1933 Buick Tire Fitment Guide

1933 Buick vehicles use four different tire sizes depending on the series. The 50 Series uses 6.00-17, the 60 Series uses 6.50-17, the 80 Series uses 700-15, and the 90 Series uses 700-17. Rim diameter also changes with the size: the 80 Series uses a 15-inch rim, while the other listed series use 17-inch rims. Where product-backed rim width information is available, 700-15 fits 5.00 to 5.50-inch rims and 700-17 fits 3.5 to 4.0-inch rims, with some 700-17 products specified for a 4-inch rim.

That means a 1933 Buick owner should identify the series before choosing anything else, because the year alone does not narrow the fitment enough. If your car is already wearing replacement wheels, confirm the actual wheel diameter and width on the car instead of relying only on appearance. Once the size is confirmed, sidewall style becomes the next useful choice for restoration character, especially on the 700-15 and 700-17 sizes where multiple visual treatments are available.

On a 1933 Buick, 6.00-17 is a numeric bias-ply tire size. The first number, 6.00, identifies the nominal section width in inches, and the second number, 17, is the wheel diameter in inches. That size is used on the 1933 Buick 50 Series and belongs to the pre-war sizing system commonly found on American cars of the early 1930s.

Numeric sizes like 6.00-17 do not read like later metric or alphanumeric radial sizes, so the key point is matching the full size code exactly rather than trying to translate it loosely. If you own a 50 Series Buick, treat 6.00-17 as the fitment target and then verify the wheel itself before choosing a product path. That approach keeps the car in the proper size family for both restoration work and traditional road use.

No, 1933 Buick models do not all use the same tire size. The 50 Series, 60 Series, 80 Series, and 90 Series each have their own listed size, and one of those series also uses a different rim diameter from the others. Buick's lineup in 1933 spanned multiple price and prestige levels, so tire sizing followed the model hierarchy rather than remaining uniform across the make.

That matters because a tire that looks visually close can still be wrong for the series or wheel on the car. Owners who are unsure of the exact model should confirm the series designation from the body tag, title history, or marque references before selecting a tire. Once the model is settled, narrowing the correct size becomes straightforward and helps avoid mixing junior-series and senior-series fitment.

1933 Buick tires in the covered product sizes are available in several sidewall styles. The 700-15 size appears in blackwall and wide whitewall form, while the 700-17 size appears in blackwall, wide whitewall, and double-whitewall form. Those choices let an owner tailor the finished look of an 80 Series or 90 Series Buick while staying within the correct bias-ply size family.

For a pre-war Buick, sidewall appearance strongly affects how authentic the car looks from a few feet away. Blackwalls generally suit a more restrained or utilitarian presentation, while whitewall treatments emphasize period luxury styling that many owners want on senior cars. If the car is being judged, verify the expected sidewall treatment for your exact body style and market through Buick club resources before settling on a visual style.

Current tires for the listed 1933 Buick sizes come from Firestone, BFGoodrich, STA, and Ensign, depending on the size. The 700-15 size includes Firestone, BFGoodrich, and STA offerings, while 700-17 includes Firestone and Ensign products. All of the listed choices for these sizes are bias-ply tires, which aligns with the period construction expected for a 1933 Buick.

Brand choice usually comes after you confirm the correct size for your series. From there, the decision tends to revolve around appearance, the style family you want on the car, and whether a particular brand offers the sidewall treatment that matches your restoration goals. Keeping the size correct first is more important than chasing a brand name that belongs to a different Buick series or wheel diameter.

For the 1933 Buick 90 Series, Firestone and Ensign both appear in 700-17, but the listed specifications are not identical. Firestone 700-17 Balloon tires are shown in blackwall, wide whitewall, and double-whitewall versions with a 1480-pound load rating at 36 psi and a 4-inch rim specification. Ensign's 700-17 B5 blackwall is listed at 1,901 pounds at 36 psi and fits a 3.5 to 4.0-inch rim range.

That comparison is useful if your Buick's wheel width has been confirmed and you are deciding between a more style-driven whitewall presentation and a blackwall option with a broader listed rim-width range. The right choice depends on the look you want and the wheel you are mounting on, not just the shared 700-17 size code. Checking the actual wheel before final selection keeps the tire choice aligned with both fitment and appearance.

Rim width guidance is available for two of the listed 1933 Buick sizes. The 700-15 size is paired with 5.00 to 5.50-inch rims, and the 700-17 size is paired with 3.5 to 4.0-inch rims, with some 700-17 products specified for a 4-inch rim. Those figures apply to the sizes used on the 80 Series and 90 Series, respectively.

Rim width is worth checking on any pre-war car because original wheels, replacement wheels, and restored wheels are not always the same. Even when the diameter is correct, an incorrect width can affect how the tire sits on the rim and how the car looks. Measure the wheel or have it measured before mounting, especially if the Buick has had decades of repairs or parts swapping in its history.

The listed 1933 Buick products do not carry tube-type or tubeless markings in the size field, so the product range here does not separate them by a visible TT or TL designation. Because these are pre-war bias-ply applications on original-style wheels, many owners and restorers treat tube setup as part of the normal fitment conversation for the car rather than assuming modern tubeless practice applies automatically.

The practical step is to inspect the wheel design you plan to use and confirm the product's sidewall marking before installation. Original-style artillery and wire-wheel-era applications often have different sealing expectations than later tubeless rims. If you are working with restored original wheels, tube condition, flap needs where applicable, and valve-stem compatibility should be reviewed at the same time instead of treated as an afterthought.

Original 1933 Buick wheels cannot be treated as universal across all listed tire sizes because the lineup uses both 15-inch and 17-inch rim diameters. The 80 Series uses 700-15, while the 50, 60, and 90 Series all use 17-inch tires in different widths. That means original wheels are only suitable for the tire size family that matches the series and the actual wheel dimensions on the car.

Owners sometimes assume that any 17-inch pre-war Buick wheel will accept any 17-inch Buick tire from the same year, but the listed sizes show why that shortcut can create problems. Diameter must match first, then width and model-specific fitment need to be checked. On a car with a long restoration history, confirming the wheel itself is often just as important as confirming the series badge.

A stored 1933 Buick should be kept away from direct sunlight, standing moisture, and ozone-producing equipment such as electric motors, compressors, and welders. Bias-ply tires are especially prone to flat-spotting when they sit in one position for long periods, so keeping the car on a clean, dry surface and moving it periodically helps reduce stress on the carcass and tread.

If the Buick will be parked for an extended season, maintain proper inflation and consider using stands or cradles in a way that suits your storage plan and suspension needs. Clean tires with mild soap and water rather than harsh dressings that can dry the rubber. A pre-war car benefits from routine visual checks even in storage, because sidewall aging often appears long before tread wear becomes an issue.

On a collector car like a 1933 Buick, tire age matters more than mileage for most owners. A sensible rule is to evaluate tires closely once they reach about five to seven years of age and to treat the ten-year point as a strong replacement consideration regardless of remaining tread. The date code on the tire is more useful than odometer readings when the car is used only occasionally.

That schedule is especially important on a pre-war Buick because many cars accumulate very little annual mileage while still experiencing years of heat cycles, storage time, and environmental exposure. A tire can look serviceable from a distance yet still be aging internally. If the car's history is uncertain, checking the production date should be one of the first steps before any regular road use.

Tires on a 1933 Buick should be inspected before every drive and again before any longer outing. Look for sidewall cracking, cuts, tread separation, bulges, uneven wear, and pressure loss, and do not ignore the spare if it may be needed on the road. On a pre-war car, even low-speed driving puts a premium on catching age-related problems early.

A longer tour or club event deserves a more thorough inspection than a short local drive. Check valve stems, wheel condition, and whether each tire is holding pressure evenly over time. If your final setup uses tubes, the valve area and any signs of pinching or leakage deserve extra attention, since tube-related issues may appear even when the outer casing still looks presentable.

A 1933 Buick 50 Series would have been fitted with bias-ply tires as original-era equipment, and the listed size for that series is 6.00-17. That matches normal pre-war American practice, when bias construction was standard across the industry and numeric inch-based sizing was the norm. Original-equipment branding could vary by market, dealer, and period sourcing, so the most reliable authenticity anchor is the correct size and construction type.

For restoration work, keeping the 50 Series in a 6.00-17 bias-ply format preserves the proper visual stance and era-correct tire language for the car. Owners seeking high-level judging accuracy should still confirm any market- or body-specific details through Buick club literature, factory references, and marque specialists. That extra step is especially worthwhile when a car has a long ownership history or mixed restoration parts.

Correct tire fitment matters a great deal when showing a 1933 Buick because judges and knowledgeable enthusiasts notice size, construction type, and sidewall appearance quickly. A Buick wearing the wrong series-specific size, the wrong wheel diameter, or a visibly mismatched sidewall style can look out of period even if the rest of the restoration is carefully finished. On pre-war cars, tires are a major part of the overall silhouette.

That does not mean every event uses the same judging standard, but it does mean tire choice should be intentional. For a serious authenticity effort, verify the expected presentation for your exact series and body style before finalizing blackwall, whitewall, or double-whitewall appearance. Buick club judging guides and event-specific rules are the right places to confirm what will be considered correct for your particular car.

For the 1933 Buick 80 Series, both Firestone and BFGoodrich appear in 700-15 with overlapping period-style specifications. Firestone and BFGoodrich wide whitewall versions are both listed at 1700 pounds at 32 psi on 5.00 to 5.50-inch rims, while Firestone also appears in a blackwall version with the same load and rim guidance. The practical differences in the listed range are visual presentation and brand/series selection rather than a major dimensional split.

That makes the decision largely one of appearance and restoration theme once you know your 80 Series Buick needs 700-15. If the car calls for a brighter, more formal period look, a wide whitewall may better suit the build, while a blackwall keeps the presentation more restrained. Because the core fitment numbers align closely, matching the sidewall treatment to the finished car often becomes the most important step.

The listed tires for 1933 Buick applications are bias-ply products, and no explicit speed ratings are shown for the covered sizes. That means highway use should be approached as a whole-vehicle question rather than a simple tire-category assumption. A properly fitted, properly inflated bias-ply tire in good condition can be suitable for normal touring use, but a 1933 Buick's brakes, steering, suspension, and overall pre-war mechanical character deserve just as much attention as the tires themselves.

Owners planning sustained higher-speed driving should think conservatively and evaluate the complete car before leaving local roads. Fresh tires do not override the limits of an early-1930s chassis, especially on a vehicle that may have been stored for long periods. If your Buick will see regular road miles, prioritize condition, correct sizing, wheel integrity, and careful pre-drive checks over any assumption that a reproduction tire alone defines safe use.

The listed maximum load and pressure figures vary by size and product, so inflation should not be copied blindly from one 1933 Buick tire size to another. In the covered products, 700-15 examples are shown at 1700 pounds at 32 psi, while 700-17 examples are shown at either 1480 pounds at 36 psi or 1,901 pounds at 36 psi depending on the product. Those are rated load-and-pressure figures, not a blanket instruction for every Buick series.

For actual running pressure, use the original Buick literature as your starting point and then confirm the tire manufacturer's guidance for the exact product on the car. Inflation affects ride quality, tread wear, and how a bias-ply tire carries the vehicle's weight, so small differences matter. Staying within the tire's stated limits while respecting the vehicle's original recommendations is the most sensible way to set pressure.

Before a longer drive in a 1933 Buick, inspect every tire for cracking, cuts, bulges, unusual tread wear, and signs of age separation, then confirm that each one is holding pressure properly. Check the spare as well, since a usable spare matters more on a collector car that may not share modern roadside-service assumptions. Tires should be part of a broader inspection that includes brakes, steering play, fluid levels, wheel fasteners, and basic electrical reliability.

A pre-war Buick rewards careful preparation because small issues become large ones more quickly on an older chassis. Give the car a short local shakedown after any long storage period before committing to a sustained drive, and pay attention to vibration, pull, or unusual heat at the wheels. That routine helps catch tire and wheel issues early, while also revealing whether the rest of the car is ready for road use.