1940 Chrysler Tire Fitment Guide

1940 Chrysler vehicles use four tire sizes across five model groups. The Crown Imperial 27 uses 750-15, the New Yorker & Saratoga 26 use 700-15, the Royal 25 and Windsor 25 use 6.25-16, and the Traveler 26 uses 650-16. Rim diameters are split between 15-inch and 16-inch applications, so fitment is not shared across the whole make. Where listed products include rim-width guidance, 700-15 fits 5.00 to 5.50-inch rims and 650-16 fits 4.50 to 5.00-inch rims.

That spread means a 1940 Chrysler owner should start by identifying the exact model before comparing brands or sidewall styles. A Crown Imperial owner should not assume interchange with a New Yorker just because both use 15-inch wheels, and a Royal or Windsor owner should not assume the Traveler uses the same 16-inch size. Once the model is confirmed, the next step is matching the size to the actual wheel and then deciding whether a blackwall or whitewall better suits the car's restoration goal.

On a 1940 Chrysler, 700-15 is a numeric bias-ply tire size. The 700 portion is the traditional width-style code used on American bias-ply tires of the era, and the 15 after the dash identifies a 15-inch rim diameter. For 1940 Chrysler, that size applies to New Yorker & Saratoga 26 models. Available examples come in both Blackwall and Wide Whitewall form from brands including Firestone, BFGoodrich, and STA.

That matters because the code is not read the same way as a modern metric radial size. A buyer choosing for a New Yorker or Saratoga should treat 700-15 as the correct period-format size first, then narrow the decision to appearance and brand family. Whitewalls usually suit a more formal prewar presentation, while blackwalls give a plainer factory-style or service-replacement look depending on how the car is being restored and driven.

No, 1940 Chrysler models do not all use the same tire size. The make spans four distinct sizes: 750-15 for Crown Imperial 27, 700-15 for New Yorker & Saratoga 26, 6.25-16 for Royal 25 and Windsor 25, and 650-16 for Traveler 26. Only the Royal and Windsor share a common size. The rest of the lineup uses model-specific fitments tied to different wheel diameters and vehicle positioning within the Chrysler range.

That is why the right starting point is the model name on the car, not just the model year. Prewar Chrysler offered several body and prestige levels under one make, and the tire fitment followed those differences. If the car has changed hands, has older restoration work, or is wearing non-original wheels, compare the wheel diameter on the car against the correct model fitment before settling on a tire size.

1940 Chrysler tire options include both Blackwall and Wide Whitewall styles, depending on the size. The 700-15 choices include both Blackwall and Wide Whitewall versions, and the 650-16 size also offers both. The available 750-15 listing is a Blackwall military-style NDT tire, while no sidewall variety is shown here for 6.25-16. All of these are bias-ply products, which remains true to the period construction used on prewar Chrysler automobiles.

Sidewall style changes the character of the car even when the size stays the same. Wide whitewalls generally suit a more upscale prewar Chrysler presentation, especially on senior or more formal body styles, while blackwalls look more restrained and utilitarian. Owners focused on event judging or era appearance should choose the sidewall that matches the car's intended market look, while drivers building a tasteful road car may simply choose the visual treatment they prefer within the correct size.

Several brands cover 1940 Chrysler tire sizes, though brand choice depends on the model-specific fitment. The 750-15 option is listed from STA. The 700-15 size is available from Firestone, BFGoodrich, and STA, while 650-16 includes BFGoodrich, Coker Classic, Firestone, and Garfield. All currently listed offerings for these sizes are bias-ply tires, which is appropriate for a 1940 Chrysler's original-era construction and driving character.

Brand selection becomes most useful after the model and size are settled. A New Yorker or Saratoga owner has a smaller but still varied field, while a Traveler owner has the broadest range of brand and sidewall combinations. If you are comparing two brands in the same size, focus on whether the sidewall look, listed rim-width range, and load information match the way you intend to present and use the car rather than assuming every bias-ply offering is visually identical.

For a 1940 Chrysler using 700-15, both Firestone and BFGoodrich offer bias-ply passenger-car tires with a listed maximum load of 1700 pounds at 32 psi and a 5.00 to 5.50-inch rim-width range. Firestone appears in both Blackwall and 4.125-inch Wide Whitewall versions, while BFGoodrich is shown in a 4.125-inch Wide Whitewall version. Weight differs slightly among the listed products, with Firestone examples at 26 and 29 pounds and the BFGoodrich whitewall at 28 pounds.

In practical terms, the biggest difference is visual choice rather than a major fitment change. A buyer who wants a blackwall in 700-15 currently has that option from Firestone, while both Firestone and BFGoodrich cover the broad whitewall look many prewar Chrysler owners want. If the car is being restored to a particular style theme, compare the sidewall treatment first and then confirm the wheel falls within the published rim-width range.

Published rim-width guidance appears for some 1940 Chrysler sizes and should be matched by size rather than generalized across the entire lineup. The 700-15 products are listed for 5.00 to 5.50-inch rims, and the 650-16 products are listed for 4.50 to 5.00-inch rims. The available 750-15 and 6.25-16 entries here do not add a rim-width range, so those sizes should be checked carefully against the actual wheel before any final selection is made.

Rim width matters because a bias-ply tire's shape and tread behavior are influenced by the wheel it is mounted on. A New Yorker or Saratoga owner can use the 700-15 range as a concrete guide, and a Traveler owner can do the same with 650-16. For Crown Imperial, Royal, and Windsor applications, the smart approach is to measure the wheel and compare it to the intended tire's published fitment details before mounting.

The listed 1940 Chrysler products are bias-ply tires, but tube marking is not shown consistently across the available offerings here, so tube fitment should be confirmed on the specific tire and wheel combination you intend to use. On many prewar Chrysler applications, original wheels and tire constructions commonly worked with tube-type setups, especially on older-style rims and restoration-focused installations. That historical pattern is useful, but the final answer belongs to the exact tire's sidewall marking and the wheel design on the car.

A buyer should think about tubes as part of the wheel-and-tire system, not as an automatic yes-or-no rule for every 1940 Chrysler. If the car still wears original-style wheels, inspect the wheel condition, valve-stem area, and bead seats before mounting any new tire. Tube choice also affects maintenance, because valve stems, tube age, and slow air loss all become part of routine inspection on a collector car that may sit for long periods.

Original 1940 Chrysler wheels cannot be treated as universal across all tire sizes because the model range uses both 15-inch and 16-inch applications. The Crown Imperial and New Yorker/Saratoga fit 15-inch tires, while the Royal, Windsor, and Traveler use 16-inch tires. Even within the same rim diameter, the correct tire size remains model-specific. Where published rim-width guidance exists, it also differs by size, with 700-15 and 650-16 each having their own recommended ranges.

That means original wheels can be used when they match the correct model's diameter and are in sound condition, but they should not be assumed to interchange freely across the lineup. Owners sorting through spare wheels, older restorations, or mixed parts cars should verify the wheel diameter first and then compare the tire size and rim-width guidance that applies to their model. A quick measurement before ordering avoids a common prewar fitment mistake.

A 1940 Chrysler should be stored in a cool, dry, dark space away from direct sunlight, electric motors, welders, battery chargers, and other ozone-producing equipment that can age rubber prematurely. Bias-ply tires also tend to develop temporary flat-spotting more readily than radials when a collector car sits in one position for long periods. Keeping the tires properly inflated and moving the car periodically helps reduce stress on the casing during storage.

Long-term storage habits affect both appearance and road feel when the car returns to service. If the Chrysler will sit for months, many owners either roll it occasionally or support it in a way that reduces prolonged weight on one contact patch while still protecting the suspension and frame appropriately. Clean, dry floors and a consistent environment matter as much as tire pressure, especially on a prewar car that may only be driven seasonally.

Tires on a 1940 Chrysler should be judged more by age and condition than by mileage, because collector cars often accumulate very few miles while the rubber continues to age. A good rule is to inspect them closely after about five to seven years in service and to treat the ten-year point as a serious replacement consideration even if tread remains. The DOT date code, condition of the sidewalls, and any changes in ride behavior all matter more than odometer readings on a hobby car.

That age-based approach is especially important on prewar vehicles that may spend long periods parked between events or fair-weather drives. A tire can still look respectable at a glance and yet be well beyond its safest service life. If your 1940 Chrysler has an older restoration, check the date codes before the next driving season rather than assuming the tires are acceptable simply because the tread appears lightly used.

Tires on a 1940 Chrysler deserve a quick inspection before every drive and a more careful inspection before any extended outing. Look for sidewall cracking, cuts, bulges, irregular tread wear, and signs of air loss, and make sure pressures are even side to side. On an older car, the spare should be checked as well, because it may be original to the restoration rather than truly road-ready.

A pre-drive inspection catches problems that may not be obvious once the car is moving. Collector cars often sit long enough for pressure loss, age cracking, or valve-stem deterioration to appear between outings. If the Chrysler uses tube-type service, include the valve stems and any signs of slow leakage in the inspection routine, because those details matter just as much as the visible tread on a car that may be driven infrequently but at full road speed.

A 1940 Chrysler Crown Imperial 27 uses the 750-15 size, and for a 1940 American luxury car the original construction type would have been bias-ply rather than radial. That matches the period-correct construction available for this fitment today. The key point is the combination of the correct numeric prewar size format and bias-ply build, not a modern substitute format. Original-equipment brand identification should be confirmed through factory literature or marque sources if a concours restoration depends on that level of detail.

For most restorers, getting the size, construction, and sidewall presentation right will have more visible impact than chasing every possible brand variation. Crown Imperial owners should also remember that this is not a shared 1940 Chrysler fitment, so using a more common New Yorker or Royal size would be an obvious authenticity miss. If the car is being judged, compare your planned tire against club standards and surviving period photography before making the final choice.

Correct tire fitment matters a great deal when showing a 1940 Chrysler, especially in marque-judged or authenticity-focused events. Judges and knowledgeable enthusiasts will notice whether the car carries the right size for the specific model, whether the construction matches the era, and whether the sidewall style suits the way the car would have appeared when new or in-period. A Crown Imperial on the wrong shared-size assumption, or a luxury-oriented car wearing an obviously mismatched sidewall treatment, can stand out quickly.

The practical takeaway is that authenticity starts with model-specific sizing before it moves to cosmetic details. Royal and Windsor owners have one shared fitment path, but the rest of the 1940 Chrysler range does not, so getting the base size wrong will undercut even an otherwise careful restoration. For event-specific expectations, check with Chrysler marque clubs or judging manuals, because standards can differ between preservation, touring, and concours classes.

For a 1940 Chrysler using 650-16, Firestone and Garfield both offer bias-ply tires with a listed maximum load of 1580 pounds at 32 psi and the same 4.50 to 5.00-inch rim-width range. The Firestone example is shown as a Blackwall at 23 pounds, while the Garfield offering is a Zig Zag Tread Wide Whitewall, also at 23 pounds. Fitment is therefore very similar, while the visible sidewall and tread presentation differ much more clearly than the basic mounting specs.

That makes the choice largely one of appearance and restoration intent. A blackwall Firestone suits a simpler, more restrained look, while the Garfield wide whitewall delivers a fuller prewar dress-car visual effect without changing the core size. Traveler owners comparing these two should first make sure the wheel matches the published 4.50 to 5.00-inch range, then decide whether the car's style theme calls for understated originality or a more prominent period whitewall statement.

Bias-ply tires for a 1940 Chrysler can be used for highway driving when they are in good condition, properly inflated, and matched to sound wheels, but they should be approached with realistic expectations about prewar vehicle behavior. The listed sizes here are all bias-ply, which means steering feel, tracking, and ride response will be different from a modern radial-equipped car. On a 1940 Chrysler, the car's brakes, suspension condition, alignment, and overall mechanical health are often just as important to highway confidence as the tire itself.

Safe road use starts with matching the tire to the correct model and then treating the whole car as a period machine. Owners planning regular secondary-road and occasional highway use should keep speeds, stopping distances, and steering inputs appropriate to the chassis. A well-sorted prewar Chrysler can be very enjoyable on the road, but tire age, wheel condition, and the car's broader mechanical readiness should always be evaluated together before longer or faster driving.

Inflation pressure for a 1940 Chrysler should be set by the specific tire size, the vehicle's original recommendation, and the tire maker's rated limits rather than by a one-pressure-fits-all rule. Where load information is published here, 700-15 products list 1700 pounds at 32 psi, and 650-16 products list 1580 pounds at 32 psi. Those figures are tire ratings, not universal operating instructions for every 1940 Chrysler application or every listed size.

The best approach is to begin with the original owner's manual or factory service literature for the car and then compare that recommendation with the tire manufacturer's guidance for the exact product being used. Do not transfer a pressure figure from a New Yorker's 700-15 tire to a Royal's 6.25-16 or a Crown Imperial's 750-15. Pressure affects wear, handling feel, and ride quality, so it is worth confirming specifically instead of relying on habit or guesswork.

Before taking a 1940 Chrysler on a longer drive, inspect all five tires for cracks, cuts, bulges, exposed cord, uneven wear, and proper inflation, and do the same for the spare. Check the valve stems closely, especially on older wheels or tube-type service setups, because age and leakage often show up there first. A longer drive also deserves a look at wheel fasteners, jack equipment, and whether the spare is actually the same usable size family required by the model.

Tires are only one part of the preparation, but they are the one part always in contact with the road. On a prewar Chrysler, that inspection should be paired with a broader once-over of brakes, cooling system, steering, and fluids before any substantial trip. Catching a weathered spare, a soft tire, or a cracked valve stem in the garage is far easier than dealing with it roadside on a car built for a very different motoring era.