1942 Plymouth Tire Fitment Guide

1942 Plymouth vehicles in this guide use two tire sizes: 600-16 and 650-16, both on the Plymouth Deluxe. Both are bias-ply sizes and both mount on 16-inch rims, but they are not interchangeable by assumption because the recommended wheel widths differ. The 600-16 products shown use 4.00 to 4.50 inch rim widths, while 650-16 products use 4.50 to 5.00 inch rim widths.

That means a 1942 Plymouth owner should verify more than the diameter stamped on the wheel. A car already wearing 16-inch wheels could still need either the narrower or wider tire depending on the wheel width and how the car was set up. Checking the existing tire size, wheel width, and overall stance before replacing anything is the cleanest way to avoid choosing a size that changes fit or appearance unintentionally.

On a 1942 Plymouth, 600-16 is a numeric bias-ply size. The "600" is the nominal section width expressed in the older numeric system, and the "16" is the wheel diameter in inches. It is not a modern metric size, and it does not encode the kind of detailed dimensions a later radial size would. In the available 1942 Plymouth selection, this size appears as a traditional bias-ply fitment on 16-inch wheels.

Understanding that older numeric format helps you compare like with like when looking at reproduction tires. A 600-16 should be evaluated against other 600-16 bias-ply offerings first, not against a modern metric tire by width alone. Once you know the code is an older bias-ply designation, the next practical step is checking whether your wheel falls in the 4.00 to 4.50 inch width range used by the tires offered in that size.

On a 1942 Plymouth, 650-16 is also a numeric bias-ply size. The "650" indicates a nominally wider section than 600-16 in the vintage numeric system, while the "16" again refers to a 16-inch wheel diameter. It remains an older-style bias-ply designation, so the code is more about era-correct fitment sizing than the fuller dimensional detail seen in modern radial markings.

For a buyer, the useful takeaway is that 650-16 is the wider of the two 1942 Plymouth sizes covered here, and it belongs on a different wheel-width range than 600-16. The products available in 650-16 call for 4.50 to 5.00 inch rims. If your Deluxe has the wider wheel setup and you want to stay with a period-style bias-ply fitment, this is the size to compare first.

A 1942 Plymouth owner should choose between 600-16 and 650-16 by confirming the car's actual wheel width and present fitment, not by treating one as a universal upgrade over the other. Both sizes are bias-ply, both use 16-inch rims, and both are authentic to the year and model range covered here. The main technical distinction is that 600-16 fits the narrower rim-width range, while 650-16 fits the wider one.

That makes this a fitment decision first and an appearance decision second. If your wheel measures in the 4.00 to 4.50 inch range, 600-16 is the appropriate place to start; if it measures in the 4.50 to 5.00 inch range, 650-16 is the stronger candidate. Cars restored for a very specific stance or period look should also be checked against surviving original wheels, factory literature, or a Plymouth specialist before making the final call.

1942 Plymouth tire choices include both blackwall and wide whitewall sidewall styles. In 600-16, blackwall options appear from Coker Classic and Avon, while wide whitewall options appear from BFGoodrich and Firestone. In 650-16, blackwall options appear from Coker Classic and Firestone, while wide whitewall options appear from BFGoodrich and Garfield. That gives owners room to match a more understated service look or a brighter prewar-style presentation.

Sidewall style affects the car's visual character more than its fit. A blackwall usually reads as simpler and more utilitarian, while a wide whitewall better matches the upscale styling cues many collectors associate with early-1940s American cars. If your 1942 Plymouth is being restored with show presentation in mind, sidewall style should be chosen alongside the correct size, not as an afterthought.

Several brands cover 1942 Plymouth fitments. The 600-16 size is available from BFGoodrich, Coker Classic, Avon, and Firestone, while the 650-16 size is available from BFGoodrich, Coker Classic, Firestone, and Garfield. All of the listed choices are bias-ply tires, so brand selection here is less about changing construction type and more about choosing among available sidewall styling, series character, and size-specific offerings.

Brand matters most after size has been settled. Once you know whether your Plymouth needs 600-16 or 650-16, you can narrow the field by preferred sidewall look and by the load or speed details listed for that particular product. That is especially useful on a prewar-style car where the tire contributes heavily to the finished appearance as well as the period driving feel.

The available 1942 Plymouth tire listings give clear rim-width ranges for both sizes. Tires in 600-16 are paired with 4.00 to 4.50 inch rims, while tires in 650-16 are paired with 4.50 to 5.00 inch rims. Both sizes fit 16-inch wheel diameter, but the width requirement is what separates them in practice. That is why diameter alone is not enough to choose correctly.

A 1942 Plymouth owner should measure the wheel before making a final size choice, especially if the car has changed hands several times or may have had wheels swapped long ago. The overlap at 4.50 inches makes careful checking even more important. If your wheel lands at that crossover point, compare the car's current size, the look you want, and any marque guidance before deciding between the two fitments.

Original 1942 Plymouth wheels can only be used with both tire sizes if they match both the 16-inch diameter and the proper width range for the specific tire you want to run. Both 600-16 and 650-16 mount on 16-inch rims, so diameter compatibility is shared. The limiting factor is width: 600-16 is matched to 4.00 to 4.50 inch rims, while 650-16 is matched to 4.50 to 5.00 inch rims.

That means some original wheels may work with one size but not the other, even though both are 16-inch tires. A wheel at the narrow end should stay with 600-16, while a wider wheel may be better suited to 650-16. If your Plymouth still has its factory wheels, measuring them is the best starting point; if the wheel history is uncertain, treat the current setup as a clue rather than proof.

A stored 1942 Plymouth should be kept in a cool, dry space away from direct sunlight, electric motors, furnaces, welders, and other ozone-producing equipment that can age rubber. Bias-ply tires are especially prone to taking a temporary flat spot when they sit for long periods, so occasional rolling or repositioning helps. Clean floors, stable temperatures, and avoiding long contact with standing moisture all support tire life on a collector car.

Many owners either move the car periodically or support it in a way that reduces prolonged static load during long storage cycles. That matters on a 1942 Plymouth because bias-ply tires contribute significantly to how the car feels when it first goes back on the road. If the car is stored for a season at a time, inspect the sidewalls and set pressures carefully before the first drive rather than assuming the tires are ready as parked.

Tires on a 1942 Plymouth should be judged by age and condition more than mileage. Collector cars often wear out their tires on the calendar before they wear them out on the road, so a close evaluation around the five- to seven-year point is sensible, and replacement becomes a serious consideration as tires approach roughly ten years from manufacture. The DOT date code on the tire sidewall is the practical starting point for that timeline.

A low-mileage tread surface can be misleading on a seldom-driven car. Rubber hardening, cracking, internal aging, and storage history matter just as much as visible wear, especially on a prewar-era bias-ply application. If your 1942 Plymouth has older tires that still look presentable, age should still factor heavily into whether they remain suitable for regular use or are better reserved for limited display duty.

Tires on a 1942 Plymouth should be inspected before every drive and again before any longer outing. Look for sidewall cracking, weather-checking, cuts, bulges, irregular tread wear, and signs that the tire is losing pressure between uses. Because collector vehicles often sit longer than modern daily drivers, a visual check alone is not enough; a pressure check should be part of the routine as well.

A pre-drive inspection is especially important on an older Plymouth because the car may spend weeks or months parked between outings. Short local drives can hide issues that become obvious only once heat and distance build up. If you keep a spare in the car, inspect that too, since an aged or underinflated spare is much less helpful when a roadside problem appears far from home.

A 1942 Plymouth Deluxe would have been a bias-ply car when new, which aligns with the 600-16 and 650-16 bias-ply fitments offered here. Both sizes belong to the Deluxe in this year, and both preserve the period-correct construction type expected of an American passenger car from the early 1940s. The exact original size can depend on how the car was equipped, so the correct answer for one Deluxe should not automatically be transferred to another.

For an owner restoring a Deluxe carefully, the safest path is to confirm the existing wheel width, compare the car to factory literature if available, and then verify details with Plymouth club sources or a knowledgeable restorer. Construction type is the easy part here because bias-ply is right for the era. The finer point is choosing the right numeric size and sidewall style to match the way your specific car would have appeared when new.

Correct tire fitment matters noticeably when showing a 1942 Plymouth because judges and knowledgeable enthusiasts often look at size, construction type, and sidewall appearance as part of the car's overall authenticity. On a prewar American car, an incorrect section width or a sidewall style that does not suit the restoration theme can alter the stance and visual balance right away. Since the available 1942 Plymouth choices are bias-ply, the main authenticity questions become size and sidewall treatment.

A show-minded owner should decide early whether the car is being restored as a factory-style presentation, a preserved survivor, or a road-driven period look. That choice influences whether blackwall or wide whitewall makes the most sense once the correct size is known. Event-specific judging standards can vary, so it is worth checking Plymouth club guidance or the rules of the show where the car will actually be judged.

Wide whitewalls can be appropriate on a 1942 Plymouth, and both 600-16 and 650-16 are available in wide whitewall form. Whitewall usage in the early 1940s was very much part of the American passenger-car visual language, especially on better-presented cars and restorations intended to capture a dressed-up showroom look. Blackwalls were also part of the era, so the question is not whether one is universally right and the other universally wrong.

The better choice depends on the exact personality of the car you are restoring. A formal or fully restored 1942 Plymouth Deluxe often looks at home on a wide whitewall, while a more utilitarian or service-style presentation may be better served by a blackwall. If authenticity is the priority, treat sidewall style as part of the restoration plan and compare it against period photos, surviving cars, and Plymouth specialist advice.

1942 Plymouth tires can be suitable for highway driving when they are the correct size, properly mounted to the right wheel width, in sound condition, and used within their construction and rating limits. The available fitments here are bias-ply, and one 600-16 offering carries an H speed rating, which corresponds to a 130 mph ceiling. Other listed products emphasize load capacity rather than speed letter markings, so the specific tire's sidewall should be checked before extended road use.

In practice, the tire is only one part of the highway equation on a 1942 Plymouth. Steering condition, braking, suspension, wheel condition, and the car's general prewar design matter at least as much as the tire's published capability during normal cruising. A carefully prepared Plymouth can be an enjoyable road car, but it should be driven with respect for its age, bias-ply manners, and overall mechanical condition.

Inflation pressure for 1942 Plymouth tires should be set by the tire's published rating and then checked against factory guidance for the car. The listed 600-16 and 650-16 load-rated bias-ply products show figures of 1,400 pounds at 32 psi for 600-16 and 1,580 pounds at 32 psi for 650-16 on several offerings. Those numbers are part of the tire's rated capacity information and should not be treated as a blanket instruction to use the same pressure in every circumstance.

A careful owner will start with the vehicle's original inflation recommendations if available, then confirm that the chosen reproduction tire's specifications are being respected. Pressure should never be borrowed from a different size simply because the wheel diameter matches. If your Plymouth changes from 600-16 to 650-16 or vice versa, revisit pressure setup deliberately rather than assuming the old setting remains appropriate.

Before a longer drive in a 1942 Plymouth, inspect all five tires for cracking, cuts, bulges, uneven wear, and any sign of prior impact damage. Confirm pressure when the tires are cold, look at the valve stems, and make sure the spare is inflated and serviceable. Since both 600-16 and 650-16 fitments here are bias-ply, it is also worth watching for age-related stiffness or flat-spotting if the car has been sitting.

A longer outing in a wartime-era Plymouth should always be approached as a whole-car check rather than a tire-only exercise. Wheel fasteners, brakes, steering play, fluid levels, and lighting deserve attention alongside the tires. Once the car is moving, pay attention to changes in tracking, vibration, or steering feel, because an older bias-ply-equipped car often tells you early when something in the tire or chassis needs another look.