1931 Pontiac Tire Fitment Guide

1931 Pontiac vehicles covered here use one tire size: 500-19. That size applies to the 1931 Pontiac 6 Cyl., and the available tires mount on a 19-inch rim. Current products in this size show rim width compatibility at 4 inches on one tire and 4.00 to 5.00 inches on another, so the wheel itself should be checked before making a final choice.

That makes the fitment question much simpler than on year-make pages that split by model or wheel diameter. If your car is a 1931 Pontiac 6 Cyl. and still carries the correct 19-inch wheels, your next step is choosing the bias-ply tire that best fits your restoration goals and the actual rim width on the car rather than sorting through multiple size families.

On a 1931 Pontiac tire, 500-19 is a numeric bias-ply size. The 5.00 portion identifies the nominal section width class, and the 19 identifies the wheel diameter in inches. This is an older American sizing convention used widely in the prewar era, and it does not follow the later metric format seen on modern radial tires.

Understanding that code helps keep the focus on the dimensions that actually matter for your car: the tire family and the wheel diameter. It also explains why a 1931 Pontiac should not be matched by guesswork to a later alphanumeric or metric size without careful comparison, since the numbering system itself belongs to a different period of tire design and vehicle fitment.

Yes. The 1931 Pontiac model covered here, the 6 Cyl., uses the same 500-19 tire size throughout this year-make grouping. There is no second factory-style size family listed here to separate one body style or trim from another, and the available replacement tires are all built around the same 19-inch rim diameter.

That consistency is useful for buyers who know they have a 1931 Pontiac but have not yet sorted through every body designation. It means the key checks are the actual wheel dimensions and the kind of tire appearance you want on the car, not choosing between multiple diameter groups. For a car that has seen wheel changes over the decades, confirming the rim before purchase remains the smart last step.

1931 Pontiac tires in 500-19 are currently available in blackwall form. That suits the early-1930s character of the car well, since blackwall tires are strongly aligned with the period appearance most prewar American restorers expect to see. No alternate whitewall treatment appears within the available products for this year-make-size combination.

For many owners, that makes the visual decision easy because the available sidewall style already matches the era. The more important distinction becomes whether you want a straightforward road-going bias-ply look or a more specialized ribbed-front style tied to racing or hot rod use. If the car is being restored for authenticity, blackwall presentation keeps the overall appearance in step with 1931 Pontiac design language.

Two brands currently cover 1931 Pontiac in 500-19: Excelsior and Firestone. Both offerings are bias-ply blackwall tires sized for 19-inch wheels, but they are presented in different series, with Excelsior offering the Comp H and Firestone offering a Dirt Track Ribbed Front version in the same numeric size.

That means brand choice on a 1931 Pontiac is less about chasing a different fitment and more about selecting the tire character that matches the car's purpose. One owner may want a traditional roadgoing prewar appearance, while another may be building a period-style special that leans into early competition flavor. Looking at the sidewall presentation, tread style, and rim-width compatibility is usually more useful here than choosing by brand name alone.

Both the Excelsior Comp H and Firestone Dirt Track Ribbed Front fit the 1931 Pontiac in 500-19 and both are bias-ply blackwall tires for 19-inch rims. The Excelsior lists a 4-inch rim width and a 20-pound tire weight, while the Firestone lists a broader 4.00 to 5.00-inch rim width range, a 19-pound weight, and a maximum load figure of 895 pounds at 32 psi. The Firestone's ribbed-front naming also points to a more specialized front-tire character than a general-purpose vintage road tire.

For a buyer, the practical difference is application. If your wheel is exactly 4 inches wide and you want a traditional prewar look, the Excelsior may align with that goal. If your wheel falls within the wider listed rim range or your build leans toward speedster, dirt track, or period competition styling, the Firestone may make more sense. Matching the tire to the car's intended personality matters as much as matching the size.

For 1931 Pontiac tires in 500-19, the listed rim width depends on the product. The Excelsior Comp H is specified for a 4-inch rim, while the Firestone Dirt Track Ribbed Front is listed for rims from 4.00 to 5.00 inches wide. Both tires fit a 19-inch wheel diameter, but the width range is not identical across the available choices.

That makes wheel measurement an important step even when the tire size itself is straightforward. A car with original-style narrow wheels may naturally point you toward one product, while a car with a slightly wider compatible rim may open the door to another. Measuring the wheel before selection helps avoid forcing a tire onto a rim outside the maker's intended width range.

At this year-make level, there is only one tire size to consider, so there is no cross-size compatibility question to solve. The available 500-19 tires are built for 19-inch wheels, which aligns with the original-style wheel diameter for the 1931 Pontiac 6 Cyl. The key setup point is confirming the wheel's actual width against the individual tire's listed rim-width requirement.

For most owners keeping stock-type wheels, that means diameter is the easy part and width is the final check. If the car has replacement artillery wheels, custom rims, or wheels from another prewar GM application, do not assume they are identical just because they are 19-inch wheels. Verifying the wheel dimensions directly is the cleanest way to avoid a mismatch at mounting time.

A 1931 Pontiac should be stored in a cool, dry, dark space away from direct sunlight, electric motors, battery chargers, welders, and other ozone sources that accelerate rubber aging. Bias-ply tires are especially prone to flat-spotting when they sit in one position for long periods, so maintaining correct inflation and moving the car periodically helps preserve the casing shape and ride quality.

For longer storage, many collectors either roll the car a short distance occasionally or support it in a way that reduces continuous load on the tires without creating suspension issues. Clean, dry floors and stable temperature matter more than elaborate treatments. If the Pontiac will sit for a season, revisit inflation pressure and look over the sidewalls before the next drive rather than assuming the tires remained unchanged.

Tires on a 1931 Pontiac usually age out before they wear out. On a collector car that sees limited mileage, a sensible rule is to begin evaluating tires closely once they are about five to seven years old and to treat roughly ten years as the point where replacement deserves serious consideration regardless of remaining tread. The DOT date code on the tire helps establish age on modern production tires.

That timeline matters because a prewar car may be driven only occasionally, which can disguise aging until cracking, hardening, or casing fatigue appears. A tire that still looks usable from a distance may no longer be ideal for road service. Owners who drive infrequently should track installation dates and inspect the rubber's condition annually so age does not sneak up on an otherwise carefully maintained Pontiac.

Tires on a 1931 Pontiac should be inspected before every drive and again before any extended outing. Look for sidewall cracking, cuts, bulges, uneven tread wear, objects embedded in the tread, and any sign that the tire is losing pressure between uses. On a low-mileage collector car, infrequent driving can make age-related deterioration more important than wear depth alone.

A short walk-around catches many problems before they become roadside issues. For a car that sees seasonal use, add a more thorough inspection at the beginning of each driving season and after any long storage period. If the Pontiac has been sitting for months, also pay close attention to valve condition and the way the tire rounds out after rolling, since flat-spots and weathering tend to show up after inactivity.

A 1931 Pontiac 6 Cyl. would have been fitted in the bias-ply era, and the replacement size used here is 500-19, which is fully in keeping with prewar American practice. The current fitment options stay within that same numeric bias-ply family and 19-inch wheel diameter. That is the right starting point for an owner who wants the car to present with an era-appropriate stance and tire construction.

Original-equipment brand selection could vary by market, supply, and production details, so most restorers focus first on correct size, construction type, and sidewall appearance. If your Pontiac is being restored to a strict factory-delivery standard, marque clubs, period photos, and factory literature are the best places to confirm any finer points. For most prewar restorations, keeping the correct numeric bias-ply format matters more than chasing a specific brand name.

Correct tire fitment does matter when a 1931 Pontiac is judged for authenticity. Size, construction type, overall profile, and sidewall appearance all influence whether the car looks consistent with its prewar period. A modern-looking tire format or an obviously non-period sidewall treatment can distract from an otherwise well-restored Pontiac even if the tire physically fits the wheel.

For most show fields, staying with a 500-19 bias-ply blackwall tire keeps the presentation aligned with what judges and knowledgeable enthusiasts expect to see on a 1931 American car. Event standards vary, so a local cruise-in may be far more flexible than a formal concours. If the car is being prepared for judged competition, verify the event's standards with Pontiac or prewar GM specialists before making a final tire choice.

In restoration terms, both the Excelsior Comp H and Firestone Dirt Track Ribbed Front preserve the correct 500-19 numeric bias-ply format for a 1931 Pontiac. The Firestone, however, is presented as a ribbed-front dirt track style, which gives it a more specialized competition-oriented visual identity. The Excelsior reads more like a conventional vintage tire choice, while the Firestone leans toward period racing flavor.

That distinction matters if the Pontiac is being restored to a stock roadgoing appearance rather than a speedster, dirt track, or board-track-inspired theme. A traditional restoration usually benefits from the tire that looks most like a general road tire for the era, while a specialty build may welcome the more purpose-built front-tire look. Matching the tire's visual message to the car's restoration goal is just as important as matching the size.

1931 Pontiac tires can be used on today's roads when they are in sound condition, properly mounted, and matched to the car's intended use, but they remain bias-ply tires on a prewar automobile. No speed rating is listed on the available 500-19 products here, so they should be treated with the caution appropriate to vintage construction and the much older braking, steering, and suspension systems of a 1931 car.

On a well-sorted Pontiac, the practical limit in normal driving is often the vehicle itself rather than the need to chase modern cruising behavior. Drivers should allow more stopping distance, expect more sensitivity to road crown and grooves than with a modern radial-equipped car, and build speed gradually. For occasional highway stretches, the emphasis should be condition, inflation, and mechanical readiness rather than trying to drive the car like a modern sedan.

Inflation pressure for 1931 Pontiac tires should be set with the specific tire and the car's factory guidance in mind, not by assuming one old-car number fits everything. Among the available 500-19 products, one tire lists a maximum load of 895 pounds at 32 psi. That is a product rating, not a universal recommendation for every 500-19 tire or every operating condition on a 1931 Pontiac.

The best approach is to start with the factory recommendation for the car when available, then confirm that your chosen reproduction tire's published limits are being respected. Avoid transferring a pressure figure from one product to another just because the size code matches. For a prewar collector car, even small pressure changes can affect steering feel, ride harshness, and tread contact, so consistency matters as much as the number itself.

Before a longer drive in a 1931 Pontiac, inspect each tire for cracking, cuts, bulges, exposed cords, and uneven wear, then verify inflation and look over the valve areas carefully. Check that the spare is also serviceable and inflated, because a long trip in a prewar car is much easier to manage when the backup tire is ready to use. Any tire that has aged significantly or has been sitting flat for extended periods deserves extra scrutiny.

Tires are only one part of the pre-drive checklist on a 1931 Pontiac, but they are one of the fastest ways for a trip to end early if neglected. Once the tires pass inspection, give the rest of the car the same era-appropriate review: brakes, wheel bearings, steering play, fluids, and cooling system. A careful pre-drive routine suits the character of a prewar touring car and makes longer outings far more enjoyable.