1959 Mercury Tire Fitment Guide

Three tire sizes fit 1959 Mercury vehicles covered here: 800-14, 850-14, and 900-14. Monterey uses 800-14 and 850-14, while Montclair, Parklane, and Wagons use 850-14 and 900-14. All three sizes mount on 14-inch wheels. Where rim-width guidance is available, 800-14 fits 5.00 to 6.00-inch rims, 850-14 fits 5.50 to 6.00-inch rims, and 900-14 fits 6.00 to 7.00-inch rims.

That means year and make alone are not enough to choose a tire for a 1959 Mercury. Start by identifying the exact model, then compare the wheel on the car to the rim-width range for the intended size. On restored cars, wheel swaps over the years are common, so checking the actual wheel before choosing between 800-14, 850-14, and 900-14 is a smart final step.

On a 1959 Mercury, 800-14 is a numeric bias-ply size. The 8.00 refers to the tire’s nominal section width, and the 14 identifies the wheel diameter in inches. It is not a modern metric radial code, so it does not work like a P-metric size such as 205/75R14. Within the 1959 Mercury lineup, 800-14 is used on Monterey applications rather than across every model.

That coding matters because a modern buyer may assume all 14-inch tires are interchangeable when they are not. An 800-14 keeps you in the correct bias-ply family for a period Mercury while preserving the original-style proportions associated with Monterey fitments. If your car is a Monterey, this size should stay on your shortlist before you compare whitewall width or blackwall appearance.

No, 1959 Mercury models do not all use the same tire size. The only size shared across all four listed models is 850-14. Monterey also uses 800-14, while Montclair, Parklane, and Wagons also use 900-14. Every listed size is a 14-inch bias-ply fitment, but the section widths vary by model application.

That makes model identification one of the most important parts of choosing tires for a 1959 Mercury. If you are unsure whether the car is a Monterey, Montclair, Parklane, or wagon, use body trim, serial information, or marque-club guidance before ordering. Once the model is confirmed, the correct size range becomes much easier to narrow down.

Sidewall choices for 1959 Mercury tires include blackwall, narrow whitewall, and wide whitewall, depending on size. The 800-14 size offers all three looks, while 850-14 and 900-14 are available with narrow whitewall and wide whitewall styling. All of these options stay within bias-ply construction, so the visual difference is the main variable rather than a change in tire type.

For a late-fifties Mercury, sidewall style has a big effect on the car’s finished appearance. Wide whitewalls generally deliver the strongest period look on a full-size American car of this era, while narrow whitewalls feel slightly more restrained and blackwalls suit plainer or more understated presentations. The right choice depends on how you want the car to read visually once size and model fitment are settled.

BFGoodrich offers tires for all three 1959 Mercury sizes listed here: 800-14, 850-14, and 900-14. Universal Vintage Tire also appears in 800-14. All of the available products are bias-ply tires, and the brand spread is widest in the Monterey-specific 800-14 size, where buyers can choose among more sidewall presentations.

That brand split means the right starting point is size first, then styling preference within that size. If your 1959 Mercury uses 850-14 or 900-14, the selection centers on BFGoodrich whitewall treatments. If your Monterey uses 800-14, you have a broader mix of brand and sidewall looks to compare while staying in an era-appropriate bias-ply construction.

For the 1959 Mercury, BFGoodrich 1.00 Inch Whitewall and BFGoodrich 2.25 Inch Whitewall options share the same basic bias-ply construction within a given size, and their listed load ratings match within those sizes. The main difference is the whitewall width and the resulting period look. In 800-14, for example, both are offered alongside the same 14-inch fitment, while 850-14 and 900-14 also carry both whitewall widths in BFGoodrich form.

Choosing between them is mostly a styling decision once you have confirmed the correct size for your 1959 Mercury. A 2.25-inch whitewall creates a fuller late-fifties presentation that suits Mercury’s bold styling themes, while a 1.00-inch whitewall looks cleaner and more restrained. For judged restoration work, compare your choice against factory literature or marque-club guidance for the exact body style and market presentation.

Rim-width guidance for 1959 Mercury tires varies by size. The 800-14 size fits 5.00 to 6.00-inch rims, 850-14 fits 5.50 to 6.00-inch rims, and 900-14 fits 6.00 to 7.00-inch rims. All three sizes use a 14-inch rim diameter, but they are not meant for the same rim-width window.

That is why wheel measurement matters before final selection, especially on cars that may have had wheels exchanged over decades of use or restoration. A 14-inch wheel alone does not settle the question. If the car has non-original wheels, aftermarket steel wheels, or service replacements, confirm both diameter and width before matching the tire to the car.

Original 1959 Mercury wheels can work with multiple listed tire sizes in the sense that 800-14, 850-14, and 900-14 all mount on 14-inch rims. Rim width is the deciding detail. The listed ranges overlap in places, but 800-14, 850-14, and 900-14 do not all share the exact same recommended width window.

That means some original 14-inch Mercury wheels may accept more than one listed size, while others may point more clearly toward a single fitment range. If you are comparing sizes on a restored or modified car, measure the wheel and compare it to the intended tire’s approved rim-width range. That check is especially helpful when moving between Monterey-specific 800-14 and the wider 900-14 applications used on other models.

A stored 1959 Mercury should be kept in a cool, dry, dark place away from direct sunlight, electric motors, welders, battery chargers, or other ozone sources that can age rubber. Bias-ply tires also appreciate stable inflation pressure and periodic movement, because long static parking can encourage temporary flat-spotting more readily than many later radial designs. Clean, dry floors and a moisture-controlled garage environment help preserve both the tires and the wheels.

If the car will sit for months, move it occasionally or support it in a way that reduces prolonged stress on one contact patch. Check inflation before putting the car away and again before returning it to service. For collector cars that only see seasonal use, thoughtful storage habits often do more for tire life than low mileage does.

Tires on a 1959 Mercury should be evaluated by age as much as by tread wear. A collector-car tire often ages out before it wears out, especially on a low-mileage vehicle that spends much of its life indoors or at shows. A practical rule is to begin paying close attention once a tire is around five to seven years old and to treat about ten years as the point where replacement deserves serious consideration, regardless of remaining tread depth.

The date code on the tire is the starting point, but storage conditions, climate, inflation habits, and use history also matter. Cracking, hardening, vibration, or repeated air loss can move that timeline forward. For a 1959 Mercury that sees occasional road use, age-based planning is usually more realistic than waiting for tread wear to tell the story.

Tires on a 1959 Mercury should be inspected before every drive and given a more deliberate once-over before any longer outing. Look for sidewall cracking, cuts, bulges, uneven wear, low pressure, and anything embedded in the tread. Because these are vintage-style bias-ply tires, visual condition and air retention are especially important on a collector car that may sit between uses.

A quick check in the garage can prevent problems on the road. For a car that spends long periods parked, also inspect the spare, valve stems, and the tire surfaces that normally face the floor. If the car develops a pull, shake, or persistent vibration, stop treating it as normal old-car behavior until the tires and wheels have been inspected closely.

The 1959 Mercury Monterey used bias-ply 14-inch tires, with 800-14 and 850-14 appearing in the fitments covered here. That aligns with the period, when full-size American cars still commonly relied on bias-ply construction from the factory. A reproduction bias-ply tire is the right architectural match for the way a 1959 Mercury Monterey was originally equipped, even though sidewall presentation could vary by trim, market, or owner preference.

For an exact restoration, confirm the car’s original size against factory literature, dealer material, or Mercury marque-club sources tied to the body style you own. That is especially worthwhile on a Monterey because it appears with two different bias-ply size paths here. Once size is settled, sidewall style becomes the next authenticity choice rather than construction type.

Correct tire fitment matters on a 1959 Mercury because judges and knowledgeable enthusiasts often notice size, construction type, and sidewall style immediately. A bias-ply tire is more in keeping with the era than a later-style radial approach, and the visual difference between blackwall, narrow whitewall, and wide whitewall can change the whole presentation of a late-fifties Mercury. A size that belongs to another model can also affect stance and authenticity.

For show work, match the tire not just to the year but to the exact model and to the visual treatment appropriate for the way the car would have appeared when new. Event standards vary, so local and national Mercury clubs are the best source for judging expectations. Getting the sidewall look right is often just as important visually as choosing the correct 14-inch size.

In 800-14 for the 1959 Mercury, BFGoodrich appears in blackwall, narrow whitewall, and 2.25-inch whitewall forms, while Universal Vintage Tire appears here as a wide whitewall option. The BFGoodrich 800-14 listings include a 1620-pound maximum load at 32 psi on the products where load data is shown, and BFGoodrich also lists a 5.00 to 6.00-inch rim-width range in that size. All are bias-ply tires built around an original-style fitment concept.

That means the practical difference comes down to presentation and how much published specification detail you want to compare inside the same size. If you are chasing a particular sidewall look on a Monterey, both brands keep you in the correct vintage construction family. Use the exact tire appearance you want, together with the wheel width on the car, to narrow the final choice.

A properly sized, properly inflated 1959 Mercury bias-ply tire can be suitable for normal highway use when it is in good condition and matched to a sound vehicle. The available listings here do not show modern speed-letter markings for these sizes, so the emphasis belongs on condition, inflation, wheel compatibility, and the car’s broader mechanical state. On a 1959 full-size Mercury, brakes, steering, suspension condition, and alignment often shape real-world confidence just as much as the tire itself.

Highway safety depends on treating the tires as one part of the system rather than the whole answer. Before longer trips, check for age cracking, irregular wear, and pressure loss, then evaluate the rest of the car with equal care. A well-sorted vintage Mercury driven within its comfort zone is a very different experience from one pushed beyond what an older chassis and bias-ply tire setup were designed to do.

The listed reproduction tires for 1959 Mercury applications show maximum load figures at 32 psi where load information appears. In 800-14, BFGoodrich lists 1620 pounds at 32 psi; in 850-14, 1740 pounds at 32 psi; and in 900-14, 1860 pounds at 32 psi. Those figures are tire ratings, not a blanket instruction to run every 1959 Mercury at the same pressure in every driving condition.

Use the car’s factory literature as the starting point for service pressure and treat the tire maker’s maximum-rated figure as the upper reference for that specific tire, not the default setting. Do not transfer pressure assumptions from one size to another just because all three fit 14-inch wheels. A Monterey on 800-14 and a Parklane on 900-14 should each be considered on their own terms.

Before taking a 1959 Mercury on a longer drive, inspect all four tires and the spare for cracking, cuts, bulges, unusual wear, and correct pressure. Confirm that the wheel and tire combination is the right size for the model, and make sure the valve stems are sound and the beads are seated properly. On a bias-ply-equipped collector car, any shake, pull, or sudden change in feel deserves attention before the trip continues.

Tires are only one part of a sensible road-trip check on a car from this era. Also look over brakes, cooling, belts, hoses, and steering components so the car’s overall condition matches the trip you have planned. A 1959 Mercury can cover distance confidently when it is prepared like a vintage car rather than assumed to behave like a modern daily driver.