The 1957 Allard Sport came from a small British marque known for blending European sports-car character with big-engine excitement and hand-built individuality. Cars from this period often reward careful attention to details that modern vehicles make easy to overlook, and tire fitment is one of them. For the 1957 Allard Sport, the primary fitment is a 650-16 bias-ply tire on a 16-inch rim. That size opens the door to traditional blackwall and wide whitewall choices across several classic tire series and brands. The key decision is usually whether to preserve a period-style presentation, match the car's intended use, and confirm that the wheel setup still matches the original size.
Which Tire Size Is Right for The 1957 Allard Sport
The 1957 Allard Sport uses one primary tire size: 650-16. It is a bias-ply fitment for a 16-inch rim, and the covered Base sub-model shares that same size. That means the main decision is not choosing between multiple factory-size options, but selecting the right version of 650-16 based on appearance, tire series, and how closely the car is being kept to a traditional period-style setup.
The 650-16 size uses a vintage numeric bias-ply format in which the 6.50 figure represents the tire's nominal section width in inches and the 16 identifies the rim diameter. On a 1957 Allard Sport, this is the primary bias-ply fitment and keeps the car in the sizing language typical of the era. Available choices include blackwall and wide whitewall versions from brands such as BFGoodrich, Firestone, Goodyear, Garfield, Lester, Coker Classic, Excelsior, STA, and Tornel across several classic series. Choosing within 650-16 comes down to the wheel width on the car, the look you want, and whether the car is being finished for restoration-minded appearance or broader road use.
Sub-model fitment is straightforward for the 1957 Allard Sport. The covered Base model uses the same primary tire size, so the focus stays on selecting the right 650-16 tire style and confirming the wheels on the car still match the expected 16-inch setup.
1
1957 Allard Sport Base
The 1957 Allard Sport Base uses the 650-16 bias-ply tire size. That keeps tire selection centered on traditional 16-inch fitment, with the practical choice being blackwall versus wide whitewall and comparing the available bias-ply series against the car's restoration goals and intended driving use.
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 1957 Allard Sport Tires for Sale
Available 650-16 choices span BFGoodrich, Coker Classic, Firestone, Goodyear, Garfield, Lester, Excelsior, STA, and Tornel. The product grid is most useful for comparing blackwall versus wide whitewall styling, classic passenger-car series versus truck-style tread patterns, and rim-width guidance where it is stated.
Owners shopping tires for a 1957 Allard Sport usually need to confirm the 650-16 size, understand what that vintage bias-ply designation means, and sort through appearance, wheel-fitment, and road-use considerations before choosing a tire.
Tire Size & Fitment
What tire size fits a 1957 Allard Sport?
The 1957 Allard Sport uses a 650-16 tire size. That is a vintage numeric bias-ply size mounted on a 16-inch rim, and the covered Base model uses the same primary fitment.
For most buyers, the question is not which factory size applies, but which version of 650-16 best suits the car. It is worth checking the actual wheel diameter and width on the vehicle before ordering, especially if the car has been restored, modified, or fitted with replacement wheels at some point in its life.
What size rim does a 1957 Allard Sport use?
The primary tire fitment for the 1957 Allard Sport is built around a 16-inch rim. That matches the 650-16 tire size, where the final number identifies the wheel diameter the tire is designed to mount on.
Rim diameter is only part of the picture on a vintage car. Wheel width should also be checked against the tire being considered, since some 650-16 products include specific rim-width guidance and others are aimed more toward passenger-car or truck-style applications. Confirming the wheels already on the car helps narrow the right choice.
What does 650-16 mean on a 1957 Allard Sport?
In the 650-16 designation, 6.50 refers to the tire's nominal section width in inches and 16 refers to the rim diameter in inches. It is a traditional numeric bias-ply size rather than a modern metric radial format.
Understanding that format helps keep the tire search on track, especially when comparing products with very different visual character. A 650-16 blackwall, wide whitewall, or truck-style tread can all share the same basic size code, so the buyer still needs to confirm the intended look, wheel compatibility, and vehicle use before making a final selection.
Choosing the Right Tire
What should I consider when choosing a 650-16 tire for a 1957 Allard Sport?
Start with the basics: the 1957 Allard Sport uses a 650-16 bias-ply tire on a 16-inch rim. From there, the important differences are sidewall style, tire series, intended use, and whether the tire's rim-width guidance matches the wheels on the car.
A wide whitewall can create a more formal restoration-oriented look, while a blackwall usually gives a simpler sporting presentation. It also helps to separate passenger-car style tires from truck-oriented 650-16 products, since the same nominal size can appear in very different tread families. Matching the tire's character to the car matters as much as matching the size.
What sidewall styles are available for 1957 Allard Sport tires?
The available 650-16 choices for a 1957 Allard Sport include both blackwall and wide whitewall sidewall styles. Those options appear across several brands and tire series, so the visual presentation can vary quite a bit even while staying within the correct primary size.
That makes sidewall choice one of the biggest appearance decisions on this car. A blackwall usually keeps the look understated and sporting, while a wide whitewall pushes the car toward a more formal period-style presence. Either way, the sidewall treatment should be chosen alongside the tire series and wheel setup rather than as a styling decision by itself.
What brands offer tires for the 1957 Allard Sport?
The 650-16 size for the 1957 Allard Sport is available from BFGoodrich, Coker Classic, Firestone, Goodyear, Garfield, Lester, Excelsior, STA, and Tornel. Those brands cover a mix of classic passenger-car designs, wide whitewall offerings, and more utility-oriented tread patterns in the same base size.
Brand alone should not decide the purchase. It is more useful to compare which series each brand offers, whether the tire is blackwall or wide whitewall, and whether the product's rim-width guidance and overall character make sense for the wheels and intended use of the car. That approach keeps the choice practical instead of purely cosmetic.
Restoration & Appearance
Which tire should I choose for a period-style 1957 Allard Sport?
A period-style starting point for a 1957 Allard Sport is staying with the primary 650-16 bias-ply size. Within that size, the choice usually comes down to the kind of visual statement the car should make, including a simpler blackwall presentation or a more formal wide whitewall look.
The best appearance choice depends on how the individual car is being restored and presented. If exact historical originality matters, it is wise to compare the car against period photos, marque-club guidance, or restoration records before selecting a brand or whitewall treatment. Using the correct size first helps preserve the car's overall stance and proportion.
How does tire construction affect the appearance of a restored 1957 Allard Sport?
On a restored 1957 Allard Sport, bias-ply construction contributes strongly to the car's traditional visual character because the 650-16 fitment belongs to a vintage sizing and tire-design era. The tread style, shoulder shape, and sidewall treatment all play into how authentically period-style the finished car appears.
Appearance is only one part of the decision, but it matters on a hand-built sports car with such distinct proportions. A tire that keeps the correct size and an era-appropriate visual style usually supports the restoration better than one chosen only for convenience. Even so, wheel dimensions and actual body clearance still need to be checked before mounting any new set.
Fitment, Maintenance & Road Use
Can modifications affect tire fitment on a 1957 Allard Sport?
Yes, modifications can change tire fitment on a 1957 Allard Sport even when the intended size remains 650-16. Replacement wheels, altered wheel widths, suspension changes, brake conversions, or bodywork differences can all affect how a vintage tire sits and clears the car.
That is especially important on a specialty sports car, where many examples have been altered over time. Measuring the actual wheel diameter and width on the car, then checking steering and fender clearance at full lock and full suspension movement, is a smart step before choosing among the available 650-16 options.
What should I inspect before driving a 1957 Allard Sport on new tires?
Before putting a 1957 Allard Sport back on the road with new tires, inspect the wheels, valve stems, lug hardware, and the condition of the suspension and steering components. Tire pressure should be set correctly for the tires being used, and each mounted tire should be checked for proper seating and any immediate air loss.
A short initial drive followed by a second inspection is good practice on collector vehicles. Recheck pressure, look for any signs of rubbing, and pay attention to steering feel and brake response. That extra review helps catch clearance issues or wheel-related problems early, especially on a car that may not have seen regular road use.
How should 650-16 tires on a collector 1957 Allard Sport be maintained?
Collector-car tires in 650-16 should be inspected regularly for pressure loss, sidewall cracking, cuts, bulges, uneven tread wear, and age-related deterioration. A low-mileage car is not exempt from tire care, since long storage can be just as hard on vintage-style tires as regular driving.
Storage conditions matter nearly as much as road use. Keeping the 1957 Allard Sport away from prolonged sunlight, moisture, excessive heat, and ozone sources helps protect the tires between drives. It also helps to move the car periodically or adjust its resting position so the tires are not sitting in one spot for extended periods.
