rather than as an afterthought. A fresh tube matched to the tire and wheel helps the tire perform as intended and reduces the chance of trouble caused by reusing aged tube components on a heavy prewar car.
Buying the Right Tire
Pierce Arrow 8 Cyl. tires are available in blackwall, wide whitewall, and double-whitewall styles in 700-17. Those choices appear within the current bias-ply offerings, with Firestone providing blackwall, wide whitewall, and double-whitewall versions, and Ensign offering a blackwall tire.
Sidewall style affects the car's finished look as much as the wheel itself. For a formal prewar luxury car, whitewall treatment can strongly influence authenticity and presentation, so many owners compare their selection against period photos, surviving cars, or restoration goals before deciding between blackwall and whitewall versions.
Pierce Arrow 8 Cyl. tires are available from Firestone and Ensign in the covered 700-17 size. Firestone appears in the Firestone Balloon series, while Ensign appears in the Ensign B5 series. All of the listed options for this application use bias-ply construction.
Brand choice often comes down to the appearance, series, and sidewall style that best suits the car's restoration direction. Owners pursuing a particular visual character may compare tread presentation and whitewall treatment, while those focused on a more understated look may prefer a blackwall tire in the same proper size.
Pierce Arrow 8 Cyl. tires are offered in two series here: Firestone Balloon and Ensign B5. Both are bias-ply tires in 700-17, but they differ in brand, sidewall choices, listed rim-width compatibility, and load figures. Firestone Balloon includes blackwall, wide whitewall, and double-whitewall options, while Ensign B5 is listed as a blackwall tire.
That means the decision is less about changing size and more about matching the tire's appearance and specifications to the car's intended use and presentation. A car built for touring display, concours work, or period-style road use may point you toward one series over the other even though both fit the same 17-inch wheel diameter.
Maintenance & Longevity
A Pierce Arrow 8 Cyl. should be stored in a cool, dry, dark space with the tires kept away from direct sunlight, electric motors, ozone sources, and petroleum contamination. Because it is a heavy prewar automobile on bias-ply tires, clean floor surfaces and stable inflation matter more than many owners realize.
If the car will sit for extended periods, move it occasionally or use appropriate support practices to reduce prolonged flat spotting and casing stress. Keeping the tires properly inflated and the car out of harsh environmental exposure will do more for long-term tire life than tread depth alone on a collector car driven sparingly.
Tires on a Pierce Arrow 8 Cyl. should be inspected before each drive and more thoroughly at regular intervals even if the car sees limited mileage. On a prewar bias-ply application, inspection should include tread, sidewalls, valve area, tube-related air loss, and any sign of uneven wear or casing distress.
Collector cars often age their tires out long before they wear them out, so visual and hands-on inspection matters every bit as much as mileage. A specialist familiar with vintage cars can also check whether the tire is seating properly on the wheel and whether the car's steering and suspension are treating the tires evenly.
Tires on a Pierce Arrow 8 Cyl. should be replaced when age, cracking, hardening, bulges, repeated air loss, or structural concerns appear, even if tread still looks usable. On a prewar luxury car with bias-ply tires and tubes, calendar age and condition are often more important than mileage in judging whether a tire remains serviceable.
That is especially important on a car that spends much of its life in storage or display settings, where old tires can look better than they truly are. Replacement timing should be guided by condition and specialist inspection rather than appearance alone, particularly before any extended road use.
Restoration & Authenticity
Pierce Arrow 8 Cyl. is covered here with a 700-17 fitment and with available offerings in the Firestone Balloon and Ensign B5 series. Those series give restorers period-appropriate bias-ply choices in the correct vintage numeric size, but the exact original delivery specification for a particular car can vary with how that car was equipped when new.
For a highly accurate restoration, the best next step is to compare the car with factory literature, surviving original examples, and marque-club guidance. That approach helps you decide not just the size, but also whether the finished car should wear blackwall or whitewall treatment to match its intended presentation.
Yes, correct tire fitment can affect both the visual credibility and judged authenticity of a Pierce Arrow 8 Cyl. A proper 700-17 bias-ply tire preserves the car's intended stance and period character, while the wrong size or an obviously modern-looking substitute can change how the car sits and how accurately it reads as a 1935 luxury automobile.
Judging standards vary by event, so owners should compare their tire choice with the expectations of the club, concours, or touring group involved. Even when a car is not being shown competitively, correct size and appropriate sidewall styling usually strengthen its presentation and can support overall collector appeal.
Pierce Arrow 8 Cyl. tires are available here in blackwall, wide whitewall, and double-whitewall styles. Any of those can suit a restoration depending on the exact way the car is being presented, since prewar luxury automobiles could be visually sensitive to whitewall treatment, coachwork style, and owner preference.
The right choice comes from the restoration goal rather than from size alone. Owners pursuing strict authenticity usually compare surviving photography, factory sales material, and marque expertise, while owners building a tasteful touring car may choose the sidewall style that best complements the car's body color and trim.
Safety & Road Use
A correctly fitted, properly maintained bias-ply tire in 700-17 can be suitable for public-road use on a Pierce Arrow 8 Cyl. when the entire car is mechanically sound. Tire condition, tube condition, wheel integrity, steering, brakes, and suspension all matter because a large prewar automobile places real demands on its tires.
Road use should match the character of the car and the limits of vintage construction rather than modern traffic expectations. Careful owners treat tire selection as one part of an overall safety review and avoid assuming that new tread alone makes an eighty-plus-year-old automobile ready for unrestricted driving.
Before driving a Pierce Arrow 8 Cyl., check tire inflation, visible condition, valve stems, wheel security, and any sign of sidewall cracking, bulging, or irregular wear. On a prewar bias-ply application, it also makes sense to look for changes in how the car sits, since a slow loss of pressure can show up in stance before it is obvious on the road.
A short pre-drive walkaround is especially worthwhile on collector cars that may sit for long periods between outings. Pair the tire check with a broader review of brakes, steering response, and fluid leaks so the car is ready for the kind of measured use a Pierce Arrow 8 Cyl. was designed to enjoy.
A Pierce Arrow 8 Cyl. on period-style 700-17 bias-ply tires should be driven at prudent speeds consistent with the age, condition, and mechanical readiness of the car. Even with fresh tires, the driving experience is shaped by prewar chassis design, tube-type construction, and the realities of vintage steering and braking systems.
That usually means smooth, moderate touring rather than trying to keep pace with aggressive modern traffic. Owners who want to use the car regularly should let the vehicle's condition, road surface, weather, and overall stability determine speed, with conservative judgment taking priority over the car's theoretical capability.