Stutz MB Tires

The Stutz MB uses 700-20 in the listed 1931 application. Every available product in this range is built for a 20-inch rim, and the offerings include both passenger-car bias-ply tires and heavier-duty military-and-truck style bias-ply tires. Sidewall choices include blackwall, wide whitewall, and double whitewall depending on the product selected.

That makes the first job straightforward: confirm that the car actually carries 20-inch wheels. The next step is to match the tire to the wheel width and to the character of the car, since some 700-20 products are intended for narrower passenger rims while others are built around wider or truck-oriented applications.

On a Stutz MB, 700-20 is a numeric bias-ply size. The 7.00 indicates the tire’s nominal section width in inches, while the 20 indicates the wheel diameter in inches. It is an older sizing system commonly seen on prewar American cars and trucks, and it does not read like later metric or alphanumeric radial sizes.

For a buyer, the practical point is that 700-20 still leaves room for meaningful variation in sidewall style, rim-width compatibility, and intended use. Once the size is confirmed, compare the actual wheel width on the car to the tire’s recommended rim-width range so the finished fit looks right and performs as intended.

Yes, the Stutz MB should be treated as a tube-type application with the 700-20 bias-ply tires listed here. The available products are all bias-ply construction in an early numeric size format, which is the kind of fitment normally used with tubes on period wheels. That is consistent with prewar collector-car practice.

Tube choice matters just as much as the outer tire on an older car with low annual mileage. Use the correct tube for the size and wheel, and make sure the wheel itself is clean and suitable before mounting, since tube damage often comes from rim condition or installation details rather than from the tire casing alone.

Stutz MB tires in 700-20 are available in blackwall, wide whitewall, and double whitewall form. The listed products include Firestone balloon-style tires with blackwall, wide whitewall, and 4.25-inch double whitewall treatments, along with BFGoodrich blackwall and 3.25-inch whitewall versions. That gives the Stutz MB owner a broad visual range within the same size.

The right choice depends on the look you want and the way the car is being restored. A formal concours-style presentation may call for a very specific whitewall treatment, while a more restrained touring appearance may favor blackwalls, so compare the tire style to period photos, surviving cars, and the car’s overall trim level before deciding.

Three brands appear in the Stutz MB 700-20 range: Firestone, BFGoodrich, and Denman. Firestone offerings include both balloon passenger-car tires and a classic truck tread, BFGoodrich appears in classic bias-ply passenger-car form, and Denman is represented by a highway-style truck tire. All are bias-ply construction in this size.

That brand mix gives owners different ways to approach the same car. If the goal is a more refined prewar luxury-car appearance, the passenger-car Firestone or BFGoodrich options will usually be the natural first look, while the truck-pattern choices belong to buyers who need a more utility-oriented tread style on a 20-inch application.

The Stutz MB range includes Firestone Balloon, Silvertown Classic Bias Ply, Highway Classic Truck, and Firestone Classic Truck series. Firestone Balloon and Silvertown Classic Bias Ply are passenger-car style bias-ply lines, while Highway Classic Truck and Firestone Classic Truck move toward heavier-duty truck-oriented construction and tread character. All remain within the same 700-20 size family.

Choosing among those series depends on whether the car is being restored as an upscale prewar passenger automobile or fitted with a more commercial-style tire. The series name helps signal the intended character of the tire, but wheel width, appearance, and the overall restoration goal should decide the final direction rather than size alone.

A Stutz MB 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 the car is a heavy prewar machine on bias-ply tires, long stationary periods can encourage flat spotting and unnecessary sidewall stress. Clean, stable storage conditions matter more than mileage for many collector tires.

If the car will sit for extended periods, move it slightly from time to time or place it on properly positioned supports that reduce constant load on one contact patch. Keep inflation consistent, and inspect the tubes, valve stems, and wheel condition during seasonal service so the tire assembly stays healthy between outings.

Tires on a Stutz MB should be inspected before every drive and more thoroughly at regular service intervals even if the car covers very few miles. Prewar bias-ply tires can age, lose air, or develop casing issues slowly while still looking acceptable at a glance. Inspection should include tread, sidewalls, valve stems, tube-related air loss, and the condition of the wheel itself.

A practical routine is to check inflation and visible condition before each outing, then perform a closer inspection at least seasonally. Collector cars often spend much more time parked than driven, so time, storage conditions, and wheel condition can matter just as much as tread wear when deciding whether the tire remains serviceable.

Tires on a Stutz MB should be replaced when age, cracking, hardening, air-retention problems, sidewall damage, or casing distortion begin to appear, even if the tread still looks deep. Collector tires often age out long before they wear out, especially on low-use prewar cars. Visible tread depth alone is not a reliable measure of continued serviceability.

That rule is especially important on a large, heavy car such as the Stutz MB, where old tire structure is being asked to carry substantial weight. If the car has been in storage for years, a specialist inspection is wise before any meaningful road use, since deterioration in an older bias-ply tire can progress internally as well as on the surface.

The Stutz MB is shown here with 700-20 sizing, but the available products span more than one series and appearance, including Firestone Balloon, Silvertown Classic Bias Ply, and truck-oriented lines. That means the key original-fitment anchor is the size itself, while the exact brand, sidewall treatment, and series choice should be matched to the specific car’s history and restoration goal.

For a serious restoration, size alone is only the starting point. Original sales material, period photographs, surviving unrestored examples, and marque-club guidance are the best way to confirm whether the car should wear blackwalls, whitewalls, or a particular style of prewar passenger tire rather than a heavier-duty alternative in the same size.

Yes, correct tire fitment can affect both the visual credibility and judged presentation of a Stutz MB. On a prewar luxury automobile, the tire’s size, sidewall style, tread character, and overall stance all contribute to whether the car looks properly finished. A technically correct size paired with the wrong visual treatment can still appear out of period.

That matters most when the car is headed for concours display or marque-focused judging, but it also matters for long-term value because tires strongly influence first impressions. Owners pursuing authenticity should compare their choice against period references and club standards so the final combination supports the car’s era, trim, and intended presentation.

Stutz MB tires are available here in blackwall, wide whitewall, and double whitewall treatments, so more than one authentic-looking appearance is possible within the 700-20 size. Firestone and BFGoodrich offerings cover several whitewall widths as well as blackwalls. The correct look depends on how the individual car was delivered, equipped, and later restored.

A formal luxury-car presentation may lean toward one of the whitewall styles, while a more restrained or driver-oriented restoration may favor blackwalls. The best approach is to match the sidewall treatment to period imagery and trim level so the tire does not overpower or understate the rest of the car’s design.

A properly fitted new production bias-ply tire in the correct 700-20 size can be suitable for public-road use on a Stutz MB when the car itself is mechanically sound. The available range includes passenger-car and heavier-duty bias-ply options, all intended for 20-inch rims. Safe use depends on matching the tire to the wheel, the car’s condition, and realistic operating speeds.

Roadworthiness on a prewar car is never just a tire question. Before regular driving, make sure the wheels, brakes, steering, suspension, tubes, and inflation settings are all in good order, and choose a tire that matches the way the car will actually be used rather than assuming every 700-20 tire serves the same purpose.

Before driving a Stutz MB, check tire inflation, visible sidewall condition, tread condition, valve stems, and whether the wheel and tire combination matches the intended rim-width range. A 700-20 tire may be offered for different wheel widths and different uses, so the assembly should be inspected as a complete package rather than as size alone.

A sensible pre-drive routine also includes a look at wheel fasteners, steering response, brake feel, and any signs that the car has settled unevenly in storage. On a heavy prewar automobile, small tire or wheel issues can become noticeable quickly, so a few careful minutes in the garage are worth far more than discovering a problem on the road.

A Stutz MB on period-style 700-20 bias-ply tires should be driven at moderate, conservative speeds that respect both the age of the vehicle design and the handling character of bias-ply construction. Even with new production tires, a prewar luxury automobile does not respond like a modern car, and truck-pattern tires within the same size may feel different from passenger-car types.

The practical rule is to drive within the limits of the entire car, not just the tire. Smooth inputs, generous following distance, and avoidance of sustained high-speed running are all wise habits, especially if the car is newly returned to service or still being sorted after restoration.