1930 Durant Tire Fitment Guide

1930 Durant vehicles use four sizes across two models: the 14 Series uses 29X5.00 and 500-19, while the 17 Series uses 29X5.50 and 550-19. The listed current products appear in the numeric 19-inch sizes, and all of the sizes here center on 19-inch wheel diameter. Rim-width guidance is available for 500-19 at 4 to 5 inches depending on product, and for 550-19 at 2.50 to 3.00 inches.

That means a 1930 Durant owner should identify the series first, then compare the actual wheel and the size already on the car. The antique-style sizes and the numeric sizes can point to the same general 19-inch rim family, but they are not interchangeable shorthand across both models. A 14 Series owner should stay within the 14 Series size set, and a 17 Series owner should stay within the 17 Series size set before choosing among blackwall, whitewall, or specialty-use products.

On a 1930 Durant, 29X5.00 is an antique diameter-by-section size. The first number, 29, refers to the tire's overall outside diameter in inches, while 5.00 refers to nominal section width. That is different from later modern sizing, which usually highlights section width and wheel diameter more directly. For 1930 Durant fitment, 29X5.00 belongs to the 14 Series and stays within bias-ply, pre-war tire practice.

A size like 29X5.00 makes the most sense when you are interpreting original-era markings or sorting out what an older restoration was intended to use. It is helpful as a historical fitment reference, but you should still compare it with the actual wheel diameter and the current tires on the car before selecting a replacement. On pre-war cars, especially those that have changed hands or been restored long ago, tire markings on the vehicle itself are often the best confirmation.

No. The 1930 Durant 14 Series uses 29X5.00 and 500-19, while the 1930 Durant 17 Series uses 29X5.50 and 550-19. Both models live in the same pre-war Durant family, but their tire sizes are model-specific rather than shared across the full make and year. Every listed size here is bias-ply, but the actual size code changes with the series.

That distinction matters because ordering by year and make alone can put you into the wrong width. If the car's body tags, title, or prior restoration records are unclear, check the model identification before making a tire decision. Once the series is settled, you can choose the correct size path much more confidently, whether you are trying to preserve a restoration's original look or simply put the car back on a correct 19-inch tire.

The listed 1930 Durant product range includes blackwall choices in 500-19 and both blackwall and wide whitewall choices in 550-19. Excelsior and Firestone offerings in 500-19 are blackwall only, while BFGoodrich offers 550-19 in either blackwall or a 3.25-inch wide whitewall. All of these listed options remain bias-ply, which keeps them in step with the construction expected on a 1930 car.

For a strict early-1930 appearance, blackwall is often the safer visual baseline unless a specific restoration standard or period photo points you toward whitewalls. Wide whitewalls can suit many pre-war American restorations, but show judging and marque expectations can vary by body style, market, and restoration philosophy. If authenticity matters as much as fitment, choose sidewall style only after you have settled the correct model and size.

Three brands appear in the listed 1930 Durant range: Excelsior and Firestone in 500-19, and BFGoodrich in 550-19. All of the listed products are bias-ply and all fit 19-inch wheels, but the brand mix changes with the size rather than carrying across the entire year and make. That makes the correct model identification just as important as brand preference.

Brand choice on a 1930 Durant is less about a universal make-wide option and more about what exists within the size that fits your specific series. A 14 Series owner looking at 500-19 will see a different mix than a 17 Series owner shopping 550-19. Once the size is confirmed, then it makes sense to compare visual style, rim-width compatibility, and whether you want a straightforward road tire look or a more specialized tread character.

For 1930 Durant vehicles using 550-19, both BFGoodrich choices share the same bias-ply construction, the same 19-inch rim diameter, the same 2.50 to 3.00 inch rim-width range, and the same listed maximum load of 1040 pounds at 32 psi. The main visible difference is sidewall treatment: one is blackwall and the other uses a 3.25-inch wide whitewall. The whitewall version is also slightly heavier.

That makes this a styling decision more than a fitment decision, provided the car is a 17 Series and 550-19 is the correct size. Owners trying to keep a more understated pre-war appearance may lean toward blackwall, while a whitewall can create a more formal restoration look. Since the structural specs are otherwise aligned, the better choice depends on the visual character you want the finished car to present.

For 1930 Durant vehicles, the listed rim-width guidance varies by size and product. In 500-19, one listed tire fits a 4-inch rim and another covers a 4.00 to 5.00 inch range. In 550-19, the listed BFGoodrich tires call for a 2.50 to 3.00 inch rim. Those numbers show that rim width should be checked by the exact tire, not assumed across the whole year and make.

A pre-war car can easily carry replacement wheels or mixed hardware after decades of repairs and restorations, so measuring the actual wheel before final selection is worthwhile. Even when two tires share the same 19-inch diameter, their approved rim widths can differ considerably. Matching the tire to the wheel's width helps preserve the intended shape of the casing and avoids unnecessary fitment problems on an already specialized vintage application.

Original 1930 Durant wheels can remain part of the equation because every listed size here centers on a 19-inch rim diameter, but that does not make all sizes universal across both models. The 14 Series and 17 Series use different widths, and the listed current products also show different approved rim-width ranges by size. Diameter compatibility is the easy part; width and model correctness still have to match.

That means a 19-inch wheel from one 1930 Durant series should not automatically be treated as the right wheel for the other. Before reusing original wheels with a replacement tire, confirm the series, inspect the wheel's condition, and compare the tire's approved rim-width range to the wheel you actually have. On a 95-year-old car, original-looking hardware can still hide decades of substitutions, so physical verification is always worth the effort.

A 1930 Durant should be stored out of direct sunlight, away from ozone-producing equipment such as electric motors, battery chargers, and welders, and in a dry space with stable temperature if possible. Because every listed 1930 Durant tire is bias-ply, long periods of sitting can encourage flat-spotting more readily than many later radial designs. Keeping the tires clean and properly inflated before storage helps reduce casing stress.

If the car will sit for months, roll it periodically or support it in a way that relieves prolonged load from one contact patch. That is especially useful on a light-use collector car that only comes out for shows or occasional tours. A breathable cover over the vehicle helps the whole car, but keeping the tires out of sun and ozone is what most directly preserves sidewall condition and slows age-related cracking.

On a 1930 Durant, tire age usually matters more than mileage because these cars are often driven sparingly. A sensible rule is to evaluate tires closely once they reach the five- to seven-year range and to consider replacement around ten years regardless of tread depth, especially on a pre-war car that may still look lightly used. The DOT date code on the tire is the starting point for that timeline.

Collector vehicles can fool owners because the tread often remains present while the rubber and casing continue to age. A tire that looks attractive on a show field may still be past its best road-going years if the date code is old or the sidewalls are drying out. Replacement timing should be guided by age, storage history, inspection results, and how far from home you expect the 1930 Durant to travel.

Tires on a 1930 Durant should be inspected before every drive and again before any longer outing or tour. Look for sidewall cracking, cuts, bulges, uneven wear, and any sign that the tire is losing pressure between drives. On a low-use car, those checks matter more than a mileage interval because time and storage conditions often create issues before tread wear does.

A regular inspection routine also gives you a chance to catch wheel or chassis problems that can show up through the tires first, such as irregular wear or a sudden pressure change. Include the spare in the same routine, since an old but unused spare is often the oldest tire on the car. A few careful minutes in the garage are far easier than dealing with a roadside problem in a pre-war Durant.

The 1930 Durant 14 Series belongs to a period when bias-ply construction was standard, and its listed fitments are 29X5.00 and 500-19. That aligns with the transitional sizing language often seen on late-1920s and early-1930s American cars, where antique-style overall-diameter markings and numeric 19-inch sizing can both appear in the restoration conversation. No original-equipment brand should be assumed from that alone.

For a restoration, the practical lesson is that construction type and visual presentation matter just as much as the raw numbers. If the car is being judged, consult period sales literature, club references, or a Durant specialist to confirm what is expected for your body style and market. If the goal is a faithful driver rather than a concours entry, staying within the correct 14 Series size family is the key first step.

Correct tire fitment matters on a 1930 Durant because judges and knowledgeable enthusiasts often notice whether the size, construction, and sidewall style suit the car's era and specific model. A 14 Series wearing a 17 Series size, or a restoration using a sidewall treatment that clashes with the period character, can stand out quickly. Since 1930 Durant is firmly a pre-war application, bias-ply construction is part of that visual and historical equation.

What counts as correct can still vary with the event, so a touring car judged lightly may be treated differently than a nationally judged restoration. If show points are important, verify expectations with the sponsoring club or the judging guidelines before settling on blackwall versus whitewall and before choosing between antique-style and numeric size notation in your restoration research. Correctness in this era is often about the whole presentation, not just a single number on the sidewall.

The 1930 Durant 17 Series uses 29X5.50 and 550-19 in the listed fitment range, and both belong to the bias-ply world that defined American passenger cars of this period. As with the 14 Series, that mix reflects how early-1930s sizing can be expressed in more than one way without changing the car's fundamentally pre-war tire character. Nothing in the listed range identifies a specific original factory brand.

For a 17 Series restoration, focus first on using the correct model-specific width rather than assuming any 1930 Durant tire will do. After that, sidewall appearance becomes the next authenticity decision, especially because 550-19 is available in both blackwall and wide whitewall form. If the car has period photos, dealer literature, or long-term family history, those references can help you choose the look that best suits the way your particular Durant is being restored.

1930 Durant tires can be suitable for road use when they are the correct size, in sound condition, and used within the limits of their construction and the vehicle itself. The listed 1930 Durant products are all bias-ply, and no speed ratings are called out in the available range. On a car from 1930, the vehicle's own brakes, suspension design, steering condition, and overall mechanical health are often just as important to safe travel as the tire choice.

That means highway use should be approached with realism rather than by chasing a modern standard the car was never built around. Freshly inspected bias-ply tires on a properly sorted Durant can be entirely reasonable for touring, but a longer drive calls for conservative speeds and a close look at the whole chassis beforehand. The safest approach is matching expectations to the age and character of the car instead of treating it like a later interstate cruiser.

Pressure on a 1930 Durant should be set by the specific tire and the vehicle's intended loading, not copied from another size in the lineup. The listed load-and-pressure figures are 895 pounds at 32 psi for one 500-19 product and 1040 pounds at 32 psi for the listed 550-19 products. Those figures describe tire capacity at a stated pressure rather than serving as a blanket instruction for every 1930 Durant application.

The best practice is to start with the factory vehicle recommendation if you have reliable original literature, then compare that with the reproduction tire maker's stated pressure guidance for the exact size you are using. A 14 Series and a 17 Series should not be treated as identical, and neither should 500-19 and 550-19. Pressure affects ride, handling feel, tread shape, and casing life, so it deserves size-specific attention.

Before a longer drive in a 1930 Durant, inspect each tire for cracking, cuts, bulges, embedded debris, uneven wear, and any sign of pressure loss since the last outing. Confirm that the tires are the correct size for the series, check the valve stems, and inspect the spare with the same care you give the four on the car. A pre-war vehicle that sits often can hide age-related tire issues even when the tread still looks presentable.

Tire checks should be part of a broader pre-drive routine that includes wheels, brakes, steering play, fluid levels, and basic fastener security. Longer trips place more continuous heat and load into an old chassis than a short local drive, so small problems matter more. A calm, methodical inspection before departure is one of the best ways to make a 1930 Durant tour feel enjoyable instead of uncertain.