The 1935 Lafayette 6 Cyl. comes from an era when mid-1930s American cars were balancing streamlined styling, everyday road manners, and the practical durability drivers expected before the war. For collectors today, that makes tire choice as much about preserving the car’s stance and character as it is about getting it back on the road. This Lafayette uses a 600-16 bias-ply tire on a 16-inch rim, keeping the fitment squarely in traditional pre-war territory. Available choices include blackwall, wide whitewall, and double-whitewall treatments across several vintage bias-ply series. The key decision is choosing the right presentation and service style while confirming wheel condition and compatibility on the car as it sits now.
Which Tire Size Is Right for The 1935 Lafayette 6 Cyl.
The 1935 Lafayette 6 Cyl. uses one primary tire size: 600-16. That is a bias-ply fitment on a 16-inch rim, and the same size carries across the covered Base sub-model. With fitment settled, the real choice becomes selecting the right period-style tire presentation, tread character, and product specification for restoration goals and intended road use.
A 600-16 size is a vintage numeric bias-ply designation in which the leading number refers to an approximate 6.00-inch nominal section width and the final number identifies the 16-inch rim. On a 1935 Lafayette 6 Cyl., this keeps the tire in the traditional construction type associated with pre-war fitment and appearance. Within this size, choices include blackwall, wide whitewall, and double-whitewall styles from brands such as BFGoodrich, Firestone, Goodyear, Coker Classic, Lester, Avon, and others across several bias-ply series. That gives you room to match the car’s restoration theme, road-use plans, and wheel setup without moving away from the original size format.
Tire fitment is straightforward across the covered 1935 Lafayette 6 Cyl. sub-models. The main reason to check the exact sub-model is simply to confirm that the car still carries its expected 16-inch wheel setup and has not been altered over time.
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1935 Lafayette 6 Cyl. Base
The 1935 Lafayette 6 Cyl. Base uses the same 600-16 bias-ply fitment found across this vehicle listing. That keeps tire selection focused on sidewall style, tread presentation, and wheel compatibility rather than sorting through multiple primary sizes.
The tire sizes listed on this page assume factory-standard vehicle configuration. The following modifications may affect tire fitment and are not reflected in this guide:
Suspension changes (lowering, lift kits, spring replacements)
Body alterations (fender modifications, custom bodywork)
If your vehicle has been modified from factory specifications, verify tire clearance before purchase.
Best 1935 Lafayette 6 Cyl. Tires for Sale
Available 600-16 choices span BFGoodrich, Firestone, Goodyear, Coker Classic, Avon, Lester, Excelsior, STA, Camac, and Ford Script offerings. The product grid is most useful for comparing period-style sidewall treatments, bias-ply series, military or truck-style tread options, and rim-width specifications where they are stated.
Owners of a 1935 Lafayette 6 Cyl. usually want clarity on the 600-16 fitment, 16-inch wheel compatibility, period-style sidewall choices, and what to inspect before putting a pre-war car back into regular road use.
Tire Size & Fitment
What tire size fits a 1935 Lafayette 6 Cyl.?
The 1935 Lafayette 6 Cyl. uses a 600-16 tire size. That is a vintage numeric bias-ply size mounted on a 16-inch rim, and it is the primary fitment for this vehicle. The covered Base sub-model uses the same size, so there is no separate alternate primary size to sort through here.
The practical choice is less about finding the correct size and more about choosing the right version of 600-16 for the car’s purpose. Sidewall style, tread presentation, and wheel condition matter, especially on a pre-war vehicle that may have older rims, prior repairs, or changes made over time.
What size rim does a 1935 Lafayette 6 Cyl. use?
The 1935 Lafayette 6 Cyl. uses a 16-inch rim with its 600-16 tire size. Several available 600-16 products are built around rim-width specifications in the 4.00 to 4.50 inch range, with some options extending to 5.0 inches depending on the tire series.
Rim diameter is the first item to confirm on the car, since a 16-inch tire must be matched to a 16-inch wheel. It also helps to measure actual wheel width and inspect the rim for rust, distortion, or previous repairs before choosing among passenger-style whitewall tires and heavier-duty tread patterns.
What does 600-16 mean on a 1935 Lafayette 6 Cyl.?
On the 1935 Lafayette 6 Cyl., 600-16 is a numeric bias-ply size. The 600 portion refers to an approximate 6.00-inch nominal section width, while 16 designates the wheel diameter in inches. It is an older sizing system commonly seen on pre-war and early post-war vehicles rather than a modern metric format.
Understanding that format helps when comparing products because the key decision is not a modern aspect ratio or metric width. Instead, the focus shifts to traditional bias-ply construction, sidewall appearance, and whether the chosen 600-16 matches the wheel dimensions and intended use of the car.
Choosing the Right Tire
What should I consider when choosing a 600-16 tire for a 1935 Lafayette 6 Cyl.?
Start with the correct 600-16 size and confirm that the wheel is a 16-inch rim in suitable condition. From there, compare whether the tire is a traditional passenger-style bias-ply, a whitewall or blackwall presentation, or a more specialized military or truck-style tread, depending on how the Lafayette is being finished and used.
Product differences can also include rim-width guidance, load figures, and overall tire weight. A restoration-oriented car may call for a different visual treatment than a driver that sees rougher roads, so it helps to match the tire’s appearance and specification to the car’s role rather than choosing only by brand name.
What sidewall styles are available for 1935 Lafayette 6 Cyl. tires?
The 600-16 fitment for a 1935 Lafayette 6 Cyl. is available in several sidewall styles, including blackwall, wide whitewall, and double-whitewall. Those choices appear across multiple bias-ply series, giving the car a more understated touring look or a brighter pre-war presentation depending on the tire selected.
Sidewall style changes the visual character of the car more than the fitment itself, since the size remains the same. For a restoration-minded owner, the best choice usually comes down to how the wheel covers, body color, trim, and overall finish come together once the tire is mounted.
What brands offer tires for the 1935 Lafayette 6 Cyl.?
The 1935 Lafayette 6 Cyl. has 600-16 tire options from BFGoodrich, Coker Classic, Avon, Firestone, Ford Script, Excelsior, Lester, Goodyear, STA, and Camac. Those brands cover several bias-ply series, from traditional blackwall and whitewall passenger tires to military or truck-style tread patterns in the same basic size.
Brand choice is only one part of the decision. It is more useful to compare each tire’s sidewall treatment, tread style, stated rim-width compatibility, and load information where given, then choose the version that best matches the car’s appearance goals and the kind of driving it will actually see.
Restoration & Appearance
Which tire should I choose for a period-style 1935 Lafayette 6 Cyl.?
A period-style 1935 Lafayette 6 Cyl. starts with the correct 600-16 bias-ply format. From there, the most suitable choice depends on the look you want the car to present, since this size is available in blackwall, wide whitewall, and double-whitewall versions across several vintage-style tire series and brands.
For many restorations, preserving the proper size and construction matters as much as the sidewall itself because those details shape the car’s stance and visual proportion. If exact historical authenticity is the goal, compare the tire choice against marque literature, surviving photos, or restoration references for the specific car.
Does correct tire fitment matter for a 1935 Lafayette 6 Cyl. restoration?
Correct tire fitment matters greatly on a 1935 Lafayette 6 Cyl. because the tire size and construction strongly influence ride height, visual balance, and the overall pre-war character of the car. Staying with the 600-16 bias-ply format keeps the restoration grounded in the size system and look associated with the vehicle’s era.
Even when the goal is mainly appearance, wheel condition still deserves equal attention. A beautifully restored car can be undermined by worn rims, aged tubes, or mismatched wheel widths, so the restoration process should treat tire selection as both a visual decision and a basic roadworthiness check.
Fitment, Maintenance & Road Use
Can modifications affect tire fitment on a 1935 Lafayette 6 Cyl.?
Yes, modifications can affect tire fitment on a 1935 Lafayette 6 Cyl. even when the intended tire size remains 600-16. Aftermarket wheels, altered wheel widths, brake changes, suspension work, or body repairs can all influence how a bias-ply tire sits in the fender opening and how much clearance it has when steering.
A modified car should be checked as it actually sits rather than assumed to match original dimensions. Wheel diameter, wheel width, steering sweep, and clearance at the fender and suspension points are all worth verifying before mounting new tires, especially on an older car that may have seen decades of changes.
What should I inspect before driving a 1935 Lafayette 6 Cyl. on new tires?
Before driving a 1935 Lafayette 6 Cyl. on new tires, inspect the wheels, valve hardware, and any tube-related components used with the setup. It also helps to confirm that the rims are straight, free of severe corrosion, and properly matched to the chosen 600-16 tire’s construction and stated wheel requirements.
The rest of the car deserves attention too, particularly steering components, brakes, suspension wear, and alignment condition. A pre-war car that has been parked for long periods may also need a close look at tire pressure retention, sidewall seating, and any signs of rubbing once the car is back on its wheels.
How should 600-16 tires on a collector 1935 Lafayette 6 Cyl. be maintained?
Collector-car 600-16 tires should be kept clean, properly inflated, and inspected regularly for cuts, cracking, bulges, flat spotting, or air loss. On a 1935 Lafayette 6 Cyl., long periods of storage can be especially hard on tires because the car may spend more time parked than driven, even after a fresh installation.
Storage conditions matter almost as much as mileage. Keeping the Lafayette away from prolonged sunlight, heat, moisture, and ozone sources helps preserve the rubber, while periodic movement and routine pressure checks help prevent problems from developing unnoticed between drives and show outings.
