1941 Buick Tire Fitment Guide

1941 Buick vehicles use three sizes across five models: 650-16 fits the 40 Special and 50 Super, 700-15 fits the 60 Century and 70 Roadmaster, and 750-16 fits the 90 Series. The 650-16 and 750-16 applications use 16-inch rims, while the 700-15 application uses a 15-inch rim. Where rim-width guidance is available, 650-16 is used on 4.50- to 5.00-inch rims, 700-15 on 5.00- to 5.50-inch rims, and 750-16 on 5.00- to 6.00-inch rims.

That means the right starting point for a 1941 Buick is identifying the model first, not just the year and make. Special and Super owners can focus on 650-16 choices, Century and Roadmaster owners on 700-15, and Series 90 owners on 750-16. Once the model is confirmed, the next decision is usually sidewall appearance and brand preference rather than moving between alternate constructions, since all three Buick sizes here are bias-ply.

On a 1941 Buick, 650-16 is a traditional numeric bias-ply size. The 6.50 portion is the nominal section-width designation used in period American sizing, and the 16 identifies the wheel diameter in inches. On Buick applications for 1941, that size belongs to the 40 Special and 50 Super and is offered in both blackwall and wide whitewall versions from several classic-tire brands.

Modern buyers sometimes read a numeric size like 650-16 as if it were a contemporary metric code, but it works differently and reflects prewar sizing conventions. For a 1941 Buick owner, the practical takeaway is simple: if you have a Special or Super on the correct 16-inch wheels, 650-16 is the fitment family to research. After that, compare sidewall appearance and wheel width compatibility rather than trying to translate it directly into a modern passenger-car size.

No, 1941 Buick models do not all use the same tire size. The 40 Special and 50 Super share 650-16, the 60 Century and 70 Roadmaster share 700-15, and the 90 Series uses 750-16. Buick’s range that year covered distinct classes of cars, so tire fitment followed those model differences instead of staying uniform from the entry-level line through the senior cars.

That variation matters because a Buick owner cannot safely choose by appearance alone, especially when both 15-inch and 16-inch rim diameters appear across the same model year. Century and Roadmaster owners should not assume their cars use the same wheel diameter as Special or Super models, and Series 90 owners should not treat any 16-inch Buick size as interchangeable. Confirm the exact model and wheel before narrowing brand or sidewall style.

1941 Buick tires are available in both blackwall and wide whitewall styles across the size range shown here. The 650-16 options for Special and Super include blackwall and wide whitewall versions, the 700-15 options for Century and Roadmaster include both as well, and the 750-16 choices for the Series 90 also include blackwall and wide whitewall offerings. That gives owners flexibility within each correct size rather than forcing a change in fitment to achieve a particular look.

For a 1941 Buick restoration, sidewall choice has a strong visual effect because these cars carry so much of their character in stance and wheel presentation. Wide whitewalls are often favored on formal prewar American cars and touring restorations, while blackwalls create a plainer, more restrained period look. If originality matters for your Buick, match the sidewall style to the car’s intended presentation and check event-specific standards with a Buick club or judging guide.

Several established vintage-tire brands cover 1941 Buick fitments. In 650-16, available brands include BFGoodrich, Coker Classic, Firestone, and Garfield. In 700-15, the available brands are Firestone, BFGoodrich, and STA. In 750-16, the choices include Firestone, Lester, and BFGoodrich.

That spread lets a 1941 Buick owner compare not just brand name but also sidewall presentation and, in some sizes, a more specialized tread character. A Special or Super owner has the broadest brand mix in 650-16, while a Series 90 owner can compare several well-known period-style brands in 750-16. The best way to narrow the field is to start with the correct size, then compare the sidewall look and any published rim-width or load details that matter for your car.

Within the 700-15 fitment for 1941 Buick Century and Roadmaster models, both Firestone and BFGoodrich offer classic bias-ply options with wide whitewall versions rated at 1700 pounds at 32 psi. Firestone also has a blackwall 700-15 listed with the same 1700-pound-at-32-psi load figure and the same 5.00- to 5.50-inch rim-width range. The listed weights differ slightly, with the Firestone whitewall at 29 pounds, the Firestone blackwall at 26 pounds, and the BFGoodrich whitewall at 28 pounds.

For a 1941 Buick owner, that means the decision is less about basic fitment and more about brand preference and visual presentation. If you want a blackwall in this size, Firestone is one direct route among the listed options; if you want a wide whitewall, both Firestone and BFGoodrich are available with closely comparable published load and rim-width figures. Comparing those details side by side helps keep the choice aligned with the car’s intended look.

Rim-width guidance varies by tire size on 1941 Buick applications. The 650-16 tires used on the 40 Special and 50 Super are listed for 4.50- to 5.00-inch rims. The 700-15 tires used on the 60 Century and 70 Roadmaster are listed for 5.00- to 5.50-inch rims. The 750-16 tires used on the 90 Series are listed for 5.00- to 6.00-inch rims where that specification appears.

That is one reason wheel measurement matters even after the model is identified correctly. A Buick may still be running replacement wheels, and the proper tire size should be matched to a wheel that falls inside the intended range for that specific size. Before fitting a new set, measure the actual wheel width and compare it to the tire you plan to use instead of assuming every 15-inch or 16-inch Buick wheel from the period is the same.

The available 1941 Buick tire listings here are all traditional bias-ply products, but no universal tube marking appears across every product entry in these Buick sizes. That means tube requirements should be confirmed against the exact tire you select and the wheel type you are using, especially on original prewar rims. A period-style bias-ply tire and a prewar wheel often go hand in hand with tube use, but the product’s own markings and fitment guidance should make the final call.

For a 1941 Buick owner, the practical approach is to treat tube choice as part of the wheel-and-tire package rather than an afterthought. Original wheels, restored wheels, and later replacement wheels can differ in how they are set up, and valve-stem condition matters just as much as the tire itself. When you settle on a specific 650-16, 700-15, or 750-16 product, confirm whether that exact tire and wheel combination is intended to run with a tube before installation.

A stored 1941 Buick should be kept in a cool, dry, dark space away from direct sunlight, electric motors, battery chargers, furnaces, and other ozone-producing sources that can age rubber. Bias-ply tires also benefit from avoiding long periods of weight in one exact position, since they are more prone to temporary flat-spotting during static storage than modern radials. Clean, dry floors and stable air pressure help preserve both the tire casing and the wheel area.

Owners who store a 1941 Buick for extended periods should move the car occasionally or support it appropriately so one patch of tread is not carrying the same load month after month. That is especially worthwhile on heavy prewar cars like senior Buicks. If the car is displayed rather than driven regularly, inspect the sidewalls for age cracking before each outing, because long indoor storage protects the tires but does not stop time from affecting them.

Tires on a 1941 Buick usually age out before they wear out. For collector vehicles, a good rule is to begin evaluating tires closely once they reach roughly five to seven years of age and to treat around ten years as a point where replacement deserves serious consideration regardless of remaining tread. The DOT date code and the tire’s overall condition matter more than mileage on a low-use prewar Buick.

That matters because many restored 1941 Buick cars accumulate very few miles each year, which can make an older tire look healthier than it really is. Sidewall cracking, hardening rubber, loss of flexibility, and persistent air-loss issues are stronger replacement signals than tread depth alone on a hobby car. A careful age-based approach is better for a collector Buick than waiting for visible tread wear that may never arrive.

Tires on a 1941 Buick should be inspected before every drive, and again more carefully before any longer outing or tour. Look for sidewall cracking, tread separation, bulges, cuts, embedded debris, and signs that the tire has been run low. Pressure retention should be checked regularly, and if your wheel-and-tire setup uses tubes, the condition of the valve stems deserves the same attention as the tire casing itself.

Prewar Buicks are heavy enough that a small tire issue can become a much larger roadside problem if it is ignored. A quick walkaround before local use and a fuller inspection before a highway run or club event is time well spent. Include the spare in that routine, because a collector-car spare often goes untouched for years and may be older or less serviceable than the four tires on the car.

A 1941 Buick 40 Special would originally have been equipped in the bias-ply era, and the size used here for that model is 650-16. That same size is shared with the 1941 Buick 50 Super, while larger Buick lines moved to different fitments. Original-equipment branding could vary by market and delivery, so the key authenticity points are usually correct size, correct bias-ply construction, and a sidewall treatment appropriate to the car’s intended presentation.

For a restoration, that means a 1941 Buick Special owner should start with a 650-16 bias-ply tire and then choose between blackwall and wide whitewall based on the car’s trim, style, and judging target. If you are restoring for a specific event standard, check Buick club sources and factory literature for market- or body-style nuances. Keeping the tire size and construction period-correct usually matters more than chasing a brand assumption that cannot be verified car by car.

Correct tire fitment matters a great deal when showing a 1941 Buick, especially in preservation or concours-oriented settings. Judges and knowledgeable enthusiasts often notice whether the car carries the right size for its model, whether the construction matches the period, and whether the sidewall presentation suits the era. A Special wearing the wrong larger senior-car size, or a Century using the wrong rim diameter family, can look immediately out of place even before detailed judging begins.

The sidewall style can matter almost as much as the size itself because prewar American luxury and near-luxury cars were often presented with a very deliberate visual stance. A blackwall may be right for one restoration goal, while a wide whitewall may be expected for another. If your 1941 Buick is being prepared for formal judging, verify the preferred combination with the relevant club or event rules so authenticity and presentation work together.

For the 1941 Buick 90 Series in 750-16, Firestone and BFGoodrich both offer period-style bias-ply choices, including wide whitewall versions. The Firestone blackwall is listed at 1660 pounds at 40 psi with a 5.00- to 6.00-inch rim-width range, and the Firestone 4.50-inch whitewall carries the same published load and pressure figure with the same rim-width range. The BFGoodrich 4.125-inch whitewall is listed at 1850 pounds at 48 psi and also fits a 5.00- to 6.00-inch rim-width range.

For a 1941 Buick Series 90 restoration, those differences mostly come into play when you are balancing look and published load characteristics within the correct size. Firestone gives you both blackwall and a wider whitewall presentation, while BFGoodrich provides a slightly narrower whitewall look with a different published load-and-pressure figure. Since all remain in the same 750-16 bias-ply family, the comparison is best made around appearance and the specific specs that suit your car’s intended use.

1941 Buick tires in the sizes shown here are available as bias-ply products, and no specific speed-rating letters are listed for these Buick fitments. A properly maintained bias-ply tire in the correct size can be suitable for normal collector-car road use when it is in good condition, correctly inflated, and mounted on the proper wheel. On a prewar Buick, the condition of the brakes, steering, suspension, and wheel bearings is often just as important to highway confidence as the tire itself.

That means the question is less about whether a 1941 Buick can physically go on the highway and more about whether the whole car is prepared for that kind of use. Bias-ply tires will feel different from modern radials, especially in tracking and response, and that is part of the period driving experience. Before any sustained highway trip, make sure the tire size matches the car, the tires are fresh enough to trust, and the chassis is sorted to the same standard.

Inflation pressure on a 1941 Buick should be guided by the vehicle’s original recommendations and the tire’s own published limits for the exact size you are using. Among the available products, 650-16 examples are listed up to 1580 pounds at 32 psi, 700-15 examples up to 1700 pounds at 32 psi, and 750-16 examples include 1660 pounds at 40 psi and 1850 pounds at 48 psi depending on the product. Those figures are not interchangeable from one Buick size to another.

A 1941 Buick owner should use those numbers as rated capacity references, then verify the actual operating pressure against the owner’s manual, factory guidance, and the chosen tire’s markings. The right pressure for a Special on 650-16 is not automatically the right pressure for a Series 90 on 750-16, even though both may use 16-inch rims. Matching pressure to the exact size and tire you have is one of the simplest ways to protect ride quality, wear, and safety.

Before a longer drive in a 1941 Buick, inspect each tire for cracking, cuts, bulges, uneven wear, exposed cords, and any sign of separation. Confirm that all four tires and the spare are properly inflated and that the valve stems are sound, especially if your wheel setup uses tubes. Also make sure wheel hardware is secure and that no tire is rubbing the body or suspension through the steering range.

A tire check should be part of a broader pre-drive inspection on a prewar Buick, not a standalone task. Roadworthiness also depends on brakes, steering play, cooling system health, and whether the car has been sitting long enough to need recommissioning. Starting with the tires is still worthwhile, because they are the only part of a 1941 Buick that touches the road, and problems there tend to reveal themselves before the rest of the drive does.