1929 Whippet Tire Fitment Guide

1929 Whippet vehicles use four size designations across two models. The 1929 Whippet 96A uses 28X4.75 and 475-19, while the 1929 Whippet 98A uses 29X5.00 and 500-19. The purchasable numeric sizes listed here, 475-19 and 500-19, both mount on 19-inch rims. Rim width guidance differs by size: 475-19 is built around a 3-inch rim, while 500-19 appears on 4-inch rims and, in one product, a broader 4.00-to-5.00-inch range.

That means the first fitment question for a 1929 Whippet is model identification, not just year and make. A 96A and a 98A do not share the same tire size family, even though both numeric options use 19-inch wheels. Once the model is confirmed, the choice becomes much simpler, because you can focus on the correct size expression and then choose the sidewall style or brand character that best fits your restoration goals.

On a 1929 Whippet, 28X4.75 is an antique diameter-by-section size. The first number, 28, refers to the tire's approximate overall diameter in inches, and the second number, 4.75, refers to its nominal section width. It is a bias-ply format used on the 1929 Whippet 96A and reflects an older way of expressing tire dimensions that was common during the late 1920s.

That style of code can look unfamiliar if you are used to later numeric or metric sizing. For a 1929 Whippet owner, it helps explain why a car may be described one way in older literature and another way in modern reproduction catalogs. If your 96A is being restored with close attention to period presentation, understanding that antique code makes it easier to connect the original fitment language with the 19-inch numeric size used for available replacement tires.

On a 1929 Whippet, 475-19 is a numeric bias-ply size. The 475 stands for a nominal 4.75-inch section width, written without the decimal in the traditional shorthand, and 19 is the rim diameter in inches. This size belongs to the 1929 Whippet 96A. Available versions include Goodyear Blackwall and Wide Whitewall tires, each carrying a listed maximum load of 900 pounds at 32 psi.

For a 96A owner, that code is the more straightforward modern catalog expression to work from when comparing actual products. It also tells you immediately that the tire mounts on a 19-inch wheel, which is useful when checking the car's existing rims during a restoration or long-dormant recommissioning. Once the size is confirmed, your remaining choice is mostly visual, since the current options differ primarily by sidewall treatment rather than by construction type.

1929 Whippet tire sidewall choices vary by size. In 475-19 for the 96A, the available styles are Blackwall and Wide Whitewall. In 500-19 for the 98A, the listed products are Blackwall only. All of the currently listed options are bias-ply tires, so the sidewall decision is mainly about visual presentation within the correct model-specific size.

That distinction matters because sidewall appearance can strongly influence how a late-1920s car reads visually, especially on a smaller, upright-bodied car like a Whippet. A blackwall usually gives a more restrained period service look, while a wide whitewall creates a brighter, more formal presentation. If authenticity for a specific event or market-correct restoration matters, it is wise to compare your choice against period photos, club guidance, and the style of trim your particular car carries.

Three brands appear in the available 1929 Whippet tire range. Goodyear supplies the 475-19 size used on the 96A, while Excelsior and Firestone supply the 500-19 size used on the 98A. All of those listed offerings are bias-ply tires. Brand choice therefore follows the model-specific size first, then the look or specialty character of the individual tire.

For a buyer, that means brand selection is not evenly interchangeable across the whole 1929 Whippet lineup. A 96A owner is choosing among Goodyear versions within 475-19, while a 98A owner is deciding between Excelsior and Firestone within 500-19. It is useful to compare not just the name on the sidewall, but also the sidewall style, listed rim-width compatibility, and whether the tread design suits a stock road car or a more specialized vintage presentation.

For the 1929 Whippet 98A, both the Excelsior Comp H and Firestone Dirt Track are offered in 500-19 bias-ply form, but they are not identical. The Excelsior Comp H is listed with a 4-inch rim width and a 20-pound tire weight. The Firestone Dirt Track Ribbed Front is listed with a 4.00-to-5.00-inch rim width range, a 19-pound weight, and a maximum load of 895 pounds at 32 psi. Both are Blackwall tires.

That makes the decision less about overall size and more about the type of build you are trying to support. A buyer working from stock-style wheel dimensions may focus closely on the rim-width requirement, while someone drawn to a specialty vintage competition look may pay more attention to the Firestone's ribbed-front character. Before choosing either one, verify the actual wheel width on the car so the product's rim recommendation matches the hardware you plan to use.

Rim width requirements for 1929 Whippet tires depend on the size. The 475-19 tires used on the 1929 Whippet 96A are listed for a 3-inch rim width. The 500-19 tires used on the 1929 Whippet 98A appear in two forms: one is specified for a 4-inch rim, and another is listed for a 4.00-to-5.00-inch rim width range. Both numeric sizes mount on 19-inch rims.

That is why measuring the actual wheel matters before making a final tire choice, especially on an older car that may have had wheel swaps over the decades. Even within the same 500-19 size, different products can accommodate different rim-width ranges. A quick wheel check prevents a mismatch between the tire you prefer and the wheel you already have, and it is especially important when comparing standard road tires with more specialized vintage patterns.

Original 1929 Whippet wheels can only be used with the tire sizes intended for the correct model. The available numeric fitments, 475-19 for the 96A and 500-19 for the 98A, both use 19-inch rim diameters, so there is shared diameter compatibility at that level. Even so, the sizes are not interchangeable across the model range, and their rim-width requirements differ. A 475-19 centers on a 3-inch rim, while 500-19 products call for wider rims.

In practical terms, that means a 19-inch wheel alone does not make every 1929 Whippet tire option suitable for every car. The wheel still has to match the width requirement of the specific tire, and the model has to match the size family. If your car has original wheels, verify their width and confirm whether the car is a 96A or 98A before treating another 19-inch Whippet tire as a direct substitute.

A 1929 Whippet should be stored in a cool, dry, dark space away from direct sunlight, electric motors, battery chargers, furnaces, and other ozone-producing equipment that can accelerate rubber aging. Because every listed 1929 Whippet tire here is bias-ply, long static storage can encourage flat-spotting more readily than many later radial designs. Clean, dry floors help, and the car should not sit in standing moisture or near petroleum contamination.

For a collector car that is driven only occasionally, the simplest good habit is to move the car periodically so the contact patch changes, or use appropriate stands if it will sit for a long stretch. Keep inflation pressure checked during storage, since underinflation makes flat-spotting and casing stress worse. A proper storage routine pays off when the car comes back into service and helps preserve both the appearance and ride quality of vintage-style tires.

On a 1929 Whippet, tire life is usually judged more by age and condition than by mileage. Collector-car tires should be evaluated regularly once they are around five to seven years old, and many owners begin serious replacement consideration around the ten-year mark even if tread depth still looks acceptable. The DOT date code on the tire is the starting point for age tracking, and visible cracking, hardening, or deformation can justify earlier replacement.

That matters because a lightly driven vintage car can keep old-looking tires on the car for a very long time without wearing them out in the normal modern sense. A 1929 Whippet that sees parades, local touring, or seasonal use can still age its tires substantially just from time, storage environment, and heat cycles. If the car has been dormant for years, treat the tires as aged components first and roadworthy parts second until they are carefully inspected.

Tires on a 1929 Whippet should be inspected before every drive and again before any longer outing. Look for sidewall cracking, tread separation, cuts, bulges, uneven wear, and pressure loss. On a car of this age, include the valve stems and the spare in the same routine, since a spare that has not been checked in years may be no more roadworthy than a worn tire on the car.

That inspection habit is especially important on a pre-war vehicle because the tire is only one part of a much older mechanical system. Short local drives can hide developing problems that become obvious only after speed builds or the car carries extra heat over distance. A careful walkaround takes very little time, and it gives you a chance to catch aging rubber, loose trim contact, or wheel issues before they turn into a roadside problem.

The 1929 Whippet 96A belongs to an era when bias-ply construction was the standard tire type, and its listed fitments here are 28X4.75 and 475-19. Those two expressions reflect period sizing language rather than different modern tire technologies. No original-equipment brand should be assumed from the currently available replacement range alone, but the correct starting point for a stock-style 96A is the proper model-specific size in a bias-ply construction.

For restoration work, the practical goal is to match the size family, construction type, and sidewall look that fit the car's intended presentation. A driver-quality 96A may simply need the right bias-ply size and a preferred sidewall style, while a judged car may call for much tighter period accuracy. If you are chasing exact factory-delivery details for a specific body style or market, Whippet marque specialists and club archives are the best next step.

Correct tire fitment does matter when showing a 1929 Whippet, particularly because late-1920s cars are visually sensitive to tire diameter, section width, construction style, and sidewall treatment. Judges and knowledgeable enthusiasts often notice whether the size suits the model and whether the tire's overall appearance matches the period. On a 96A, for example, using the 96A size family matters just as much as choosing between a blackwall and whitewall presentation that fits the car's intended look.

A tire that is technically mountable but visually or historically out of character can stand out immediately on a pre-war car. That does not mean every show requires the same standard, since touring events, local shows, and formal judging all emphasize different things. Before finalizing a set for a high-level restoration, compare your choice against the rules of the event and seek guidance from Whippet enthusiasts who know how the model was commonly presented.

The 1929 Whippet 98A also belongs to the all-bias-ply era, and its listed fitments here are 29X5.00 and 500-19. Those are the size designations that anchor an authentic-style replacement search for the larger 98A model. The available replacement products today use the numeric 500-19 expression, but the antique-style 29X5.00 code remains useful when comparing older literature, restoration records, and period references.

For an owner restoring a 98A, the key is to stay within the proper model-specific size family before weighing brand or tread-pattern differences. That preserves the car's stance and proportion better than choosing a tire only because it shares a 19-inch wheel diameter. If your goal is a highly exact restoration, use the proper size and bias-ply construction as your foundation, then confirm body-style and market-specific presentation details with marque resources.

1929 Whippet tires can be suitable for normal road use when they are the correct size, in sound condition, properly mounted, and inflated correctly for the application. Every listed option here is a bias-ply tire, and no speed rating is shown for these products, so they should be approached as vintage-style tires for an early collector car rather than treated like modern high-speed radials. On a car from 1929, the limits of brakes, steering, chassis behavior, and overall mechanical condition are often more important than absolute tire capability alone.

That means safe highway use depends heavily on how the whole car is prepared and how it is driven. A well-sorted 1929 Whippet used at reasonable, era-appropriate speeds is a very different case from a car being pushed hard in modern traffic. Before any sustained road use, confirm the tires are free from age-related defects, the wheels are sound, and the rest of the chassis is ready for the trip rather than expecting the tire alone to define roadworthiness.

Inflation pressure on a 1929 Whippet should follow the tire maker's rated limits and the vehicle's original factory guidance for the specific model and size. The listed 475-19 tires show a maximum load of 900 pounds at 32 psi, and one listed 500-19 tire shows 895 pounds at 32 psi. Those figures are load-and-pressure ratings for those specific tires, not a blanket instruction to run every 1929 Whippet tire at the same pressure under all conditions.

For practical setup, use the correct size for the correct model first, then compare the tire's rating with the owner's manual or marque guidance for recommended operating pressure. Pressure should also reflect how the car is actually used, including passenger load and whether the car sees short local drives or longer touring. Avoid copying a pressure from one size family to another, because the 96A and 98A do not share identical tire specifications.

Before a longer drive in a 1929 Whippet, inspect each tire for cracking, cuts, bulges, tread irregularities, and any sign of separation or impact damage. Confirm cold inflation pressure, check that the valve stems are sound, and make sure the spare is usable. Because the listed 1929 Whippet tires are model-specific by size, it is also worth confirming that all four road tires and the spare match the correct size family for your 96A or 98A.

That tire check should be part of a broader pre-drive routine on any late-1920s car. Wheels, wheel fasteners, brakes, steering play, wheel bearings, and basic fluid levels deserve the same attention before distance touring. A 1929 Whippet can be an enjoyable road car within its natural pace, but older machines reward preparation, and tire condition is one of the easiest places to prevent a trip-ending problem before it starts.