Stutz BB Tires

The Stutz BB has four listed tire sizes for 1928: 32X6.20, 650-20, 32X6.75, and 700-20. The two numeric sizes, 650-20 and 700-20, use 20-inch rims in the available products, while the two 32-inch antique-format sizes identify overall tire diameter and section width rather than wheel diameter.

That means year alone is not enough to choose a tire for a Stutz BB. Start by checking the exact size marked on the tire, the wheel dimensions already on the car, and any original chassis or body records you have, then match the tire to that confirmed configuration.

On a Stutz BB, 32X6.20 is an antique diameter-by-section size. The 32 refers to the tire's approximate outside diameter in inches, and the 6.20 refers to section width; it does not state the wheel diameter the way a later numeric size such as 650-20 does.

That distinction matters because many modern buyers assume the first number names the rim. With a Stutz BB running an antique-format size, verify the actual wheel diameter separately before selecting a tire, especially if the car may have changed wheels or body configuration during its life.

A 1928 Stutz BB shows four listed sizes because more than one wheel and tire configuration was used within that single model year. The range includes both antique diameter-by-section sizes and 20-inch numeric bias-ply sizes, which points to substantial variation within the BB line rather than a simple one-size fitment.

For an owner, the practical lesson is to identify the actual setup on the car before choosing tires. Check the wheel diameter, the size molded on any surviving tire, and the car's body or chassis specification so you select the correct section width and overall style for your particular Stutz BB.

The available Stutz BB products in numeric sizes are built around 20-inch rims for both 650-20 and 700-20. The antique-format sizes 32X6.20 and 32X6.75 do not reveal rim diameter in the size code itself, because their first number states outside diameter rather than wheel size.

That makes the wheel measurement especially important on a Stutz BB. If the car carries one of the antique-format sizes, measure the rim and compare it with the tire and wheel already fitted before making a choice, since the correct wheel diameter has to be confirmed independently.

The right tire size for a 1928 Stutz BB is confirmed by the car's actual wheel and existing fitment, not by year alone. Four sizes are associated with 1928, including 32X6.20, 650-20, 32X6.75, and 700-20, so the specific wheel and chassis setup determines which one belongs on a given car.

Check any surviving sidewall markings, measure the rim diameter, and compare the wheel width with the ranges shown on the available 20-inch products where applicable. If the car is under restoration, original paperwork or marque-club guidance can help separate an authentic passenger fitment from an alternate configuration.

The available Stutz BB products include blackwall, wide whitewall, and double-whitewall sidewall styles. In the listed 650-20 and 700-20 offerings, blackwall appears across passenger and truck-style tires, while wide whitewall and double-whitewall appear in selected passenger-car bias-ply options.

Sidewall style affects the visual character of a late-1920s Stutz BB as much as the size itself. Owners pursuing a formal restoration often compare the car's surviving photos, trim level, and overall presentation before choosing between a more restrained blackwall look and a more decorative whitewall treatment.

Stutz BB tires in the listed sizes are available from Firestone, BFGoodrich, Denman, and Deka. Firestone appears in both passenger-style and truck-style series, BFGoodrich appears in 700-20 passenger-car offerings, and Denman and Deka appear in truck-oriented 20-inch products.

Brand selection should come after confirming the actual size and the type of use you want from the car. A Stutz BB restored for period appearance may point you toward one brand and sidewall style, while a heavier-duty 20-inch application may lead you toward a truck-pattern bias-ply alternative.

The Stutz BB products here include Firestone Classic Bias Ply, Firestone Balloon, Silvertown Classic Bias Ply, Highway Classic Truck, Deka Classic Truck, and Firestone Classic Truck series. Those series reflect different intended character, with passenger-car bias-ply and balloon designs on one side and heavier truck-style tread families on the other.

For a Stutz BB, that distinction matters because the tire should suit both the wheel size and the restoration goal. A passenger-car series usually aligns better with period luxury-car presentation, while truck-type series can make sense only where the specific 20-inch configuration and use case call for that heavier-duty pattern.

A Stutz BB should be stored in a cool, dry, dark space with the tires kept away from direct sunlight, ozone sources, and standing moisture. Proper inflation matters during storage, and a heavy late-1920s car benefits from periodic movement or support stands to reduce long-term flat spotting and carcass stress.

Collector cars often spend long periods parked, which is harder on tires than regular moderate use. Keep the Stutz BB on a clean surface, check pressure before and after storage periods, and avoid leaving the full vehicle weight on one spot for months at a time.

Tires on a Stutz BB should be inspected before each drive and more thoroughly at regular service intervals through the year. Look for sidewall cracking, tread separation, uneven wear, cuts, impact damage, valve-stem problems, and any sign that the tube or casing may no longer be sound.

Because a Stutz BB is a heavy vintage car and many examples are driven infrequently, small issues can go unnoticed until the next outing. A careful visual inspection, pressure check, and occasional wheel-off review by a shop familiar with vintage bias-ply tires is a sensible routine.

Stutz BB tires should be replaced when age, cracking, hardening, casing distortion, repeated air loss, or any structural concern appears, even if the tread still looks usable. On collector cars, age usually ends service life before wear does, particularly on bias-ply tires that spend years carrying weight in storage.

Owners should think in terms of condition and age rather than remaining tread depth alone. If a tire's history is uncertain, if the car has been dormant for years, or if the casing shows visible deterioration, replacement is the prudent step before returning a Stutz BB to road use.

The Stutz BB is associated here with four sizes for 1928: 32X6.20, 650-20, 32X6.75, and 700-20. Available series include passenger-car lines such as Firestone Classic Bias Ply, Firestone Balloon, and Silvertown Classic Bias Ply, along with truck-oriented series in the 20-inch numeric sizes.

That variety means the correct original-style tire for a particular Stutz BB depends on the specific configuration of the car. Owners restoring for historical accuracy should compare wheel dimensions, surviving photos, and marque references so the chosen size and sidewall style match the intended presentation.

Correct tire fitment can materially affect how a Stutz BB is judged and perceived, especially because size, sidewall treatment, and overall tire profile contribute so much to a late-1920s luxury car's stance. A mismatch in section width, diameter, or visual style can make an otherwise strong restoration look out of period.

For owners concerned with concours presentation or long-term collector value, tires should be chosen as part of the whole restoration rather than as a generic replacement item. Marque clubs, period photographs, and wheel measurements are useful guides when balancing drivability with historical appearance.

Stutz BB tire choices in the listed 20-inch sizes include blackwall, wide whitewall, and double-whitewall styles. Any of those can be visually appropriate on a late-1920s American prestige car, but the right answer depends on the specific body style, trim level, and the look the restoration is trying to recreate.

If the goal is authenticity, compare the car against period images and surviving evidence rather than choosing by appearance alone. A formal or luxurious presentation may favor whitewall treatment, while a more restrained or utilitarian setup may point toward blackwalls on the correct size and profile.

A Stutz BB can be driven on public roads when the tires are the correct size, properly installed, and in sound condition, but road use should always reflect the limits of a late-1920s automobile. Bias-ply tires behave differently from modern radials, and the car's brakes, steering, suspension, and wheel condition matter just as much as the tire itself.

Safe use starts with matching the tire to the actual wheel setup and intended use of the car. A carefully sorted Stutz BB used for moderate touring is a different proposition from a car that has just come out of long storage, so road plans should follow a full mechanical review.

Before driving a Stutz BB, check tire pressure, visible casing condition, wheel security, valve stems, and any signs of rubbing or uneven clearance. On a large 1928 car, it is also wise to confirm steering response, brake function, and whether all four tires match in size and overall type.

That pre-drive routine helps catch the kinds of age-related problems collector cars develop while parked. If the Stutz BB has just been restored, recommissioned, or fitted with newly installed tires, begin with short low-speed drives and inspect the tires again after the first few miles.

A Stutz BB on original-type bias-ply tires should be driven at speeds that respect both the tire design and the chassis character of a 1928 automobile. Even when the car itself is capable, prudent touring speeds are more appropriate than sustained modern highway pace, especially on older roads, heat-soaked pavement, or an unfamiliar freshly restored car.

Owners should think in terms of mechanical sympathy rather than maximum potential. Stable steering, proper inflation, and sound wheel condition all influence what feels appropriate, and any uncertainty about the age or condition of the fitted tires is reason to keep speeds conservative.