The 1987 Lincoln Town Car came from a period when traditional American luxury still meant a long wheelbase, formal styling, and a quiet highway ride. Buyers looking after one today usually want the same unhurried character, whether the car is kept as a well-preserved driver or restored for shows and weekend use. This model uses a 215/70R15 radial tire on a 15-inch rim across the covered lineup. Within that size, there is still plenty of room to tailor the look with blackwall, narrow whitewall, wide whitewall, pin-white-stripe, redline, and raised white letter options from several established brands. The real choice is less about fitment range and more about appearance, road use, and staying faithful to the car’s intended presence.
Which Tire Size Is Right for The 1987 Lincoln Town Car
The 1987 Lincoln Town Car uses one primary tire size: 215/70R15, a radial tire built for a 15-inch rim. That fitment is shared across the Base, Cartier, and Signature models, so the main decision is not which size fits, but which version of that size best matches the car’s appearance, driving use, and wheel setup.
A 215/70R15 size uses a 215 millimeter nominal section width, a 70-series aspect ratio, radial construction, and a 15-inch rim diameter. For the 1987 Lincoln Town Car, that means a modern radial fitment consistent with the car’s late-classic luxury-touring role rather than an earlier bias-ply setup. Available choices in this size include BFGoodrich, Cooper, Michelin, Dunlop, Avon, Maxxis, Travelstar, Vredestein, and Coker Classic, with sidewall treatments ranging from blackwall to whitewall, redline, and RWL. Choosing within 215/70R15 comes down to balancing period-style presentation, rim-width compatibility, and the kind of road use the car will actually see.
Tire fitment is straightforward across the covered 1987 Lincoln Town Car sub-models because each one uses the same 215/70R15 radial size. Checking the exact sub-model still helps confirm that the car has not been altered with different wheels or a non-stock stance over the years.
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1987 Lincoln Town Car Base
The 1987 Lincoln Town Car Base uses the same 215/70R15 radial fitment as the other covered Town Car versions. That keeps tire selection focused on sidewall style, brand, and rim-width compatibility rather than sorting through multiple factory size combinations.
The 1987 Lincoln Town Car Cartier also uses 215/70R15 radial tires on a 15-inch rim. For this sub-model, the practical choice is whether to lean toward a formal whitewall presentation, a cleaner blackwall look, or another period-style sidewall treatment within the correct size.
The 1987 Lincoln Town Car Signature shares the 215/70R15 radial fitment used across the lineup. That makes product selection more about the car’s intended personality as a cruiser, show car, or preserved original-style driver than about changing tire dimensions.
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 1987 Lincoln Town Car Tires for Sale
Available 215/70R15 choices for the 1987 Lincoln Town Car span brands such as BFGoodrich, Cooper, Michelin, Dunlop, Avon, Maxxis, Travelstar, Vredestein, and Coker Classic. The product grid is especially useful for comparing sidewall style, tire series, and rim-width specifications within the same core radial fitment.
These FAQs focus on 1987 Lincoln Town Car tire size, 15-inch rim fitment, available radial styles, restoration-minded appearance choices, and the inspections worth making before putting a low-use luxury car back on the road.
Tire Size & Fitment
What tire size fits a 1987 Lincoln Town Car?
The 1987 Lincoln Town Car uses a 215/70R15 tire size. It is a radial fitment built around a 15-inch rim, and that same size applies across the covered Base, Cartier, and Signature sub-models.
Because there is one primary size across the lineup, the real fitment check is making sure the car still has the correct wheel diameter and an appropriate wheel width for the tire being considered. On an older Town Car, it is also smart to confirm that previous owners did not install aftermarket wheels or suspension changes that could affect clearance or stance.
What size rim does a 1987 Lincoln Town Car use?
The primary tire fitment for a 1987 Lincoln Town Car is built around a 15-inch rim. The 215/70R15 size itself confirms that 15-inch wheel diameter, and the available products in this fitment are matched to that same rim diameter.
Rim diameter is only part of the wheel check. Different 215/70R15 products can have different approved rim-width specifications, so the actual wheel width should be confirmed before settling on a tire. That matters even more if the car has replacement wheels, since a Town Car that looks stock from a distance may no longer be on its original wheel setup.
Do all 1987 Lincoln Town Car sub-models use the same tire size?
Yes. The covered 1987 Lincoln Town Car sub-models all use the same 215/70R15 radial tire size. That includes the Base, Cartier, and Signature versions, so there is no separate primary size to sort out between those trims.
That shared fitment simplifies shopping because the decision shifts from size selection to tire character and appearance. A buyer can compare blackwall, narrow whitewall, wide whitewall, pin-white-stripe, redline, or raised white letter treatments without changing the underlying size. It is still wise to inspect the actual car closely, especially if the wheels, ride height, or suspension have been changed over time.
Choosing the Right Tire
What should I consider when choosing a 215/70R15 tire for a 1987 Lincoln Town Car?
Start with the correct 215/70R15 size and 15-inch rim diameter, then compare the tire’s construction, approved rim-width specification, load figure, and overall presentation. Since the Town Car is a full-size luxury car, many owners also care about whether the tire looks formal and period-appropriate on the vehicle.
A whitewall or pin-striped sidewall often suits the Town Car’s character, while blackwall or RWL options create a different visual effect. Beyond looks, match the tire to the way the car is used. A preserved weekend cruiser, a show-oriented restoration, and a regularly driven highway car may all call for different priorities within the same 215/70R15 fitment.
What sidewall styles are available for 1987 Lincoln Town Car tires?
The 1987 Lincoln Town Car’s 215/70R15 fitment is available in several sidewall styles, including blackwall, narrow whitewall, wide whitewall, pin-white-stripe, redline, and RWL. That variety gives owners room to choose a tire that complements the car’s formal late-1980s luxury appearance or creates a more custom presentation.
Sidewall style does not change the basic tire size, but it can dramatically change the look of the car. A wide whitewall tends to emphasize traditional luxury styling, while blackwall keeps the appearance more understated. Redline and raised white letter options are also available, though they create a different visual impression and should be chosen with the car’s intended character in mind.
What brands offer tires for the 1987 Lincoln Town Car?
The 1987 Lincoln Town Car’s 215/70R15 size is available from BFGoodrich, Cooper, Michelin, Dunlop, Avon, Maxxis, Travelstar, Vredestein, and Coker Classic. Those choices cover a broad mix of traditional-looking tires, blackwall performance-style offerings, and whitewall-oriented options for a more formal presentation.
Brand alone should not decide the purchase. It helps to compare each tire’s sidewall treatment, series, approved wheel-width range, and load specification where shown. Since all of the choices stay within the same base size, the smarter approach is to pick the combination that suits the car’s visual style, wheel setup, and expected use rather than chasing a name alone.
Restoration & Appearance
Which tire should I choose for a period-style 1987 Lincoln Town Car?
A period-style 1987 Lincoln Town Car usually starts with the correct 215/70R15 radial size and then narrows the choice by sidewall treatment. Whitewall and pin-white-stripe options often align more naturally with the Town Car’s formal luxury character, while blackwall choices can suit a cleaner or more understated presentation.
Appearance goals matter, but so does overall setup. Tire selection should still account for wheel width and how the car sits today, especially if it has seen suspension work or wheel changes. When exact originality is important, period photos, marque references, and vehicle-specific historical material can help refine the final sidewall and brand decision.
How does tire construction affect the appearance of a restored 1987 Lincoln Town Car?
On a 1987 Lincoln Town Car, construction is simple because the primary fitment is already radial. That means the appearance difference usually comes less from bias-ply versus radial questions and more from sidewall style, tread presentation, and the overall character of the tire series chosen within 215/70R15.
A wide whitewall can make the car read more formal and traditional, while blackwall gives a more restrained look. Redline or raised white letter options create a noticeably different visual statement. For a restoration-oriented car, keeping the correct size and a visually appropriate sidewall usually has a greater effect on authenticity than chasing unusual styling cues.
Fitment, Maintenance & Road Use
Can modifications affect tire fitment on a 1987 Lincoln Town Car?
Yes. Even though the primary fitment is 215/70R15 on a 15-inch rim, modifications can change whether a particular tire is suitable on an individual 1987 Lincoln Town Car. Aftermarket wheels, altered wheel width, suspension changes, or body and stance modifications can all affect clearance and compatibility.
A Town Car may still wear the correct diameter wheel but have a width or offset that changes how the tire sits under the car. Steering clearance and fender room should be checked carefully before finalizing any selection. That is especially important on a collector vehicle that may have been customized decades ago and later returned toward stock appearance.
What should I inspect before driving a 1987 Lincoln Town Car on new tires?
Before putting a 1987 Lincoln Town Car back into service on new tires, inspect the wheels for correct diameter and sound condition, then look over suspension and steering components for looseness or wear. Tire pressure should be set correctly, and the car should be checked for even stance and adequate clearance at full steering lock.
A long-stored luxury car can hide age-related issues that new tires will not fix. Brake condition, alignment, and old air leaks around valves or wheel surfaces are also worth attention. After the first few drives, recheck pressure and look for any rubbing, uneven wear, or changes in handling so small fitment issues are caught early.
How should 215/70R15 tires on a collector 1987 Lincoln Town Car be maintained?
Collector-car tires in 215/70R15 should be inspected regularly for pressure loss, tread wear, sidewall cracking, bulges, and cuts, even if the 1987 Lincoln Town Car is driven infrequently. Low annual mileage does not stop tires from aging, and long periods of storage can be just as important as road use in determining condition.
Storage habits make a difference on a large luxury car that may sit for weeks or months at a time. Keeping the car away from prolonged sunlight, excess moisture, and ozone sources helps preserve the tires. Periodic movement, routine pressure checks, and close visual inspections before longer drives are good habits for maintaining both ride quality and road readiness.
