1936 La Salle Tire Fitment Guide

1936 La Salle vehicles in this guide use one tire size: 700-16. That size applies to the 1936 La Salle 350 and mounts on a 16-inch rim. Rim width guidance appears on some 700-16 products at 4.50 to 5.50 inches, which is a useful working range when checking wheel compatibility for currently available reproductions.

That makes 1936 La Salle fitment much simpler than many later collector cars that split into multiple diameters or constructions. The important next step is verifying that the wheel on the car is the correct 16-inch type and then choosing the sidewall treatment that best matches the restoration, whether that means a blackwall look or a wider whitewall presentation more in keeping with many prewar luxury builds.

On a 1936 La Salle tire, 700-16 is a numeric bias-ply size. The 7.00 portion refers to the tire’s nominal section width, while the 16 identifies the wheel diameter in inches. It is an older sizing convention used widely on American cars of the Thirties, and it does not read like modern metric sizing with a separate aspect ratio and radial designation.

Knowing how to read 700-16 helps you avoid confusing it with later alphanumeric or metric sizes that may share a similar overall diameter but are expressed very differently. When you are comparing products for a 1936 La Salle, treat 700-16 as the core fitment first, then compare brand, sidewall style, and any additional markings such as load or speed letters on individual tires.

Yes. The 1936 La Salle model covered here uses the same 700-16 tire size across the year and make rather than splitting into separate fitments by model family. That means the basic size decision is already made once you have confirmed you are working with a 1936 La Salle 350 and the correct 16-inch wheel.

What still changes from one tire choice to another is the car’s finished appearance and, to a lesser degree, the intended driving style. A blackwall can give a more understated look, while a wide whitewall leans into formal prewar presentation. For a 1936 La Salle, those visual choices often matter more than fitment complexity because the size itself stays consistent.

1936 La Salle tires in 700-16 are available in both blackwall and wide whitewall styles. The available examples include blackwall offerings from Avon and BFGoodrich, along with wide whitewall versions from Lester and Firestone. That gives owners room to tune the car’s appearance without changing the underlying size or moving away from the correct prewar bias-ply format.

Sidewall style plays a major role in how a 1936 La Salle presents visually. A wide whitewall generally suits a formal luxury restoration and emphasizes the period look many owners want, while a blackwall creates a more restrained appearance that can still be era-appropriate depending on the car’s history and presentation goal. Show standards can vary, so appearance should be matched to the car’s intended restoration theme.

Several brands offer 700-16 tires for 1936 La Salle vehicles, including Lester, Avon, BFGoodrich, and Firestone. All of the listed options are bias-ply tires, but they differ in sidewall appearance and some carry additional load or service markings. That gives owners a mix of traditional American-branded reproduction choices along with an Avon commercial-style option in the same nominal size.

Brand choice on a 1936 La Salle usually comes down to the look you want and the exact specification of the tire you intend to run. Some owners prioritize a classic wide whitewall profile for a more formal restoration, while others prefer a blackwall tire with a simpler visual presence. Once the 700-16 size is confirmed, comparing the individual product markings is the clearest way to narrow the field.

For the 1936 La Salle, both Firestone Classic Bias Ply and BFGoodrich Silvertown Classic Bias Ply are offered in 700-16 and both list a 16-inch rim with a 4.50 to 5.50 inch rim-width range. The BFGoodrich example is shown as a blackwall with a 1900-pound maximum load at 36 psi, while the Firestone example is a 4.00-inch whitewall with an 1800-pound maximum load at 36 psi.

That means the practical distinction is less about wheel fit and more about visual finish and the specific specification of the tire itself. If your 1936 La Salle restoration calls for a blackwall, the BFGoodrich presentation is the relevant comparison point; if the car needs a stronger whitewall statement, the Firestone product moves the look in that direction while staying within the same basic 700-16 fitment.

Available 700-16 tires for 1936 La Salle show a rim-width range of 4.50 to 5.50 inches on certain products. That guidance appears on current 700-16 bias-ply offerings and gives owners a concrete range to compare against the actual wheel on the car. The rim diameter remains 16 inches throughout the fitment, so width is the secondary measurement to verify.

Before selecting a tire, inspect the wheel you plan to use rather than assuming every older 16-inch rim is identical. A correct diameter alone does not settle the fitment question if the wheel falls outside the listed width range for the tire you want. When a wheel has been replaced or refinished over the years, that extra check can prevent mismatches in sidewall shape and seating.

Inner-tube status is not uniform across every 1936 La Salle tire listing, so it should be confirmed on the specific 700-16 product you choose. Some 700-16 listings are presented without a tube-type or tubeless marker, while others use service-style markings that call for closer review before installation. On a prewar application like 1936 La Salle, tube use is often tied to the wheel design as much as the tire itself.

The safest approach is to evaluate the tire and wheel as a matched system before mounting. Original-style wheels, restored rims, and current reproduction tires do not always create the same setup requirements from one car to the next. If the car retains older wheel construction, a tube-and-flap discussion with an experienced installer or marque specialist is worth having before final assembly.

A 1936 La Salle should be stored in a cool, dry, dark space with the tires protected from direct sunlight, electric motors, battery chargers, furnaces, and other ozone-producing equipment. Bias-ply tires are especially prone to temporary flat-spotting when they sit in one position for long periods, and sidewall aging accelerates when the car is exposed to heat and ozone.

Keep the tires properly inflated during storage and move the car occasionally if practical so the carcass does not rest on the same contact patch for months at a time. For longer dormant periods, many collectors use tire cradles or stands to reduce static loading. A simple storage routine pays off on a prewar car because the tire contributes so much to both ride character and appearance.

Tires on a 1936 La Salle should be judged more by age and condition than by mileage. Collector vehicles often accumulate so few miles that tread wear tells only part of the story, so a five- to seven-year inspection mindset is sensible, with replacement strongly considered as tires approach ten years from the DOT date code or equivalent manufacturer dating system.

A 1936 La Salle that spends most of its life indoors can still age its tires through time, heat cycles, and inactivity. Cracking, hardening, or repeated pressure loss matter more than whether the tread still looks fresh. If the car is used for touring rather than occasional local drives, replacing older-looking tires sooner is usually wiser than trying to stretch service life out of low-mileage rubber.

Tires on a 1936 La Salle deserve a quick inspection before every drive and a more deliberate check before any longer outing. Look for sidewall cracking, cuts, tread separation, uneven wear, and signs that the tire is losing pressure. On older cars, valve stems and any tube-related hardware deserve equal attention because a sound tread surface does not guarantee the rest of the assembly is healthy.

A regular inspection habit matters more on a prewar car than on a modern daily driver because long gaps between uses can hide age-related problems. If the car has been parked for months, roll it forward and check the full circumference rather than only the visible section. That small routine helps catch early problems before they affect steering feel, ride quality, or roadside reliability.

A 1936 La Salle 350 would have been fitted originally with bias-ply tires, and the correct size family here is 700-16. That aligns with normal American luxury-car practice in the mid-1930s, well before radial construction became a mainstream factory fitment. Original-equipment branding could vary by market and supply, so the key restoration anchor points are the size, the bias-ply construction, and the appropriate sidewall presentation.

For most restorations, staying with a 700-16 bias-ply tire is the strongest way to preserve the car’s period character. The finer points usually come down to whether the individual car should wear blackwalls or a more formal whitewall treatment and how strict the event or judging standard will be. If the car is being restored for marque-level competition, a La Salle or Cadillac club resource can help narrow the period-correct finish.

Correct tire fitment matters a great deal when showing a 1936 La Salle because judges and experienced enthusiasts notice size, construction type, and sidewall style immediately. A 700-16 bias-ply tire is consistent with the era, while an incorrect overall look or sidewall treatment can change the car’s stance and visual balance. On a prewar luxury car, the tire is part of the design presentation rather than a minor detail.

That does not mean every event uses the same standard, but originality-minded judging usually rewards a tire that looks right for the period and body style. A wide whitewall may be ideal for one restoration theme, while another car may be better represented by a blackwall. Checking event rules and marque-club guidance before the car is finished can save the trouble of reworking a nearly completed restoration.

For the 1936 La Salle, both Lester Classic Bias Ply and Firestone Classic Bias Ply are offered in the same 700-16 size and both preserve the correct bias-ply construction for a prewar restoration. The listed Lester example is a wide whitewall tire, and the Firestone example is a 4.00-inch wide whitewall with a published 1800-pound maximum load at 36 psi. The two options therefore overlap in size and period feel more than they differ in fitment category.

Owners usually choose between them by looking closely at sidewall appearance, brand preference, and the exact product specification they want mounted on the car. On a 1936 La Salle, those details affect how authentic and balanced the finished car appears from the curb. If the goal is judged presentation, compare the whitewall profile and visual character against period photos and club guidance before making the final call.

1936 La Salle tires can be suitable for highway use when they are in sound condition, correctly mounted, and used within the limits of the specific tire. The listed 700-16 Avon example carries an L speed rating, which corresponds to 75 mph, while other 700-16 tires shown here do not all display a speed symbol in the same way. On a prewar La Salle, the car’s braking, steering, suspension, and road conditions often become the practical limiting factors before the tire does.

Highway use should be approached as a whole-vehicle question rather than a tire-only question. Freshly inspected tires, stable inflation, and wheels in proper condition matter just as much as the nominal speed capability of the casing. If your 1936 La Salle is used for touring, match your driving pace to the age and character of the car and confirm the exact service markings on the tire you plan to run.

Inflation pressure for 1936 La Salle tires should be chosen by starting with the vehicle’s factory recommendation and then comparing it to the specification of the exact 700-16 tire being used. Two current examples in this size list maximum load figures at 36 psi, including 1900 pounds at 36 psi for one BFGoodrich tire and 1800 pounds at 36 psi for one Firestone tire. Those are maximum rated figures for those tires, not blanket instructions for every 700-16 product or every operating condition.

That distinction matters because collector cars often drive better when inflation is set for the vehicle’s actual weight and intended use rather than inflated to the tire’s ceiling by default. A touring car that feels nervous or rides harshly may simply be overinflated relative to its needs. Check pressures cold, keep them consistent side to side, and treat the tire maker’s rated maximum as a limit rather than an automatic target.

Before a longer drive in a 1936 La Salle, inspect every tire for cracking, bulges, cuts, exposed cords, embedded objects, and irregular wear, then confirm that all four are holding the intended cold pressure. Pay close attention to the valve stems and, if your setup uses tubes, the condition of the complete assembly rather than only the tread surface. The spare should receive the same inspection because it may be far older than the road tires.

A longer trip in a 1936 La Salle also calls for a broader mechanical check beyond the tires, including brakes, cooling system, steering play, and wheel-bearing condition. Tires are only one part of prewar road readiness, but they are the point where the car meets the pavement. Catching one weak casing, one leaking valve, or one aged spare before departure is much easier than solving the same problem at the roadside.