The 1962 Citroen DS stood apart from most early 1960s cars with its advanced engineering, aerodynamic shape, and distinctly French approach to ride comfort and road holding. Buyers drawn to a DS today are often balancing preservation, drivability, and the car’s unmistakable visual character. For this exact model, the primary fitment centers on a 165-400 radial tire, a millimetric-size radial that reflects the DS’s original-era preference for Michelin-style radial design rather than a conventional American numeric bias-ply format. That makes tire selection less about choosing between several factory-type sizes and more about finding the right radial construction and proper wheel compatibility for a restoration-minded or road-ready DS.
Which Tire Size Is Right for The 1962 Citroen DS
The 1962 Citroen DS uses one primary tire size: 165-400, and it is a radial fitment. That means the main question is not which of several primary sizes belongs on the car, but how to understand this millimetric radial sizing format and confirm that the car still has the correct wheel setup before choosing a tire.
The 165-400 size uses a metric-style designation in which 165 refers to the nominal section width in millimeters and 400 refers to the rim diameter in millimeters rather than inches. It is a radial tire size, which is an important part of the 1962 Citroen DS fitment story because this car was built around radial tire design instead of a more typical vintage bias-ply setup. For a buyer, the key point is recognizing that this is a specialized millimetric fitment, so wheel compatibility matters just as much as the tire size itself. That makes 165-400 the correct starting point for maintaining the DS’s intended stance and road manners.
Fitment is straightforward for the covered 1962 Citroen DS sub-model. The main thing to confirm is that the car still carries the proper wheel setup for its 165-400 radial tire rather than a later wheel or tire conversion.
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1962 Citroen DS 19 Sedan
The 1962 Citroen DS 19 Sedan uses the 165-400 radial tire size, keeping fitment focused on one specialized millimetric radial application. Tire selection is therefore less about choosing among multiple primary sizes and more about preserving the correct wheel-and-tire relationship for the car’s intended appearance and road 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.
Frequently Asked Questions
Owners researching 1962 Citroen DS tires usually need clarity on the 165-400 radial size, the millimetric rim fitment it requires, and what to inspect before putting a vintage DS back on the road.
Tire Size & Fitment
What tire size fits a 1962 Citroen DS?
The 1962 Citroen DS uses a 165-400 radial tire. For the covered sub-model, the 1962 Citroen DS 19 Sedan, that same 165-400 size applies, so the fitment question is centered on one primary tire size rather than several different factory-type options.
What matters most is understanding that 165-400 is a millimetric radial size, not a conventional inch-based vintage tire size. Before selecting a tire, confirm that the car still has the proper wheels for this application, especially if it has been stored for years or altered by a previous owner.
What size rim does a 1962 Citroen DS use?
A 1962 Citroen DS fitted with 165-400 tires uses a 400-millimeter rim diameter. That measurement is part of the tire size itself, which is why 165-400 does not correspond to a standard 15-inch or 16-inch vintage fitment.
This is an important distinction because a millimetric rim requires a matching millimetric tire. If the car has been converted to different wheels at some point, the tire choice changes with that wheel change, so checking the actual wheel markings and current setup should come before any purchase decision.
What does 165-400 mean on a 1962 Citroen DS?
On a 1962 Citroen DS, 165-400 identifies a radial tire with a nominal section width of 165 millimeters and a rim diameter of 400 millimeters. It is a classic metric, millimetric radial format, which differs from more familiar vintage inch-based sizes such as 560-15 or 165R15.
For the owner, that means the tire and wheel must be matched by millimetric diameter, not by approximate appearance or general width. It also helps explain why DS tire fitment can be confusing to buyers who are more familiar with American collector-car sizing conventions than with Citroen’s specialized radial setup.
Choosing the Right Tire
What should I consider when choosing a 165-400 tire for a 1962 Citroen DS?
Start with the correct 165-400 size and the fact that the 1962 Citroen DS uses a radial construction. Since this is a specialized millimetric fitment, the right choice begins with maintaining the proper tire size and matching it to the wheel diameter the car was designed to use.
After size confirmation, think about how the car will be used. A restoration-oriented DS may place more emphasis on preserving its traditional presentation, while a road-driven car also benefits from close attention to wheel condition, tire age, and overall compatibility with the vehicle’s current setup.
How do I choose between the available 165-400 tires for a 1962 Citroen DS?
The first filter is simple: the tire needs to be a true 165-400 radial for the 1962 Citroen DS. Once that is established, the decision shifts toward the tire’s intended character, overall presentation, and whether it suits a preservation-focused car or one that will see more regular road use.
A careful buyer should also inspect the wheels, verify that no conversion has been made, and consider how long the car may have sat. On a vintage Citroen, correct fitment is closely tied to maintaining the intended relationship between the tire, the wheel, and the chassis rather than choosing by looks alone.
Why is choosing the correct 165-400 size so important on a 1962 Citroen DS?
Choosing the correct 165-400 size matters because the 1962 Citroen DS was designed around a millimetric radial tire and matching rim diameter. This is not a flexible, generic vintage fitment where an inch-based size can be treated as an easy substitute without verifying the entire wheel-and-tire combination.
Using the proper size helps preserve the car’s intended stance and fitment relationship, but it also avoids confusion at the wheel itself. On a DS that has changed hands several times, confirming the tire size against the actual rim and current vehicle setup is one of the most important steps in a safe selection process.
Restoration & Appearance
Which tire should I choose for a period-style 1962 Citroen DS?
For a period-style 1962 Citroen DS, the correct starting point is the 165-400 radial size. Because the DS is closely associated with early radial-tire design, retaining that millimetric radial fitment supports the car’s proper overall presentation more convincingly than substituting a modern-looking alternative without careful verification.
Appearance-minded buyers should focus first on preserving the correct size and wheel relationship, then compare tire details that suit the goal of the restoration. When exact originality is especially important, marque-specific references and model-year documentation remain the best way to judge finer presentation details beyond size alone.
Does correct tire fitment matter for a 1962 Citroen DS restoration?
Yes, correct tire fitment matters a great deal on a 1962 Citroen DS restoration because the car’s wheel-and-tire setup is part of its engineering identity as well as its appearance. The 165-400 radial size is not just a general vintage tire measurement; it reflects a specific millimetric radial application.
Restoration-minded owners should therefore avoid treating the tire as a cosmetic afterthought. Keeping the proper size and wheel pairing helps the car look right and keeps the project aligned with how the DS was meant to sit and operate, even before finer details of finish and presentation are considered.
Fitment, Maintenance & Road Use
Can modifications affect tire fitment on a 1962 Citroen DS?
Yes, modifications can affect tire fitment on a 1962 Citroen DS, especially if the car has different wheels than its original millimetric setup. Since the primary tire size is 165-400, any change in rim diameter or wheel type can alter which tire will physically match the wheel.
Suspension changes, wheel swaps, or body alterations can also influence clearance and overall compatibility. A DS that has been modified should be checked carefully at the wheel, in the wheel opening, and at full steering travel before assuming that any tire matching the car’s original size description remains appropriate.
What should I inspect before driving a 1962 Citroen DS on new tires?
Before driving a 1962 Citroen DS on new tires, inspect the wheels for damage or corrosion, confirm that the rims are the correct 400-millimeter type, and make sure the tires are mounted in the proper 165-400 size. It also helps to look over valve stems, balance, and general wheel condition.
The rest of the car deserves attention too, particularly on a collector vehicle that may have spent long periods parked. Check for adequate clearance, look for suspension or steering wear, and verify inflation before road use so the new tires are not being asked to compensate for unrelated mechanical problems.
How should 165-400 tires on a collector 1962 Citroen DS be maintained?
165-400 tires on a collector 1962 Citroen DS should be maintained with regular pressure checks, routine visual inspections, and careful storage habits. Watch for cracking, bulges, cuts, uneven wear, or slow air loss, since age and inactivity can affect vintage vehicles even when tread depth still looks serviceable.
A DS that is driven only occasionally benefits from periodic inspection rather than a wait-until-needed approach. Keeping the car away from prolonged sunlight, excessive heat, and ozone sources helps preserve the tires, and a quick pre-drive check becomes especially worthwhile before longer trips or seasonal use.
