1937 Nash Tire Fitment Guide

1937 Nash vehicles covered here use three sizes: 6.25-16, 650-16, and 700-16, and all three are associated with the 1937 Nash Ambassador. Each is a bias-ply size, and all mount on 16-inch wheels. For products with published wheel guidance, 650-16 fits 4.50- to 5.00-inch rims, while 700-16 fits 4.50- to 5.50-inch rims.

The practical takeaway is that year and make alone are not enough to pick between these three sizes, even though only the Ambassador appears here. Start by confirming the exact size your car uses, then compare wheel width and sidewall style. That approach keeps a prewar Nash visually correct and avoids choosing a tire simply because it shares the same rim diameter.

On a 1937 Nash, 650-16 is a numeric bias-ply size. The 6.50 portion identifies the nominal section width in inches, and the 16 indicates the wheel diameter in inches. It is not a metric radial code and it does not describe a modern aspect ratio the way newer tire sizing does.

That matters because a 650-16 should be evaluated as a prewar bias-ply fitment, not cross-read as a later alphanumeric or metric size. If your Ambassador calls for 650-16, you can then choose among blackwall and wide whitewall options from several brands, but the first step is matching the original-style size code before comparing appearance details.

The 1937 Nash coverage here includes only the Ambassador, but the Ambassador itself appears with three different tire sizes: 6.25-16, 650-16, and 700-16. That means there is no single tire size that automatically fits every 1937 Nash Ambassador without verification. All three are 16-inch bias-ply fitments, yet they are not interchangeable by assumption.

Owners often see the shared rim diameter and assume any 16-inch prewar tire will do, but the size code still needs to match the car’s actual specification. Checking the existing tire, wheel width, and restoration goal is the safest way to narrow the choice. Once that is confirmed, the sidewall style and brand become the next decisions rather than the size itself.

A 1937 Nash should use 650-16 or 700-16 only if that exact size is correct for the particular Ambassador in question. Both are bias-ply 16-inch fitments, so the decision is not about switching from an original-style construction to a modern radial alternative. It is about matching the verified size on the car and then selecting the brand and sidewall treatment that suits your goals.

If your priority is a formal prewar look, wide whitewall versions in either size can support that appearance when the size itself is correct. If you prefer a plainer, utility-minded presentation, blackwall choices are also available in both sizes. Choose the size first, then the visual character, rather than using sidewall style as a reason to move up or down in size.

1937 Nash tires are offered in both blackwall and wide whitewall styles. In 650-16, available examples include blackwall choices from Coker Classic and Firestone alongside wide whitewall options from BFGoodrich and Garfield. In 700-16, blackwall and wide whitewall versions are both represented as well, with brands such as Avon and BFGoodrich on the blackwall side and Lester and Firestone offering wide whitewall examples.

For a 1937 Nash Ambassador, sidewall style changes the car’s visual tone more than its fitment. Blackwalls generally suit a more restrained or utilitarian presentation, while wide whitewalls emphasize the dressier prewar luxury image many owners want. If originality matters for judging, confirm what is appropriate for your car’s market presentation and restoration standard before settling on appearance alone.

Several brands offer tires for 1937 Nash applications. In 650-16, the available brand names include BFGoodrich, Coker Classic, Firestone, and Garfield. In 700-16, the available brands include Lester, Avon, BFGoodrich, and Firestone, giving owners a mix of long-established American collector-tire names plus period-flavored specialty offerings.

Brand choice on a prewar Nash often comes down to the look you want and which size you have confirmed on the car. Some owners focus on tread style or whitewall presentation, while others simply want a recognizable heritage brand in the correct bias-ply size. Narrow the field by verified size first, then compare the brands available within that size rather than across the whole year-make range.

Published rim-width guidance appears for two of the 1937 Nash sizes. The 650-16 products with listed wheel guidance fit 4.50- to 5.00-inch rims, while the 700-16 products with listed guidance fit 4.50- to 5.50-inch rims. All of the listed sizes mount on 16-inch wheels, but wheel width still matters because it affects how the tire sits and performs.

That means a shared 16-inch diameter is only part of the fitment picture on a 1937 Nash Ambassador. Before selecting a tire, measure or confirm the wheel width on the car and compare it with the range for the exact size you plan to run. This is especially important on restored cars that may no longer be wearing their original wheels.

A 1937 Nash Ambassador uses tire sizes that all share the same 16-inch rim diameter, so original 16-inch wheels are diameter-compatible with the listed sizes. That said, wheel width still has to be checked against the requirements of the exact tire size being considered. Published guidance shows 650-16 and 700-16 do not use the exact same width range.

In practice, original wheels may support more than one of these sizes, but that should be confirmed rather than assumed. A car that currently wears one 16-inch size may have had wheels changed over the years, especially during older restorations. Matching the tire to both the wheel width and the size specified for your Ambassador is the cleanest way to avoid fitment surprises.

A 1937 Nash should be stored in a cool, dry space away from direct sunlight, electric motors, furnaces, welders, and other ozone-producing equipment that can age rubber. Keep the tires properly inflated, move the car periodically if possible, and avoid leaving the full vehicle weight in one position for long stretches. Bias-ply tires are especially prone to temporary flat-spotting after static storage.

If the car will sit for a season or longer, many collectors place it on stands or use tire cradles to reduce stress on the casing. Clean floors and stable temperatures help just as much as tire covers. Good storage habits preserve both blackwall and wide whitewall surfaces and make the first drive back out far more pleasant.

Tires on a 1937 Nash should be judged more by age and condition than by miles driven, because collector cars often see limited use. A sensible rule is to begin evaluating them closely around five to seven years of age and to treat the ten-year mark as a strong replacement consideration, even if tread depth still looks usable. The DOT date code on the tire helps establish age.

A prewar Nash may spend much of its life indoors, which can slow visible wear while rubber still hardens over time. That is why appearance alone is not enough. If the car is driven only occasionally, age, cracking, and pressure retention are better indicators of serviceability than odometer readings or how much tread remains.

Tires on a 1937 Nash should be inspected before every drive and again before any longer outing. Look for sidewall cracking, tread separation, bulges, cuts, embedded debris, uneven wear, and any sign that the tire has been losing pressure between uses. A close inspection is particularly important on a collector car that may sit for weeks or months at a time.

Use those quick checks as part of a broader pre-drive routine that includes the spare tire as well. A car from 1937 asks more of the owner than a modern daily driver, and the tires are the only point of contact with the road. Catching a small issue in the garage is far easier than discovering it on a tour or club drive.

A 1937 Nash Ambassador would have been fitted originally with bias-ply tires, which is exactly the construction type represented across the listed 6.25-16, 650-16, and 700-16 sizes. That makes bias-ply construction the historically correct starting point for an authentic restoration. The exact size should still be matched to the particular Ambassador, since more than one size appears within the model coverage here.

Owners aiming for accuracy should confirm the specific size through surviving factory literature, period photos, or marque-club guidance for their car’s configuration. Original-equipment brand should not be assumed unless supported by direct evidence for that car. Getting the size, construction, and sidewall style aligned is usually more important than chasing a brand name alone.

Correct tire fitment matters on a 1937 Nash because judges and knowledgeable enthusiasts notice whether the car wears the proper size range, bias-ply construction, and an era-appropriate sidewall treatment. A mismatched size or a tire style that looks too modern can stand out quickly on a prewar car, especially one with the formal presence of an Ambassador. The tire is a major visual element on vehicles of this era.

For show use, think of the tire as part of the restoration’s overall language rather than a simple maintenance item. Wide whitewalls can dramatically change the character of the car, while blackwalls create a different period impression. Event standards vary, so serious show cars should be checked against club judging guides or marque specialists before finalizing the setup.

For a 1937 Nash in 650-16, BFGoodrich and Firestone both offer bias-ply tires with a listed load figure of 1580 pounds at 32 psi and a published rim-width range of 4.50 to 5.00 inches. The visible difference in the examples shown is sidewall treatment: BFGoodrich appears here as a 3.75-inch whitewall, while Firestone is represented in blackwall form. Their listed weights are close as well, with BFGoodrich at 24 pounds and Firestone at 23 pounds.

That makes the choice less about a major spec gap and more about the appearance you want on the car. If your Ambassador restoration calls for a brighter formal look, the BFGoodrich whitewall may suit that direction. If you want a more restrained period presentation, the Firestone blackwall points the car in a different visual direction while remaining within the same size and fitment category.

1937 Nash tires in these fitments are bias-ply products, and at least one 700-16 example carries an L speed rating, which corresponds to 75 mph. Other listed examples show load-and-pressure information without an explicit speed symbol in the size marking. For normal use, the condition of the tire and the overall mechanical condition of a 1937 car are just as important as the tire’s stated rating.

A well-maintained Nash Ambassador can be driven on modern roads within sensible limits, but prewar braking, suspension, steering response, and road manners should shape your pace more than the posted speed limit alone. Treat highway use as a system question rather than a tire-only question. Fresh, correctly inflated tires are essential, but they do not override the realities of 1937 chassis design.

Published load-and-pressure figures vary by 1937 Nash tire size and product. In 650-16, listed examples show 1580 pounds at 32 psi. In 700-16, listed examples include 1800 pounds at 36 psi and 1900 pounds at 36 psi, while one Avon 700-16C product lists a 1,874-pound load figure. Those are product ratings, not a blanket instruction to use the same pressure on every 1937 Nash tire.

Use the vehicle’s factory literature as the starting point for the car’s intended inflation setting, then compare that with the tire manufacturer’s guidance for the exact reproduction tire you are running. Do not transfer a pressure figure from 650-16 to 700-16 or from one product line to another simply because both fit 16-inch wheels. Size-specific and tire-specific verification matters.

Before a longer drive in a 1937 Nash, inspect each tire for cracking, cuts, bulges, irregular wear, lodged debris, and any sign of tread or casing distress. Check cold inflation pressure, make sure the valve stems are sound, and inspect the spare as closely as the four tires on the ground. A longer outing in a prewar car asks for more than a quick glance.

Use that tire inspection as part of a wider mechanical review that includes brakes, steering, cooling, and basic fluid checks. Even if the tires look presentable, an older collector car can reveal issues only after sustained running. Giving the tires a careful once-over before departure helps prevent a small age-related problem from interrupting an otherwise enjoyable road trip.