1929 Jordan Tire Fitment Guide

1929 Jordan vehicles use four sizes across two models. The Jordan E uses 28X5.50 and 550-18, while the Jordan G uses 30X6.00 and 6.00-18. Those sizes are not shared across all 1929 Jordan models, and they also do not all use the same wheel diameter. Among the sizes with clear wheel-diameter coding or product confirmation, 550-18 fits an 18-inch wheel, 6.00-18 fits an 18-inch wheel, 28X5.50 corresponds to a 17-inch fitment, and 30X6.00 corresponds to a 24-inch fitment. Rim-width listings appear within the 550-18 offerings from 3 to 4 inches.

A 1929 Jordan owner should identify the model first and the wheels second, because year and make alone are not enough here. An E and a G can point you toward completely different fitment paths, and even within one model the tire may be listed in either an older outside-diameter format or a later numeric format. If your car has already been restored, measure the wheel and compare the sidewall markings before choosing a replacement. That approach keeps you from mixing an antique-format size with a wheel intended for a numeric 18-inch tire.

On a 1929 Jordan, 28X5.50 is an antique diameter-by-section size. The first number, 28, is the tire’s approximate outside diameter in inches, while 5.50 is the nominal section width in inches. That differs from later numeric sizing because the first number is not the wheel diameter. On the 1929 Jordan lineup, this size is associated with the E model and belongs to the older pre-war style of tire designation that was common before wheel-diameter-first sizing became more standardized.

That older code matters because it changes how you read the tire and how you verify the wheel. A buyer looking only at the leading number might incorrectly assume a very large wheel, when the actual fitment logic is based on overall tire diameter and section width instead. If your Jordan E is being restored for historical accuracy, this style of marking often aligns with an earlier visual and dimensional approach. Check the wheel itself and any surviving sidewall markings before moving from an antique-format size to a numeric-format substitute.

On a 1929 Jordan, 550-18 is a numeric bias-ply size. The 5.50 portion refers to the nominal section width in inches, and the 18 identifies the wheel diameter in inches. That is a more familiar convention to many collectors because the wheel diameter is directly stated in the code. Within the 1929 Jordan range, 550-18 is used on the E model and appears in several bias-ply product variations, including blackwall and whitewall styles.

Reading the code correctly helps separate fitment from appearance. Once you know your Jordan E uses 18-inch wheels for this size, the next decision becomes which sidewall look best matches the car’s restoration style, from plain blackwall to broader whitewall treatments. The product range also shows some variation in load ratings and rim-width pairing within this size, so it is worth confirming the actual wheel before settling on a specific tire. That is especially important on a car that may have seen wheel changes over decades of restoration work.

For 1929 Jordan, the listed sidewall variety appears within the 550-18 size used on the Jordan E. That size is available in Blackwall, Wide Whitewall, and Double-Whitewall forms. Blackwall tends to suit a simpler, more understated period presentation, while whitewall and double-whitewall versions reflect the decorative tire styling that became increasingly associated with upscale late-1920s American automobiles. All of the listed choices in that size remain bias-ply constructions, so the sidewall decision here is primarily about appearance rather than switching construction types.

A restorer should choose sidewall style according to the way the car will be presented. A formal or concours-oriented Jordan often benefits from matching the sidewall treatment to period photographs, club guidance, and the car’s trim level or body style, while a driver-quality restoration may simply aim for the look you want on the road. Because the sidewall treatment changes the visual character of the car more than most buyers expect, it is worth deciding on that early. That keeps you from narrowing to a single product before confirming whether the car should wear blackwalls or whitewalls.

The listed 1929 Jordan tire offerings in 550-18 include Excelsior, Firestone, and BFGoodrich. All of those products are bias-ply and serve the Jordan E in that size. Firestone appears in both blackwall and double-whitewall form, BFGoodrich appears in a wide whitewall version, and Excelsior appears in blackwall form. Those brand choices give a Jordan owner several historically appropriate-looking directions within one size, rather than limiting the car to a single visual or brand presentation.

Brand selection on a pre-war car often comes down to the character you want the finished vehicle to project. Some owners prioritize a well-known American legacy name on the sidewall, while others focus more on tread and sidewall appearance than on the brand itself. Since the available brands are concentrated in one Jordan E size, begin by confirming your fitment before using brand as the deciding factor. Once the size is settled, compare sidewall style, rim pairing, and load rating rather than treating all products in the same size as interchangeable.

The 550-18 choices for 1929 Jordan differ in brand, sidewall styling, listed rim pairing, weight, and in some cases load rating. The Excelsior Comp H blackwall lists a 4-inch rim and a weight of 18 pounds. The Firestone blackwall and Firestone 3.25-inch double whitewall both list a 3.25-inch rim, 1125 pounds at 32 psi, and weights of 19 and 23 pounds respectively. The BFGoodrich 3.00-inch whitewall lists a 3-inch rim, 1000 pounds at 32 psi, and a weight of 23 pounds.

Those differences matter most when you are balancing appearance with the wheel already on the car. A Jordan owner with a narrower wheel may gravitate toward a product listed around a 3-inch or 3.25-inch rim, while someone matching an existing restoration theme may be guided more by blackwall versus whitewall presentation. The load and pressure figures also show that same-size tires are not all rated identically. Treat the sidewall look, rim pairing, and load figure as a package rather than choosing solely by brand name.

Rim-width figures are shown within the 550-18 offerings for 1929 Jordan. In that size, listed pairings range from 3 inches to 4 inches depending on the specific tire: BFGoodrich is shown on a 3-inch rim, Firestone on a 3.25-inch rim, and Excelsior on a 4-inch rim. That spread shows why wheel verification matters even when the sidewall size appears identical. The tire size code alone does not tell the full story of which product best suits the wheel already on the car.

A buyer should compare the wheel on the car to the individual tire’s stated rim pairing before making a final selection. On a restored pre-war car, wheels may have been changed long ago, and two 550-18 products can still differ in how they are intended to sit on the rim. If you are working with one of the antique-format Jordan sizes, use the same caution and confirm the wheel directly. That extra check helps preserve proper profile and avoids forcing a tire onto a wheel outside the listed pairing.

1929 Jordan tires come from an era when inner tubes were commonly part of the overall wheel-and-tire setup, especially on demountable and pre-war style wheels. The listed 550-18 products do not carry tube-type or tubeless markers in the size line, so tube choice should be matched to the wheel design and the specific tire being considered. That is especially important on a 1929 automobile, where the wheel itself often determines whether tube service is appropriate. The decision is tied to the wheel and tire combination rather than to the Jordan name alone.

Before fitting a new set, inspect whether your wheels are built in a way that traditionally uses tubes, and check valve-stem condition at the same time. If your Jordan has older wheels, a fresh tube and flap strategy may be part of a proper installation even when the tire size itself looks straightforward. This is one area where hands-on inspection matters more than sidewall code alone. A pre-war tire specialist or marque expert can help confirm the right setup if the car has been restored or modified over many decades.

A 1929 Jordan should be stored in a cool, dry, dark environment with the tires kept away from direct sunlight, electric motors, battery chargers, welders, and other ozone-producing equipment. Bias-ply tires are especially prone to flat-spotting when they sit in one position for long periods, and older collector cars often spend more time parked than driven. Clean, dry floors and stable temperature matter more than dramatic climate control. Tire pressure should be maintained during storage rather than allowed to drop while the car is idle.

Periodic movement helps a great deal with a pre-war car like a Jordan. Rolling the car occasionally changes the load point on the tire, and for longer storage many owners use stands or reduce static load while still supporting the car correctly. Avoid petroleum-based dressings that can dry the rubber over time or leave a glossy finish that does nothing for preservation. A storage plan that protects the tires from ozone and static deformation will usually do more for longevity than any cosmetic treatment.

Tire life on a 1929 Jordan is usually judged more by age and condition than by mileage. Collector-car tires often accumulate very few miles, yet rubber still ages from time, heat cycling, ozone exposure, and storage conditions. A practical rule is to begin careful evaluation once a tire reaches the five- to seven-year range and to give serious replacement consideration as it approaches ten years, even if the tread still looks substantial. The DOT date code and the tire’s physical condition are more meaningful than odometer use alone.

That age-based approach is especially important on a seldom-driven pre-war car because visual appearance can be deceptive. A Jordan that only attends shows or occasional tours may still be riding on tires that have hardened internally or developed fine sidewall cracking. Keep records of installation dates and inspect the spare at the same time, since it often ages along with the road tires. If the car has older bias-ply tires from an earlier restoration, replacement should be considered as part of preventative maintenance rather than deferred until obvious failure signs appear.

Tires on a 1929 Jordan should be inspected before every drive and again before any longer outing or club tour. Look for sidewall cracking, cuts, bulges, uneven wear, embedded debris, and any sign that the tire is losing pressure between uses. Because pre-war cars often sit for extended periods, pressure retention can tell you as much as tread condition. If the car is running a tube-based setup, inspect valve stems and any signs of movement or chafing at the stem opening as part of the routine.

Frequent inspection matters because a low-use collector car can hide problems that would be caught by regular road use on a modern daily driver. A Jordan may leave the garage only occasionally, so every outing should begin with a careful walkaround and a hands-on pressure check. Pay attention to the spare as well, since it may be the only backup available on a tour. Building that habit into every drive is one of the simplest ways to protect both the car and the people riding in it.

A 1929 Jordan E would have originally used bias-ply tires, because that was standard construction for American passenger cars of the period. Within the fitments associated with the Jordan E, both 28X5.50 and 550-18 appear, reflecting the late-1920s overlap between older outside-diameter sizing and numeric wheel-diameter-based sizing. The correct choice for an individual car can depend on wheel equipment and period specification details rather than on the model name alone. Original-equipment brand should be confirmed through surviving literature or marque-specific references rather than assumed.

For restoration work, the safest approach is to verify the wheel currently on the car and then cross-check the car’s configuration with Jordan club material, factory literature, or trusted period sources. That is especially important on a niche independent make, where surviving examples may have been altered over time. If the goal is authenticity, construction type, sidewall treatment, and size format all matter, not just the nominal size. A Jordan E restored for judging should be matched as closely as possible to the car’s period-correct presentation and equipment.

Correct tire fitment matters a great deal when showing a 1929 Jordan, especially in concours or authenticity-focused judging. Judges and experienced marque enthusiasts commonly pay attention to whether the car is wearing the right size convention for the period, whether the construction is appropriate to the era, and whether the sidewall style matches the car’s intended presentation. On a late-1920s American car, a visibly modern-looking substitute or an obviously mismatched sidewall treatment can change the character of the restoration even if the car remains drivable.

The practical takeaway is to decide early whether your Jordan is being restored for show accuracy, for touring, or for a balanced middle ground. That decision influences whether you prioritize an antique-format size, a numeric bias-ply size, a blackwall look, or one of the available whitewall treatments. Event standards vary, so club guidance and show rulebooks are worth consulting before the tire decision is finalized. Tires occupy a large visual space on a pre-war car, and they can either reinforce or undermine an otherwise careful restoration.

Within 550-18 options for a 1929 Jordan, the listed Firestone and BFGoodrich tires differ in sidewall styling, rim pairing, weight, and load figure. The Firestone blackwall and Firestone 3.25-inch double whitewall each pair with a 3.25-inch rim and carry a maximum load rating of 1125 pounds at 32 psi, with listed weights of 19 and 23 pounds. The BFGoodrich 3.00-inch whitewall pairs with a 3-inch rim, weighs 23 pounds, and carries a maximum load rating of 1000 pounds at 32 psi. All remain bias-ply tires appropriate to the period.

For an authenticity-minded Jordan owner, the main distinction is how the tire will look on the car and how it matches the wheel already installed. A narrower-rim car may favor the BFGoodrich pairing, while a car already set up around a 3.25-inch rim may align more closely with the Firestone offerings. The double-whitewall presentation also creates a more decorative period statement than a plain blackwall. Comparing the tire as part of the whole restoration rather than as an isolated part usually leads to the most satisfying result.

1929 Jordan tires can be suitable for road use when they are the correct size, in sound condition, properly installed, and used within the limits of the car and tire. The listed 1929 Jordan offerings shown here are bias-ply tires, which are period-appropriate but behave differently from modern radials in steering feel, tracking, and response to road grooves. No speed ratings are shown within the listed Jordan products, so the practical limits of the car itself become especially important. On a 1929 automobile, braking, suspension, and general mechanical condition often govern comfortable touring speed more than tire capability alone.

Highway use should be approached as part of the whole vehicle’s readiness rather than as a tire question in isolation. A Jordan headed onto faster roads should have fresh, age-appropriate tires, correct inflation, sound wheels, and a thorough mechanical inspection before the trip. Bias-ply handling also rewards a driver who expects a more vintage feel and allows extra margin for lane changes, crosswinds, and braking distances. If the car has older reproduction tires of uncertain age, replacement is wise before asking it to cover sustained road miles.

Inflation pressure on a 1929 Jordan should begin with the car’s original factory guidance where available and then be checked against the specific tire’s own rated figures. Within the listed 550-18 choices, two load-and-pressure examples appear: 1125 pounds at 32 psi on certain Firestone products and 1000 pounds at 32 psi on the BFGoodrich option. Those numbers are tire ratings, not universal pressure instructions for every Jordan size. The 28X5.50, 30X6.00, and 6.00-18 entries shown here should not automatically be assigned the same pressure.

The safest approach is to treat each size and product individually rather than borrowing a pressure from another tire that merely looks similar. On a pre-war Jordan, factors like body style, wheel equipment, and how the car is actually used can all influence the final pressure choice within the tire maker’s limits. Begin with the correct size, confirm the tire’s own marking or published specification, and then compare that with period vehicle guidance if you have it. That process avoids overgeneralizing from one 550-18 tire to the entire Jordan range.

Before taking a 1929 Jordan on a longer drive, inspect every tire for cracking, cuts, bulges, irregular wear, and pressure loss, then check the valve stems and the spare. On a pre-war car, the spare deserves the same attention as the road tires because it may be original to an earlier restoration or simply forgotten. Verify that the wheel fasteners are secure and that the tires are seated properly on the wheels. A tire check should be one part of a broader inspection that also includes brakes, steering, cooling, fluids, and lighting.

That broader pre-tour routine matters because even a properly sized tire cannot compensate for the age-related needs of a 1929 automobile. Bias-ply tires also reward a little extra planning: maintain pressure, avoid loading the car carelessly, and give yourself more distance and time than you would in a modern vehicle. If the Jordan has been parked for weeks or months, roll it out slowly and pay attention to any vibration from temporary flat-spotting. A careful inspection before departure is far easier than troubleshooting a tire problem on the roadside.