1937 Graham Tire Fitment Guide

1937 Graham vehicles use four sizes across five model lines: 6.25-16, 650-16, 5.25-17, and 600-16. The 116 Supercharger uses 6.25-16 and 650-16, the 120 Supercharger uses 6.25-16 and 650-16, the 85 Series uses 5.25-17, the 90 Cavalier uses 6.25-16 and 600-16, and the 95 uses 600-16. The 16-inch sizes do not share the same published rim width guidance in every case, and 5.25-17 is a separate 17-inch application altogether.

That means year and make alone are not enough to choose a tire for a 1937 Graham. Start by identifying the exact model, then confirm whether the car carries 16-inch or 17-inch wheels, and only after that compare sidewall style and brand choices within the correct size. That approach is especially important on prewar cars that may have seen wheel changes during restoration work decades later.

On a 1937 Graham, 600-16 is a numeric bias-ply size. The first number refers to a nominal 6.00-inch section width, while 16 identifies the wheel diameter in inches. In the Graham range, that size belongs to the 90 Cavalier and 95, and available products include blackwall and wide whitewall styles from several brands, with some products carrying an H speed rating that corresponds to a 130 mph ceiling.

For a buyer, the important point is that 600-16 is not just a generic old-car size. It places you in a particular part of the 1937 Graham lineup and separates those cars from the wider 650-16 supercharged applications. Once the size is confirmed, the next decision becomes appearance and brand character rather than whether the tire belongs on an entirely different Graham model.

No, 1937 Graham models do not all use the same tire size. The lineup splits across four sizes, and even among the 16-inch applications there is variation by model. The 116 Supercharger and 120 Supercharger share 6.25-16 and 650-16, the 90 Cavalier uses 6.25-16 and 600-16, the 95 uses 600-16, and the 85 Series stands apart with 5.25-17.

That variation matters because a prewar Graham owner can easily land in the wrong size family by shopping only by year and make. The most useful first check is the exact model name on the car's identification and the wheel diameter actually fitted to it. Once those are settled, it becomes much easier to compare the right products without mixing 16-inch and 17-inch fitments.

1937 Graham tire offerings include both blackwall and wide whitewall sidewall styles in the sizes with current product coverage here. The 650-16 range includes blackwall and wide whitewall options from BFGoodrich, Coker Classic, Firestone, and Garfield, while 600-16 also includes blackwall and wide whitewall choices from Avon, BFGoodrich, Coker Classic, and Firestone. Both sidewall approaches suit the era, but they create very different visual impressions on a late-1930s car.

Blackwalls tend to deliver a more restrained, utilitarian prewar look, while wide whitewalls emphasize the elegant, higher-style presence many collectors want on a restored Graham. If the car is being prepared for marque judging, sidewall treatment should match the way the specific car would have been presented in its market and trim level. A marque club or period photography is the best final reference for that cosmetic decision.

Several brands currently cover 1937 Graham sizes. In 650-16, available brands include BFGoodrich, Coker Classic, Firestone, and Garfield. In 600-16, available brands include Avon, BFGoodrich, Coker Classic, and Firestone. All of the listed products for these sizes are bias-ply tires, which keeps the overall character appropriate to a prewar American car.

Brand choice on a 1937 Graham usually comes down to the combination of size availability, sidewall appearance, and the exact visual personality you want on the car. Some owners prefer a familiar American restoration look, while others focus on a particular tread or sidewall presentation. Once the correct size is settled, compare brand offerings within that size rather than assuming every brand covers every Graham application.

Available 600-16 tires for a 1937 Graham differ in sidewall style, published load figures, weight, and in some cases speed rating. BFGoodrich offers a wide whitewall version rated at 1400 pounds at 32 psi, Coker Classic offers a blackwall with the same 1400-pound-at-32-psi figure, Avon offers a blackwall 600H16 93H with a listed 1,433-pound capacity and an H speed rating, and Firestone offers a wide whitewall with the same 1400-pound-at-32-psi figure. Weights in the listed examples range from about 20 to 24 pounds.

Those differences matter less as a contest of superiority and more as a way to match the tire to the car's intended use and visual style. A buyer choosing for appearance may focus first on blackwall versus wide whitewall, while a buyer doing more road use may pay close attention to the exact rating and construction details printed on the individual tire. Reading the specific sidewall marking before ordering is the smart final step.

Published rim width guidance for 1937 Graham tires appears on some, but not all, size offerings. In 650-16, listed applications call for 4.50- to 5.00-inch rims. In 600-16, listed applications call for 4.00- to 4.50-inch rims. All of those examples mount on 16-inch wheels, while the 5.25-17 application remains a separate 17-inch fitment.

That means wheel diameter alone is only the first checkpoint on a 1937 Graham. If your car has been restored, had wheels swapped, or has aftermarket rims from an earlier project, confirm the actual wheel width before committing to a size. Staying inside the published range helps preserve the intended shape of a bias-ply tire and avoids forcing a period size onto a rim that does not suit it well.

The listed 1937 Graham products here are presented without tube-type or tubeless markers in the size descriptions, so the right tube decision should be made by the exact tire and wheel combination rather than by size name alone. That is especially important on a prewar car, because original-style wheels and many restoration-era rims were built with tube use in mind even when the tire description itself is brief.

For a 1937 Graham owner, the practical move is to confirm the tire's sidewall marking and inspect the wheel construction before final setup. If the wheel condition, valve opening, or bead-seat design suggests a traditional tube application, use that as part of the fitment plan rather than treating tube use as an afterthought. Tube condition and valve stem health should also be part of every seasonal inspection on an older collector car.

Original 1937 Graham wheels cannot be treated as universal across all sizes in the lineup because the year uses both 16-inch and 17-inch tire applications. The 116 Supercharger, 120 Supercharger, 90 Cavalier, and 95 all use 16-inch sizes, while the 85 Series uses 5.25-17. Even among the 16-inch fitments, published rim width guidance differs between sizes such as 600-16 and 650-16.

A car that still wears its original wheels may be straightforward, but many prewar cars have had wheel changes over the years. Before reusing an existing set, confirm wheel diameter and width, then match those measurements to the size intended for your exact Graham model. That keeps the process centered on proper fitment instead of assuming that any old 16-inch or 17-inch wheel from the period will serve equally well.

A 1937 Graham should be stored in a cool, dry, dark space away from direct sunlight, electric motors, furnaces, welders, and other ozone-producing sources that accelerate rubber aging. Bias-ply tires also benefit from being kept at proper inflation during storage, because underinflation and long static periods can encourage flat-spotting and sidewall stress. Clean floors, stable temperatures, and protection from standing moisture help preserve both tire rubber and the wheels beneath them.

If the car will sit for long intervals, move it periodically or place it on stands in a way that relieves sustained load without straining suspension components. A fabric tire cover can help in bright garages, but it is no substitute for controlling ozone and heat. Good storage habits are especially worthwhile on prewar tires, since collector cars often age out their rubber long before tread depth becomes the issue.

Tires on a 1937 Graham should be judged more by age and condition than by mileage, because collector cars often see limited road use. A sensible rule is to begin careful evaluation around five to seven years of service and to consider replacement as tires approach roughly ten years, even if the tread still appears usable. The DOT date code on the tire helps establish age, and sidewall condition matters just as much as remaining tread.

That timeline is especially important on a prewar Graham that may spend much of its life indoors and seem to wear tires very slowly. Rubber hardening, internal aging, and crack development can progress even when the car is only driven occasionally. A tire that looks presentable on the outside should still be reviewed in the context of age, storage history, and the kind of driving you expect the car to do.

Tires on a 1937 Graham should be inspected before every drive and again before any extended outing or tour. Look for sidewall cracking, cuts, tread separation, uneven wear, bulges, and signs that the tire is not holding pressure consistently. On older collector cars, valve stems and any tube-related hardware deserve equal attention because a failure there can sideline the car just as quickly as damage to the casing itself.

Frequent checks matter because a 1937 Graham may sit for weeks between drives, and issues often show up during those idle periods rather than on the road. A quick walk-around with a pressure gauge is more useful than relying on appearance alone. Seasonal inspections should also include the spare so the backup tire is not older, drier, or less roadworthy than the four carrying the car.

A 1937 Graham 116 Supercharger would originally have been associated with bias-ply tire construction, since that was the standard passenger-car practice in the American market during the late 1930s. Within the 1937 Graham range here, the 116 Supercharger uses 6.25-16 and 650-16, both bias-ply sizes on 16-inch wheels. No specific original-equipment brand should be assumed without period factory literature or marque-specific confirmation.

For restoration work, the most important pieces are correct size family, period-correct construction, and a sidewall style that matches how the individual car is being presented. A touring restoration, a formal show restoration, and a personalized period-style build may all choose differently within the correct size range. If absolute originality matters, compare your car against period photos, factory material, and Graham club guidance before making a final choice.

Correct tire fitment matters on a 1937 Graham because judges and knowledgeable enthusiasts look at size, construction, and sidewall appearance as part of the car's overall authenticity. A 17-inch size on an 85 Series belongs to a different fitment family than the 16-inch sizes used on the Supercharger, Cavalier, and 95 lines, and mixing those can stand out immediately. On a prewar car, a visibly incorrect sidewall style or an obviously wrong overall proportion can alter the car's stance and presentation.

That does not mean every event applies the same standard, but it does mean tire choice should be intentional. Some shows prioritize period-correct construction and sidewall treatment, while others are more relaxed about a practical touring setup. Before preparing a 1937 Graham for judged display, review the event's standards and consult a marque specialist so the tire decision supports the level of authenticity you want the car to represent.

BFGoodrich and Firestone both offer 650-16 bias-ply tires suitable for the 1937 Graham supercharged models, but the listed versions differ in sidewall presentation and published weight. The BFGoodrich example is a 3.75-inch wide whitewall with a listed load capacity of 1580 pounds at 32 psi, a 4.50- to 5.00-inch rim width range, and a 24-pound weight. The Firestone example is a blackwall with the same 1580-pound-at-32-psi load figure, the same 4.50- to 5.00-inch rim width range, and a 23-pound weight.

For restoration purposes, that makes the choice more about visual character than about radically different fitment behavior. The BFGoodrich whitewall brings a dressier appearance, while the Firestone blackwall gives a more restrained look on the same basic size. If the goal is authenticity, compare the sidewall treatment to period images of your specific Graham and to the style standards of the event where the car will be shown.

1937 Graham tires can be suitable for highway use when they are the correct size, in sound condition, and driven within the limits shown on the specific tire. The available sizes here are bias-ply constructions, and among the listed 600-16 products there are H-rated examples with a 130 mph ceiling. In practice, the tire's rating is only one part of the picture on a prewar car, because braking, steering, suspension condition, and overall mechanical state are often more limiting than the tire alone.

A well-sorted Graham used for normal touring can be enjoyable on modern roads, but it should still be driven with respect for its era. Bias-ply tires have different tracking and response characteristics than modern passenger radials, especially on grooved pavement or in crosswinds. Treat speed rating as a maximum capability marker for the tire itself, not as permission to drive a 1937 automobile as though it were a modern highway cruiser.

Inflation pressure for a 1937 Graham should be tied to the exact tire size and the manufacturer's published rating rather than borrowed from another size in the same year. Listed examples include 650-16 tires rated at 1580 pounds at 32 psi and 600-16 tires rated at 1400 pounds at 32 psi, with one 600H16 product listing a 1,433-pound load figure. Those numbers describe the tire's rated capacity point, not automatically the factory-recommended running pressure for every Graham model.

The right approach is to compare the tire maker's information with the original owner's manual or period service guidance for your exact Graham. A light car and a heavier, more fully equipped car may not want the same running pressure even if they share wheel diameter. Avoid transferring one pressure figure casually from 600-16 to 650-16 or from a supercharged model to an 85 Series without checking the specific application first.

Before a longer drive in a 1937 Graham, inspect each tire for sidewall cracking, cuts, bulges, uneven wear, and proper cold inflation. Check valve stems carefully and, if the setup uses tubes, make sure the stems sit straight and show no cracking or seepage. The spare should also be aired up and inspected, because an old backup tire is of little help on a touring car if it has aged out or lost pressure in storage.

Tire readiness should be part of a broader pre-drive routine on a prewar Graham that also includes brakes, wheel bearings, steering play, and fluid levels. Bias-ply tires can reveal small problems in alignment or suspension more quickly than many drivers expect, so a brief road test before a major outing is worthwhile. A few minutes in the garage usually does more for confidence and safety than trying to solve issues after the trip has already begun.