Pierce Arrow Custom Tires

Pierce Arrow Custom uses 750-17 in the listed year range, which here is 1935. All available products for Pierce Arrow Custom in this fitment are built for 17-inch rims, but they are not all the same type of tire. Some are passenger-car bias-ply designs offered in blackwall, double-whitewall, or wide whitewall form, while others are heavier-duty truck-oriented bias-ply tires in the same nominal size.

That means the size code alone is only the first step. A Pierce Arrow Custom owner should also verify the wheel width and decide whether the goal is authentic luxury-car appearance, general collector driving, or a heavier-duty utility-style tire. The year listing points you to the correct size, but the wheel and the intended use determine which version of 750-17 makes the most sense.

On Pierce Arrow Custom, 750-17 is a numeric bias-ply size. The 750 indicates a nominal section width of 7.50 inches, written without a decimal point, and the 17 indicates the rim diameter in inches. In the available Pierce Arrow Custom products, every 750-17 tire fits a 17-inch rim and is built as a bias-ply tire rather than a radial.

That old numeric format is straightforward once decoded, but it still leaves room for important differences between tires of the same stated size. Pierce Arrow Custom owners should compare sidewall style, tire series, and especially wheel-width compatibility before making a final choice. Two 750-17 tires can share the same basic size code yet be aimed at very different vehicles and driving expectations.

Pierce Arrow Custom uses a 17-inch rim with the listed 750-17 fitment. That rim diameter is consistent across the available products in this size, so there is no year-to-year wheel diameter change within the listed range. The more meaningful variation is wheel width, because some 750-17 passenger-car tires are tied to narrower rims while truck-type 750-17 products are intended for wider wheel applications.

A Pierce Arrow Custom owner should inspect the actual wheel before choosing among the available 750-17 options. That single step helps separate a correct luxury-car bias-ply tire from a heavier truck-style tire that may share the same rim diameter but not the same intended chassis or appearance. Rim diameter answers the basic fit question; wheel width helps answer the right-tire question.

Pierce Arrow Custom tires in the listed range are bias-ply 750-17 products, and a tube is required. That is the normal expectation for this numeric pre-war fitment and construction type. None of the listed Pierce Arrow Custom choices are modern radial replacements in this size group, so tube-type service remains part of correct installation.

A Pierce Arrow Custom owner should plan for proper tube and flap selection where applicable and should have the wheels inspected for condition before mounting new tires. On an older collector car, the wheel itself can create as many problems as the tire if rust, damage, or poor finish is present. Correct tube-type installation also helps preserve ride quality and reduce avoidable service issues.

Pierce Arrow Custom tires in 750-17 are available with blackwall, double-whitewall, and wide whitewall sidewall styles. Those choices appear within the passenger-car bias-ply offerings, while the heavier-duty truck-oriented tires are blackwall. That gives Pierce Arrow Custom owners both restoration-minded styling options and more utilitarian commercial-looking alternatives in the same basic size.

For a formal pre-war luxury car, sidewall style has a major effect on the finished look. A Pierce Arrow Custom being restored for period elegance will usually call for a passenger-car whitewall or blackwall bias-ply rather than a truck-type casing. If appearance matters as much as fit, decide on the visual character of the car before narrowing the tire series.

Pierce Arrow Custom tires are available from Firestone, BFGoodrich, Tornel, and STA in the listed 750-17 size. Firestone and BFGoodrich cover the traditional passenger-car bias-ply side of the range, while Tornel and STA appear in the heavier-duty truck-oriented portion of the 750-17 offerings. All of them share the same basic size code and 17-inch rim diameter.

Brand choice on a Pierce Arrow Custom should follow the purpose of the car rather than the badge alone. A concours-minded restoration may favor a period-style passenger series with the right sidewall treatment, while a more utility-focused application may point toward a truck series. Comparing series, sidewall style, and wheel-width suitability will usually be more useful than comparing brand names in isolation.

Pierce Arrow Custom in 750-17 is offered in several distinct series: Firestone Balloon, Silvertown Classic Bias Ply, Tornel Classic Truck, and STA Super Transport. Firestone Balloon and Silvertown Classic Bias Ply are passenger-car bias-ply lines suited to period-correct collector use and include decorative sidewall options. Tornel Classic Truck and STA Super Transport are heavier-duty bias-ply designs with a more commercial character.

That series split matters because a Pierce Arrow Custom can wear the same nominal size while ending up with very different ride, look, and wheel-width requirements. Owners restoring a luxury pre-war automobile will usually start with the passenger-car series and then choose the sidewall style that fits the build. The truck series makes more sense only when the wheel and the intended use clearly point in that direction.

Pierce Arrow Custom should be stored in a cool, dry, dark space with the tires kept away from sunlight, ozone sources, and large temperature swings. For a substantial pre-war car, clean floors and stable inflation are especially important because long periods of standing can flatten or stress older-style bias-ply casings. If the car will sit for months, rolling it occasionally or supporting it appropriately helps reduce prolonged point loading.

Practical storage habits make a visible difference on a Pierce Arrow Custom because these cars are heavy and often driven infrequently. Check inflation before storage and again before moving the car, and avoid letting one tire carry the same load in the same position for an entire season. Good storage protects both the tire investment and the ride quality expected from a senior luxury automobile.

Tires on a Pierce Arrow Custom should be inspected before every drive and more thoroughly at regular intervals during the season. A pre-war bias-ply collector car benefits from checks for cracking, sidewall damage, irregular wear, embedded debris, valve condition, and any sign that a tube-type assembly is losing air. Wheel condition also deserves attention because a damaged rim can compromise a newly fitted tire.

Frequent inspection is less about mileage than about age, storage, and the weight of the car. A Pierce Arrow Custom may cover limited miles yet still need close monitoring because inactivity can be hard on both tires and tubes. When anything looks questionable, a collector-tire specialist should inspect the assembly before the car returns to road use.

Tires on a Pierce Arrow Custom should be replaced when age, cracking, hardening, impact damage, persistent air loss, or casing irregularity appears, even if the tread still looks usable. Collector cars often age their tires out long before they wear them out. That is especially true on a heavy pre-war automobile where old bias-ply casings and tube-type assemblies can deteriorate quietly between driving seasons.

A Pierce Arrow Custom owner should treat visual condition as only one part of the decision. If the car has sat for long periods, has unknown tire age, or shows vibration or sidewall distress, replacement is usually wiser than trying to stretch service life. Age matters even more than tread depth on a collector car that is driven occasionally rather than daily.

Pierce Arrow Custom is listed here with 750-17 sizing, and the available replacement products center on period-style bias-ply construction. Within that size, the current choices include passenger-car series such as Firestone Balloon and Silvertown Classic Bias Ply, along with heavier-duty truck-oriented series. That means the size is clear, but the exact original branding or sidewall treatment for a particular Pierce Arrow Custom should be verified from period literature and marque references.

For restoration work, start with the known size and then narrow the choice by the character of the car you are building. A formal Pierce Arrow Custom generally benefits from a passenger-car bias-ply with an era-appropriate sidewall rather than a commercial truck casing. If the car is being judged, marque clubs and surviving factory material remain the best final authority.

Correct tire fitment can affect both the visual credibility and the judged presentation of a Pierce Arrow Custom. On a senior pre-war luxury car, judges and knowledgeable enthusiasts notice whether the size, profile, sidewall treatment, and overall stance suit the era and status of the automobile. Even when the listed size is correct, an obviously commercial-looking tire can change the car's appearance substantially.

That makes tire choice part of the restoration strategy rather than a last-minute consumable decision. A Pierce Arrow Custom built for concours or high-level touring should have its tires chosen with the same care given to paint, trim, and upholstery. Marque specialists and period photography can help settle whether blackwall or whitewall presentation better fits the specific restoration goal.

Pierce Arrow Custom in 750-17 is available in blackwall, double-whitewall, and wide whitewall passenger-car styles, with blackwall also appearing in the truck-oriented offerings. Any of those sidewall presentations can dramatically change the personality of the car. For a luxury pre-war automobile, the correct choice usually depends on the exact restoration objective, surviving historical evidence, and whether the car is being presented as formal, sporting, or utilitarian.

A Pierce Arrow Custom restoration should treat sidewall style as a visual authenticity decision, not just a cosmetic preference. If the car is being restored to a specific known configuration, compare period photos, owner history, and marque guidance before deciding. If the goal is simply an era-appropriate presentation, passenger-car blackwall or whitewall bias-ply tires will usually align better with the car than truck-type blackwalls.

A properly selected and professionally fitted tire can be appropriate for public-road use on a Pierce Arrow Custom, but safety depends on far more than the size code alone. The condition of the wheels, the age and condition of the tubes, the mechanical state of the car, and the match between tire type and wheel width all matter. A heavy pre-war luxury automobile asks a lot from its tires even at moderate speeds.

That means a Pierce Arrow Custom should be treated as a carefully prepared collector car rather than ordinary transportation. Before regular road use, make sure the steering, brakes, suspension, and wheel assemblies are in sound condition and that the tires fitted are the correct style for the car. Public-road driving is realistic when the entire car is sorted, not when only the tire size is correct.

Before driving a Pierce Arrow Custom, check tire inflation, visible sidewall condition, tread integrity, valve stems, and any sign of tube-related air loss. Also inspect the wheels for looseness, damage, or rust at the bead area, and confirm that the tires fitted are appropriate to the wheel width and intended use. On a pre-war car, a quick look at brakes, steering linkage, and wheel fasteners is just as important as the tires themselves.

Those checks matter because a Pierce Arrow Custom is a substantial automobile that can magnify small problems once it is underway. A short pre-drive inspection takes only a few minutes and is one of the best habits an owner can develop. If the car has been sitting, treat the first outing of the season as a recommissioning exercise rather than a casual drive.

A Pierce Arrow Custom running period-style bias-ply tires should be driven at conservative speeds appropriate to a pre-war collector automobile and the condition of the complete car. Even with fresh tires, the chassis, brakes, steering design, and road manners belong to a different era from modern traffic. The heavier-duty truck-style 750-17 options also should not be mistaken for an invitation to drive the car as if it were a modern vehicle.

The sensible approach is to let the car, the road, and the tire type set the pace. A Pierce Arrow Custom is happiest in measured touring use where heat build-up, stopping distance, and steering response remain manageable. If a route demands sustained modern highway speeds, reassess whether that use matches the car and tire combination you have chosen.